Road trips have always been a favorite American pastime. Whether it’s a family road trip to check out the Grand Canyon and Route 66 or a long drive to get to the starting point of a hiking trip, road trips are excellent ways to get around without the hassle (and expense) of flying or the time-consuming ordeal of taking a bus or a train.
And if you’re planning a road trip, you may be wondering whether it’s worth it to rent a car or use your own. Well, we’ve got you covered.
So, before you get your road trip checklist out, read on to find out everything you need to know about renting a car for a road trip.
Can You Use a Rental for a Long Road Trip?
You can absolutely use a rental car for a long road trip — with the right rental plan. You may need to shop around a bit to find the right vehicle, the best price, and the right plan, but it’s entirely possible. People use rental cars for road trips all the time.
Most rental cars are used around town by people that don’t live there. They fly into town for business or pleasure, rent a car for a few days, and return the car to the same place they got it. Other times, people rent cars when their own vehicle is in the shop. And in other cases, drivers decide to go the rental route because they are not sure if long road trips are bad for their cars.
Either way, these cars aren’t getting a ton of mileage put on them, in most cases. This is why it’s common for people to wonder if they can use a rental car for a long road trip. As noted above, the answer is yes, but there are some things you should keep in mind before you head over to the rental agency. And the big one is mileage restrictions.
Are There Mileage Restrictions?
There are mileage restrictions for certain rental plans. These restrictions often cap out at 150 miles per day. But it’s not hard to find a rental company offering unlimited mileage plans for a slightly higher fee.
On rental plans with mileage restrictions, you can expect to pay per mile if you go over the daily allotment. This can be as high as $0.25 per mile! So make sure you select the unlimited mileage plan for your road trip, unless you know for sure you’ll be driving under the allotment, which isn’t much for most road trips.
How Much Does it Cost to Rent a Car?
Car rental costs vary widely depending on the type of car, how far ahead you make the reservation, whether you need insurance, the mileage plan, where you rent the car from, and what mileage plan you select. Your age can even be a factor. The national average is between $15 and $50 per day.
It’s more expensive to rent a car from an airport than it is from a rental agency located elsewhere in the same city (even through the same company). It can also be more expensive to purchase insurance through the rental car company at the time of rental. The length of the rental is also a determining factor.
The best way to determine the total cost of a car rental for a long road trip is to shop around, either online or over the phone. Do this well in advance of your trip (two or three months, if possible) to get the best rates.
Benefits of Renting a Car vs Using Your Own
If you looked at the wide price range above and grimaced, I don’t blame you. Is it really worth it to rent a car at $40 to $50 a day? Well, before you decide whether it’s right for you, it’s important to take a look at the benefits of renting a car instead of using your own for a long road trip.
Better Gas Mileage (Possibly)
Depending on the type of car you own, a rental may get better gas mileage, allowing you to save money on fuel consumption during the trip. If yours is a gas guzzler, you may want to look at more fuel-efficient rental options. Especially if you have a very old, beaten down car with a rather high number on the odometer – you may wonder if your car can make it on a road trip in the first place.
More Room
Say you have a sedan but you’ve got a total of five people going on the road trip with you. Unless you all only pack one small bag, it will be nearly impossible to fit five people and all your luggage in a sedan. And if you manage to do so, it won’t be comfortable. But renting an SUV or a van may be the ticket to a more relaxing, less sardine-like experience as you travel on the open road.
Better Equipped for Weather and Steep Roads
Another benefit of renting a car for a long road trip is that you can get one that’s better equipped for bad weather and/or steep roads. If you’re headed to a place where snow is a probability and you don’t think your own vehicle can handle it well, a rental could be the best bet.
The same can be said for steep hills. Some older cars may struggle on steep hills, but for a newer rental, they’ll be a breeze.
However, keep in mind that most rental companies don’t allow you to take their vehicles off-road. If you do, repairing anything that happens to the vehicle comes directly out of your pocket. So if you’re looking for a 4WD SUV or truck that you can take on unpaved roads and dirt tracks, you’ll be unlikely to find one through a rental agency. However, it’s always a good idea to ask. Some companies may make an exception — in exchange for an increased daily price, no doubt.
Keeping Miles Low on Your Vehicle
Road trips put mileage on vehicles. And maybe you don’t want those extra miles on your own personal car. In fact, some leases cap the number of miles you can put on the car per year, charging you extra if you go over that number. This is only 1 of 10 reasons not to lease a car. So if you’re leasing your car, it’s a good idea to check and see if there’s a mileage limit there.
But even if you own your car outright, renting a vehicle for your road trip can keep your maintenance costs down. If your car has been acting funny lately and you haven’t had the time to get it checked out, you may want to rent a car and leave yours at home to prevent the likelihood of a highway breakdown.
Cruise Control
If your vehicle doesn’t have cruise control, you may want to rent a car just for this. Cruise control makes long road trips so much easier and more enjoyable since you don’t have to have your foot constantly on the gas. Cruise control saves fuel and can even help reduce driver fatigue.
Drawbacks of Renting a Car vs Using Your Own
Now that we’ve covered the benefits of renting a car for a long road trip, let’s take a look at the drawbacks.
May Cost More Up-Front
The biggest drawback of renting a car for a road trip is the up-front cost. Even if you get a good deal, it will cost more to rent a car than it would to use your own. However, it could save you money in the long run by reducing maintenance costs on your own vehicle. Determining whether or not a rental car will save you money in the long term is difficult, as it’s impossible to say what will happen in the future.
Learning Curve
Renting a car also usually comes with a bit of a learning curve. You’ll need to get used to the features and intricacies of the rental, which can be a little bit stressful, especially if the vehicle is much larger than one you’re used to.
Paying the Rental Agency for Gas
Many rental agencies have all kinds of strange fees they ask you to pay. And paying them for gas is one of them. It may seem like a good idea, especially if you don’t want to fill up the tank before you drop the car back off.
They may tell you that the cost per gallon of prepaid gas is cheaper than the local average, but most of the time this isn’t true because that prepaid price doesn’t include taxes and fees. On the other hand, when you buy gas at a gas pump, that does include taxes. This often means that paying for gas upfront can end up costing you more than simply buying the gas on your own would.
Reservation Confusion
Rental car agencies commonly overbook their rentals, expecting a number of no-shows or canceled reservations. Unfortunately, this can leave you in a lurch if you’re the unlucky one who shows up to find that there are no cars available, even though you made a reservation. Some rental agencies are pretty bad about this while others do a better job of honoring reservations. It’s worth reading some reviews online before you book.
There are also horror stories of some rental agencies (one in particular rhymes with “hurts”) changing rates or car types at the last minute. Unfortunately, there’s little recourse for customers who will often be stranded or forced to pay even more for a last minute rental at another company.
Research on the specific company and location you plan to rent from can help prevent issues like these.
Where are the Best Places to Rent a Car From?
It can be hard to say which rental car company is best. There are a lot of factors to consider. What “best” means to some is “cheapest” and what it means to others is “most convenient”. That said, Enterprise often shows up near the top of everyone’s list.
Enterprise has a ton of locations and they’re also very transparent, meaning they don’t charge a bunch of hidden fees. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t go in with your eyes open. Do a little research on whichever company you chose and make sure you ask questions if you’re not sure about something.
Do Rental Cars Have Trackers?
The majority of rental cars today come with GPS capability, which means they can also be tracked by the rental company. Exactly how the company is allowed to track the car varies in each state, with some states only allowing companies to search for the vehicle if there’s a problem or it’s overdue.
Advances in technology have allowed rental cars to get more sophisticated. Many can be unlocked remotely if the renter locks the keys in the car — although this usually involves a small additional fee. GPS systems can help drivers navigate and rental companies locate their vehicles. But they also create privacy concerns for those following the rules laid out by the rental agreement.
Do You Need Rental Car Insurance?
The short answer is no, you don’t need insurance. But having good coverage protects you if something happens. However, before you purchase insurance through the rental company, check to see if you already have adequate coverage that will cover your rental car.
All rental cars come standard with the minimum amount of liability insurance. And if you have car insurance on your personal vehicle, it’s probably enough that you don’t need to purchase additional insurance. The same goes for health insurance — if you have it, you don’t need to purchase the personal accident insurance that rental companies offer.
If you don’t have insurance, you’ve got a couple of choices. You can stick with the standard liability insurance that comes with the renta. You can purchase insurance from your credit card company (provided you’re using the card to rent the car). Or you can purchase insurance from the rental agency. As you can probably guess, that last option is usually the most expensive.
If you need to purchase insurance for your road trip, do it before you head out to pick up the car. Doing it ahead of time can save you money.
In Conclusion
Renting a car is a good option for a road trip for many reasons. One we didn’t cover is that driving a rental kind of feels like a vacation in and of itself. It’s not the same old car you’re used to; it’s new and exciting!
Renting a car for a road trip — or for any purpose — is all about being prepared. Take some time to research the company, the kind of car you want, the total cost per day, and how many miles you’ll be driving. Most rental companies don’t charge you a fee to cancel your reservation, so it’s a good idea to make one ahead of time and then keep your eyes out for a better deal. Car rental prices fluctuate, and you can often get a great deal if you look and are willing to talk to someone on the phone or in person!
We hope this article has been informative for you. Drive safe!