A lot can happen in a week, especially when it comes to a road trip. Why worry about running up the mileage on your car when you can rent one?
The beauty of renting a car for a week is that you don’t have to worry about depreciating your own car. You can even get car insurance for a week to ensure that you’re covered should something happen to the rental.
You have enough worries as it is while you prepare for your trip. There are so many questions swirling around your head. Where are you going to stay? How far is your destination? Who are you bringing along? You don’t need to worry about whether you should bring your car.
Whether you’re going to the East Coast, the West Coast, or whether you’re going to the Midwest, renting a car has so many benefits. Let’s look at some of those benefits for your weeklong trip.
#1 – No Worrying About Maintenance
Renting a car takes a lot of pressure off of you to do maintenance. All you have to do is return the car when you’re done with it. If you travel in your own car, you run the risk of having to pay for required maintenance like oil changes, changing the tires, etc. Using a rental instead of your car can end up saving you money and time.
If you rent instead of using your car, there’s a good chance that the rental will be in better condition for cross-country travel, and you wouldn’t need to worry about maintenance. The probability that the rental agency where you rented the car already paid for the required maintenance is pretty high as well.
Renting will not only save you money, but it will also slow down the depreciation of your car.
#2 – No Worrying About the Depreciation of Your Car
On average, cars depreciate by 15% after the first year of purchasing. That can add up over time, especially if you’re considering trading in your car for another in the future. To keep as much of its value as possible, rent a car for week-long road trips.
It’s inevitable. Cars depreciate as time goes on, but you can slow down the process when you choose to rent. Make sure you have a safe place to store your car while you’re on your road trip so that it doesn’t get damaged by anything or anyone.
Finding a car rental doesn’t have to be hard. Just do some research and find which rental is perfect for you. Hopefully, that will persuade you to not use your own car and not have to deal with depreciation.
Still not convinced about whether to rent or use your own car? When you choose to rent, there’s a good chance that the rental might have better gas mileage.
#3 – A Rental Car Might Have Better Gas Mileage
Another benefit of renting is similar to what was discussed earlier. The rental might be in better condition and might have better gas mileage. Gas prices fluctuate all the time, and depending on the kind of car you drive, you can easily pay up to $40 to $50 every time you stop for gas. Renting a car with better gas mileage than your own car will save you money.
If it can be helped, avoid gas guzzlers like trucks and SUVs. These types of cars will definitely cost you a lot of money in the long run. Depending on how often you stop for gas, larger vehicles might cost you time and energy as well.
Do yourself a favor and do your research before you rent. Make sure the car that you’ve chosen has great gas mileage.
#4 – Rental Car Insurance Covers Repairs
Rental car insurance coverage is best because should something happen to the rental, you won’t have to pay out of pocket to fix it, which is perfect for your weeklong road trip. Check your car insurance policy just to see if coverage for rental cars is included. If not, then the rental agency where you got the car will more than likely have insurance you can pay for.
Some credit card companies also offer insurance for rental cars. Check with your credit card company and see if you can get adequate insurance through them.
Get rental car insurance for your rental. Accidents happen, so it’s good to make sure you’re protected. It’s good to rent so that your car doesn’t get damaged or totaled.
A rental doesn’t come home with you, but your own car does. No one wants to drive a beat-up car. Save yourself some regret and heartache and choose to rent.
#5 – Your Car Might Not Be Equipped for a Road Trip
Let’s face it. Sometimes our cars are not meant for cross-country travel. Sometimes they’re just meant to be driven to work, to the store, and back home again. And that’s okay.
That’s the beauty of renting a car. You can go to places that you might not normally be able to go to. The car you rent might be better equipped for a weeklong road trip.
Think practically about whether your car can make the trip. Even if it can, you may still want to rent. It’s risky business going on vacation with your own car. Anything could happen, especially if you’re going from one side of the country to the other.
Renting a car for your road trip is such a smart move, whether you’ll be traveling to cities or more remote areas. You won’t have to worry about maintenance, repairs, or depreciation, and the car you’re renting might have better gas mileage. There are so many pluses to renting.
As stated above, please do your research and make sure you’re renting the right car for you. Try to avoid massive vehicles. Protect your car at home before you set out.
And, most of all, have fun. Enjoy your weeklong road trip whether you’re going on your own or with friends and family.
Peyton Leonard writes and researches for the car insurance site, CarInsuranceComparison.com. Peyton enjoys providing her readers with advice on preparing for road trips, saving on car insurance, and avoiding accidents.