According to some estimates, add-ons make up around 10% of the total revenue for car rental companies. That’s why agents always try to pressure customers into purchasing various extras and upgrades for the car that don’t benefit drivers at all.
Car rental companies offer customers all sorts of add-ons to make an extra profit, but most of them can be avoided and are not worth paying extra for. The most common rental car extras include child seats, GPS and optional insurance coverages.
Child Seats
Although rental companies want to convince their customers that renting a child seat is more convenient and cost-effective than bringing their own child seat along, it’s often not worth paying for. Usually, the cost for renting a car seat is $12-$13 per day, which doesn’t seem too expensive, but it can add up to a significant amount when renting one for several days in a row, and is a major source of additional income for car rental companies. Consumers can get a free child seat when renting a car from a company that works with AAA and avoid paying extra. To be eligible for a free child seat, drivers must be AAA members.
Navigation Systems
A GPS navigation system can certainly come in handy when renting a car in a new town or country whose roads a consumer is not familiar with, but getting one at the car rental counter is not the most cost-effective option. Renting a GPS device from a car rental company costs about $15 per day, but consumers can buy a portable unit for as little as $70-$80, which would help them save a lot of money if they drive rental cars often.
Excess Damage Waiver
Excess collision damage, or loss damage waiver, may be the only car rental counter add-on that is worth paying extra for. These coverages can help drivers save hundreds or even thousands of dollars in case they get involved in a collision while driving a rental car or if the car they have rented gets stolen. The loss damage waiver and collision damage waiver coverages add about $50 per day to a consumer’s rental car costs, which is well worth paying as it releases the renter from liability for damages to the car and loss of use costs.
To sum up, there are many upsells that renters should watch out for at the car rental counter, and only opt to purchase the ones that would improve their rental car experience significantly, without paying hundreds of dollars more than they had planned.