What's happening, guys? Welcome back!
Today we’ll keep talking about the process of renting a car.
If you've made an online reservation,
all you gotta do is go to the chosen pick-up spot when you get to your destination.
If you’ve chosen to pick up the car at the airport,
look for your car rental company by following the signs that usually have an icon of a car and a key,
like this one:
If you can’t find any signs like this, you can ask for directions:
The rentals may be outside the main terminal
and you may need to get some special transportation to get there.
This is what usually happens at international airports in the U.S.
The shuttle may serve all the rentals,
so you’ll have to tell the driver which one you’re going to.
Or there may be also an exclusive bus to each rental company.
You should check that before boarding.
So, when you get there, you’ll tell them you’ve got a reservation:
…then you say the last name of the person who made the reservation.
Let’s say... “Souza,” for example.
If the clerk can’t understand your last name,
just hand them an ID with photo so they can locate your reservation.
They may either find it by your name
or they can ask you for the voucher you received via e-mail
after confirming your online reservation.
But if you decided not to book the car in advance, just rent it at the company counter.
You may choose a company at the airport,
or the ones around the city, or, in some cases, the one at your hotel.
You can start by saying:
Guys, “ten days” is just an example here, okay?
You go ahead and say how many days you’ll need it.
After that, the clerk will probably ask you about the car itself.
They can probably ask you a question like this one:
Or this one, instead:
You can answer either using a car name or a brand.
Now, if they ask you:
An answer with the name of the car will sound weird.
Since it’s a question about size, it’s only normal to answer it
using words that express how big or how small you’d like the car to be.
You can say, for example:
I’d like a midsize, full-size, or compact car.
Then, guys, there’s the matter of availability.
The car you’re looking for might not be available, but don’t worry if that happens.
Cars in the same category usually share the same kind of features and they may also meet your needs.
Check if the daily rate fits your budget
and just bear in mind that renting a car at the counter may be a little more expensive.
We’ve already talked about that, right?
Okay! So, after choosing the car,
you’ll tell them the drop-off date, time, and spot,
just like you would do if you were making an online reservation.
If you need to return the car after hours,
check if the rental company provides that kind of service.
You can say:
It’s advisable to learn all you can about it in order to avoid problems when you return the car.
You don’t wanna get lost and end up being late for your flight, right?
Then you’ll have to fill out a form with your personal information,
e-mail, and address from where you’ll be staying.
Next, you’ll hand them your credit card for the security deposit,
which can be higher than the amount you’ll actually pay for the rental.
But don't worry, it’s all right!
The actual amount due for their service will only be charged after you return the car
and they’ve checked if there have been any kind of damages
or if any other extra charge will be necessary.
And that’s it!
The next step will be to show them your driver’s license.
In most American states, your home driver’s license will do.
But since traffic laws vary from state to state,
it’s a good idea to check if you’ll need an International Driving Permit.
You should check that in advance and, if necessary,
ask for it at the department of motor vehicles in your home country before traveling.
Okay, now the clerk will probably ask about the people who’ll be driving the car:
Let me tell you something really important:
the main driver must be the owner of the credit card used to pay for the car hire.
And, if you’re planning on having somebody else drive the car,
you’ll have to inform their name as an additional driver.
The best thing to do is to include everybody who may be driving the car,
so that the insurance will cover the expenses, regardless of who the driver is.
And, to determine the insurance coverage, they’ll wanna know the age of the drivers:
In the U.S., you gotta be at least 21 years old to be able to rent a car,
that is to say that the main driver must be 21 or older.
And you can add additional drivers younger than 21...
as long as they have a valid driver’s license, of course!
After that, the clerk will probably check if the insurance you bought
when you made your reservation is still suitable for you.
Or they may offer you some insurance options if you didn’t make a reservation.
Bear in mind that the age of the drivers may influence on the price of the insurance.
So, at this point, the clerk may say something, like:
We’ve already covered some details about insurance on the last video,
so check it out if you still have questions about this topic.
And, well, if you’re not willing to purchase the insurance they’ll offer you,
All you gotta do is say:
On the other hand, if you do want it, you’d better check the price before getting it:
If the price of the insurance fits your budget and you’ll get it, you can say:
Now the clerk may offer you some more additional services,
such as GPS, child seat, and prepaid gas.
Think it over though
because, in general, these items can be way more expensive at the rental company.
So, guys, after deciding on all this stuff,
it’s time to take a look at the contract and check if everything is okay.