5 Common Car Rental Mistakes and Ways to Avoid Them

Looking for discount car hire in New Zealand can be quite a hassle if you are not aware of the different car rental companies and their associated costs. Although they may present with alluring offers and packages, some of the expenses can be extremely confusing. There are some common mistakes which users often tend to commit while booking a rental car. We shall discuss about what they are and how you can avoid them:

• Purchasing Additional and Unnecessary Insurance – While hiring a car rental, the company may ask you to buy an insurance policy covering any damage that might occur during the rental period. If you already have an auto insurance policy issued, it might cover the collision damage as well as personal responsibility for a rental car. Be sure to check that at the counter of the car rental.
• Hiring Rental Car from Airport – When you rent a car from the airport, you also pay an additional fee as airport surcharge which is included in the overall rental cost. To avoid this, it is better to book a rental car at a place other than the airport.
• Paying For the Gas in Advance – This scheme may look convenient in certain circumstances, like when you have an early morning flight to catch. But when you are prepaying for the gas, remember that you are paying for the full tank, whether you use the entire amount during your rental period or not. Therefore, it is recommended that you fill up the car's tank yourself, because stations with cheap gas prices are always available anyway.
• Extra Charges for GPS or Additional Car Seat – Car rental services often charge extra for essentials such as GPS or child seats. However, these utilities can be expensive because they are charged for on a daily basis. If you are carrying your own portable GPS, you can put it to goods use during your trip or make use of your smartphone for directions. Some airline companies allow passengers to check car seats free of charge, therefore you don't require to pay to your car rental company for one.
• Hasty Inspection – Many people often rush with the inspection of the rental car after booking and just drive away. But it is important to check the car thoroughly before driving away, otherwise you can be fined for damage that you did not cause in the first place. Though car hire companies maintain their fleets fastidiously, chances of a scratch or dent going unnoticed are possible. If you notice even any slight damage during inspection of the car, let the company know about it at once. 

Always make sure you do not make these above-mentioned mistakes during your New Zealand car hire.