7 Best Tips for Renting a Car Abroad (Budget Travel in Mexico and Beyond)

Are you planning a trip and you want to know the best way to go about renting a car? Do you want to know how to get the best deals on car rentals? 

We’ve rented cars in Mexico and Puerto Rico dozens of times, and often for a lot cheaper than you might expect (less than 70¢/day in Mexico!). Take our advice and avoid some of the most common money traps people fall into when renting a car abroad. This article will help you uncover the best seven tips to rent a car while traveling.

Tip #1: Check the Rental Car Websites First

Check a few of the websites for rental companies in the area you’re visiting where you may find coupons or promotions. Often the agency won’t tell you about these promotions if you call them. Do your research online first by checking different agency websites. This will give you an approximate idea of how much you can expect to spend with them.

Be sure to enter the approximate dates of your trip to get the most accurate quote.

Tip #2: A Credit Card with Car Rental Insurance is a Must

Having a credit card with car rental insurance has helped us save hundreds of dollars, and there are tons of credit cards out there that have this option. A lot of them will ensure you up to $75,000, which is going to cover the cost of almost any car you might rent unless you’re getting a luxury vehicle.

Tip #3: Sign up for Car Rental Newsletters

If you know that you’re going to be renting a car more than once during your trip, make sure you sign up for the newsletter of the car rental company. Most car rental companies send promos via their mailing list. Sign up for a few and you’ll soon realize how much money you can save on future rentals. If you find you’re getting way too many emails, you always have the option to unsubscribe. 

Tip #4: Say “No” to the Cheaper Gas Promo

Now, if you’re not familiar with this “promo,” a lot of car agencies will offer to top off your tank for a cheaper price than the price of gas you’ll find in the area. This might sound like a good deal, but when you sign off on this promo before you rent the car, you’re basically locking yourself into having to pay for a full tank of gas when you return the car. It’s a lot easier to fill your tank before returning the car to the agency than it is to try to burn off all the gas before you drop it off. And if you don’t use up all your gas, you’re probably going to end up paying even more than you would have if you just filled it up before dropping off the car. So decline this offer and save yourself a few bucks. 

Tip #5: Record the Car Inspection

This is something that some car agencies are doing already. Depending on the agency, the employee who inspects the vehicle you’re about to rent will also record everything on an iPad or on a phone. It doesn’t hurt to record it yourself as well. You want to have proof of any scratch or bump that the car may have just to make sure they’re not going to try to charge you for something that you didn’t do. So, record everything.

Tip #6: Decline the Car Rental Agency’s Insurance 

In most cases, it’s possible to decline the car rental agency’s insurance. If you have a credit card that already has car rental insurance, then that is enough to cover you. The only caveat here is if you don’t have the money to cover the car in case of an accident, there might be some time between filing a report with your credit card company and having to pay the car rental agency for any accident that you have. So, if you have the cash to cover the car in the meantime, then your credit card company will usually be able to pay you later.

However, there are also some car rental companies that won’t rent you a car unless you buy their insurance. So make sure to check their website. 

Here’s a shortlist of credit cards with primary rental car insurance:

• Chase Sapphire Reserve
• Chase Sapphire Preferred
• Chase Ink Business Preferred
• United Explorer Card

Tip #7: Avoid Airport Car Rentals

Rental companies usually have to pay more to have their agency at the airport, which makes their fees more expensive at these locations. If the rental agency has another branch outside the airport, just take an Uber or a taxi to that location and rent a car from there. 

Bonus Tip

Make sure you pay for your car rental with a credit card that gives travel points for using it. Most flights we take these days are essentially free because we spend our money in a way to always maximize our travel points.

Now, if you happen to be traveling to Spanish-speaking countries, it is important to know how to rent a car in Spanish or get first-hand travel tips and resources. 

What are your essential “to-do’s” when planning a trip? Is a car rental part of your checklist? Let us know in the comment section below.