GM Invests in Chinese Startup Focused on Car Rental Technology

Motor City Mobility

Article Source Fortune

General Motors has invested in a Chinese technology company that has built a service for arranging short-term car rentals, part of a broader push by the automaker to expand beyond its roots.

General Motors said Tuesday it has invested an undisclosed amount in Yi Wei Xing Technology “as another move in exploring personal mobility in China.” Yi Wei Xing is the company behind Feezu, a service that can be used by traditional car rental companies to rent cars by the hour or in even smaller increments. Continue reading “GM Invests in Chinese Startup Focused on Car Rental Technology”

How to Save Money on Car Rentals

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Article Source NYTimes

Why is it that a car rental might cost you as much as $300 one weekend and just $50 the following one with the same company? Such price variations are common in the car rental industry, according to Gary Leff, the founder of the travel deals site viewfromthewing.com. “Car rental prices constantly go up and down in big leaps,” he said.

Here, he shares his tips for getting the better end of the bargain: Continue reading “How to Save Money on Car Rentals”

Wonder Wheels: The Best Car Rental Apps for Android and iOS.

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Article Source ThyBlackMan

If you decide to rent a car, whether in your local area or on holiday, part of the difficulty involves finding the most suitable car at the best price. Fortunately, there are lots of smartphone apps these days that can make finding a vehicle much quicker and easier.
Here are a few of the best that are currently available for Android and iOS so that you can take the hassle out of finding a rental car.

Hertz
The Hertz app is available for Android and iOS. Hertz is one of the most popular rental car companies in the world, and this app is a great option when you are traveling somewhere new because you’ll always find a rental car nearby.
Get directions via the app, and use it to find and book your rental car. You can also use it for roadside assistance and for finding special offers. Continue reading “Wonder Wheels: The Best Car Rental Apps for Android and iOS.”

The Pitfalls You NEED To Know About When Relocating A Rental Car!

Apollo Camper

As the age old saying goes, if it seems to good to be true then it likely is. This is no different with rental relocations even though both parties are benefiting from the deal it is still important to watch out for these things!

  • Prices, just because it is cheap doesn’t mean you won’t have unexpected costs! Expect transaction fees, Insurance and high penalties if you are late to your destination!
  • Insurance, often insurance won’t be included on relocation deals and even if it is make sure you are aware of the excess, it can often be above $5,000! This will sometimes be covered by travel insurance (if you have it).
  • Pre-inspection, always do a pre-inspection check of the vehicle you are relocating and to be extra secure take a video or photo to prove the condition of the rental before you started.
  • Credit Cards, although credit cards are often the easiest and sometimes the cheapest way of paying for things you have to be careful when relocating a car via credit card. Companies are often apprehensive to accept payment from other sources because of the security that having your credit card details provides. Imagine you are involved in a crash and the excess is $5,000 now imagine it takes a few days for your travel insurance to cover you. In the meantime your rental company has just withdrawn your credit card to the limit and you are now unable to continue your trip.

Despite these pitfalls a free or heavily subsidized rental can be a huge saving especially for backpackers and people on tight budgets! It’s still important to make sure you are aware of the risks and get the best deal available!

Sound like vehicle relocating could be for you? Don’t miss our how to guide for rental car relocation!

Heard About Rental Car Relocation? What Is It? How Does It Work?

NZ Camper

The principle is simple, rental companies often get build ups of cars in less popular destinations and shortages in popular ones! To compensate for this and avoid shipping vehicles across the country, someone came up with the fantastic idea of allowing travelers to drive them back for them! Rental companies benefit from their vehicles being in the right place for their next paying customer and you get the benefit of having a free ride!

Steps:

  1. Check availability online or over the phone, if you haven’t already have a look on our master list of vehicles for relocation!
  2. Book the best deal (consider vehicle suitability, insurance cost, booking fees, time allowance kilometer allowances and fuel allowances).
  3. Pick up your vehicle you will likely have to pay a bond or small fee.
  4. Drive your camper to the planned location before the number of days allocated runs out!

It’s really that simple! But before you jump in feet first make sure you read about the pitfalls of vehicle relocating!