Tips for trouble-free car rentals

While my sister and I were on vacation in Spain last fall, we decided to rent a car and drive through the Andalusian countryside to Portugal. Great idea, bad execution. Our spontaneous adventure was marked by a series of mishaps that included puncturing a tire in Córdoba (and being charged for it) and getting pulled over by the police on the highway outside Málaga for cruising in the passing lane—proof that what you don't know can hurt your trip. The good news is that we learned from our mistakes. Now, armed with the hard-won knowledge of what to do and what not to do when renting cars in Europe, I wouldn't hesitate to drive there again.

The Best Price
We started our search for a car online, comparison shopping at an Internet café in Seville just two days before our road trip. Prices varied wildly, and we found the lowest rate at Auto Europe, a U.S.-based wholesaler that works with major firms such as Avis, Europcar, and Hertz. Auto Europe booked us with Avis, charging $444 for a five-day rental of an economy-class car—in this case, an ultracompact Ford Focus with a manual transmission (an automatic would have cost 20 to 25 percent more). We originally planned to use the car for only four days but discovered that rentals of five days or longer are actually cheaper. Our first lesson: Less time can cost more, and, surprisingly, returning a car early can add significantly to your contracted rate.

Could we have gotten a better price if we'd planned ahead and booked a few weeks earlier? Not necessarily. After I returned to the States, I called Auto Europe and offered the same rate on a four-week advance reservation as we had gotten in Spain booking only two days in advance.

One strategy for finding the best deal is to reserve in advance (to make sure a car will be available) and then to shop the airport rental counters for the lowest rate once you arrive. If you find a better deal than the one you booked, you can usually cancel the reservation without penalty. To avoid unpleasant surprises, always make sure that any rate you're quoted includes unlimited mileage as well as an estimate of all taxes, surcharges, and other fees.

Keep in mind, too, that when it comes to renting abroad, cheaper is not necessarily better. Local companies might offer the lowest prices, but they lack the large inventory, English-speaking staff, and—most important—24-hour roadside assistance provided by multinationals such as Avis, Hertz, and Europcar.

If your engine starts to rattle or your car breaks down on the road, a higher rental fee is a small price to pay for the comprehensive towing and emergency services offered by the big-name agencies.

Customer service is another consideration to weigh when choosing between local and international rental car firms. Luke Bosdet, a spokesman for Britain's Automobile Association, points out that it's easier to resolve disputes over problems such as billing errors when you rent from a company that has a headquarters in the United States. "If a foreign agency ignores your letters, calls, and threats, there's really very little you can do," Bosdet says.