Car rental sign at a airport

Cheap Car Rental Places Near Me: How to Stop Searching Online (and Find a Location)

There is a major rental car shortage in the U.S. right now due in large part to the COVID-19 pandemic. Many rental car companies were forced to sell off portions of their fleets in 2020 because of the pandemic, and as a result, it has left lots of people scrambling for rental cars in 2021.

Not to worry, though! If you need to rent a car, you should be able to find one as long as you take the right approach to it. You just need to understand it might not be as easy as Googling “cheap car rental places near me” and picking out a rental.

Let’s take a look at how to find a rental car with ease the next time you’re in the market for one.

Start Your Search for a Rental Car Early On

If you wait until the absolute last minute to rent a car, you’re going to be asking for trouble. You might not be able to find a rental car at the 11th hour if you choose to take this approach.

It’s why you should start your search for a rental car as early on as you possibly can. If you know that you have a vacation or business trip coming up in a couple of months, now would be the ideal time to figure out where to get a rental car for it.

You can kickstart your search by Googling “cheap car rental places near me” and seeing what different car rental places have available for your travel dates. Whether you’re in Tamworth and find Mercury Rent-A-Car, or in New York and find a local company there, this step can save you time and stress down the line. It’ll get your search off to a solid start and ensure that you aren’t scrambling down the line to come up with a rental car solution.

Be Open to the Idea of Renting Different Kinds of Vehicles

When you’re renting a car under normal circumstances, you can afford to be picky about which vehicle you want. You can ask for a small coupe if you’re worried about fuel economy or a large SUV if you’re concerned about getting a car that will fit your whole family.

You can still put in these same kinds of requests now after you Google “car rental near me” and find a car rental place with available options. But you should try to understand that you might not be able to secure the specific rental car that you want in the end.

You might have to settle for a gas guzzler that is going to cost you a little bit more for fuel than you would like. Or you might have to settle for something that’s going to force your family to cram inside of your rental car.

It might not be ideal. But at the very least, you’ll get the rental car that you need. You’ll just need to make do with what you’re able to find.

Prepare to Pay a Little More for a Rental Car Than Usual

Since there is a shortage of rental cars all across the country right now, many rental car companies are asking people to pay more than they would normally have to for them. It’s not uncommon for people to pay two, three, and sometimes even four or five times what a rental car would usually cost for one.

You should try to wrap your head around the fact that you’re going to have to do this before shopping for a rental car. It’ll help you avoid getting frustrated when you Google “rental car near me” and see some of the prices that rental car companies are charging nowadays.

It’ll also help you make adjustments to your travel budget to account for the increase in rental car prices. You should be able to tinker with your budget so that your rental car doesn’t break the bank.

Consider Traveling a Little Bit to Get Your Hands on a Rental Car

Most people tend to choose the most conveniently located rental car places when renting cars. They’ll pick the places that are located in and around airports so that they don’t have to travel too far to get a rental car.

You can try to do this if you would like. But more often than not, you’re going to be way better off picking a rental car place that’s a little bit off the beaten path. These places are typically going to have more rental cars available than those that are situated in prime locations.

You might have to hop in a cab to get to a place like this, which will increase your travel time a bit. But it’ll be well worth it once you see the rental cars that they have available and the price tags that are on them.

Think About Buying a Car Rather Than Renting One

Obviously, buying a car over renting one isn’t going to be an option for everyone. But if you can afford to do it, purchasing a car right now as opposed to paying for a rental might be a great idea.

If, for example, you’re looking for a rental car to take on a road trip, you might end up spending a small fortune on it. You can save yourself a lot of money and give yourself immediate access to a reliable car by buying a new vehicle instead.

You can choose from a large inventory of cars on http://gatesauto.com/. Go and see if buying a car makes more sense than renting one today.

Go Look For the Cheap Car Rental Places Near Me

Now that you know how to find an affordable car rental in 2021, get out there and begin your search for one. You should be able to locate a rental car in a hurry as long as you take advantage of the tips we just laid out.

It’ll all start with you Googling “cheap car rental places near me.” But as you’ve seen here, there are also other things that you’ll want to do to ensure you’re able to obtain the rental car that you want for a price you can afford.

Get more useful tips on cars by reading through the other articles on our blog.