With making travel arrangements comes plenty of things to coordinate: booking flights, hotel reservations, pet accommodations, planning your itinerary, and of course booking a rental vehicle for your trip.
Renting a vehicle for a trip comes with plenty of pros, but are you aware of some of the challenges and disadvantages to renting a vehicle versus hiring a chauffeur service? Keep reading for a list of both so you can better plan transportation for your next trip!
Pros of Renting a Vehicle
1. Convenience
Because of how many rental car companies are out there, it’s never been more convenient to rent a vehicle. Especially near airports, there are plenty of car rental companies to choose from, most offering special rates to compete with each other, making it easy to find a great deal.
2. Affordability
One of the best things about renting a vehicle is the low, overall price assuming you’re renting a standard vehicle. There are usually several car rental companies in each city which means more competition and good deals that can save you money. Of course, like with anything you purchase, you get what you pay for, so you may not be receiving the best transportation you could get at such an affordable price.
3. Test driving a vehicle you’ve been thinking of purchasing
Have you had your eye on the latest and greatest SUV? What about the newest sports car everyone has been buzzing about? One of the most exciting things about renting a vehicle is the potential to rent the exact model you’ve been thinking of purchasing (or at least have always wanted to test drive). While this can be exciting and a great way to get a feel for your next potential vehicle, you’re not always guaranteed the vehicle you select ahead of your trip; there are sometimes downgrades and upgrades depending on the car rental companies’ availability.
Cons of Renting a Vehicle
1. Safety & Insurance
One of the worst parts of renting a vehicle is the limited amount of insurance policies/options. In the event of an accident in your rental vehicle, you could end up being held responsible for damages to the vehicle or other vehicle(s) involved in the accident. Or you could end up paying for extra insurance that you don’t necessarily need. Be sure to read the fine print in the insurance details from the car rental company before purchasing a policy for your trip.
2. You’re responsible for navigation
When you travel to a new destination, you’re not familiar with the area and have to rely heavily on navigation systems to get you to and from anywhere you want to go. Despite how much our GPS apps help us reach our destination, they’re distracting, forcing us to glance at our phones and off the road, which can cause accidents. In fact, according to Marketwatch.com, the number one most distracted driving task is programming navigation devices.
3. Parking fees
When you rent a vehicle, you’re responsible for all parking fees which can add quite a bit to your overall vacation expenses. Most cities require you to pay for downtown parking or special events, making avoiding paying these fees nearly impossible.
4. Learning the rules of the road in other countries
Ever seen National Lampoon’s European Vacation, specifically the scene where Clark Griswold drives around the Lambeth Bridge roundabout for hours? As funny as that scene is, it’s completely relatable if you’ve ever traveled abroad and rented a vehicle! Learning the rules of the road in other countries can be extremely confusing. Not only do you have to navigate where you’re going, but you also have to understand international road signs and be able to interpret foreign languages – yikes!
While renting a vehicle on vacation can seem like the best choice for your budget and needs, the cons can sometimes outweigh the pros. Hiring a chauffeur service can eliminate all of the cons above, ensuring you have a smoother vacation without having to worry about driving around a foreign country or city, your family’s safety, relying on navigation systems, and paying parking fees. In fact, hiring a chauffeur service will give you total peace of mind knowing your transportation is taken care of.
Overland Chauffeured Services has been in business since 1979 and has evolved into the largest, most successful chauffeured transportation service in Kansas City. We put a huge emphasis on customer safety and are the only limousine service company in Kansas City who is a member of an insurance “captive” program, designated only for the most safety-conscious operators with low claims history and significant financial stability. We also continue to invest in technology to better serve our customers; our GPS monitoring allows for real-time fleet tracking to ensure we’re always taking the best route to get you to and from your destination in a timely fashion.
If you’ve been debating between renting a vehicle or booking a transportation service for your next vacation, consider hiring Overland whether you’re traveling to Kansas City or to any city worldwide. Our global transportation service allows us to manage all your transportation needs, from initial reservation through final billing in over 350 cities across the globe! To make transportation arrangements for your next vacation, call (913) 381-3504, book online or request a free quote.