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Rental Car Companies Putting Recalled Cars on the Road.

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Rental Car Safety Issues

(Dive Travel Business News - July 20, 2010) -- Investigations into car rental companies by ABC News has revealed that companies like Enterprise, National, and Alamo rent out cars under safety recalls prior to them being fixed.

This secret information was revealed by a rental car company during a court case in California that involved the death of two women due to a malfunctioning PT Cruiser. In one affidavit, an Enterprise manager pretty much said that if there is demand, the cars are rented out regardless of any safety issues.

Sisters Raechel and Jacquie Houcks were killed instantly after their Enterprise rental car caught fire and hit an oncoming semi-tractor trailer on Highway 101 in northern California in 2004. For five years and right up to two weeks before the trial, Enterprise lawyers maintained the position that the eldest sister was negligent in the way she drove the car and therefore was responsible for her death and the death of her sister. read more »

Air Fares & Hotels Down, Car Rates Up

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Car rentals up while hotels, airfare down

(Jaunted.com - Nov 8, 2009) -- Why is it that the world is on sale for airfares and hotels but car ental car rates are as a high as ever?  According to a study by Abrams Travel Data Rate Index, rental prices increased nearly 50 percent from a year ago on daily rates for mid-sized cars booked a week in advance and weekly rates on compact cars.  In an AP item, Budget Travel's editor-in-chief said that car rental companies are much more nimble at responding to the current economic crisis than airlines or hotels in that they can trim their supply of cars very easily, maintaining a tight market for rentals.  Here are some tips to give the best value in rental cars:

Do your homework. Be prepared to shop around. And stay on top of your booking - and be prepared to change it if the price goes down.

Compare apples with apples: Know the terms so that you can properly compare prices: What is included in the price? Sometimes taxes and other fees are extras hidden in the small print. read more »