Rent a car lately? It can be like running an obstacle course ducking and diving from all of those "extra" charges.
It may be part of the reason that rental car companies hit a revenue record last year in the U.S., according to Auto Rental News.
And sometimes, those "extras" seem to be offered in a little sneakier way.
In the past, the insurance question was simple: do you want insurance?
Since I have it, I decline.
But now I'm asked, "Just the standard coverage today, or do you want added insurance?"
If you think about, BOTH options mean you're buying additional insurance.
Consumer Reports warn of $15 administrative fees for processing tolls.
I've seen $12 extra driver fees.
AARP says some companies charge $9 a gallon to refill tanks renters had promised to bring back full.
And those refueling costs have changed.
It used to be you could prepay and bring back the car on empty, or leave with a full tank of gas and bring it back full.
Simple.
But that "bring back full option" is getting tricky.
Some companies now don't fill the cars.
They let you leave with just under or just over half a tank, and you're expected to return at the same amount.
Have you tried getting your gas level back to exactly 5/8ths of a tank?
It's not easy; I would know, I've tried.
So, you risk bringing the car back with less gas and face more significant fees.
Or, as I did, you put more gas in than needed to be safe.
And you leave a little extra in their tank, adding to that record revenue.
What extra fees do you face?
Go to the Let Joe Know Facebook page and tell me.
