Archives: 2008   August

Getting a Ticket in a Rental Car: Are there Additional Fees?

by Amy Nutt

When driving a rental car, there is a question that looms in the mind of the renter. One of those questions is, “What happens if I get a ticket?” That is a very good question because the car is not in the renter’s name. The car is in the name of the rental car company. This means things can get a bit complicated, depending on the company that you’re using. Sure, it is simple to say that you just shouldn’t do anything to get a ticket. However, it isn’t always that easy.

Getting the ticket

So let’s say you get a parking ticket. You didn’t mean to. You just simply didn’t see a sign or parked at a parking meter and forgot to pay it. So you go home, write a check, and mail the payment for your ticket to the city. However, you find a couple weeks later that you receive a letter from the rental car company telling you the ticket has not been paid. You know you paid it, so you call the city and they tell you that they received the payment. You then call the rental car company and you find out that they will charge a fee to you for you having to pass their contact information to the city that has issued you the ticket. This is because it is then on their record that one of their cars received a parking ticket. The catch to this is the fact that the officer issuing the ticket has to take down the VIN and license plate numbers on the car, which are registered under the rental car company.

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Posted in autos on Aug 30th, 2008, 6:39 am by Amy Nutt   

Choosing A Reliable Car Insurance Company

by Steven A. Smaldery

Due to there being hundreds of companies for car insurance out there it has become challenging to decide on the right one. The company that you choose has to offer the services you require and be there for claims to be filed as needed. In order to decide upon a car insurance company that is not only dependable but that can meet the needs that you have as a customer. To do this there are things that have to be considered. When making your final decision there are a few vital considerations that you will want to keep in mind.

How good is the customer service provided?

You want to take a look at the customer service provided by the company before deciding to use their services. A car insurance company that does offer an adequate amount of customer service is the last thing you need. If you have friends and family that have experience using a company ask them about the customer service provided. To see if many complaints have been filed against the company you can check with the Better Business Bureau to learn about the customer service. Finding out if the company is reliable and offers top of the line customer service is something this will help with.

Look at Their Financial Strength

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Posted in autos on Aug 29th, 2008, 5:07 am by Steven A. Smaldery   

A Bumpy Ride for Budget Rent A Car

by Peter Wilson

Budget Rent A Car is a name widely known in the rental industry. It has been around since the early days of car rental and one of the first to target travelers on a budget (hence the name). The company has had a bumpy ride and seen many ups and downs but the name and company values have remained. Here is an overview of how this company has survived.

Budget Rent A Car was the brainchild of Morris Mirkin who established the business in Los Angeles in 1958. He started the business with just $10,000 and only his wife and himself as employees. He only had a fleet of 10 cars but with a 4 dollars a day and 4 cents per mile rate, his rentals were popular for their value.

Budget was doing good business but Mirkin wanted rapid expansion and knew that to be successful he needed to have a number of locations. Funding was provided a year later by his relative, Jules Lederer. This enabled the company to create a leasing company and increase its fleet. Lederer and Mirkin established Budget Rent A Car Corporation in 1960 in Chicago, Illinois. The company started to rapidly expand both nationally and internationally.

The 60s and 70s were a very successful time for Budget. Like many companies in the industry, they moved their location to the airport so it was more convenient for travelers. They maintained their low rates to attract the budget-minded customers and they gained about 20 percent of the leisure market every year. They also increased their market reach by attracting smaller businesses and medium size corporations.

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Posted in autos on Aug 29th, 2008, 2:50 am by Peter Wilson   

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