Rent a car in the USA - a must in many cases.
You need a rental car not only on a road trip, but also on a city trip within the USA. Anyone who has ever been to Los Angeles knows that this city in particular can hardly be managed by public transport.
So let's take care of the most important things to do with rental cars in the USA.
Where do I book my rental car?
There are now many ways to book a rental car. These include, for example:
- Tour operator
- Comparison portals (Check24 or cheaper rental car*)
- Private landlords (e.g. Rent-a-carpabst.de)
- Automobile clubs (e.g. ADAC)
- directly from the landlord
Our experience has shown that when planning a trip, booking through the ADAC resulted in the best conditions. Even if others are cheaper, in the end it is the price-performance ratio that counts.
Another advantage is the choice of partner rental companies, with the ADAC for the USA these are Hertz, Alamo and Sixt.
Insider tip
Our recommendation - ADAC car rental
- Discounted prices for members
- All necessary insurance with no excess
- A free additional driver always included
- Can be canceled or rebooked at any time free of charge (up to 24 hours before collection).
Which landlord do you recommend?
So far we have been able to gain experience with 3 landlords in the USA and of course we want to share our experiences with you.
We give our recommendations without any financial ulterior motive. They reflect our experiences and opinions.
Let's get started and show you what our rating of the various providers looks like. Except for Budget (via cheaper rental cars) we booked all the others through the ADAC. However, only the entire process from collection to return of the vehicle is assessed.
But the result is quite clear.
1st place - Alamo
Our all-time favorite for a road trip through the USA. Top service and then the free choice of vehicle!
- Good value for money
- very good service
- Very good and young vehicles
- Free choice of vehicle
- No one way rentals in California & Nevada
2nd place - budget
Somewhat lengthy processing at the counter. But very good and accommodating service.
- Good value for money
- Good service
- Very good and young vehicles
- no free choice of vehicle
- One-way rental in all states
3rd place - Hertz USA
In the event of an error, we would have forgiven it, but no longer with 2 identical processes.
- German-language contracts
- No one-way rental
- Usually very expensive
- Mostly older vehicles
- No free choice of vehicle (or only for a surcharge)
Is it worth booking the GPS?
A navigation system is of course recommended so that you can easily get from A to B with your rental car in the USA.
Here you have 3 different options:
- Book the navigation system with the landlord
- Buy your own navigation device with US maps
- Smartphone navigation
We especially recommend the first option, the rented sat nav Think carefully, because the prices for a road trip are utopian. Unfortunately, prices between 12 and 30 euros per day are not uncommon.
During our first stay in the USA, as well as on our road trip in 2014, we have our own navigation device brought along. For 40 euros we bought a TomTom sat nav with USA maps on eBay. If you are already in the USA, you can get a satnav there, but you can also get one at Walmart for $ 70.00.
However, experience has shown us that the cheapest way to navigate is with your own Smartphone. Whoever owns one has a free choice of different card providers.
But the question arises of online and offline navigation.
the Offline navigation does not require an internet connection, but requires storage space on the mobile phone. If you have enough memory, however, you always have to remember to have all the required states for more complicated routes (we speak from our own experience 😉)
The biggest advantage of one Online navigation eg via Google Maps, the maps are up-to-date. Road closures and traffic volume are also taken into account in the planning. The only downer: you need a constant internet connection.
In order to come back to the detailed questions, in our opinion it is not advisable to book the navigation system for the rental car.
Are there any minimum requirements?
There are several basic requirements for renting a car in the USA.
In the USA it is allowed to drive a rental car from the age of 18, but most rental companies do Minimum age raised to 21. For better or worse, your first road trip in the USA has to be someone who is at least 21 years old.
The youth tariff applies between the ages of 21 and 25 and can be very expensive. Of course, that always depends on the landlord.
A driver's license is of course also a prerequisite, if you have a new driver's license, you can drive with it through the USA without restrictions. An international driver's license is only required if there is no information in English on your own.
Credit cards are quite normal in the US. If you need a rental car in the USA, you also need a credit card!
But beware! Not all credit cards are accepted. So-called debit cards and prepaid credit cards are usually not allowed. So you need a real card with a credit line to rent the vehicle.
In any case, find out about this before renting so that there are no surprises when you pick up your rental car.
The decisive size
If you want to go on a road trip with your rental car, be sure to pay attention to the size of the car.
In contrast to Europe, an SUV is definitely recommended in the USA so as not to go under. Many Americans have at least one mid-size SUV and this is definitely recommended for long journeys.
For German vacationers there is a dream car that everyone wants to drive. In California in particular, the Ford Mustang is an absolute must for car fans. No question about it, it's a great car, but unfortunately not suitable for long journeys.
But you still want to drive a Ford Mustang? Then rent one for 1 or 2 days, cruise through LA and switch back to something bigger for the rest of the road trip.
But we don't want to hide an important note. Anyone who wants a car with a gearshift is asked to pay properly in the USA. Unlike in Europe, the automatic transmission dominates the USA.
The Americans are known to be quite lazy and even drive short distances by car. This is one of the reasons why the American drives automatic!
Fun fact
Our checklist
So that you have no problems with your rental car in the USA, here is our checklist for the time before, during and after your vacation.
Before the vacation
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Note the minimum age
Always read carefully what the minimum age is to rent. If the driver is under 25 years of age, renting is either not possible in the first place or there are additional costs. There are also countries with a higher age limit!
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Note the rental period when booking
When booking, always make sure that the rental period is correct. If there is a time difference, for example, you may be billed for a whole day for only one hour.
So check the costs when booking. If you need the vehicle longer, you have to pay the difference on site.
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Credit cards only, no debit or prepaid cards
Before you book, check what type of credit card you have. All landlords we have already booked with require a real credit card.
Debit cards (cards without a fixed credit line) or prepaid credit cards are not accepted!
In most cases we use our Payback American Express card and have always done well with it so far.
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International driving license
In the US, an international driver's license is usually not required. In some states, such as California, it is not even recognized, in others, such as Minessota, it is sometimes better to have one with you.
The most important thing about the international driver's license is the translation into English. In the meantime, however, this is also the case with a normal driver's license.
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Landlord Reviews
Similar to a hotel, it is important to read the landlord's reviews.
Comparison portals such as cheaper rental car * or Check24 help immensely with the selection.
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Deductible
As with your own car insurance, there is a deductible of various amounts for rental cars. We book through the ADAC in most cases because it is included in the price.
In portals it usually looks a little different. There is, for example, an insurance through the agent that pays back a deductible from the landlord, but you as the customer must first make an advance payment! Therefore, extreme caution should be exercised when choosing the right provider.
Our tip: The cheapest offer is not always the best!
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Kilometers / miles limit
Always pay attention to whether there is a limit to the kilometers / miles. It is best to always book a rental car that already includes the option "all kilometers free". Even if you are 100% sure that it is enough, you better play it safe!
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One way rental
In California, for example, there is no one-way rental, which means you can pick up your car in one city and return it in another.
However, it is always important to pay attention to this when booking. If a one-way rental is due, this will be billed on site and is not included in the rental car voucher of the booking portal!
On holiday
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To be prepared
You have quite a long flight time on the way to the US. Use them and study the contents of your rental car order.
There are landlords who like to take advantage of the situation that one usually arrives at the counter exhausted. In most cases it is easy for them to sell you things that you do not need.
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Fuel regulation
When you pick up you will usually receive an offer to take over the tank filling. In this case, the vehicle will be returned as empty as possible.
However, this service is rarely worthwhile. The best rule is "full / full", so you take over a fully fueled vehicle and return it with a full tank.
If you forget to fill up, it will be expensive, because $ 80.00 will be added to the bill for a full tank!
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Road Side Assist
Many landlords recommend a "Road Side Assist", mostly on site.
It's something like a breakdown service that takes care of towing costs etc. and should make it easier for you to continue your journey.
If your rental vehicle breaks down, your landlord will definitely provide you with a new vehicle, even if you have not booked this service.
After all, it is usually not your fault if a rental car breaks down
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Checks the vehicle on site when it is picked up
When you pick it up, go around the car and inspect everything. Are there any flaws? - Take photos, write them down and inform the staff on site.
Also ask to note this. This is the only way to avoid a rude awakening at the end of your vacation!
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Follow the country’s traffic rules
Be sure to observe the applicable traffic regulations, because the penalties abroad are usually much higher than in Germany.
In various states of the USA there can even be a threat of jail, although we can report funny encounters with the police there. An "Um Sorry, we are from Germany" is often enough to get away with a free warning.
But you shouldn't rely on that, that's why "Safety first!
After the holiday
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Check billing
When you bring your rental car back, you will receive a billing receipt. Check them carefully and make a complaint directly on site if you still have enough time.
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Use of toll roads or toll roads
If you have received a parking ticket or have been traveling too fast, this is usually calculated in retrospect in the final bill.
The same applies when using a toll road without paying on site or using a special device. Nevertheless, please heed the previous point.
By the way: The landlord has its own area in which you can check and download the statement afterwards!