There are many reasons to visit Miami. The city is beautiful and famous for many things including its warm climate and white-sand beaches. It’s also known for its rich culture and fantastic restaurants. Although Miami is known for many other things, most people come to this city because of its party lifestyle.In Miami, parties are not limited to nighttime; there’s always one going on at any time of the day. When it comes to places for partying, fun, and unwinding, Miami ranks somewhere at the top. If you don’t live in this city, getting around may be frustrating as public transportation services aren’t efficient and reliable. In fact, never take public transport to a time-sensitive meeting in Miami. In this blog, you will know about A Guide to Cheap Car Rental Services in Miami. 

To get the most out of your stay here, you’d need to get around with private transport. This way you can get to places on time and with less distress. However, bear in mind that drivers in Miami are not road-friendly, both to pedestrians and other motorists. Residents typically drive at high speeds and aren’t fond of stopping for pedestrians even when they are at a crossing. 

So, at times when you’d be walking, ensure you check and double-check before crossing any streets. As we mentioned earlier, residents aren’t particularly lenient on other motorists, and won’t hesitate to bully you. With all that out of the way, let’s get into how you can get rental cars on the cheap. A Guide to Cheap Car Rental Services in Miami-

Avoid Airport Rentals

When flying into a new city, renting a car at the airport is quite convenient as it saves you a lot of hassle. However, this convenience comes with a price, thanks to airport surcharges. These surcharges are presented as customer facility charges and come in fixed figures. 

Although these charges are only a few dollars a day, they can easily add up to sizeable, three-figure sums depending on how long you intend to stay. Rental locations in the city are usually much more affordable so you’d want to look into them before flying in. 

Shop Around

The internet has made certain things like comparing prices of services online very easy and efficient. There’s hardly any serious car rental service without a website as that is the best way for visitors to find them. There are hundreds of companies that offer these services, giving you many options to choose from. 

Take your time and shop around, compare prices to find the best deals and offers. Booking directly on their sites, you may even find more discounts, especially with “pay now” options. However, most of these companies offer such discounts only when you’ll be paying in advance, and many are usually non-refundable. 

So, you’d want to make sure you know all the terms and conditions before whipping out your card.  That said, you can keep looking even after you’ve booked. If you find one that’s cheaper, you can always cancel your reservation, provided you chose a company that provides a refund for canceled reservations. 

Rent for Longer Durations 

This is a simple trick that surprisingly, many people don’t know of. One great way to save money on rental cars is by booking for longer durations. In this industry, charges for short durations are usually much higher than longer ones. This trick may be more applicable to visitors with friends or family in Miami. 

Here’s how it works. Say you’ll be staying in Maimi for two weeks; you can rent the car for three weeks or a month on the company’s site. Naturally, what you’ll be paying for a three-week rental will be much cheaper than what you’ll pay for two weeks. At the end of your two-week-long trip, leave the car with your friend or family, and have them return it to the rental company at the stipulated return date. 

It is important that you don’t return the car early as the company will re-price the charges and you’d have to pay the right amount for a two-week rental. If you have someone living in Miami you can trust, this is a great way to save money on rental cars. 

Book Way in Advance

One would think everyone knows or does this, but you’d be surprised how only a few visitors think to do this. As you may know, there are months that are busier than others, thanks to certain events. For example, key events like Art Basel, Florida Supercon, and Miami Spice are held in June, July, and August, respectively. Click here to learn more about Art Basel. 

During these times, car rental services get really busy and their charges skyrocket quickly. If you plan to attend events like these, you should book in advance. Somewhere between six and eight weeks earlier should be fine, but honestly, the earlier the better. Summertime is usually the busiest season and if you wait till the last minute before making reservations, there’s a big chance that you’ll pay up to 30% higher in rental charges. In the worst-case scenario, which isn’t uncommon, there may not even be any car available. 

Pass on Their GPS System

Most rental companies offer separate GPS navigation like a Garmin device to renters, but you’ll be doing yourself a big favor by turning down this offer. One of these can cost as much as 15$ a day or more. For a one-week trip, that adds up to $105, a chunky sum. If you are on a budget, pass on their GPS system offer so that  you can keep costs to the barest minimum or save money for gas. 

Cost aside, many car rental services’ navigation systems are usually slow. Why pay for such when Google Maps is free and at your disposal. Before going on the trip, take time to plan your routes and download directions. 

Avoid Pre-Paying for Gas

Car rental companies typically offer below market price for pre-paid gas but don’t be sold on that. What many renters don’t realize is that they are paying for the full tank, regardless of whether they use all of it or not. Now this one might be a little tricky as you can’t really tell how much gas you’ll need; however, you can always make an estimate. 

Use sites like GasBuddy to find gas stations around your travel route and compare their prices with what the rental car company is offering. Very often you’ll find that you can save more buying gas yourself. 

Final Thoughts

According to Forbes, Miami is the sixth most expensive city to visit in the United States. Obviously, things like hotel services, car rental services, and restaurants play a big role in how much visiting cities costs. The best way to save a lot of money on trips like these is to make any reservations that need to be made early enough. 

As there are busy and slow months in Miami, so are there busy and slow days. Many cheap car rental services and airlines charge really low fees mid-week as business during this time is slow. Renters can certainly exploit all these tricks to save money on every trip.