Rental Cars: Saving Money, Avoiding Fees and All the Secret Tricks with Jonathan Weinberg

#66: Rental car expert, Jonathan Weinberg, joins me to discuss saving money and getting the best rate when renting a car. We also delve into the state of rental cars today, strategies to avoid paying exorbitant fees, the advantage of status loyalty programs, car rental insurance, money-saving hotel, airfare, and travel hacks, and much more. Jonathan Weinberg is the co-founder and CEO of AutoSlash, a website dedicated to saving people money on car rentals. Full show notes at: https://allthehacks.com/rental-cars-jonathan-weinberg   Partner Deals Vuori: 20% off the most comfortable performance apparel I've ever worn RocketMoney: Easily cancel your unused subscriptions Daffy: Free $25 to give to the charity of your choice For all the deals, discounts and promo codes from our partners, go to: allthehacks.com/deals Resources Mentioned AutoSlash | HotelSlash - discount code: allthehacks Resources Mentioned: Hertz Gold Plus Rewards Upgrade to Hertz President Circle with your Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card Enjoy Emerald Club Executive level membership with your Visa Infinite card National One Two Free program Kyte - Rental Cars, Delivered On Demand AutoSlash Blog post: Hot to Avoid Car Rental Additional Driver Fees   Full Show Notes (2:05) History of the Rental Car Industry and the State of Rental Cars Today (5:21) Advice on When and Where to Book Your Rental Vehicle and Navigating Variables (11:15) Operation of the AutoSlash Search Engine (12:45) Prepay vs. Postpay: Finding the Best Rates (14:01) Maximizing Savings with Discount Programs (17:03) Caution with Employer or Corporate Discount Codes (20:05) Timing Your Booking for the Best Deals (23:07) Flexibility in Pick-Up Times, Grace Periods, and Weekend Rates (28:01) Comparison: 4/5 Star Brands vs. 2 Star Brands (33:18) Rental Company Benefits and Status Loyalty Programs (35:55) Choosing the Right Rental Vehicle (37:40) Considering Non-Traditional Rental Companies (40:43) Using Opaque Rentals and Broker Websites: Tips and Cautions (44:11) Handling Oversold Inventory and Unavailable Rentals (48:49) Negotiating Discounts and Free Upgrades (49:52) Pre-Paid Fuel: Pros and Cons (50:59) Insurance Options: Credit Card, Personal, Rental Company (53:17) Additional Liability Coverage and Points Booking (56:07) Utilizing Amex Rental Car Coverage (1:00:04) Avoiding Add-On Fees and Extra Charges (1:05:15) Strategies for Scoring Free Upgrades (1:06:05) Documenting Imperfections on Your Rental Car (1:08:17) Tips for Renting a Car Internationally (1:11:35) Using AutoSlash: Two Approaches (1:14:17) Money-Saving Hacks for Hotels, Airfare, and Travel Connect with All the Hacks All the Hacks: Newsletter | Website | Membership | Email Chris Hutchins: Twitter | Instagram | Website | LinkedIn Editor’s Note: The content on this page is accurate as of the posting date; however, some of our partner offers may have expired. Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.