Are car rental comparison sites worth it?
Are you looking to rent a car? Explore the advantages and disadvantages of booking through car rental comparison sites.
These days, there's a comparison site for pretty much everything: from consumer goods to utility providers, from insurance to plane tickets.
The appeal is obvious. Customers want to find the best deal without the hassle of trawling through individual company websites. Comparison sites save you time and money.
From this point of view, a comparison site is no different from looking up the top 10 restaurants in your area rather than trying each one out for yourself.
So, how about car rental comparison sites? Surely they, too, have speed, convenience and money-saving on their side?
The answer is yes and no. While you'll probably get a rental car more quickly, you may miss out on smaller, cheaper and friendlier firms.
Doing your research takes time, sure. But you only need to do it once. Having found the right car rental company for you, you've made a friend for life.
On top of this, comparison sites can contain booby traps, whether by design or not. You may find yourself stung by a deal that's simply too good to be true or that conceals extra fees.
The advantages of car rental comparison sites
Most people could do with more time and more money. Any service that purports to save you one or both is bound to catch your eye.
Renting a car is no different. Typically, car rental is just one task among many that needs to be ticked off the list. Hiring a car for a holiday? You need to book accommodation, too. Hiring a car for a conference? You've got that presentation to get ready. And on it goes.
There's no denying that car rental comparison sites can save you time. It's not guaranteed, however, that they will also save you money.
They can, for sure. On a good day, a comparison site lets you take a bird's-eye view of your local dealerships and find the tastiest treat.
The problem is that this aerial view is speedy but superficial. You still have to look over a wide range of options – only now you're considering price or user ratings alone.
This leads us to the drawbacks of car rental comparison sites. By doing the work for you, they can lead you to miss out on the best company for your requirements.
The disadvantages of car rental comparison sites
There are several drawbacks to car rental comparison sites – and they have a lot in common with other services that claim to speed up the decision-making process.
The first relates to fees. Many comparison sites are above board and honest in their intentions. But some will spring hidden fees on you. In the case of car rental, these could relate to insurance or additional drivers – and they have the potential to cancel out the savings you've made.
Secondly, there's the fact that you're booking indirectly. More often than not, things go as planned. But sometimes, there'll be a miscommunication with the rental company itself – one that leaves you without the vehicle you need.
Thirdly, there's the question of customer support. Online-only comparison companies tend to be a little sketchy on the customer support side. If you get in trouble, you may find yourself locked in an exhausting game of cat-and-mouse with the company.
What all three of these drawbacks have in common is communication – or the lack thereof. Booking directly, by contrast, lets you communicate directly. This can save you stress, as well as time and money.
Tips for using car rental comparison sites
If you do use a car rental comparison site, there are a few things to keep in mind to boost your chances of a successful transaction.
The first – and, in our view, the most important – is to cross-check the information on the comparison site with the company's own website. That way, you may come across an even better deal or extras the comparison site didn't tell you about.
You should also read reviews – both of the comparison site and the car rental company. These sites aggregate data, and data isn't always 100% right.
Finally, you should go through the Ts and Cs with a fine-tooth comb to make sure you don't get bitten by any hidden fees.
These tasks take time, but they increase your chances of enjoying a stress-free rental. The alternative is to pay over the odds or miss out on a better, smaller and friendlier company.
Why rent a car directly from a rental company?
The main reason you should consider renting a car directly from a rental company is that life's too short for miscommunication and stress.
We're certainly not saying that either of these things is inevitable – nor are we saying that every car rental company offers an equally good service.
What we are saying is that booking directly means you have clear lines of communication with your car rental company of choice. You get the facts and figures you need straight from the horse's mouth – and if something goes wrong, you've only got one party to speak to.
You'll also have noticed that all the tips we gave for using comparison sites involve work on your part. If you have to double-check details, comb through Ts and Cs and read reviews of the comparison sites and car companies, are you really saving that much time?
In our opinion, it makes much more sense to go straight to the source. You may spend a bit more time doing your initial research. But the booking process itself is likely to be smoother and involve less risk. And in a world where time and money are of the essence, who can say no to that?
Looking for affordable car hire in Tyne and Wear? At MVH Rental, we pride ourselves on our fair, transparent pricing and friendly service. Call 0191 4888 700 today for a quick, competitive quote – or explore our fleet of cars online. We'll have you behind the wheel in no time.
