Car Rental

So imagine the smile on my face when I came across this deal: Hawaii Travel Deals with Air & Car - Save up to 62%

People who’ve been reading this column for any length of time are well aware of how fond I am of big savings. I’m drawn to them in the same way that Lindsay Lohan is drawn to bars with paparazzi out front. We are both powerless!

Compared to North America and other locations in the world, Europe is a compact continent that is generally easy to traverse by public transportation, especially if you have a rail pass. Sometimes, however, life is best enjoyed at your own pace and with your own schedule. Instead of racing to catch a train so that you can get to your next destination, you’d rather be sitting in a café sipping coffee and enjoying the splendid feeling of being in another country.

That is when it is very handy to have your own set of wheels. A car means independence and it gives you the means to get off the beaten track. Renting a car in Europe can be an expensive proposition, especially when you factor in the high price of gasoline.

British Airways and Alamo have a nifty deal on flights and rental cars for some of the most popular destinations in Europe. You get a plane ticket and the keys to a car for one low price. The prices are significantly lower in the autumn months and if you can put off your travels until then you will most likely find that the roads are not as busy and the driving is much more enjoyable.

If you have paid a visit to your local gas station recently you know that gas prices continue to soar. Things are likely only to get worse when the summer travel season kicks in to full gear. At this rate you will have to mortgage your house to drive to the beach this summer. You might have to sell blood just to be able to fill up your tank. You might need to rob a bank just to take the kids to soccer practice.

In these times of high gas prices, ever bit of money you can save counts. Alamo is doing their part by offering a deal where you can save $25 when you rent a convertible, minivan or sport utility car for use between May 22-June 30, 20007. To get the deal you must make your reservation by June 5th.

By the time you actually drive the car that extra $25 will probably buy you a gallon of gas. Indeed, this might be a good summer for you to dust off the old bicycle and give it a spin. Or you could go out in your backyard and try to drill for oil.

As a highly paid world mogul, the only kind of vehicle good enough for my bum to sit in is a limousine. If I am not rolling down the road with a scotch on the rocks in one hand and a remote control in the other, than I might as well be walking. Mine is a vehicle that is the envy of all high school prom queens.

I realize that not all of you enjoy a highly paid blogger lifestyle like I do and that you might find it a treat to ride in a limo. You might also find that it is convenient when you fly into a new city and you need to get from the airport to your hotel, a business meeting or to your high school reunion (your friends will be so impressed to see you pull up in a limo! It might even make up for being such a dork in chemistry class).

All kidding aside, airport limos are often practical and reasonably priced compared to taking a taxi, public transportation and rental cars. BootsnAll has a new section that will help you to find great deals and to make airport limo reservations with a click of the mouse.

Unless you are planning on renting a fancy new sports car or a classic automobile, the fact is that renting a car is never the most exciting part of a vacation. It shouldn’t have to be either. There is little worse than having a rental car break down or arriving in a new city only to find out that the discount car rental company you paid to rent you a car has run out of vehicles. Believe it or not that type of thing happens more times than you’d care to imagine and when it does it stinks worse than a rental car that has been used by chain smokers.

If you are looking for a quick and easy way to rent a cheap, reliable car for your vacation needs, look no further than Cheap Car Rentals Links. Essentially it works like an airline search engine only it is for rental cars. This means that you will be able to quickly search through the numerous car rental deals out there and to select the right car at the right price for you.

Travel isn’t supposed to be about hassles but all too often it is. One thing that shouldn’t be a hassle is renting a car, as unsexy a thing that it is.

Texas is a big place. You can drive your car from one side to the other in about the same time as it would take to drive across a large swath of Europe. If you ever want to feel the rush of being alone, head on out to west Texas and drive at night. You’ll hardly see a soul and you’ll hardly hear anything other than the country music coming from your radio.

While it is big and it does have plenty of emptiness to it, Texas also does just fine in the big city department. Houston is a major city with a downtown hub and suburban sprawl to prove it. Dallas goes on forever. San Antonio has its Riverwalk and that Alamo place. Austin is the liberal enclave with the university and vibrant music scene. El Paso is a rough and tumble border town. You could travel to all of these cities and find it hard to believe that you are in the same country let alone the same state.

Priceline currently has an offer on discounted flights to Texas. Choose where you want to start and then experience the enormity of the state by renting a car of flying to another city. Or simply stay in one spot and enjoy all that makes the Lone Star state unique.

If you are a bargain traveler like me you probably are more than willing to rent an economy car to save a few bucks. Frankly I could care less how much horsepower my rental car has just as long as it gets me from point A to point B without needing the assistance of a tow truck.

If you are like me and you have gone the cheapie route in the past, chances are you have had a rental car or three where you need a spatula to extract yourself from it because it is too small. Economy car often means matchbox car for adults. Great for gas mileage, not so great for those with long legs or extra family members to lug around.

The good news is that from time to time you can find a deal where car rental companies will upgrade your vehicle size without upgrading the costs. Enterprise Rental Cars has just such a deal. People with both long legs and short, knobby ones should jump on it. Save your money for other fun things while saving your legs and your family members from permanent agony.

Safe and happy driving to you. Keep an eye out for bicyclists. We like it when you don’t hit us and when we don’t hit you.

One of the best parts about traveling in Europe is that you often have no need to have a car. The rail system is so excellent that a Eurail pass is the best and most affordable place to get you from point A to point B. When that fails, however, there is always the option of renting a vehicle. Here is a decent deal that Hertz is offering:

United States and Canadian residents traveling to Europe this year can take advantage of special offers from Hertz designed to make renting a vehicle even easier and more affordable.

Customers who rent a Compact through Intermediate vehicle at any participating Hertz location in Europe can receive a free, one car-class upgrade. The offer is valid for a minimum one-day rental in more than 45 European countries, including the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Spain, Ireland, Luxembourg, Macedonia and Belgium. Reservations must be booked and vehicles picked up by March 31, 2007. To take advantage of this offer, customers can book the reservation on Hertz using Promotion Code #989063 and print the offer coupon, which can be found in the Special Offers section of hertz.com to present at vehicle pick-up. Customers may also make reservations through their travel agent. Reservations must be made from the U.S. or Canada at least eight hours prior to vehicle pick-up. Hertz standard driver and credit qualifications for the renting location apply and black out periods may apply.

Among the many hassles incurred during the busy holiday travel season is trying to find a parking spot at the airport. Nothing can be more frustrating than to be running behind schedule and to nearly miss your airplane flight because you are circling around the parking lot looking for a space to store your car while you are gone. And then there is the cost of parking. The bill can run up and up and up if you opt for the more convenient short-term parking.

You can save yourself a lot of hassle and a lot of money by doing a little bit of planning ahead of time. ParkRideFlyUSA.com is a nifty service that allows you to reserve an offside airport parking spot ahead of time. You don’t have to worry about circling around waiting for someone to give up a spot. Simply call them up ahead of time or make your reservation online and your spot will be waiting for you. How simple is that!

This service is available at a wide-range of airports throughout the United States, including some of the busiest airports on this planet, and they offer some nifty discounts to those who have served in the military.

Discount Airport Parking Reservations with Park Ride Fly USA

The best thing about Rental Cars is that you don’t have to worry about keeping them clean. You can drive through mud puddles until your heart is content and you don’t have to even think about breaking out the hose and sponges afterward. That, my friends, is the most exciting thing I have to say about rental cars. Oh, one more thing. You can save $20 on Budget Rental Cars if you click here.

For more car rental goodies, point your mouse and work your magic.