Hertz luxury car rental types

You need a rental car either for a very good reason – you’re on vacation – or a not-so-good one, like when your own car breaks down or you’re on the road for business. Armed with knowledge about which rental car company is the best can save you (or your company) some money and heartache, no matter why you need the rented wheels.

Before we get into the answer of which rental car company makes the most sense for your needs, we have to make one thing clear: There really are only three big car companies out there. As referenced in this IndependentTraveler.com story, "Avis owns Budget and Zipcar, Hertz owns Advantage, Dollar and Thrifty, and Enterprise owns Alamo and National."

If your budget dictates your options, the lowest-priced company will be most attractive, but even then, other factors will play into your decision. Size and type of car (i.e., hybrid, luxury, convertible) will impact your cost, as well as additional fees, mileage and gas.

Best Place to Rent a Car

Study Methodology

CreditDonkey utilized three factors in determining the best rental car company:

1. Cost
   
2. Car selection
   
3. Locations

Most people rent cars merely as a means to get to their destinations, so who wants to pay a lot of money for a temporary necessity? We based our cost calculations on renting a Toyota Corolla out of Orlando, Fla., because the car and destination are fairly popular and provide as accurate an apples-to-apples comparison as possible.

When it comes to the type of car you want to rent, different strokes for different folks. While some consumers might be perfectly fine in a compact Ford Focus, others might prefer a mid-size vehicle or even something bigger, like an SUV. For some, splurging on a convertible is always part of the plan, so companies that offer a large fleet are often the most appealing to them.

Finally, there's nothing worse than being in need of a rental car and having to hunt down a location. You need a lot that’s convenient, even if the company will pick you up. After all, you don't want to then spend another hour on the road as a passenger just to retrieve your car. And picking up a car at the airport is more expensive due to additional fees, so having a nearby satellite location in most cases is not only convenient but cost-effective.