Last Updated on January 2, 2025 by Elizabeth
Meet Tyler Scheuer, a national entertainer and balancing phenom whom you might recognize from sports halftime shows or his appearances on TV shows like “America’s Got Talent” and “Ripley’s Believe It Or Not!” As someone who is constantly traveling, Tyler is also a verifiable AutoSlash power user. At any given time, he has AutoSlash tracking more than 100 rental car bookings!
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We recently received an incredible email from Tyler. “Your platform has been incredible,” he wrote. “I’d estimate it’s saved me thousands of dollars annually. Just like you, I love helping people I know get the best deals. Friends frequently come to me for advice on travel savings, and AutoSlash is one of the top tools I recommend.”
Tyler also shared some of his hard-earned car rental tips, which we are delighted to pass on to you in his own words:
The “Under 100-Mile” Fuel Charge (Avis & Budget)
This one took me a while to figure out. For some reason, when you drive under 100 miles with Avis or Budget, they often add a “fuel charge,” even if you’ve filled the tank before returning the car. I’ve been charged for this dozens of times. The first few times, I had no idea why I was being charged. When I finally asked, they explained that even if you refuel, you’ll still get hit with this fee if you drove fewer than 100 miles.
To avoid it, I now always request a receipt with a total before walking away from the car. A lot of locations encourage you to “just leave the keys on the dash” and promise to email you a receipt later. Absolutely not! If you leave without a printed receipt, you could be charged this sneaky fee, and by the time you see it on your emailed receipt, it’s too late to handle it in person. At that point, you’re stuck calling customer service, which is never fun.
Prepaid Fuel Is Almost Never a Good Deal
This is something most people probably already know, but it’s worth repeating. Prepaying for fuel is almost always a rip-off. Not only do they charge more per gallon than any local gas station, but you’re also paying for the entire tank, even if you don’t use it all.
The only time prepaying for fuel might make sense is if you have a super early return (like 4 a.m.) and you’re worried about finding an open gas station.
One thing I’ve also learned is that if you’re at an airport where you get to pick your own car from the lot, the system calculates the prepaid fuel cost based on a random tank size. For example, I was once quoted $65 for fuel, based on a 16-gallon tank. But the car I picked (a Kia Forte) only had a 12-gallon tank. If I had prepaid for fuel, I would have overpaid by at least $12 to $15. This isn’t something people typically think about, but it’s another reason to skip the prepaid fuel option.
The SiriusXM Upsell (Don’t Fall for It!)
I can’t tell you how many times rental agents have asked, “Do you want to add SiriusXM to your rental?” The thing is, this is typically just a cash grab. Whether the car has SiriusXM or not is already determined by the car itself. It’s not something the agent can “turn on” or “activate” for you.
In my experience, if they offer you SiriusXM, the car is probably already equipped with it for free. This has happened to me at least 12-15 times. I decline the offer, only to get in the car and see that Sirius is already working. If the agent asks if you want to pay for Sirius, it’s probably just them trying to pad their commission.
The Insurance Trick (Watch Their Wording!)
This is one of the sneakier tactics I’ve seen recently. When you get to the counter, the agent will often ask, “Do you want the premium coverage or the basic coverage?” (Sometimes the choice is “enhanced coverage” or “basic coverage.”) They make it sound like these are the only two options.
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Here’s the kicker: They rarely mention that “no coverage” is also an option. I’ve had agents straight-up tell me I had to choose one of the two. I’ve learned to respond with, “Is no coverage an option?” And it always is.
Rental agents are trained to push protection plans because they make a commission on every insurance add-on they sell. This is why they frame the question as if you have to pick one. But many credit cards already provide rental car coverage. For instance, the Costco Citi credit card provides up to $50,000 in damage protection if you pay for your rental with the card. Knowing this has saved me from paying for unnecessary coverage at the counter.
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