Car Rentals – Things You Should Do Before Driving Out Of The Garage

Driving your rental car before checking it out is like driving a car without a license. You could get into a lot of trouble if you don’t take the time to inspect the car from the inside out. To help you out, here’s a guide of the things you should do before driving your rental car out of the garage.

Car Rental Inspections

First, check out all the dents and scratches that your car already has before taking it out. Take photos if possible and put them somewhere safe. That way the car rental agency won’t be able to charge you for any damage that was there prior to you renting it.

Start the rental car to see how it’s running. See how it warms up and check for odd noises. This way you’ll know you’re getting a car that’s in good condition and it won’t break down on you. Find where the air conditioning unit is and see if it works. Turn on the heat or cool down your car, depending on what you’ll need for your trip. Adjust all the mirrors, the rear view mirrors and side mirrors. That way, you wouldn’t have to adjust them while you’re driving and possibly get into an accident.

Also make sure to check the location of the window and door controls. These controls vary from model to model so it’s important to familiarize yourself with these controls. Also look for the turn signals. They’re usually in the same place in almost all cars. But since you’ll be using them almost immediately then it’s best that you find them and learn how to use them right way.

Check out where the windshield wiper controls are. You’ll never know when it’s going to rain. Figure out how to turn your lights on and off. This will save you a lot of trouble and embarrassment, especially if you plan to drive at night. Find the fuel cover latch so you wouldn’t have any problems when filling up at the gas station.

Next thing you should do is to check out the car radio and see if it works. This advice seems trivial compared to the ones listed above but more accidents are caused by radios than by cell phones. So make sure you have your radio stations set and the controls memorized before driving.

Ask your car rental for a map of their rental lots. The usually have these in the glove compartment or the give it away for free, if you ask. That way, you can plan your route and find the most convenient location to drop of your car.

Last, but not least, check if the emergency break is on. A lot of rental cars are accidentally destroyed because their drivers forgot to turn off the emergency break. So before driving out of the garage, make sure to look for the emergency break. Turn it off and happily drive you rental car out into the sunset.

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