Health, Weight Loss & Diet Plans General Blog: 10 Things Not to Do When Renting a Car

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<header> <img alt="sony-xperia-t3" class="attachment-slider size-slider wp-post-image" height="245" src="http://banmeauto.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/sony-xperia-t3-520x245.jpg" title="" width="520" />      </header>
                        
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             While many people are tapping the “Check for updates” 
button on their phones in the hope of seeing Android 5.0 Lollipop, Sony 
Xperia T3 owners can at least enjoy a minor update to their smartphones.<br />

Sony has recently released Android 4.4.4 KitKat for the Xperia T3. 
There are a couple of different builds being deployed. Build 18.1.A.2.25
 has been released in various regions for the T3 LTE models D5103 and 
D5106. For the 3G model, D5102, Sony has released build 18.1.A.2.32. 
Both builds upgrade the T3 from Android 4.4.2 KitKat to Android 4.4.4 
KitKat.<br />

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As a reminder the Xperia T3 is a mid-range device from Sony. At its 
release it was dubbed the “world’s thinnest 5.3-inch smartphone.” The 
handset is just 7mm thick and features a 5.3-inch HD display with 
Triluminos technology for vibrant colors, and the Bravia Engine 2, for 
enhanced video and image quality. It is powered by a quad-core Qualcomm 
Snapdragon processor and comes with 1GB of RAM. There is 8GB of internal
 storage, which is expandable to 32GB via microSD, and a 8MP Exmor RS 
camera. The device also includes NFC which is a nice addition for a 
mid-range device.<br />

[<em>Source: <a href="http://www.xperiablog.net/2015/01/08/android-4-4-4-kitkat-arrives-on-the-xperia-t3/" rel="nofollow">Xperia Blog</a></em>]</div>
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Sony Xperia T3 gets updated to Android 4.4.4

While many people are tapping the “Check for updates” button on their phones in the...

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<header><img alt="Renting a Car" class="attachment-slider size-slider wp-post-image" height="245" src="http://banmeauto.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/Renting-a-Car-520x245.jpg" title="" width="520" />      </header>
                        
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             <h3>
1. Prepaying for gasoline.</h3>
Prepaid gasoline charges appeal to our desire for simplicity while 
traveling, and also to concerns about being late for flights, as every 
few minutes added to the trip to the airport create more risk for 
arriving too late to board. As airport security has added considerable 
time to this process, rental companies have come up with new options for
 car refueling, and are giving them the hard sell at the rental desk.<br />

Unless you are completely sure you will return the tank empty, or you
 have a pre-dawn flight that would make it worth the money not to have 
to refuel, don’t fall for this one. Even the option where they charge 
you only for fuel you actually use is tipped aggressively in the rental 
agency’s favor because the cost of having them refuel your car is always
 higher than the cost of doing it yourself.<br />

<h3>
2. Failing to check on your way out for a place to refuel on your way back.</h3>
The best time to find a place to refuel your vehicle is immediately 
after you pick it up. As you are driving away from the airport or rental
 agency, take note of the local gas stations, and make a plan to return 
to the most easily accessible or best-priced of them at the end of your 
rental. The road and neighborhoods around airports can be confusing and 
unfamiliar, so you don’t want to be driving in circles looking for a gas
 station as your flight time approaches. Figure this out on your way 
out, when you are not pressed for time.<br />

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<h3>
3. Purchasing insurance, reason No. 1: your own auto insurance covers you.</h3>
Before accepting this one at face value, it should be emphasized that
 auto insurance policies can vary considerably, so you will want to 
check with your own insurer directly. If you have the minimum legally 
permissible coverage, it may not include coverage for rental cars — 
whereas if you have what companies call “full coverage,” it almost 
certainly does. Call or email your insurer to find out.<br />

In general, the rule of thumb is that the coverage you have for your 
main vehicle extends to your rental vehicle, because the rental is 
considered a replacement vehicle under the policy. So if you have 
comprehensive coverage on your own car, your policy would also give you 
comprehensive coverage for the rental vehicle.<br />

Most policies will cover you even if the rental car is a “better” or 
more valuable car than your own car, so you don’t have to worry if you 
get an upgrade or rent a much better car than the one you insure at 
home.<br />

It is worth mentioning that an accident in a rental car will 
typically raise your rates if you have to make a claim on your own 
insurance policy.<br />

<h3>
4. Purchasing insurance, reason No. 2: your credit card covers the rest.</h3>
Anything your own car insurance does not cover, it is likely that 
your credit card will. In some cases the credit card coverage is as good
 as or better than your auto insurance; in others it is intended to be 
secondary insurance to help cover anything your auto insurance does not.<br />

Of course, you will need to pay for your car rental using that card; 
just having a qualifying credit card does not give you any protection.<br />

<h3>
5. Ignoring one possible caveat: “loss of use” insurance.</h3>
A new-ish fee applied by car rental companies in the event of a 
damaged vehicle is “loss of use” charges, which are applied for the 
potential revenue lost when one of their cars is off the road during a 
repair. This is typically charged in the amount of a day’s rental for 
that vehicle, and most auto insurance companies do not cover this fee. 
Many credit cards do, however, as shown in the link above; American 
Express, Mastercard and Visa all offer “loss of use” coverage with 
rentals paid for with most of their cards.<br />

<h3>
6. Ignoring potential offers for upgrades.</h3>
In the past, I’ve recommended reserving a low-priced car and then 
inquiring about upgrades at the rental desk. This works best at busy 
times when the garage is running low on lower-priced cars, and may offer
 you free or very affordable upgrades to a larger car class due to 
inventory management issues.<br />

In most cases, the desk agent has considerable discretion in setting 
upgrade rates, so if he or she asks if you are interested in a larger 
car, respond that it depends on the price; you might find yourself in a 
much bigger and better car at minimal additional cost.<br />

<h3>
7. Failing to check for AAA, AARP, reward program or other discounts.</h3>
Many membership programs establish relationships with car rental 
companies as a member perk. These include travel organizations like AAA,
 airline frequent flier programs, age-specific organizations like the 
AARP, and even some sports- or hobby-focused groups. Rental car 
discounts are typically listed on the organization’s website; you are 
already paying membership dues, so have a look before booking and you 
could find a great deal.<br />

<h3>
8. Making too cursory an inspection upon departure.</h3>
When you pick up your car, check it inside and out for anything that 
could potentially be considered damage before you drive away. Look for 
scratches, scuffs, loose parts, working power windows and mirrors, and 
more.<br />

Keep an eye out for problems both small and big; the tendency is to 
take a quick walk around the car looking for scratches and blemishes, 
thinking that big problems would have already been noticed, but this is 
not always the case. I once rented a car that had a loose back bumper 
that the car rental company had not noticed previously. If I hadn’t 
caught this before we left the garage and an inspector had seen it 
later, I would have been held completely responsible — I would simply 
have thought that someone had banged into the car while it was parked, 
and that it had happened during my rental.<br />

Your best protection here: take photos or a video of a slow walk around the car, and “kick the tires,” so to speak.<br />

<h3>
9. Leaving final inspection to chance.</h3>
Recently, the procedure of returning cars has come to resemble 
checking out of a hotel, where you leave your keycard on the night table
 and head out the lobby door with only a wave to the front desk — no 
more official checkout, key return or interaction of any kind needed. 
Car rental returns have taken on a similar feel; as often as not, you 
follow signs to the back of a row of recently returned cars, take out 
your stuff, leave the key in the car and walk away without ever speaking
 to anyone directly.<br />

If it feels unsettling just to leave the car without an agent 
checking it over, it should; the most serious complaints about car 
rental companies in recent months have been disputes over damage claims.
 If no attendant is present at dropoff (and sometimes when there is), 
the dispute later becomes your word against theirs. Unfortunately the 
terms of the contract, and the fact that the rental company has your 
credit card number, makes it very hard for you to win one of these 
disputes, at least not without considerable expenditure of energy, 
resources and potentially money (for a lawyer, court appearance, etc.).<br />

Again, your best protection here is to take photos or a video of a slow walk around the car.<br />

<h3>
10. Crossing international borders.</h3>
Most U.S. car rental agreements do not allow you to drive the car 
across international borders (which means to Mexico or Canada for 
domestic rentals). Additionally, your U.S. car insurance rarely covers 
international car rentals, so you will likely want to purchase insurance
 from the rental company at the time of rental.</div>
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10 Things Not to Do When Renting a Car

1. Prepaying for gasoline. Prepaid gasoline charges appeal to our desire for simplic...