I know quite a few New Yorkers who prefer to rent a car in order to indulge oneself with a little weekend travel. A big amount of car rental companies are presented by brand giants or their affiliates. These firms provide mostly the leasing of the economy class vehicles. That is the very factor that makes the RealCar rental service so different from the others. RealCar provides its clients with premium SUVs with a four-wheel drive and many modern features that make the usage of the vehicle very comfortable and user friendly. The company is relatively new, but it already has something interesting to suggest.
As of today, the RealCar rental service in New York City provides leasing of luxury off-road vehicles, namely Range Rover and Porsche Cayenne. The rental prices vary depending on a period you choose to hire a car: daily cost equals $149, weekly $899, and monthly $2999. If you think the prices for an SUV is too high, mind that Chevrolet weekend rental costs around $200 (or even more), so put some thought into that.
These rental prices are well defined by an elaborate Terms and Conditions Policy. Another reason why RealCar stands out from other small rental companies, is a number of pretty nice perks it offers to its clients. We will look into advantages brought by RealCar later. But before that, let’s dive into the terms of the rental service in more detail.
What happens if your vehicle is damaged?
Among the charges you should be aware of before using services of this company, are damage, late return, and cancelation fees. So, let’s start with a damage charge.
According to the Real Car policy, you are responsible for ANY damage dealt to the rented vehicle, even if you are not at fault. Although you have an option to pay $15 per day for a collision damage, it includes $1000 deductible. At the same time the company highly recommends to use American Express’ Premium Car Rental Protection, which suggests coverage for collision damage of approximately $24.95 for an entire period of car hire with no deductible included. You can pay for it with any American Express card. Mind that not any credit card protection services provide coverage for luxury SUVs.
You can hold security deposit of $200, if you return a damaged vehicle or a parking ticket. At the end of the rental period, you will be refunded the deposit, given that the vehicle is returned in the same condition and without parking violations.
How leasing and cancellation processes are conducted
Real Car leasing prices include mileage rates as follows: 200 miles for daily and weekend drive, 1000 miles for weekly drive, and 3000 miles for monthly drive. In case you have exceeded the set mileage limit, you will be charged to pay 75 cents for every mile driven.
You can cancel your car reservation or make changes to the conditions you agreed upon. The process is free of charge and has to be carried out within 24 hours of the reservation confirmation. This is under the condition that the rental period does not begin within the 7 full days of the cancellation. If it does, Real Car will not provide you with refund, so you will lose 100% of your rental agreement. If you do so more than 7 days before the leasing, you will have to pay half of your rental cost or $500 (whichever is greater).
Other fees and perks from RealCar
Any repairs done to an SUV and paying to the third party parking, penalties, and other possible fees are also a part of your responsibilities. If you decide to pass the payment obligation to the RealCar, you will have to compensate all bills plus additional $50 for every charge the company had to cover.
The company highly insists that you return the rented vehicle on time. If you return an SUV one hour after the due date you will have to pay half day of rental on top. If your late return exceeds 3 hours, you will be charged for a whole day rental. The charge is $50 per hour, so manage your time efficiently.
Car hire procedure on RealCar site is very simple and fast. The online booking service allows you to choose pick-up date, delivery type, and a preferred car. Plus, you are also able to choose your insurance coverage and see the total price for the service. Thanks to this little feature, you won’t have to wonder if any additional charges await you as the booking system is very transparent. But, if you are not sure you understood all terms and conditions right or have a question that bothers you, you can type it into the online chat box. The support operators will answer all your questions as informative and quickly as possible.
Real Car also offers a hand deliver option. That means, if you are flying to New York, for example, you can have your off-road vehicle delivered straight to the airport by a company concierge. If at the end of a rental period your vehicle is to be taken back to the fleet by a concierge, keep in mind that you have to meet within 30 minutes at the time and place indicated in the agreement with the company. Being late can lead to extra charging with $50 for every half an hour.
In spite of all abovementioned damage charges, the company supports a “wear and tear” policy. It means that, providing the normal car usage, you are not responsible for the natural wear of the vehicle components, occurrence of small scratches, dents, and such.
Conclusion
The terms and conditions of RealCar NYC rental service are not that different from the other car leasing companies. Although, thanks to the reasonable prices and perks, like hand delivery and “wear and tear” policy, the company holds promise for the future. The RealCar representatives understand that leasing a luxury SUV is indeed a great responsibility. That is why in order to avoid any possible inconveniences and misunderstandings, they developed a fair and thorough terms of rental car use. With a well-planned trip, you will be able to avoid a late arrival fee. And a proper insurance will cover all the material expenses in case of any damages to the vehicle.