Renting A Car? Ask THIS Question First!

Renting a car seems to be quite easy. But recently Peepaw discovered a question he now knows is super-important to ask before renting any car these days. 

As the sun began to set on our Las Vegas stay we thought about all we had seen and done during our three night visit.

We saw a show called The Ultimate Variety Show. (It was great family-friendly entertainment.) Fun for ALL ages, for sure.

Fremont Street was a great spot for people-watching right outside our Golden Nugget Hotel.

And that street took on a whole new vibe each night.

But we were more than ready to pack up and leave “Sin City” and head West to California, and then on North to Oregon wine country! So we skipped a late night out on our last night in Vegas and we headed to bed for a good night of sleep.

Very early the next morning we headed downstairs to the shuttle pick-up spot outside the Golden Nugget. We climbed aboard another Bell Trans shuttle bus to head back to the airport. (Thank god that trip turned out to be MUCH shorter and more direct than our inbound trip had been!)

Back at the airport we boarded a shuttle to take us to the off-site car rental location to pick up the Budget rental car Peepaw had reserved. And THAT is where my story gets interesting.

Peepaw has sometimes chided me for trying to anticipate the BAD things that might happen on a trip so I can be prepared for them. But let me assure you I have had more travel adventures in my life than Peepaw has.

I used  to be a travel agent, and later I owned my own cruise travel agency. I have escorted all kinds and sizes of groups to destinations around the world. And let me paraphrase that commercial we’ve all seen. “I know a thing or two because I’ve SEEN a thing or two!”

One traveler thought she lost her passport in the Bahamas. (She didn’t.) I’ve seen a traveler slam their fingers in the door of a cab. (He did.) I’ve watched a traveler lose her cane in every stop we made in Alaska. (We found it every time.)

So feel free to call me overly cautious when it comes to renting a vehicle or when reading the fine print on ANY contract.

Now that we’re retired I am often more than happy to turn ALL travel arrangements over to Peepaw. That way our trips feel like a vacation to me, and I can relax and stop sweating the details. But this time…

Peepaw rented a specific type of vehicle from Budget so we could decide if that type of vehicle is right for us when we trade cars next time. So together we schlepped our luggage into the huge Las Vegas multi company rental location. I sat with our belongings while Peepaw went up to the Budget counter to collect our rental car keys.

The rental transaction seemed to be taking forever. And EVER. 

I got a funny feeling in the pit of my stomach. And then I watched him walk to a different rental car company desk. And then another.

When he finally returned, he was holding the keys to a totally different type of car…from a totally different company. Do you want to know why?

Budget Car Rental in Las Vegas does not allow their cars to be driven to Oregon! They only allow rentals to travel within Nevada and to California, Arizona and Utah.

And even though we would be returning the car to the Las Vegas location it was still forbidden to head to Oregon, our final destination! The Budget representative told Peepaw this glitch happens ALL the time at their location. (I have seen that restriction before…but this time I was not asked for input on renting a vehicle so I hadn’t read the contract Peepaw signed.)  This was ONE time when my travel agent “fine print” radar would have come in quite handy.

Thank GOD we were able to find a different company (Payless Car Rental) without that restriction!

Yes, Dear Readers, we’ve been married 47 years…and that day at the Budget counter I decided that would NOT be the time to remind Peepaw of his disdain for my “cup half empty” idea of preparing in advance for things to go wrong in travel.

Luckily there were cars available that day since it was low season for travelers since schools were beginning and summer was winding down…so we simply grabbed the keys to the small car that was available and we hightailed it towards the California border.

But the next time I play the “what if” scenario out loud I’m guessing Peepaw won’t poo-poo my worry wart tendencies. Yes…this car rental experience was a Las Vegas gamble we almost lost! We just chalked it up to a lesson learned…and another adventure we survived.

And by the way…we’re still married. Even Happily.

At least MOST of the time!