This is an interesting question and not one that is simply answered. Choosing a car rental company isn't as straightforward as just choosing one out of the yellow pages and a little research will be required to help you choose the right company.
The one thing that you must assess is what your needs are because this will greatly affect which company is best for you. If you're traveling to an international destination without having a company chosen specifically for you then you really are best off choosing a larger company, one which you're familiar with from your country of origin, and one that has a good reputation. This isn't a time to be stressing about cost because you dont want to arrive in another country and find out that you have been scammed. It is much better to pay a little more and know that your car will be ready and waiting for you when you arrive.
If you're utilizing a rental car locally or for a short road trip then you can be more conscious of the cost that you are paying. Often you can easily pick up a cheap local rental through a smaller company or car dealership. These are perfectly acceptable options if you are keeping the car nearby however you'll perhaps not want to use this option for a longer road trip because most smaller companies dont provide emergency road service and repairs and this could leave you paying out of your pocket for repairs while on the road.
This is not to say that there arent many reputable smaller companies out there because there are many really great small car rental companies but the problem is that when you are traveling long distances or when you are arriving in an unknown country it is better not to take any chances. Of course if you have a local company that you have rented from several times and you would like to try and travel a little further in one of their vehicles then give it a try by all means.
Car rental companies are very varied and just because they operate under a larger company name dont be fooled. There are many operator owned locations out there that are still using a big company name, so make sure to check up online and with the Better Business Bureau just to make sure that they arent taking you for a ride.
The one thing that you must assess is what your needs are because this will greatly affect which company is best for you. If you're traveling to an international destination without having a company chosen specifically for you then you really are best off choosing a larger company, one which you're familiar with from your country of origin, and one that has a good reputation. This isn't a time to be stressing about cost because you dont want to arrive in another country and find out that you have been scammed. It is much better to pay a little more and know that your car will be ready and waiting for you when you arrive.
If you're utilizing a rental car locally or for a short road trip then you can be more conscious of the cost that you are paying. Often you can easily pick up a cheap local rental through a smaller company or car dealership. These are perfectly acceptable options if you are keeping the car nearby however you'll perhaps not want to use this option for a longer road trip because most smaller companies dont provide emergency road service and repairs and this could leave you paying out of your pocket for repairs while on the road.
This is not to say that there arent many reputable smaller companies out there because there are many really great small car rental companies but the problem is that when you are traveling long distances or when you are arriving in an unknown country it is better not to take any chances. Of course if you have a local company that you have rented from several times and you would like to try and travel a little further in one of their vehicles then give it a try by all means.
Car rental companies are very varied and just because they operate under a larger company name dont be fooled. There are many operator owned locations out there that are still using a big company name, so make sure to check up online and with the Better Business Bureau just to make sure that they arent taking you for a ride.