If you are going to rent a car in Europe while on vacation, fuel costs will be higher than you are used to.
No amount of Pepto-Bismol will lower today's gas prices, but being economical with your gas consumption is just one way that will help you cut costs while traveling.
Here are some helpful hints that may save you some money abroad! Renting a car in Europe is a great way to see the historical sights, beautiful architecture and visit the locations you want to see at your own pace.
While using consolidators and shopping around can help you to find a good rate on a rental car itself, the cost of gas is something that many people forget to factor in when budgeting for a vacation.
With some proper planning, you won't have to take out a loan to pay for gas in Europe.
Drive Manual.
Automatics use more gas accelerating so if you know how to drive a manual, definitely rent one.
In Europe, most people can drive manual, so renting an automatic is going to be more expensive right from the get go.
If you don't know how to drive a manual transmission, you seriously might want to consider learning how.
Trips to Europe are usually booked at least a month or two in advance, so use this time to learn how to drive a manual, if you feel up to it.
Rent the smallest possible car you can.
Don't be worried about being pushed around on highways, or having enough speed.
A compact car, such as a VW Golf, Renault Megane, or Peugeot 307, will compare in size to a Ford Focus, or a Toyota Corolla, and will definitely have enough zest to get you around if you are 2-3 persons traveling.
A midsize may be more comfortable, but you are sacrificing 5-15 miles per gallon by booking larger.
Consider how much driving you are really going to do.
The purpose of renting a car is to get around, even if it means being slightly cramped for an hour or two.
Don't floor it at a green light.
Your car uses the most gas going from 0-20 miles per hour, so accelerate slower to use less gas.
When picking up your rental car in Europe, ask for a diesel at the counter if you plan on doing a lot of driving.
If you are not going to drive much (under 200 km) it won't really matter if you have a gas powered vehicle or a diesel, because diesel is currently more expensive than gas in Europe.
The savings in diesel versus gas start to show around after driving around 200-250 km.
You can ask for a hybrid too, although they usually cost more to rent.
Rent from an agency who offers a full/full policy.
Many car rental agencies have adopted the full/empty policy, which means the rental car comes with a full tank of gas and must be returned empty.
This is not good if you do not intend on not using a tanks worth of gas, or if the gas gauge is not accurate.
With full/full, you return the car full, which is just how it is given to you.
Only drive if you have to.
Stay healthy by walking or utilize public transportation once you reach your destination.
When you do have to drive, plan your route so that you are taking the most efficient path.
Look on travel forums and blogs to see if anyone else has driven the trip you want to take.
See if you can find short cuts to avoid cities.
No amount of Pepto-Bismol will lower today's gas prices, but being economical with your gas consumption is just one way that will help you cut costs while traveling.
Here are some helpful hints that may save you some money abroad! Renting a car in Europe is a great way to see the historical sights, beautiful architecture and visit the locations you want to see at your own pace.
While using consolidators and shopping around can help you to find a good rate on a rental car itself, the cost of gas is something that many people forget to factor in when budgeting for a vacation.
With some proper planning, you won't have to take out a loan to pay for gas in Europe.
Drive Manual.
Automatics use more gas accelerating so if you know how to drive a manual, definitely rent one.
In Europe, most people can drive manual, so renting an automatic is going to be more expensive right from the get go.
If you don't know how to drive a manual transmission, you seriously might want to consider learning how.
Trips to Europe are usually booked at least a month or two in advance, so use this time to learn how to drive a manual, if you feel up to it.
Rent the smallest possible car you can.
Don't be worried about being pushed around on highways, or having enough speed.
A compact car, such as a VW Golf, Renault Megane, or Peugeot 307, will compare in size to a Ford Focus, or a Toyota Corolla, and will definitely have enough zest to get you around if you are 2-3 persons traveling.
A midsize may be more comfortable, but you are sacrificing 5-15 miles per gallon by booking larger.
Consider how much driving you are really going to do.
The purpose of renting a car is to get around, even if it means being slightly cramped for an hour or two.
Don't floor it at a green light.
Your car uses the most gas going from 0-20 miles per hour, so accelerate slower to use less gas.
When picking up your rental car in Europe, ask for a diesel at the counter if you plan on doing a lot of driving.
If you are not going to drive much (under 200 km) it won't really matter if you have a gas powered vehicle or a diesel, because diesel is currently more expensive than gas in Europe.
The savings in diesel versus gas start to show around after driving around 200-250 km.
You can ask for a hybrid too, although they usually cost more to rent.
Rent from an agency who offers a full/full policy.
Many car rental agencies have adopted the full/empty policy, which means the rental car comes with a full tank of gas and must be returned empty.
This is not good if you do not intend on not using a tanks worth of gas, or if the gas gauge is not accurate.
With full/full, you return the car full, which is just how it is given to you.
Only drive if you have to.
Stay healthy by walking or utilize public transportation once you reach your destination.
When you do have to drive, plan your route so that you are taking the most efficient path.
Look on travel forums and blogs to see if anyone else has driven the trip you want to take.
See if you can find short cuts to avoid cities.