Improving Your Vehicle

When you arrive at the kiosk to pick up the keys for your rental car, you'll be customarily joined by a rental agent who will walk to where the car is parked and perform a circle check on it. It's easy to daydream during this task, especially if you're just excited to get the keys and get driving, but you should never breeze through this important job. The last thing you want is for both of you to miss a scratch on the car, return the vehicle a few days later, and have the agent believe that you were responsible for the scratch. Here are some tips that will help you accurately assess the condition of the car. 

Look at It From Multiple Angles

Don't just take a quick walk around the perimeter of the car and deem it acceptable. It's possible to miss scratches or other damage if you don't change your viewing angle. It's better to tilt your head, squat down, and otherwise move your body so that you can pick up any small areas of damage that may not be visible at first glance. Try to stand with the sun behind you so that it illuminates the car and makes any damage more apparent.

Ask About Everything You See

You should never assume that any small damage on the vehicle is worth overlooking. If you notice any issues that the rental agent doesn't point out, take a moment to ask about them. In many cases, car rental companies will have a size-related rule on what constitutes damage. For example, anything larger in size than a designated coin — such as a quarter — may be deemed a damage point. This size requirement will typically be explained to you at the time you fill out your contract, but you should never assume that something you see is too minor. Ask an agent at a business like Sensible Car Rental about the scale they use and what kind of damage you should watch for.

Check High-Probability Areas

As you look at the exterior of the vehicle, you should make sure to focus on areas that can commonly have some sort of damage. For example, each of the four corners of the car is more apt to have a scratch or dent than the roof, so you should concentrate on checking these high-probability areas. This doesn't mean that you should overlook other spots, but devoting enough time to meticulously inspecting the parts of the car that are more apt to being banged up may reveal damage that could otherwise go overlooked.