This is not a title just to get your attention. It is possible to rent a car for just one dollar and I will explain how. The answer is called relocation.
This practice is very common in the United States, Europe, Australia, New Zealand and is also gaining strength in Canada.
It all starts when a car rental company needs to return the vehicle from one city to another. Imagine, if someone rents a car just for a one-way trip. Someone needs to bring the vehicle back. And instead of sending an employee to make the trip or even need to rent a truck to perform the service, the rental company prefers to optimize it by giving you the opportunity to take the car back to them.
That is why these trips are practically free. Because it is good for the company, which has no headache with the vehicle, and good for the customer, which saves in terms of time and money.
You can even find free options, but the rate is usually between 1 and 5 dollars, which guarantees a quick booking.
In this service it is very common to find motorhomes or campervans available, but it is also possible to find passenger cars and even trucks.
How it works
There are several companies that offer this service and you can book the vehicle on their websites.
In some cases, rental companies help with up to $ 500 of fuel and other benefits such as ferries, depending on the route.
The rental announcement usually takes place two or three weeks before the vehicle needs to be moved. As the date approaches, companies include advantages. Offers can be launched months in advance, but the price is usually higher – between $25 and $ 50 a day.
Imoova, Europcar, Drive Me, and Space Ships are examples of some companies that offer these amazing opportunities.
Care to be taken
It seems obvious, but it is worth remembering that it’s important to assess whether the itinerary they are on is compatible with your trip. Also because they usually ask for the car to be returned within a certain period of time (which varies according to the distance between cities).
There are also cases where the company offers only a day’s rental, leaving the airport and arriving in a certain city, which can represent an interesting reduction in the cost for your trip.
Another point to evaluate is insurance. As with any car rental system, you don’t want to find out you have to pay an extra fee when something unexpected happens.
Some rental companies may ask for your International Driving Permit.
A contract is made to collect the vehicle and the customer usually needs to make a security deposit that usually varies between U$ 500 and U $ 1,500. If all goes well, the amount is fully refunded at the end of the trip.