Renting a high end vehicle can be a thrilling experience if you have the cash. But money may not be your only concern, however. High quality cars mean high standards for the renters. Check out our list of things to consider before you decide to rent an exotic car.
Have a credit card with enough space to cover your deposit.
It usually requires a lot of paperwork to be approved for a cash deposit, and only some locations for some rental companies accept debit cards for deposit purposes. So, you'll very likely need to have the credit space available to cover it. Also, the name on the card will need to match the name on your driver’s license. This is nit-picky stuff, but it’s important to keep in mind if you don’t want to be turned away at the door.
Check on your insurance.
The better insurance you have as a driver, the less risk the company takes. This may help you snag a lower deposit. Also, if you’ve been in an accident recently, an exotic car rental company may not be eager to let you behind the wheel of a $100,000 car.
For example, with Gotham Dream Cars, you must have full coverage unless you are from the state of New York. Then, you’ll only need liability insurance. If you don’t have full coverage, you can always look into a program by American Express called “Premium Car Rental Protection.” If you aren’t from the United States, you’ll need to make insurance arrangements; however, most companies will require a minimum rental period in order to do this for you.
Make sure you’re old enough.
As a general rule, you’re going to have to be at least 21 to rent any sort of car, much less an exotic one. However, most companies only rent to someone 25 or older. Additional drivers can usually be added to your account at no additional charge, but they will have to meet all age and insurance requirements as well.
Pay attention at the gas station.
These exotic cars generally come with a full tank, but if you need to stop for gas, think twice before you select regular at the pump. Gotham Dream Cars requires their vehicles to be fueled only with premium-grade gasoline. If you accidently pump in regular, you’re going to be shelling out an additional $350 in fees.
Check hidden fees.
The plus side of doing business with an exotic car rental company is that they will provide you with things like toll cards to make your experience as smooth as possible. Sounds great, right? Well, if you read closely, you’ll realize you’re actually paying for these services. Don’t be drawn in by shiny offers that aren’t really that great. Do your research!
Have two forms of ID or more.
Renting an exotic car costs a lot of money, so companies want to make sure you aren't trying to scam them—so multiple forms of ID is a must. You can combine a driver’s license with a credit/debit card other than the one you’re paying with, a passport, or a military ID. Some rental places will even accept a store card that has your photo on it (Sam’s Club, Costco, etc.) or a utility bill with an address that matches the one on your driver’s license.
Be present.
Depending on the company, you most likely won’t be able to have your assistant pick up your car for you. You have been approved to drive the vehicle, thus it must be you that drives it off the lot.
Don’t plan on driving too far.
Many high end car rental companies will have selected areas to which their vehicles may travel. Generally, this is about 1 to 3 states in any direction. Additionally, you only get so many miles included in your rental price per day, and this is usually around 75 to 100. After those are used, you’ll be paying anywhere from $0.75 to $3.00 extra per mile.
Not only that, but some companies have hidden fees that you’ll be required to pay if you drive the vehicle too much. Gotham Dream Cars has an additional surcharge of an unspecified amount for a vehicle that is driven more than double the allotted miles. So, if you drive the vehicle 201 miles in one day, you’re going to be shelling out more cash for “excess wear-and-tear.”
