Do you want to hire a car? You've likely been searching for the right option and have come across Discover Cars. This brings questions, such as: Is Discover Cars legit?
Is Discover Cars Legit? Read This Discover Cars Review To Learn More!
Are you searching for a car rental company? Read my Discover Cars review to help you understand what it offers, how it works, and why it's the best option available.
Discover Cars
Discover Cars
Discovercars.com is a car rental search engine with great reviews and competitive prices. Plus, many travel coaches and bloggers recommend it worldwide.
Therefore, as the founder of SanJoseCostaRica.com,I decided to do more research to determine if Discover Cars is a trustworthy and legitimate company. I found that it's a fantastic option when searching for an affordable car rental, and I recommend it to all of my readers.
In my Discover Cars rental review, I will touch on various factors. These will include insurance coverage options, price competitiveness, car selections, user-friendliness, customer service ratings, and so much more.
Ultimately, I found that Discover Cars is legitimate and could be the best third-party rental car agency on the market. It often receives positive customer reviews, has great customer service, and offers comprehensive insurance and comparable prices with few hidden fees.
In the past, I've had my fair share of poor experiences when renting cars worldwide, which I will discuss a little later in my article. Honestly, I can say after my deep dive into Discovercars.com, I wouldn't mind using it for all my car rentals going forward.
You won't find a review as comprehensive as this one. I'll answer all your questions about renting a car through Discovercars.com.
What's Discover Cars Rental?
Discover Cars is considered a third-party car rental company. It was founded in 2013, and its goal was to create a seamless rental car experience to help people find excellent deals that meet their travel needs and preferences.
When businesses are classified as "third-party companies," it means they compare prices from other brands and make bookings for you. This is similar to a travel agent. You won't be dealing with the actual company yourself when making a booking. Once you arrive at the rental agency, you'll show the Discover Cars voucher and won't likely have to exchange money or do much else.
This company has cars on the website in over 10,000 locations in 145 countries. The vehicles come from various sources, both local companies and those major supplies, including Europcar, Sixt, Hertz, Budget, and Avis.
Benefits of Using Discover Cars for Car Rental
There are many reasons to consider renting a car when you travel. Reserving your transportation yourself is a great idea because you can remain flexible. You'll set up your own itineraries, leave early or late if you want, and visit the locations that tourists rarely get to see when part of a group. Though it might be a little cheaper to use public transportation, you will find that it's worth the added cost.
While there are various benefits of renting a car while on an adventure, I've focused this list more on the advantages of using Discover Cars, in particular, to reserve the vehicle. Here are the reasons people love this company:
Great Cancellation Policy
I've found that Discover Cars has a great cancellation policy, as well. You could cancel the booking for free for a full 48 hours before your pick-up date if you use the website. Such a flexible policy is excellent because it helps you avoid penalty fees if your plans change and you must cancel the booking.
Likewise, you can make changes to your booking without a charge. You'll do this through the Discover Cars website, the mobile app, or by calling customer service yourself.
However, if you cancel past your 48-hour cancellation mark, there will be fees. Still, you're not typically charged the full vehicle amount.
Few Hidden Fees
In most cases, finding a booking that seems way too good means you've been hoodwinked. I've been one of those people who book "last minute deals" and "secret offers" from websites before. Then, I get to the place and am told I must prepay tolls, get mandatory insurance, and pay other fees that weren't included in my original payment!
Discover Cars won't play that game!
It has no hidden fees at all. Discover Cars prides itself on offering customers a transparent and honest car rental experience. Customers know that the price they see during the booking process is what they pay. This company won't use deceptive practices to get you in the door.
Overall, you can compare each car rental company accurately to get the best deal possible without any surprises.
If there are discrepancies between the prices on the website and what the company charges when you pick up the vehicle, you can contact Discover Cars for help. The company works with you to ensure you receive a fair price and that you won't have to exchange money with the rental car company during the pick-up process.
Comparison Tool
Discover Cars offers a comparison tool that's easy to use and straightforward. You'll see it at the top of the homepage and can compare car rental options with ease.
To use this tool, you'll input your pick-up location, choose whether you wish to return the car to that same location (or add a drop-off location), and provide the country of residence, dates of travel, and driver's age. Immediately, you will see a list of options and can compare cars with ease.
There's also a user-friendly app that allows you to make bookings from your tablet or phone while you're on the go. This is convenient for those last-minute requests.
Offers Full Coverage Insurance
Another benefit of using Discover Cars is that it offers full coverage insurance for the rental vehicle. The coverage includes expenses and damages up to $3,000, and it's less than $10 per day!
Most rental companies won't offer full coverage insurance and may not include anything at all. Usually, you'll have to work with an agency directly, but it's easier to have the insurance connected to the booking. If something happens with your car, it's not between you and your agency. Discover Cars is there to handle the negotiations to ensure you're treated fairly.
Overall, you'll have more peace of mind throughout your trip. Continue reading to learn more about the insurance options a little later in my article.
Reviews and Ratings for Every Vehicle
When making a booking, you can easily scroll down and read reviews and ratings for every car. Actual customers write them, and you'll get an honest opinion of how the agency works and what that particular vehicle can do.
Reviews are a great way to ensure that you get the experience you expect and want. My advice is to check for agencies and cars with ratings of 7/10 or better. Anything less might be risky!
Pretty Affordable
Discover Cars provides its customers with the best and most affordable car rental experience possible compared to other third-party sites. It's not the cheapest, but that's because there aren't any added fees for the rental cars. What you see on the website is what you pay for the car rental!
In my experience, Discover Cars is about $20 cheaper/day than if you book directly with a company or use another third-party website. Those might seem more affordable at face value, but you'll get more with this brand!
24/7 Support
With Discover Cars, you'll have 24/7 support to assist with concerns and questions you might have during the car hire process. It's easy to talk to someone by email, phone call, and instant message. Likewise, you can request a callback.
The company is known for having fast response times and being helpful. Overall, the first step is to send emails to [email protected] and [email protected] to get assistance quickly with your rental car needs. This makes everything less stressful.
Disadvantages of Getting a Rental Car with Discover Cars
Car rental always seems to come with negative reviews, and there are a few about Discover Cars. Most of them stem from customers not understanding what they require upon arrival, not finding their preferred booking agency, or locating "cheaper" options on other websites.
Here are some of the most common complaints customers list after using Discover Cars:
Low Grace Period
If your plans change or you will be late for the pick-up, there's no guarantee that the company will hold the car for you after that scheduled time. Likewise, the reservation might be canceled.
Most car rental providers do offer some sort of grace period, so that is a ding against Discover Cars. Overall, it's better to contact Discover Cars or the agency to let them know that you will be late and ask to hold the reservation. Many times, this is possible and avoids headaches later.
Expensive for Short-term Rentals
A short rental is considered anything less than three days. Typically, these are more expensive than long-term rentals, which is true of any agency.
For example, if you're renting a car in Rome and want a small vehicle for a week, it runs $180 or $25/day. However, a one-day rental of the same variety is $65, which is three times the price per day of the week-long rental.
Therefore, you might want to reconsider if you're renting a car for one or two days. Instead, you might wish to take a tour from a reliable tour guide or use public transportation instead of hiring a car for a short period of time.
Higher Prices for Drivers Under 25 Years Old
If you are under 25 years old, you could pay a premium cost for the rental car. This is because the company must have extra liability insurance to cover a driver of that age. It might be even more if you're under 21 years old.
However, this is a standard practice with most car rental companies. If you're under 25 or will be with someone under that age, expect to pay about $10 to $25 more per day for your rental car.
No Secret Deals
Discover Cars is a great car rental agency, but it won't offer discounts and special deals like you might see at other sites. Personally, I think this is good because you won't get sucked into a bad deal.
Most booking sites offer "secret deals," and I'm just like you; I've been fooled before. The website won't reveal the company's name until you've completed the booking, which is quite risky. Most of the time, the brand isn't well-reviewed, and you have a poor experience because of it.
However, Discover Cars doesn't offer secret bookings or special deals. Plus, there are no loyalty programs or memberships to help customers save money.
While it does offer more competitive prices than other sites, the lack of special deals might deter some customers who want to find the lowest price possible on the rental car.
Can't Extend Rentals Through the Rental Company
After booking with Discover Cars, you can't extend the rental through the website. If you realize you should have rented the car for a longer period, you'll have to visit the agency to change the reservation.
However, you could cancel the booking entirely and make a new one. This will give you a "booking credit" toward the next reservation.
Doesn't Offer All Major Companies
Discover Cars does partner with thousands of brands, so there will likely be some you've never heard of before. Thrifty, Budget, and Avis are multi-national brands and offer their services on Discover Cars. If you prefer the household name, you can use them, but they won't be cheap.
However, you will find local companies with cheaper prices. There's nothing risky here because they've all been vetted by Discover Cars. Still, you should read all customer reviews and ensure that you feel comfortable using a particular brand.
My advice is to make sure the reviews give a 7/10 or better. If you see that, you won't have a problem, even if you haven't heard of that particular company before.
Pricing for Hiring a Car Using Discover Cars
You'll choose partial prepayment or full prepayment when finalizing your booking. The average price for renting a car on Discover Cars varies significantly. It depends on the type of vehicle you require and where you're traveling. For example, a trip with one person to Greece is different than a family vacation to Costa Rica!
Here are the average prices for renting different vehicles for a week with this car rental agency. They are averaged across Europe, the US, and Mexico:
- Standard Economy Car with Four to Five Seats - $100 to $300/week
- Heavy Duty Vehicles or Special Vehicles with Four to 15 Seats - $700 to $4,000
- SUV or Minivan with Five to Seven Seats - $400 to $500
Regardless of the type of car you want for your trip, I've come up with a few tips to help you get more bang for your buck. I'll also include things to avoid to save money. These tips will work for any car rental company, including Discover Cars!
Finding a Great Deal
It's often difficult to find a great deal on your rental car. However, these tips will help you save money, and I use them myself!
The comparison tool on Discover Cars will ensure that you're finding a cheap company to book with. However, you should check out cars with good fuel efficiency because you'll save money on gasoline or petrol while traveling the country. Gas isn't included in the price. Most companies use a full-to-full policy for every car hire. This means you get it with a full tank and return it that way.
Likewise, you should book early whenever possible. This means you'll get access to cheaper cars before they're sold out.
Check about longer rentals, as well. You might spend a few weeks in Bali and only need the car for about seven days. However, a 10 to 14 days rental might be the same price.
What Options Might Increase the Price of the Rental Car?
Dropping off your rental car to a different location will ultimately increase the price you pay. Regardless of where you are, this will significantly raise the cost. Therefore, you may want to return it where you picked it up to save money.
Likewise, you can avoid higher prices on your rental car when you travel during non-peak seasons. There is a lower demand for vehicles, so the prices are often better.
Plus, rates are naturally higher for foreigners. If you are a US citizen and rent a car in Florida, you'll pay less than a European citizen renting the same vehicle in Florida. This is also true for US citizens in a foreign country.
You should also be aware of the cost for additional drivers. It only costs about $4.50 per extra driver, but it might add up if you've got multiple people who will share the vehicle and plan to all drive.
Vehicle Types Available
When you book a car through the Discover car hire, you're getting the general style instead of an exact vehicle. For example, it might say Hyundai Sonata or Toyota Aygo (or similar).
The vehicle in the picture is just an example of the car's style you'll get instead of the exact model and make.
Most people don't care about this. However, if you prefer a specific car, you might want to contact the company beforehand to ask if it's available for your dates. Then, when you book on Discover Cars, you'll call back to request that vehicle.
Minivans and SUVs
SUVs (compact or large) are excellent if you require a four-wheel-drive vehicle for snow, rain, and mountain roads because they offer better control in any weather conditions. Plus, they're great for large families and feature extra space.
—> Search for Your Next Rental Car
Economy Cars
Economy cars are small or mid-sized sedans. They're the most affordable options available and are perfect for small groups (three adults or two adults and two children). Likewise, couples tend to like them. However, there's less space for luggage.
In European countries, you should expect them to have a manual transmission. That's always been my experience in Greece. However, you can call ahead and request an automatic transmission if you know you need one.
Likewise, in Australia, the US, and Mexico, automatic transmissions are the norm, so that shouldn't be a problem.
Special Vehicles (Passenger Vans, Luxury Vehicles, Sportscars)
If you wish to rent a luxury vehicle (Mercedes C-class) or a sportscar (Dodge Charger) during the trip, Discover Cars does offer them. However, you'll pay a premium price. Likewise, passenger vans are more expensive, but they're often needed for big groups of seven to 14 people. It will run you about $150 to $200/day.
Heavy-duty Vehicles
Off-road vehicles, such as the Jeep Wrangler, or large trucks are more expensive. However, they might be what you require when on rocky roads or for long road trips with tons of equipment.
Length of Time - Renting a Car
Discover Cars allows you to rent a car for one day or for a full year. There aren't many limitations on the length of time you have for a car hire.
Be aware that short-term rentals won't be discounted, even if you return it on the same day you rent it. Returning a vehicle later than scheduled will ultimately result in additional fees.
For example, your rental begins at 9 a.m. on March 2. You return the car on March 3 at 10 a.m. You're charged for the two-day rental, even though you only have the vehicle for an extra hour.
It's crucial to understand these details when you plan your itinerary to ensure that you have a cost-effective transportation solution while meeting your travel requirements.
Discover Cars Insurance - What Does It Cover?
Most car rental companies don't offer insurance coverage, but Discover Cars does. It provides a flat-rate option of under $9.99 per day, regardless of where in the world you are.
The insurance covers many issues and damages, including:
- Administrative fees
- Towing charges of up to $100
- Taxi expenses related to issues with the rental car
- Lockout fees and lost keys
- Refunds for damage/theft deductibles incurred by your rental car company
- Damage to exterior parts, such as undercarriage, tires, wheels, mirror, bodywork, hubcaps, locks, and roof
Overall, I think the insurance provided by Discover Cars is quite good, and most of the customers agree. It's comprehensive, but it also offers quick payouts for compensation. You'll be responsible for covering the damage costs with the rental company, but Discover Cars reimburses you when you've submitted the appropriate documents.
These documents will include:
- The rental agreement
- Receipts or statements indicating that you paid for the fees or damages
- The rental company's assessment of your car's condition at drop-off and pick-up
- Police report
- A detailed description of the incident
- The invoice charging fees and damages
You'll get reimbursed through a direct bank transfer or PayPal. You'll submit that information with the claim for the deductible amount and extra costs the insurance covers.
Though the comprehensive insurance through Discover Cars is quite good, there are some things it won't cover, such as:
- Damage to your personal possessions
- Damage from off-roading
- Damages from inclement weather (hurricanes or hail)
- Damage to the vehicle's interior
- Damage that happened during traffic violations or when breaking laws
Is There Theft Protection with the Insurance Coverage?
If you can provide the keys and police report, Discover Cars covers the cost of damages or theft incurred up to the coverage amount listed in the insurance policy.
It's wise to learn more about the conditions and terms in the rental agreement for Discover Cars.
What You Require to Pick Up Your Rental Car
The pick-up process for your rental car is simple. However, you need to have the appropriate documentation, which includes:
- Valid driver's license (plus an international driver's permit if you're in a foreign country)
- Your Discover Cars booking voucher (mobile and paper are acceptable)
- Credit/debit card (making sure to double-check the options the company accepts)
- Second form of identification if a non-citizen in the country (such as a passport)
Other Things to Know
You can check out all the information about your rental company, including the security deposit, driver requirements, geographical restrictions, and more. It's found in the left corner at the bottom of every rental option.
Age Minimum
Most European countries allow you to rent a car at 18 years old. However, certain US states will have a requirement of 21 years. Discover Cars does provide an age filter option to help you locate vehicles available in your age group.
Security Deposit
Is a security deposit required when using Discover Cars? In most cases, yes. This will cover the damages that might happen while renting it. The amount will range from $200 to $1,000, depending on the company you select and the duration of the rental.
Discover Cars is always transparent about the security deposit amount, and you should check that before booking.
Fuel and Mileage Policies
Discover Cars provides information about mileage and fuel policies for every rental company. Most cars feature unlimited mileage, so you can drive as much as you must during the period. Typically, it uses the full-to-full policy, so you'll return the vehicle to the company with a full tank of fuel.
Geographical Restrictions
Discover Cars doesn't determine where you are permitted to drive the rental car. Each rental agency has its own rules. Make sure to read everything and understand what's expected of you.
Avoiding Scams and Extra Fees
Renting a car is exciting and convenient when you wish to explore new areas. However, you must research your options to avoid scams and hidden fees. Here are a few tips I use:
Request Complete Coverage
Always purchase insurance for you and anyone else driving the vehicle. Without this, you could be liable for the cost of damage!
Do Your Research
Research the company you plan to use. Ensure it has good reviews and offers fair and transparent pricing. Likewise, you'll want to read through the rental agreement carefully to understand the terms and conditions.
Be Responsible
Make sure you're being responsible when driving. Don't smoke, avoid eating in the vehicle when possible, and keep pets out of the car.
Take Pictures/Videos Before and After
Take videos and pictures of the car before leaving the rental company. If something happens, you've got proof that it wasn't damaged before you got in and used the vehicle.
Inspect the car when you return it to ensure that everything looks okay. Take more pictures to indicate nothing was wrong when you brought it back!
FAQs About Discover Cars
Who Owns Discover Cars?
The CEO of this car hire service is Inna Vilenska. Her expertise comes from a decade of experience with tech and financial services companies. Plus, she's the leader in the online travel industry.
Is the Discover Cars Website Real?
Yes, it's a real website. You can find and book your rental cars anywhere in the world, researching options with the tool and making reservations in minutes.
Why Is Discover Cars So Cheap?
It's free to use Discover Cars, and most of the car rentals are pretty cheap. This is because you can find various companies from one source and compare them all.
How Do You Know If the Car Rental Company Is Legit?
When researching such rental companies, read reviews and all customer feedback. This is a good indicator of the reliability of the brand. Plus, check out the terms and conditions to ensure you understand everything and that there aren't hidden fees/extra costs to deal with.
Does Discover Cars Allow You to Rent Cars with Drivers?
No. Discover Cars won't offer car rentals with drivers. You will have to drive the vehicle yourself or add additional drivers when booking.
Conclusion of My Discover Cars Rental Review
Discover Cars is a legitimate business that offers third-party car rental services to customers. Plus, it's accessible and reliable. You'll find vehicles in more than 150 countries, and it deals with trusted multi-national and local car rental companies!
Make sure you take appropriate precautions before making reservations on the site. Buy the insurance, research each company, and take photos before/after the rental. I hope you've enjoyed my detailed review of Discovercars.com . You should feel more comfortable using this platform now!
Disclaimer: The above is a sponsored post, the views expressed are those of the sponsor/author and do not represent the stand and views of Outlook Editorial.
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