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I'm 18 and need to rent a car.

Leros

Lifer
Is there anything stopping my parents from renting a car, giving it to me, then having me return it? Nobody is gonna care who returns the car, right?

I need to rent from a major company since I plan on dropping it off in a different city, so I can't use the smaller local companies that will rent to an 18 year old.
 
they have to list you as a driver, if the company lets them list you as a driver, then that will work
 
Only time I have heard of a rental in the U.S.A. for that age is if its for business purposes (corporate rental). There was a nominal fee added on as well.
 
At 18 you can't.

At 21-24 you have to pay a nominal fee to rent.

The consequences: You're not insured.
 
Originally posted by: ElFenix
rent a uhaul if nothing else.

I just need to get my stuff home from college. My parents can't come get me and my friends are all going home way before I am.

I have a final the last day of finals week and the dorm closes at 9am the next day. So my options are kinda slim. I gotta move out and go home that day. My dad is gonna be flying through the airport in Austin on the day anyway for a business trip, so I thought he could rent me a car while he was there.
 
Originally posted by: Leros
Is there anything stopping my parents from renting a car, giving it to me, then having me return it? Nobody is gonna care who returns the car, right?

I need to rent from a major company since I plan on dropping it off in a different city, so I can't use the smaller local companies that will rent to an 18 year old.

I don't think your insurance would cover you...
 
At that age once I was in car accident, I needed a car, pretty much all the car rental agencies told me that 25 is their age minimum, there was only 1 freaking agency that had 18 as a minimum and it charged dicks and balls per day I had no option I needed to go to school and to work so I had to face reality, and it sucked 🙁
 
Originally posted by: Leros
Originally posted by: ElFenix
rent a uhaul if nothing else.

I just need to get my stuff home from college. My parents can't come get me and my friends are all going home way before I am.

I have a final the last day of finals week and the dorm closes at 9am the next day. So my options are kinda slim. I gotta move out and go home that day.

1. Move your stuff to storage and carry as much as you can onto an airplane/train/bus.
2. Rent a U-Haul. You don't have to be over 21.
 
Originally posted by: DarkThinker
At that age once I was in car accident, I needed a car, pretty much all the car rental agencies told me that 25 is their age minimum, there was only 1 freaking agency that had 18 as a minimum and it charged dicks and balls per day I had no option I needed to go to school and to work so I had to face reality, and it sucked 🙁

When I was 16 I needed a rental. There was a local place that rented to 16+ for $35 a day. They had a few hundred 2 year old slightly damaged Chevy Cavaliers. Not the best cars, but it was good for a few days while my car was in the shop.
 
Originally posted by: PHiuR
Originally posted by: Leros
Originally posted by: ElFenix
rent a uhaul if nothing else.

I just need to get my stuff home from college. My parents can't come get me and my friends are all going home way before I am.

I have a final the last day of finals week and the dorm closes at 9am the next day. So my options are kinda slim. I gotta move out and go home that day.

1. Move your stuff to storage and carry as much as you can onto an airplane/train/bus.
2. Rent a U-Haul. You don't have to be over 21.

That would end up being more expensive than renting a car, but it would technically work. Agh, stupid rules.
 
this is so stupid. Sure we'll let you go die for our country, but you can't rent a car because of liability concerns. We'll let you have an M16 and train you how to kill someone, but don't take that sip of beer because you're not responsible enough. Sorry, rant-mode off, please continue with your regularly scheduled ATOT discussion.
 
Originally posted by: AmigaMan
this is so stupid. Sure we'll let you go die for our country, but you can't rent a car because of liability concerns. We'll let you have an M16 and train you how to kill someone, but don't take that sip of beer because you're not responsible enough. Sorry, rant-mode off, please continue with your regularly scheduled ATOT discussion.

Hah... 99 times out of 100 the person saying this is under 21.

You think this is 100% accurate? Join the military, go to the bar in a military town and flash your military ID. See if you get rejected. You'll bitch about how you can't have a beer, but you have no intention of ever joining the military. Where's your argument?


And for the record, yeah, 18 isn't responsible enough. Hell, most 21 year olds aren't responsible enough.

As far as car rentals go... you know, there IS a reason that when you turn 25 your insurance rates drop. It's all in the statistics. How many studies have YOU done to support your ranting?

OP: what sort of distance is between you and school? Maybe post a Craigslist ad seeing if anyone can help you? Maybe an old friend from your hometown would be willing to pick you up for like... cost of gas and $50 or something. U-Haul sounds like your best bet though. Never know about them until you ask.
 
As others above mentioned, a hole-in-the-wall rental place is more likely to rent to you. But if you're doing a one-way rental, that's not a viable option.

Here's a crazy idea that just might work: Buy a cheap used car, and sell it when you're done.
 
Good luck ...

When dealing with rental car companies they like to hear that you are 25 or older.

BTW, I wish I had your problems ... and I was 18 again!
 
Be aware that dropping off a rental car in a different city usually has a large penalty fee. A Uhaul will probably be your cheaper and easier bet. The only thing you can do is call various places and find out.
 
Originally posted by: AmigaMan
this is so stupid. Sure we'll let you go die for our country, but you can't rent a car because of liability concerns. We'll let you have an M16 and train you how to kill someone, but don't take that sip of beer because you're not responsible enough. Sorry, rant-mode off, please continue with your regularly scheduled ATOT discussion.

How many times have you volunteered for the military?

Also, does the government regulate the age of car renters?
 
Originally posted by: Injury

As far as car rentals go... you know, there IS a reason that when you turn 25 your insurance rates drop. It's all in the statistics. How many studies have YOU done to support your ranting?


The new age is 28-29. They changed it over the past year or so. I turned 25 this year and called my insurance company(Progressive, even now with Hartford) (spotless record) and they said that they raised the age for insurance drops. So now I guess in 3-4 years they will raise it to 32 😉.



 
Originally posted by: Winchester
Originally posted by: Injury

As far as car rentals go... you know, there IS a reason that when you turn 25 your insurance rates drop. It's all in the statistics. How many studies have YOU done to support your ranting?


The new age is 28-29. They changed it over the past year or so. I turned 25 this year and called my insurance company(Progressive, even now with Hartford) (spotless record) and they said that they raised the age for insurance drops. So now I guess in 3-4 years they will raise it to 32 😉.

hah. salty.
 
Hey OP.. I feel your pain man... Although its worse for me.. Needed a rental car in Michigan.. Turns out National or Alamo rent cars to 18 year olds in Michigan for an extra fee.. The problem? I'm 17 years old and have 8 months to go until I turn 18.. Argh! Sucks! Such is life though..
 
Originally posted by: voodoojc
I think Enterprise will rent to 18 year olds.. for a fee..

yeah, i think enterprise is the only company that will do this that i know of. they do charge an extra fee.

as for your dad renting it... yeah, technically you can get away with this, especially if you return it to an airport location, where they just want to get the car checked in as quickly as possible (all you need to do it sign the papers they push at you as you pull up, and you're out of there). we used to do this when i was in a band and we weren't all 25. no one ever asked me my name or to verify that i was the person who rented the car. HOWEVER, it isn't really legal for you to drive the car, and you could be in trouble if you were involved in any sort of accident. so your dad would be liable for you, and up the creek if someone hit you.
 
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