I have a full time job. Although, I wish it was only one job..being a mother to my lovely kids, I refer also to the one that pays my bills. Living in New York city, raising two young children and being a single mom is no easy feat. I have to rely on help anywhere I can get it. That includes help with housework, meals to numerous other things to make our lives run smoother and allow us to spend quality time with each other.
During the brutal, winter months of NYC, it is a hassle to shuttle my kids around from their choir practice to their tennis lessons. Recently, I started looking at the option of purchasing a car. I quickly gave up on the idea after figuring out the cost of buying and parking a car in the city!! Take $350 for the monthly car payment, $300 for parking(negotiated rate, the usual is $400 monthly) $175 for insurance, I refused to spend almost $1000 for a toyota corolla!!!
The next option was renting a car. When I checked out some car rental web-sites such as AAMCAR, the rates seemed really high but I have a friend who worked in the car rental industry and she suggested I call the company directly and speak with a manager to negotiate. Well, I turned out to be the queen of negotiations!! I just rented a 2010 Toyota Corolla for a TOTAL monthly expenditure of $779.19. Yes, that’s correct. My credit cards pay for the insurance so I don’t have to worry about being responsible for damages to the car and I don’t have to worry about having to maintain the vehicle. They will service the vehicle montly and even give me a loaner car! I love this deal. So if you are considering purchasing a car to brave the fierce winter months of NYC but don’t really want a car in the summer/fall months, consider renting instead. This is the off season for all car rental companies in the NYC area and they will fall over backwords trying to give you a deal!!
January 24th, 2012
Are you sick of waiting in long car rental lines? Are you tired of being told that your car is not ready? Are you aggravated when you request a 7 passenger Ford Explorer and receive a 5 passenger Sentra. Are you livid when Hertz tells you that they are sold out on the day of your reservation? Take a deep breath and stop renting from national car rental companies!
Yes, major companies are nationally recognizable; however they lack the customer care and flexibility that you are looking for. Independent car rental companies in NY focus on you, the customer. They are not concerned with corporate politics. They are authorized to make changes to your reservation, give you upgrades, etc without needing permission. Management is always on site and can resolve any queries immediately instead of your having to get called back.
Independent companies have the freedom to provide you with customer service that is unmatchable. When you dial their phone number, a human being actually picks up the phone. When you have questions or concerns with pickup or drop-off times, they can provide you with options at no additional cost. When you are running late, they won’t just give away your car. Their business thrives on improving your plans, making sure that you are happy so you may recommend their company to others.
Ben Franklin once wrote that “a penny saved is a penny earned.” Wouldn’t it be nice to actually save money on your vacation such as a short, weekend trip to the Catskills? So why are you paying more money at a national company for the same vehicle that an independent company carries? Independent companies do not have their rates set in stone. They are willing to negotiate deals that benefit both parties involved. They can design packages that fulfill your every need. Anyone can go out and buy a pie of pizza from Dominos, but wouldn’t you prefer to be served at Mom’s dinner table and have a more fulfilling cost effective experience? If you’re looking to rent a car in NYC, choose independent and they may actually give you some dessert too!
December 5th, 2011
Aamcar is celebrating 30 years since it opened its flagship location at 315 West 96 street on the upper west side of Manhattan. This location has become very popular and beloved by the Upper West Side crowd. Our location at 506 West 181st street (between Amsterdam and Audobon Avenues) is lesser known by the renting public and it’s time for us to spread the word. Since we initiated that branch (more than 15 years ago) the neighborhood has changed radically. There has been an influx of folk from all walks of life who have found a new and (relatively) affordable home in Washington Heights. New stores are opening up and new languages are heard in the many shops and restaurants. Owning a car in Manhattan is still very costly, and moving ones car to the tune of the alternate side of the street schedule twice a week, is still fraught with the risk of a $45 ticket (street cleaning) or $115 ticket (no standing, fire hydrant, double parking, etc.). Renting a car from Aamcar at 506 W 181st street (or as the locals have dubbed it “Uptown Car Rental”) makes perfect sense. It is yours for the days you need it and then you give it back to us to wash, clean, service and park! So now you have a choice.
Come to our 315 west 96th street branch (reserve at 212-222-8500 or 1-800-722-6923) or visit us at 506 West 181st Street (212-927-7000 or 1-888-500-8480). Of course you can make a reservation on the internet at www.aamcar.com for both locations. You can even pick up at one location and return to the other, most of the time. Call us. We have been here for 30 years and if you haven’t yet tried our service, you will be pleasantly surprised by our cars, our service and our prices.
December 1st, 2011
What You Need to Know When Renting a Car Without a Credit Card.
The problem: Renting a car to someone without a credit card is risky for rental car companies. Not having a credit card is a red flag that you may be a credit risk and if you extend the rental or damage the car, the car rental company might not be able to collect what is owed to them. Remember: Most CREDIT card companies insure the car (believe it or not..) and if you return the car with damage and you rented with a CREDIT card, Amex, Visa, M/C etc will send the car rental company a check to cover repairs for all damage and “loss of use”.
Of course, your credit may be excellent and you may just prefer not to use a credit card. Very few car rental companies understand that with a little scrutiny, it’s not a greater risk, so some are offering you the option of renting with a debit card, while requiring that you have a substantial sum available in the event you keep the car longer or it is damaged during the rental period. Here are some important things to keep in mind if you do plan on renting this way:
- Logo requirements. While many rental car companies accept debit cards, many also require that the cards have a Visa or MasterCard logo.
- Expect a credit check. Some companies, not all, will perform a debit card check and credit inquiry to ensure that you have the proper funds. (Keep in mind, credit inquiries show up on your credit report, too many inquiries can actually lower your credit score.)
- Prepare to pay a deposit. Often times, rental car companies place a hold on the account linked to your card. It’s basically a deposit that they’ll hold until you return the vehicle. These deposits can be $600, $700 or more.
- Be prepared to provide additional documents such as bank statements, utility bills, etc. if you are using a pre-paid card.
In summation: Do not be deterred if you need to rent without a credit card. In NYC, AAMCAR rents to customers who have debit cards. They are very flexible and will work with you.
April 7th, 2011
I rented a car two days ago in New York City. I was surprised when the agent offered me an EZ pass option. Being from the mid-west, I was not familiar with the toll system in the east coast. Apparently, one has to pay tolls on some bridges and highways for the “privilege” of using them. I declined the use, thinking I would just pay cash. Traveling to New Jersey for business, I had to pay cash on the turnpike. The line for cash was about the same for EZ pass so I was happy with my decision of declining the option. That is of course until I got to the George Washington Bridge to enter back into New York. Wow, is all that I can say. The cash lines were three times as long as the EZ pass lines. After a long day of meetings, I was kicking myself for not spending the $30 to buy the EZ pass. I have to come to New York at least 3 times a year for business and it was a simple process of using the EZ pass right away and signing up within 2 days on their website. Trust me, if you are planning on traveling out of New York and coming BACK, take this option. Currently, only AAMCAR car rental in NYC provides this benefit. Getting receipts is easy as well. They send an e-mail showing your monthly use directly to your inbox.
February 28th, 2011
Spring is in the air. (Not here yet ..) and we are
preparing for it. Two great SUV’s were just aquired
for our fleet. Try one of the new 2011 Kia Sorento’s.
Blue Tooth and all.
February 25th, 2011
Aamcar Car Rentals
Whether you are renting for a day or by the month, you will find the website at Aamcar Car Rentals very convenient. It is a good idea to check the specials if you want additional savings or an upgrade special. Print a coupon and bring it in with you.
Aamcar knows and understands the value of a person’s time, especially in NYC. Phones calls are always answered on the First or Second ring. Customers are always talking to a live agent and Never a machine.
At the office, customers are always greeted with a warm welcome and in their rental car within MINUTES. Aamcar has Certified Mechanics on site to maintain all vehicles on a daily basis ensuring a safe, undisrupted trip to your destination.
Rent a car in New York today or book a Pickup and Dropoff Date on the website. Add the Discount Code for additional savings if you are taking advantage of a special offer.
September 19th, 2010
Traveling to NYC in the summer has always been an exciting trip for me and my girlfriend Gina.
We have done it for the past three years and we always have a fantastic time in NY.
Including going to Times Square and visiting Madame Tussuad’s Wax Museum and going to South Street Seaport located downtown near Fulton Street for great seafood. Also, an awesome thrill is the Chelsea Screamer! It’s a speedboat that takes you around Manhattan zipping through the water at high speed.
My wife loves it and so do I! And when we want to travel outside the city, like the Hamptons we book a car at Aamcar Car Rentals. It’s a car rental company
on 96th st and West End Ave. The prices are cheap, the people are friendly, and we get our car fast.
With the fast pace of the city, being able to get a nice car and inexpensive on a summer weekend in NYC is easy. We don’t need to go anywhere else because they already know us by name lol. We’re on the road in less than 5 minutes.
Manhattan is awesome. With so much to do during the day sometimes we forget. Or we get back to our hotel room too tired lol. And the clubs in Manhattan
are great. They are a little expesive depending on where you go, ($25-$30 entrance fee) but the music plays all night! I like The Copacabana, which is located
near the theater district on 34th street, plays great club music.
We love New York! And and if you don’t have fun in New York its not because you won’t find something to do!
Just walk around or rent an inexpensive car there’s always something to see somewhere!
Mike
September 3rd, 2009
The summer is coming to a close soon and with it car rental prices at some, market sensitive, companiesgo down considerably. If you are one of those people who are not bound by the school schedules to take you vacation or run your errands, wait till after labor day and save a lot.In New York City you will find independent companies such as AAMCAR on the Upper West Side (West 96th street) and Action in the Village who are run by their owners and are nimble and quick to “go with the flow”.Recently, the New York City politicians raised the sales tax on car rentals to 19.875 %.This makes it even more important to find lower basic rates. The higher the rate, the more you pay in taxes and that makes your total rental that much more expensive.So if at one of the national chains the rate is $120 a day whereas at the locals (Aamcar and Action for instance) only $64.95, the difference in the total becomes even more acute when sales tax is added. (Sales tax on $120 is $23.85 and on $64.95 only $12.91 a difference of nearly $12.00 that is reflected in the total.).My recommendation: Wherever you are search for the local company. They rent the same car as the national companies do and are much more flexible. Many times the people working at the smaller co’s will give you very personal service.There are some limitations that the independent co’s have. So ask about their operating range (they usually don’t allow you to drive past a certain radius from their office) their additional driver’s policy, their free mileage program or limitations, most do accept DEBIT cards etc.All in all you will have a great experience renting from an independent and will save a lot of money as well.
August 28th, 2009
My husband and I were planning on traveling to Miami last year during the Christmas holidays. We have 4 kids, so you can imagine the airfare alone cost somewhere around $2500! So we decided to rent a minivan for the trip. When I searched the web-sites of the local car rental companies, the price for a 1 week rental was about $800 and included 800 miles. The average price I was getting was around $800 - $1000. I knew that we would be traveling almost 3000 miles, so paying for mileage wouldn’t work. I called one of the local rental agencies and spoke with a rental agent. I was initially told that their company doesn’t rent vehicles traveling out of the tri-state area. Just as I was about to disconnect, he asked to place me on hold and came back on the line with a package rate of $1500 that included 3000 miles. I learned a quick lesson that day, that in these harsh economic times, just about everything is negotiable. Had I just booked on the site and paid for mileage it would have been a lot more expensive. By the way, the trip was wonderful, the rental staff was knowledgeable and even threw in a GPS for about $40 for the entire trip.
November 14th, 2008
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