carrentals.com

What is CarRentals.com?

CarRentals.com is an online car-rental booking service. According to its website, it offers rental cars at over 29,000 pickup locations in 197 countries. (carrentals.com) It is a part of the Expedia Group (the terms refer to “CarRentals.com Companies” as subsidiaries of Expedia, Inc). (carrentals.com)
Historically, CarRentals.com was acquired by Expedia, Inc. in 2008. (expediagroup.com)
In short: it’s a broker/aggregator that lets you compare rental-car suppliers (major global brands and local ones) and book through its platform.

How does it work?

Here are the key steps and mechanics:

  • You enter your pick-up location, drop-off location (which may be the same or different), dates and times.

  • CarRentals.com displays available cars from multiple suppliers (brands like Hertz, Avis, Budget etc) as well as various categories (economy, SUV, luxury). (carrentals.com)

  • You pick a car, book it. Some bookings are “pay now”, some may be “pay at counter”.

  • At pickup, you deal with the actual rental-supplier (not CarRentals itself) — you’ll present your driver licence, credit or debit card, possibly insurance proof, etc.

  • When you return the car, the supplier handles the return and any final charges.

What are the advantages?

Here’s what CarRentals.com offers that can be useful:

  • Choice and coverage: Because it lists thousands of locations + many suppliers, you may find more options than going to one rental brand’s direct site.

  • Comparison convenience: You can compare within one platform rather than visiting many suppliers’ websites.

  • Potential for savings: Their site mentions “big savings for smart customers”, “no booking or credit-card fees”. (carrentals.com)

  • Mobile app: They offer an app for iOS/Android that allows booking and managing reservations. (App Store)

What are the risks / common complaints?

Important: there are lots of complaints and red flags. Using CarRentals.com isn’t guaranteed smooth. Here are things that often cause problems:

Hidden fees / extra charges

Multiple reviewers say that the price shown initially via CarRentals.com was significantly lower than what they ended up paying at the rental desk — due to taxes, fuel charges, cross-border surcharges, mileage limits, insurance add-ons, etc. For example:

“Booked thinking I got a good deal … but at the counter they tacked on a bunch of hidden fees that doubled… ” (Trustpilot)
And: forum users explain the jump from quoted ~$400 to ~$1,000 due to hidden fees. (Tripadvisor)

Customer-service / support issues

  • Many reviewers say CarRentals.com seems to act only as intermediary; when problems arise at the supplier, you end up dealing with the supplier but via CarRentals you may get minimal help. (Reviews.io)

  • On review platforms: CarRentals.com has very low overall ratings (Trustpilot: 1.5 of 5 based on thousands of reviews) which is a serious warning. (Trustpilot)

  • Some complaints about non-refunds, being charged when they thought they wouldn’t be, booking mistakes.

Booking terms & fine print

  • The Terms of Use explicitly state that by booking you agree to their terms, including that “we provide this website to assist customers … and for no other purposes.” (carrentals.com)

  • Because you’re booking via a broker rather than direct with a supplier, there can be more complication: who you deal with for changes, cancellations, deposits.

  • If you book via CarRentals.com and the supplier denies the reservation (e.g., due to availability), you might be stuck with worse options.

Currency / location confusion

One reviewer noted being quoted one currency, then charged in another and with higher amount than expected:

“Quoted $300 (assumed CAD) … receipt said $500 CAD.” (Trustpilot)

When might CarRentals.com make sense — and when might you avoid it?

Good to use if:

  • You have flexible travel dates and locations, and you’re comparing many rental-brands globally (so the aggregator benefit matters).

  • You’re comfortable reading fine print carefully (about fuel policy, mileage limits, pick-up time, drop-off rules).

  • You understand you are booking via a third-party broker and accept that there may be more risk/cost than booking direct.

  • You’re chasing a deal and willing to accept trade-offs (strict terms, potential surprises).

Better to avoid / be cautious if:

  • You want full transparency, minimum surprises, and smooth supplier-level direct relationship (then booking directly with a major rental brand may be safer).

  • Your trip is tight or high-risk (late arrival, cross-border driving, etc) — you might want direct booking so you can deal straight with the supplier.

  • You’re unfamiliar with all the extra fees that rental-cars often carry (insurance, deposits, mileage, local taxes) and you don’t want surprises.

  • The offer seems “too good to be true” — check carefully for what the fine print says.

Key Takeaways

  • CarRentals.com offers a large-scale car-rental booking platform (global coverage, many suppliers) via an aggregator model.

  • It can save you time and potentially money, but it comes with risks: hidden fees, less control, mixed customer service.

  • Many user reviews raise red flags (very low ratings on review sites).

  • If you use it: read the terms carefully, check what you’ll actually pay at the pickup, confirm all restrictions (mileage, fuel, drop-off, insurance).

  • If you want reliability and minimal surprises, booking directly with a rental-car company may be preferable.

FAQ

Q: Is CarRentals.com a scam?
A: Not necessarily a scam — it is a legitimate business (part of Expedia Group) and has booked many rentals. But it does have many consumer complaints. It’s better to treat it as a higher-risk broker rather than a “sure safe” direct supplier.

Q: Are the prices guaranteed?
A: The initial quoted price may not include all fees. You could end up paying more for insurance, mileage, fuel, location surcharges, currency conversions. Always check “total estimated payment” and what you’ll pay at pickup.

Q: What if something goes wrong — cancellation, no car available, damage, etc?
A: Because you booked via a broker, the chain of responsibility may be less direct. You may have to deal with CarRentals.com and the rental supplier. The broker’s ability to fix issues may be limited.

Q: Can I still use my credit-card rental-car insurance benefit when booking through CarRentals.com?
A: Possibly yes. For example, one user commented that booking through CarRentals.com did not obviously void their credit-card “Premium Car Rental Protection.” (Reddit) But you should check your specific card’s terms and the rental terms.

Q: What are the best practices if I decide to book via CarRentals.com?
A:

  • Compare the same rental via the supplier’s own website and via CarRentals.com — see differences.

  • Check the full breakdown of charges (base rate, taxes, fees, deposit).

  • Confirm what happens if you pick up late or drop off early/late.

  • Confirm whether the quoted car category is guaranteed (or just “or similar”).

  • Use a credit card for the booking/deposit (better protection).

  • At pickup: inspect the car for damage, document with photos. Save your rental agreement.

  • Upon return: get confirmation that no extra charges will be applied later.

  • Save all emails/receipts.

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