Renting a car in Europe can be tricky. Here’s what you need to know about local car rental companies and how they compare with their U.S. counterparts.

When renting a car in Europe , you’ll probably see familiar brands like Thrifty, Hertz and Budget. But there are also specialized companies like Europcar and Auto Europe that are touting their services to travelers.

The good news is that many European car rental agencies have similar prices to their U.S. equivalents, but there may be a few drawbacks.

For one thing, the corporate headquarters for American companies are located … in America!

That’s not the case with the European companies.

If something were to go wrong during your rental period, such as an accident or mechanical problem, you will most likely have a much easier time claiming your compensation through an American-based company once you’re back at home.

Just remember that many European outlets of American brands are independently-owned, which can lead to wide variations in service, price, and reliability.

Here’s an idea for longer-term travelers…leasing a car in Europe. It can actually make sense for travelers so check it out with Renting Vs. Leasing Cars in Europe.

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