# Helping someone rent a car? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 19, 2017, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/helping-someone-rent-a-car/782545 "2017-03-19T16:21:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2017, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/helping-someone-rent-a-car/782545/1 "2017-03-19T16:21:47Z")
My daughter, 24, is flying back to CA for some family events. Renting a car would be a huge asset, but she’s O!M!G! under 25. Suggestions for rental agencies originating from SMF that aren’t too punishing on under-25 renters with a clean record and good insurance? Ways to assist her in renting something at a better rate and deal? Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Eva\_Luna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e495f1/32.png) [@Eva\_Luna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eva_Luna)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2017, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/helping-someone-rent-a-car/782545/2 "2017-03-19T20:45:04Z")
It’s been a long time since this was an issue for me, but try Alamo. I am guessing that she will be stuck with a surcharge no matter where she rents. ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2017, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/helping-someone-rent-a-car/782545/3 "2017-03-19T20:52:30Z")
Does she belong to any organization that offer car rental discounts? AAA? Her insurance company? Credit union? If so, she might get a group discount but she is still under 25 and she will pay the age penalty. ---
**Author:** ![boffking](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/858c86/32.png) [@boffking](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boffking)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2017, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/helping-someone-rent-a-car/782545/4 "2017-03-19T21:17:02Z")
I’m 22 and have rented from Enterprise. She must have a credit card in her name, and pay a $15 surcharge. It must be an actual **credit** card, and not a debit card. ---
**Author:** ![Dag\_Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@Dag\_Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dag_Otto)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2017, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/helping-someone-rent-a-car/782545/5 "2017-03-21T04:40:35Z")
This may not be helpful if she needs the car to drive a significant distance from the airport to where you live, but if not you could rent a car for yourself and let her drive your car. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_T](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2017, 5:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/helping-someone-rent-a-car/782545/6 "2017-03-21T05:11:06Z")
> [@Dag\_Otto](#): > > This may not be helpful if she needs the car to drive a significant distance from the airport to where you live, but if not you could rent a car for yourself and let her drive your car. I’m pretty sure it’s a violation of the rental agreement to do that. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2017, 6:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/helping-someone-rent-a-car/782545/7 "2017-03-21T06:21:06Z")
> [@Gary\_T](#): > > I’m pretty sure it’s a violation of the rental agreement to do that. I think you misread. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2017, 6:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/helping-someone-rent-a-car/782545/8 "2017-03-21T06:28:02Z")
Perhaps you could rent the car in your name and put her down as a second driver. ---
**Author:** ![lazybratsche](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ba8739/32.png) [@lazybratsche](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lazybratsche)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2017, 12:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/helping-someone-rent-a-car/782545/9 "2017-03-21T12:15:06Z")
IIRC, when I was younger and I rented a car through some affiliate of my auto insurer, there wasn’t any extra cost for young drivers. Plus, the “supplemental” insurance charged by the rental company was automatically covered by the insurer. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2017, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/helping-someone-rent-a-car/782545/10 "2017-03-21T13:28:19Z")
It’s actually turned out that some of the discount agencies have no surcharge or restrictions for her. Should be no problem. Other than the usual rental traps and gouges… ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_T](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2017, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/helping-someone-rent-a-car/782545/11 "2017-03-21T14:10:37Z")
> [@Dag\_Otto](#): > > This may not be helpful if she needs the car to drive a significant distance from the airport to where you live, but if not you could rent a car for yourself and let her drive your car. > [@Gary\_T](#): > > I’m pretty sure it’s a violation of the rental agreement to do that. > [@Bullitt](#): > > I think you misread. You’re right – I did.