Founded in 1965, Dollar Car Rental has more than 600 car rental locations in 53 countries, has definitely made its mark among the best car rental sites. With its focus on exceptional customer service, Dollar offers a high quality fleet of rental vehicles designed to help make both leisure vacation travel and business travel easier for those who rent from them. Should you be moving home, Dollar offers truck rental services too.
Dollar review: Rental options
With only 230 locations in the US, Dollar is one of the smaller car rental companies in our shortlist. Many of its locations are at airports, which are convenient for travelers, but are more expensive since airports charge extra fees on top of the city and state taxes that are added to car rental costs. Because it’s mostly airport based, Dollar doesn’t offer a home pick-up service, though it does have parking lot shuttles.
In terms of the types of vehicle available, Dollar's economy car offering promises a Chevrolet Spark or similar vehicle, while luxury rentals are bench marked around the Chrysler 300. SUV, convertible, prestige, mini van and truck rentals are all available too, so there should be something for everyone.
Dollar review: Pricing
When it comes to pricing, Dollar's daily rates are probably best described as middle of the road. However, if you want a car for a week or longer, Dollar is usually very hard to beat. Indeed, in our research, taking in rentals across Houston, Los Angeles and New York City, an economy car costs around $222 for seven days, a compact car costs $228 and a full-size car costs $247.
Always check the specials section on the website too, as there's a good chance you'll find a discount to bring the cost down even further. If you prepay, you'll save 25% off all car classes, while young renters and those wanting a car for a weekend or a week can currently get 10% off the base rate cost.
Dollar review: Rewards program
Dollar’s rewards program, Dollar Express, is free to join and offers a variety of common benefits. These include access to a designated line for members to get preferential service and check out quicker. You can also return your car quicker.
If you use a frequent flier or other rewards program, Dollar Express partners with many programs to let you get those benefits on cars you rent. You can also use Dollar’s Renter Rewards, which provide points for each dollar you spend on a rental. The points are redeemable for free rentals later, with no blackout restrictions. The minimum to redeem a free rental is 500 points, which is more generous than the average rewards program, although you'll need to make at least one rental within a 24 month period to make sure they don't expire.
Should you use Dollar car rental?
Dollar Car Rental might be one of the smaller car rental companies we reviewed, but when it comes to weekly rentals, it punches well above its weight. The likelihood that you'll find a discount to bring the cost down even further is a massive plus too, as is its excellent rewards program. The one sticking point might be the relative lack of rental offices, but if there's a Dollar nearby, and you need a car for at least seven days, it's definitely worth a look.
