✨ First, let’s dive into the car rental details!
📍 Pickup location: SF Fisherman’s Wharf store → Return at LAX Airport
👫 Number of passengers: 2 people (who happen to ❤️ croissants)
🗓 Duration: 8 days
🚙 Car model: Standard SUV (Toyota RAV4)
📲 Rental platform: Hertz + Ctrip
🛡 Insurance selection: Basic insurance (collision, theft, third-party liability) + Peace of Mind Supplemental Insurance (covers glass, tires, undercarriage, and roadside assistance)
🚗 **1. Choosing the Right Rental Platform**
The U.S. has a wide variety of car rental platforms catering to different audiences. For students or budget-conscious travelers, Hertz and Avis are great value-for-money options. If you’re splurging, Enterprise offers top-notch service with meticulously maintained vehicles.
Why did we choose Hertz?
✔️ It’s a well-established platform with a clear booking process and a user-friendly Chinese official website.
✔️ My girlfriend had rented from Hertz before and found the experience smooth and hassle-free.
✔️ Hertz consistently receives positive reviews, helping renters steer clear of common pitfalls.
Hertz offers multiple booking channels, including its overseas official website, Chinese official website, Ctrip, and Zuzuche. The key difference between these lies in the **insurance packages**.
* The official Hertz websites provide all types of insurance according to U.S. standards, such as LDW (loss damage waiver, excluding glass and tires), LIS (liability insurance supplement), and PAI (personal accident insurance). However, for domestic travelers unfamiliar with these terms, this can be confusing.
* This is where Ctrip and Zuzuche shine—they simplify the insurance explanations and offer 24/7 live customer support. Bonus perk: Some platforms, like XC, even create West Coast car rental groups for customers, allowing car enthusiasts to share tips and help each other—super convenient! 👍
Here’s an important note: Regardless of whether you book through Hertz’s official website or a domestic platform, the basic vehicle insurance and third-party liability coverage are tied to the car itself and provided by Hertz. So, you won’t need to pay upfront if something happens within these coverages.
The main differences lie in tire, glass, and roadside assistance coverage. Additionally, insurance from domestic platforms is typically provided by local companies. In case of an incident, you’ll need to pay out-of-pocket and then get reimbursed after returning home.
Ultimately, we chose Ctrip because:
1. It offers 24/7 human customer support.
2. Its detailed insurance information helps avoid pushy counter sales pitches. (In reality, when picking up the car, the clerk only asked about our insurance status and didn’t try to upsell us.)
📝 **2. Rental Procedures & Necessary Documents**
Before leaving China, make sure to prepare the following:
📌 Passport
📌 Chinese driver’s license + certified translation (available online)
📌 Credit card (must be in the primary driver’s name)
📌 Notarized copy of the driver’s license (optional but recommended)
👥 Adding an additional driver comes with an extra fee—if you skip this step, the insurance will only cover one person!
📍 Car Pickup Process
✅ Present your name and the email address associated with your reservation ✉️
✅ Use a credit card to complete the transaction 💳 (the card must be under the primary driver’s name)
✅ Collect your keys and drive off in style! 🚗💨
💡 Pro Tip: Prior to leaving the garage, thoroughly inspect the vehicle—both inside and out. Take clear photos as documentation and keep them safe. This will help protect you from any potential disputes down the road.
