(November 6, 2010) Traveling for the upcoming holidays? Edmunds.com offers consumers money-saving tips in "Confessions of a Rental Car Agent." The article features insider information from a former rental car agent who reveals the ins and outs of car rental scams.

Here are some of the highlights of the rental car agent's advice:

    • Very few customers actually need extra rental car insurance, and at as much as $26 a day it can almost double the cost of the car rental. Check your existing insurance policies and your credit card services to learn what coverage you already have before reserving a rental car.

   • If the agent is offering you a car upgrade, it may be because they don't have the class of vehicle you want on the lot. Decline the offer and you'll probably get the upgrade for free.

    • Stay focused on the "out-the-door" total. An upgrade that costs $5 a day can add up fast over the length of the rental and probably isn't worth it.

    • Always say no to the prepaid gas option. Unless you drive back on to the lot with a completely empty tank, it's a waste of money.

"Keep in mind that rental car agents are salesmen who have a stake in selling you upgrades and extras that you don't necessarily need," said Edmunds.com Senior Consumer Advice Editor Philip Reed.

"The rental car business is very competitive, so if you aren't happy with what you're being offered, stay firm and threaten to go elsewhere — you will probably get the offer you want."