Business Travel - Drive Your Own Luxury Car or Rent One

I have a good friend who has a very nice Maserati which he leases, as he uses it for business. Of course, he also travels to nearby states each year to speak with his distributors, but he doesn't take his luxury car because he doesn't want to put all those miles on it, or subject it to some of the locations he will travel to. Therefore, he rents a car instead. Since he has so many stops all together, it doesn't make sense to fly to each location, and he also needs to take samples with him, and a variety of other things.

Okay so, does this make sense, should you drive your own luxury car on a business trip which might last several weeks to many states? It's hard to say what your exact situation is, but I'd like you to please consider three items;

1. Costs

2. Add-On Extras

3. Business Associates Perception

You must consider the cost of renting the vehicle versus the cost of putting that wear and tear on your own car. Chances are you'd be better off with a rent a car. Still, if you are going to rent a car, there are things you need to know such as; what are the extra add-on costs?

I had recently talk to a gentleman who owns a body shop, and he told me that every time one of his clients would go to rent a vehicle at the local rental car agency to rent a car, the rental salesperson would try to sell them extra insurance in case of sandblasting because out here in the desert the wind can whip up occasionally causing paint damage. This is a very common extra add-on, one which you might want to think twice about, but you need to understand the risks.

On August 5, 2012 the LA Times had an interesting article titled "Puzzled by Damage Claim" by Catherine Hamm, where a reader writes in to explain a horror story of a rent-a-car company that charged them for hail damage which occurred after the car had actually been returned, and signed off as received.

Even if something isn't your fault, and there is damage to the car, sometimes the rental agency will try to pin it on you. I suppose the same occurs if you drive a luxury car and are leasing that car, and go to turn it in. What you might consider normal wear and tear, they might charge you for as part of the lease agreement. Whatever decision you eventually make, you need to go in with your eyes open on this. Therefore I ask that you please consider it all.