It’s not about the daily rate, the possible drop off charges, or even how much to refuel the car when we bring it back. That’s all important, but what’s equally important?

That’s taking five minutes before you drive it off the lot for a thorough walk-around to check for pre-existing dents, dings and other damage that can cost you big time when you return the car.

Use your cell phone camera to take timecoded photos. And then you need to check the car’s VIN (Vehicle Identification Number on the front of the dashboard). It’s 17 digits and characters.

Why the VIN? It can tell you the car’s history, when it was last serviced and most important, its damage history.