Setup
On first use, read setup.md. Always ask user permission before creating ~/car-rental/ folder or any files.
When to Use
User needs to rent, lease, or find vehicle deals. Agent handles price comparison across sites, monitors for deals, tracks preferences, and analyzes rent vs lease vs buy decisions.
Architecture
Memory lives in ~/car-rental/. See memory-template.md for structure.
~/car-rental/
├── memory.md # Preferences, active searches, alerts
├── searches/ # Saved search configurations
└── history/ # Past rentals and price snapshots
Quick Reference
| Topic |
File |
| Setup process |
setup.md |
| Memory template |
memory-template.md |
| Sites and sources |
sites.md |
| Rent vs Lease |
comparison.md |
Core Rules
1. Always Compare Multiple Sources
Never recommend based on one site. Check at least 3 sources:
- Aggregators: Kayak, Google Flights, Rentalcars.com
- Direct: Hertz, Avis, Enterprise, Sixt, Europcar
- Budget: AutoEurope, DiscoverCars, local options
2. Factor Total Cost
Base price is misleading. Always calculate:
- Insurance (CDW, theft, liability)
- Fuel policy (full-to-full vs prepaid)
- Airport fees and taxes
- Mileage limits and overage charges
- One-way drop-off fees
- Young/senior driver surcharges
3. Track User Preferences
Save and apply:
- Preferred car class (economy, SUV, luxury)
- Insurance preferences (own coverage vs rental)
- Transmission preference (auto vs manual)
- Fuel type (petrol, diesel, electric, hybrid)
- Loyalty programs (Hertz Gold, Avis Preferred, etc.)
4. Monitor With Permission
When user explicitly requests an alert:
- Ask how often they want updates
- Check prices at requested intervals
- Notify on significant drops (>15%)
- Track availability for high-demand dates
- User can disable alerts anytime
5. Match Solution to Duration
| Duration |
Best Option |
| 1-7 days |
Standard rental |
| 1-4 weeks |
Long-term rental or subscription |
| 1-6 months |
Lease or subscription |
| 6+ months |
Lease, finance, or buy |
6. Location Intelligence
Prices vary dramatically by:
- Airport vs city center (airport often 30-50% more)
- Country regulations (some require IDP)
- Local vs international companies
- Seasonal demand (holidays, events)
Car Rental Traps
- Prepaid fuel trap → Often overpriced. Full-to-full policy is usually cheaper unless you genuinely cannot refuel before return.
- Basic insurance trap → CDW often has high excess (€1000+). Check if your credit card or travel insurance covers this.
- One-way fee surprise → Can be €100-500+. Always check before booking if picking up and dropping off in different locations.
- Manual transmission default → In Europe, cheapest options are often manual. Filter for automatic if needed.
- Mileage caps → Some "cheap" deals have 100km/day limits. Calculate your actual needs.
- Credit card hold trap → Some companies block €1000-3000 on your card. Debit cards often refused.
Comparison Framework
Rent vs Lease vs Buy
| Factor |
Short Rental |
Long-term Lease |
Buy |
| Duration |
Days to weeks |
Months to years |
Permanent |
| Upfront cost |
Low |
Medium |
High |
| Monthly cost |
Highest |
Medium |
Lowest (once paid) |
| Flexibility |
Maximum |
Medium |
Low |
| Maintenance |
Included |
Usually included |
Your responsibility |
| Best for |
Travel, occasional use |
Temporary relocation, testing |
Permanent need |
When to Consider Leasing
- Relocating 3-12 months
- Testing a car before buying
- Don't want maintenance hassle
- Business use with tax benefits
- Credit score issues (easier than financing)
When Short-term Rental Beats Leasing
- Less than 2-3 months total use
- Sporadic use (weekends only)
- Different car needs each time
- Peak season (leasing harder to find)
Alert Configuration
Users can set alerts for:
- Price drop — Notify when price falls below threshold
- Availability — Notify when specific car becomes available
- Deal quality — Notify when total cost is in bottom 20% historically
- Comparison — Notify when better option found vs current booking
Alert frequency options:
- Immediate (any change)
- Daily digest
- Weekly summary
Data Storage
All data is stored locally in ~/car-rental/ (created only with your permission):
- memory.md — your preferences and active alerts
- searches/ — saved search configurations
- history/ — past rental price snapshots
You control everything:
- View: Read any file in ~/car-rental/
- Delete: Remove files or the entire folder anytime
- No cloud sync, no external storage
Security & Privacy
Data that stays local:
- All preferences and search history in ~/car-rental/
- No telemetry or cloud sync
When comparing prices:
- Agent searches rental sites using your specified criteria (location, dates, car type)
- These search parameters are sent to rental sites (Kayak, Hertz, etc.) as part of normal searches
- No account credentials, payment info, or personal identifiers are shared
This skill does NOT:
- Store payment information
- Make bookings on your behalf
- Access files outside ~/car-rental/
- Send data to any server we control
Related Skills
Install with clawhub install <slug> if user confirms:
travel — trip planning and logisticsexpenses — track rental costsmoney — budget decisions
Feedback
- If useful:
clawhub star car-rental
- Stay updated:
clawhub sync
1---2name: car-rental3description: Find the best car rental deals with price comparison, alerts, and lease vs rent analysis.4---5
6## Setup
7
8On first use, read `setup.md`. Always ask user permission before creating ~/car-rental/ folder or any files.
9
10## When to Use
11
12User needs to rent, lease, or find vehicle deals. Agent handles price comparison across sites, monitors for deals, tracks preferences, and analyzes rent vs lease vs buy decisions.
13
14## Architecture
15
16Memory lives in `~/car-rental/`. See `memory-template.md` for structure.
17
18```
19~/car-rental/
20├── memory.md # Preferences, active searches, alerts
21├── searches/ # Saved search configurations
22└── history/ # Past rentals and price snapshots
23```
24
25## Quick Reference
26
27| Topic | File |
28|-------|------|
29| Setup process | `setup.md` |
30| Memory template | `memory-template.md` |
31| Sites and sources | `sites.md` |
32| Rent vs Lease | `comparison.md` |
33
34## Core Rules
35
36### 1. Always Compare Multiple Sources
37Never recommend based on one site. Check at least 3 sources:
38- Aggregators: Kayak, Google Flights, Rentalcars.com
39- Direct: Hertz, Avis, Enterprise, Sixt, Europcar
40- Budget: AutoEurope, DiscoverCars, local options
41
42### 2. Factor Total Cost
43Base price is misleading. Always calculate:
44- Insurance (CDW, theft, liability)
45- Fuel policy (full-to-full vs prepaid)
46- Airport fees and taxes
47- Mileage limits and overage charges
48- One-way drop-off fees
49- Young/senior driver surcharges
50
51### 3. Track User Preferences
52Save and apply:
53- Preferred car class (economy, SUV, luxury)
54- Insurance preferences (own coverage vs rental)
55- Transmission preference (auto vs manual)
56- Fuel type (petrol, diesel, electric, hybrid)
57- Loyalty programs (Hertz Gold, Avis Preferred, etc.)
58
59### 4. Monitor With Permission
60When user explicitly requests an alert:
61- Ask how often they want updates
62- Check prices at requested intervals
63- Notify on significant drops (>15%)
64- Track availability for high-demand dates
65- User can disable alerts anytime
66
67### 5. Match Solution to Duration
68| Duration | Best Option |
69|----------|-------------|
70| 1-7 days | Standard rental |
71| 1-4 weeks | Long-term rental or subscription |
72| 1-6 months | Lease or subscription |
73| 6+ months | Lease, finance, or buy |
74
75### 6. Location Intelligence
76Prices vary dramatically by:
77- Airport vs city center (airport often 30-50% more)
78- Country regulations (some require IDP)
79- Local vs international companies
80- Seasonal demand (holidays, events)
81
82## Car Rental Traps
83
84- **Prepaid fuel trap** → Often overpriced. Full-to-full policy is usually cheaper unless you genuinely cannot refuel before return.
85- **Basic insurance trap** → CDW often has high excess (€1000+). Check if your credit card or travel insurance covers this.
86- **One-way fee surprise** → Can be €100-500+. Always check before booking if picking up and dropping off in different locations.
87- **Manual transmission default** → In Europe, cheapest options are often manual. Filter for automatic if needed.
88- **Mileage caps** → Some "cheap" deals have 100km/day limits. Calculate your actual needs.
89- **Credit card hold trap** → Some companies block €1000-3000 on your card. Debit cards often refused.
90
91## Comparison Framework
92
93### Rent vs Lease vs Buy
94
95| Factor | Short Rental | Long-term Lease | Buy |
96|--------|--------------|-----------------|-----|
97| Duration | Days to weeks | Months to years | Permanent |
98| Upfront cost | Low | Medium | High |
99| Monthly cost | Highest | Medium | Lowest (once paid) |
100| Flexibility | Maximum | Medium | Low |
101| Maintenance | Included | Usually included | Your responsibility |
102| Best for | Travel, occasional use | Temporary relocation, testing | Permanent need |
103
104### When to Consider Leasing
105- Relocating 3-12 months
106- Testing a car before buying
107- Don't want maintenance hassle
108- Business use with tax benefits
109- Credit score issues (easier than financing)
110
111### When Short-term Rental Beats Leasing
112- Less than 2-3 months total use
113- Sporadic use (weekends only)
114- Different car needs each time
115- Peak season (leasing harder to find)
116
117## Alert Configuration
118
119Users can set alerts for:
120- **Price drop** — Notify when price falls below threshold
121- **Availability** — Notify when specific car becomes available
122- **Deal quality** — Notify when total cost is in bottom 20% historically
123- **Comparison** — Notify when better option found vs current booking
124
125Alert frequency options:
126- Immediate (any change)
127- Daily digest
128- Weekly summary
129
130## Data Storage
131
132**All data is stored locally in ~/car-rental/ (created only with your permission):**
133- memory.md — your preferences and active alerts
134- searches/ — saved search configurations
135- history/ — past rental price snapshots
136
137**You control everything:**
138- View: Read any file in ~/car-rental/
139- Delete: Remove files or the entire folder anytime
140- No cloud sync, no external storage
141
142## Security & Privacy
143
144**Data that stays local:**
145- All preferences and search history in ~/car-rental/
146- No telemetry or cloud sync
147
148**When comparing prices:**
149- Agent searches rental sites using your specified criteria (location, dates, car type)
150- These search parameters are sent to rental sites (Kayak, Hertz, etc.) as part of normal searches
151- No account credentials, payment info, or personal identifiers are shared
152
153**This skill does NOT:**
154- Store payment information
155- Make bookings on your behalf
156- Access files outside ~/car-rental/
157- Send data to any server we control
158
159## Related Skills
160Install with `clawhub install <slug>` if user confirms:
161- `travel` — trip planning and logistics
162- `expenses` — track rental costs
163- `money` — budget decisions
164
165## Feedback
166
167- If useful: `clawhub star car-rental`
168- Stay updated: `clawhub sync`
modbender