Whether you're flying to a city away from home or simply looking for a sporty ride for a weekend drive, you can probably snag a good deal for a rental car on the Internet.

The process is pretty straight-forward, but here are some pointers to help get you behind the wheel faster than you can say Avis. Despite a serious slowdown in travel -- one that sent Alamo and National into bankruptcy court and Budget into the arms of rival Avis -- travelers are finding great rental deals harder to come by. What’s more, the industry’s tough straits seem to lead to more wrestling matches at the counter: over promised upgrades that disappear, insurance coverage that may or may not be adequate, even definitions of what constitutes a full gas tank.

Major travel sites are a good option to finding rates from many different car companies. Generally speaking, here's how they work.
Most sites will ask you to enter the dates and city for which you want to rent a car. You will then be asked what size car you went to rent — ranging from an economy car to anything up to a SUV.

The site will return a list of rates from car companies in the city you requested. Then, you simply pick the rate you want, and click to reserve your car.

Typically, rental companies offer 'unlimited' mileage for online reservations. If you'll be doing a lot of driving (averaging more than 100 miles per day), make sure you have this option. Otherwise, your rental could be more expensive than you bargained for.

Also, make sure the rate you are quoted is good for the length of your rental. Occasionally, your quoted rate is a weekend rate that could expire before the end of your rental. After that, your rate can increase — sometimes to almost twice your original quote. Read the 'fine print' to make sure you understand what your daily rate is.

Finally, check the location of your rental. An 'off-airport' location may mean that you'll have to take a shuttle bus from the airport to the car company's location — sometimes several miles away. Nearly every company offers a free shuttle, but you may find it more convenient to rent from a company at the airport.