Explore Rental’s office is typically open 7-days a week 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM. Below are protocols of what to expect for various situations like how to pick up or drop off after hours. If you have any questions or would like to amend your reservations, please give us a call at (406)922-0179.

1. Picking up your rental car:

Default BZN Pick-Up

We will stage your rental car in our designated parking spots (#46–49) outside of the arrivals terminal with a lock-box affixed to the window. This lot is titled the RIDE SHARE/CAR SHARE lot, and our spots are the closest to the terminal. Prior to your touchdown, we will text you a photo of your car and the combination to the lock-box. Our convenient Bozeman car rental service makes airport pickup simple, with all paperwork completed electronically in advance. Repeat the process on your departure, and you will never even need to visit our office.

Office Pick-Up

Schedule a ride in advance with a local taxi service, or book an Uber or Lyft once you touch down. For larger parties we recommend that the primary driver jumps in the taxi ride off the plane, and the rest of the party waits for the luggage. A short 5-minute ride back to office (about $15, may $30 during peak season), take the rental back to airport to pick up the rest of crew and bags, then hit the trail. All paperwork will be completed electronically in advance so you don’t need to come into the office but we always try to pop out and say hello! We do not have to charge the 10% BZN concession fee in this scenario. Your final balance due will be adjusted so the Concession Fee is not charged.

2. Picking up your rental car after hours

Default After-Hours BZN Pick-Up

If you are arriving after 4:30pm, we will leave your rental in our designated parking spots (#46-49) in the Ride Share lot, outside of arrivals. We will text you a photo of the car in its exact location, as well as how to find the keys. A copy of the paperwork and maps will be left in the center console. This service requires us to charge the 10% BZN Concession Fees, but it is extremely convenient.

Most Economical After-Hours Pick-Up

We will leave the vehicle out front of the office and text you a photo and how to find the keys by close of business of your arrival day, 5:00pm, as well as instructions on how to find the keys. We do not have to charge the 10% concession fees for this service. Advance notice is required.

3. Rental car FAQs

Do I have to return the car full of gas?

Yes. Otherwise we charge a $15 service fee plus whatever it costs to fill it up.

What is the mileage policy?

175-miles per day are included with your rental. Additional miles are charged at $.35 per mile.

Do I have to clean the car before I return it?

No. Unless it is a huge mess. Excessively muddy/ dusty/ covered in Cheerios cars will be charged additional cleaning fees. We bill out at $80/ hour. Use common sense and everything will be fine. If you return it a hot-mess, do not be surprised if you incur additional fees.

Can I list additional drivers?

Yes, however, they must be a minimum of 21-years old and possess a valid driver’s license. We do not charge for additional listed drivers. Please mention this at the time of rental when we fill out the paperwork. We can also do it over the phone if your plans change.

Can I take the car into Canada?

Yes, our rental cars are allowed to go into Canada.

Can I put luggage or skis on the roof of the car?

NO. This is a bad idea. Never before has a renter been able to successfully do this without causing severe and expensive damage to the vehicle. Average repair cost has been $1,400- and we will hold the renter entirely responsible. We offer rental Yakima roof top ski boxes, bike racks, and ski racks for this specifically.

Can I tow with the vehicle?

Yes, maximum of 3,000lbs, with some of our vehicles only, and with advance written permission only.

5. What to do if something goes wrong

I locked the keys in the car

Well that stinks, but not the end of the world. You are the responsible party. Generally, calling AAA or a locksmith will be the fastest and easiest solution. We are able to bring you a second set of keys if necessary. We bill out at $100 per hour for this service. If you do damage to the vehicle trying to “Break In” you will be held responsible for all repair costs.

I hit an animal/ got in an accident

First, make sure every one is OK and the vehicle is safely out of the way of traffic. If you require emergency services, dial 911. If you do not have cell phone coverage, try to flag down another driver and ask them to call 911 on your behalf once in cell range. If the vehicle is in a safe and drivable condition, you can continue on and report the incident and damages with Explore Rentals and your insurance company later. If it is not-drivable, you will need to get the vehicle towed Crash Champions in Manhattan, MT. This will be at your cost, but will often be reimbursed by your insurance company. RCP insurance purchased through Explore Rentals does not cover towing expense. It is often worth calling your insurance company to arrange. If you are in Yellowstone you will need to contact the National Park Service, (307) 344-7381. Outside of Yellowstone, as long as no other vehicles were involved and no property was damaged, you can fill out a Montana Highway Patrol report later. IF another vehicle or property was damaged you must contact Montana Highway Patrol (406) 587-4525. or 911 to file a report . If the animal is still alive, these numbers can also help with humanely dispatching the animal. Once everything is safe, you can contact Explore Rentals for additional assistance. Our after-hours cell phone number is 406-580-8309. Please make sure to leave a voicemail if we do not pick-up. Someone is on call, but we will not answer unrecognized numbers after hours. We will do our best to accommodate and make the rest of your trip easy. We are usually able to give you another rental car to finish your trip.

I got a flat tire

Although this is unlikely, it does happen. First things first, pull over to a safe location, away from traffic. Most likely, you have picked up a nail or similar object on the road. This stinks, but it is the renter’s responsibility. The least expensive and fastest option is to put spare on vehicle and drive to the nearest tire repair shop. Pretty much every small town in Montana has a guy that can patch tires. This is usually about $30 to repair, and gets you back on the road safe and fast. You must alert Explore Rentals of this event. If the tire is unrepairable, please contact Explore Rentals. This also is the renter’s responsibility. Hopefully we have a used tire on-site with similar tread depth we can use. If not, we will try to be as fair as possible with the cost of tire replacement. Renter’s are not authorized to replace tires on our vehicles without permission. Our Subaru Outbacks will incur severe transmission damage if a tire with more than 1/32″ of tread depth difference or a different tread pattern tire is used. The renter will be held fully accountable in this situation. Any questions, just give us a call and we help can straighten out.

The car broke down/ something has gone wrong

We go to great lengths to make sure all of our cars are in excellent operating condition. However, things do happen: extremely unlikely, but of course not impossible. The most common problem is a dead battery in our Subaru Outbacks. 99% of the time this is caused by the interior light on the roof of cargo compartment being left on. It is a very bad design from Subaru; the switch can inadvertently get bumped on. Easiest thing to do is to ask any Montanan for a jump- pretty much everyone has jumpers in their car. Other common scenarios is the “Low Oil” light comes on the Subarus. Every Subaru burns a little oil. Please add liter of 0w 20 full synthetic oil. Save the receipt and we will reimburse you. 5W30 for the Suburbans- but that almost never happens. Sometimes windshield wipers give out mid-trip. Buy another set and save us the receipt, we will reimburse you. Same for ice scrapers. The other odd foible that we have had with the Outbacks, and occasional Suburbans, is an evaporative leak causing numerous dash lights to go off. Usually the check engine light, ABS light, and traction control light will be on. Most likely (99% of the time) this is due to a loose gas cap. First thing to check is if the gas cap is tight. If it is, the warning lights will typically clear with 6 engine cycles (starting up, running a little bit, shutting off and cooling down). If the warning lights persist, please contact Explore Rentals. We have been very fortunate with very few instances of cars actually breaking down. Please contact Explore Rentals if something does happen. We do everything possible to rectify the situation. Please note, that if we come out to you and find that the root of the cause is user error (i.e. not putting your foot on the brake to start the car [it has happened before]), you will be charged our $100/ hour rate.

I got a rock chip/ cracked windshield

It stinks, but it happens. If you get a chip, best thing to do is get it repaired yourself in order to prevent the windshield from splitting. Usually about $40. This is what we typically charge if the vehicle is returned with a new, repairable, chip. If the chip has “legs” more than 1/4″, unfortunately we are most likely not able to safely repair the chip and will need to charge for a new windshield. Windshields are like tires, and are the renters responsibility. We will note any existing windshield chips on the rental contract, so if a split originates from a pre-existing chip, the current renter is not charged for a new windshield.

Frequently Asked Questions