Everyone complains about how bad the public transport system is in America. But the good news is that the opportunities this car culture affords to the savvy entrepreneur are very attractive.

Whether their own car is being serviced, whether they are away on holiday and have left their family vehicle at home, or whether they simply want to hire a top of the range model for a special occasion, motorists across the US are in need of rental cars.

Indeed figures show that some 45.5 million people visit America from abroad every year, and what better way to travel from state to state and see the sights along the way than to hire a car? Therefore investing in a car rental franchise could be an excellent opportunity for those with the skill and the know-how to succeed.

A car rental franchise is an expensive investment. There is the site to purchase, staff wages to pay, insurance costs to cover, and of course most importantly the cars to buy and maintain. A car rental business would therefore be suited to an entrepreneur with a good deal of experience, since the start up costs and the day to day outgoings will be significant, and only those confident of success can afford to take the risk.

Rental cars will travel a great many miles so its important that they are serviced regularly and replacement parts installed whenever necessary. A good franchiser will help in this task, so extensive knowledge of cars is not essential. However franchisees must take responsibility for managing their own costs and making sure maintenance is up to standard if they want to start making desirable profits.

In the end however, turnover will be determined by the size of the town the car rental franchise is located in. Clearly a small town franchise will rake in fewer profits than a city-based business, but equally the number of vehicles required and the demand for maintenance will be less. Franchisees must therefore consider carefully what size of business they are capable of running and what level of profits they hope to be turning over before signing a deal with a franchiser.