MESSAGE CENTER

· Figure out how the radio works.

· Be sure there is a spare tire, jack and lug wrench.

· Know how to open the windows, hood, trunk and gas tank cover.

All this will keep a renter from having to fiddle with unfamiliar stuff while driving, or creating a dangerous situation by having to pull over on a high-speed road or in a dangerous neighborhood.

Donald Hirschfeld

Temple Hills

Write us: Washington Post Travel section, 1150 15th St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20071. E-mail: travel@washpost.com. Provide your full name and town. Letters are subject to editing for length and clarity.

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Rental Cars, Cont'd

I SHARE Gary Goldberg's concern [Message Center, Dec. 31] about never having a manual available in rental cars. Recently, I could not figure out how to change the radio from FM to AM, nor how to reset the clock, and there was no manual to consult. I have long since learned that there are a number of basic things one must do before driving off the lot with a rental car:

· Check for damage to the body, so I won't be accused of having created dings that were already there.