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Rental car prices

Started by Jim, June 09, 2010, 09:13:48 PM

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Jim

I'm looking to do a little upper Midwest tour at the end of July to see some baseball (primary goal being to re-clinch the current MLB ballparks by seeing a game at Target Field in Minneapolis), and clinch some roads and counties in the process.  I have pretty much decided to fly into Milwaukee, which was cheap for whatever reason, but rental cars there for the end of July are ridiculous.  More than triple the prices you see most places, including Milwaukee just a few weeks earlier.  There must be some big event I don't know about and that I probably want to avoid.  Anyone know what the big deal is in the Milwaukee area around the end of July that would cause a rental car price spike but still allow for cheap flights to be available?  Seems very strange.
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corco

#1
I would consider taking a taxi to an offsite location- just a quick cursory look at the price of an Enterprise car for a week towards the end of July shows that renting on site is about $670 (!!!) but a much more reasonable $300 at their Howell Ave location, which is just outside of the airport, both of which have unlimited mileage in Wisconsin and Minnesota

It also tends to be a fare structure thing where they tier prices differently based on when you reserve (much like airfare!). I'd check back in a month- they tend to get cheaper closer to the time of reservation (stuff is cheaper either really far out or really close in, and right now you're in that awkward middle segment where prices go way up). During the summer months, rates can really get jacked up too.

Alex

I rented a car for two days the week before last and the rates I found were between $107-200 at the regional airports and several satellite locations. I tried the satellite Hertz office and got the lowest deal at $88. We got a week's rental at the same office in November for $170.

Rates are on the up and up and have varied for me for reasons unknown.

In May, I got a one-day rental from Quad Cities Airport for $49 while Brent got one for four-days at O'Hare for $90.

Last summer we needed a car for nine days in California and the rates were $700 to an outrageous $1100. I kept searching online over the course of three weeks and found one with Alamo for $450.

I would just keep searching online as you get closer to your trip and when you find a rate that seems reasonably, lock it in before it changes again.

Truvelo

The last two posts have suggested trying locations away from airports. I'm flying to Boston next month and I have not get got a car. Is it pretty much consistent countrywide for non-airport locations to be cheaper? I've only ever rented at airports which is due to the convenience but if taxi fares aren't too high and the price differential between airport and non-airport sites is significant it's something I'll look into.
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agentsteel53

Quote from: Truvelo on June 13, 2010, 11:04:00 AM
Is it pretty much consistent countrywide for non-airport locations to be cheaper?

no, this is not generally the case.  Whenever I rent from San Diego Airport I get a better rate than Enterprise down the street.  The difference sometimes is as much as 10-15 bucks per day. 

however, that involves renting through Hotwire, which means committing to the purchase at the time you order (days/weeks in advance), as opposed to making a reservation and buying only when you pick up the car.

also note that some local rental car companies do not let you take the car to states beyond what neighbor yours, while the airports tend to allow all of the US and Canada. 
live from sunny San Diego.

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Scott5114

Quote from: agentsteel53 on June 13, 2010, 12:26:45 PM
also note that some local rental car companies do not let you take the car to states beyond what neighbor yours, while the airports tend to allow all of the US and Canada. 

How do they know?
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Jim

Turns out the price went down this weekend for Hertz right at the airport, so I booked it.  $300 for five days (paying the weekly rate) including the fees.  Most of the other companies were still quite a bit higher.  It's still as much as my flights but at least it's doable.  It doesn't seem too long ago that I was regularly able to book rental cars for much less pretty much anywhere.

To throw in my experience on the other question in the thread - I've usually found that on-airport and off-airport rates are not too different.  The on-airport locations sometimes have to include airport fees, but it's often worth $20 or $25 to me over the course of a rental to avoid having to take an extra shuttle or worse yet find my own transportation from the airport to a car.

While we're talking rental cars - I pretty much always refuse all of the extra optional insurance and other junk they try to push at the rental counter.  One recent exception was a rental at Sea-Tac where the agent told me I had to buy some sort of insurance since I couldn't provide appropriate proof of my own insurance.  She said it was a Washington state law.  I wasn't believing it but I didn't have much choice since she was very insistent.  I usually just have to provide the name of my insurance company but no proof.  Do any of you carry proof of insurance to avoid such problems?  Do any of you buy the extra coverage?  My insurance agent has always told me it's a scam and that I should never purchase it.  I'm covered already.

Photos I post are my own unless otherwise noted.
Signs: https://www.teresco.org/pics/signs/
Travel Mapping: https://travelmapping.net/user/?u=terescoj
Counties: http://www.mob-rule.com/user/terescoj
Twitter @JimTeresco (roads, travel, skiing, weather, sports)

agentsteel53

Quote from: Jim on June 13, 2010, 09:38:49 PM
One recent exception was a rental at Sea-Tac where the agent told me I had to buy some sort of insurance since I couldn't provide appropriate proof of my own insurance. 

I had that happen to me too.

I carry just a liability policy and have Visa provide the loss damage waiver.  Works quite well - a bit of paperwork, but it beats paying extra per day because the salesmen are good at their job.
live from sunny San Diego.

http://shields.aaroads.com

jake@aaroads.com

Truvelo

Quote from: Jim on June 13, 2010, 09:38:49 PMWhile we're talking rental cars - I pretty much always refuse all of the extra optional insurance and other junk they try to push at the rental counter.

Same here, especially personal effects cover which effectively duplicates what I already have with my travel insurance. One thing that often works is if you want or are offered a car upgrade then as the clerk is getting commission for anything they sell I find if you offer to pay less than the price they are quoting they will usually accept it or meet somewhere in the middle. A lot of the time they are too pushy and I just politely but firmly say that I will have just what I ordered and nothing extra. They even try to sell you GPS now.

As for airport vs downtown prices I've just checked out several companies based in Boston and their airport rates are almost identical to off-airport sites. Factor in the cost of a taxi to the off-airport sites then the airport sites win on both price and convenience. Still, the price for a full size car is around $400-$500 for 6 days which I'm not exactly happy with but I don't seem to have much choice. I have heard about people buying cheap second hand cars for the same price and then selling them on when they've finished and get back what they paid for it but as I'm only there for less than a week I don't want to spend most of my time over there buying and selling cars.
Speed limits limit life

corco

I'm renting a car tomorrow to drive from Phoenix to Tucson- if I would have used Sky Harbor it would have been around $100 (keeping in mind that I'm under 25 so get even an extra surcharge), but it's going to be $40 to rent from the Enterprise location in Avondale near my parents house. Most of this is just due to the insane surcharges to rent from Sky Harbor (and you now have to take a bus to get to the rental cars anyway, so that sucks). I'd imagine the fare differences vary by airport.



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