Car rental question

[wackymother Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close wackymother]

We almost never rent cars, so I'm kind of losing my mind over a rental we have coming up in August.

At the moment I have a reservation picking up a midsize car at Thrifty on August 10 at 9 a.m. and returning it August 15 at 6 p.m. Price is about $250.

Our arrival flight has now been delayed and really we won't even NEED the car till August 11 at about 10 a.m.

Making that change makes the price go up at least $75.

So here's my immediate question: If we are late to pick up the car on August 10...like two hours late...what happens to us? If I make that change in the reservation, the price goes up!

My other question is...how can car rentals be such a mess? I've been trying Costco, Kayak, and Expedia to find good deals, and the rates are all over the place. Each search comes up with a different company as the lowest price. And of course all the AAA discounts and union discounts and hotel point discounts make the prices HIGHER. So aggravating!

[Glitter Brunello Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Glitter Brunello]

You should call Thrifty to work it out on the phone. Be sure to get an updated email if they agree to move your rental pickup day. If your pickup is just a few hours late due to flight times, and your flights are in your reservation, they should hold the car for you, but I would still call them first.

[jackio Gold Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close jackio]

Once I rented a car for the week, and tried to return it 2 days early. I was told the price would go up tremendously. I don't get it - they had the rental fee, plus could rent the car again for 2 days. They were willing to take the fee for 7 days, but not for 5??

[wackymother Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close wackymother]

Thanks! I saw on FlyerTalk that you can pick up the car up to six hours late, but after that the rental company will change the rate.

Jacki, I see the rates are often much better if there's a Friday or Saturday night included. My change in plans moves our rental date from Saturday morning to Sunday morning. Weirdly, we can get a good rate if we take the car by noon on Sunday and return it by 2:00 on Thursday...but as soon as I move outside those limits, the price goes from about $25 per day to about $40 per day.

We'll probably end up just picking up the Thrifty car a little late and leaving it in the hotel parking lot overnight so we can set out on our adventures early on Sunday. I'll call Thrifty and see what they can do for me. Thanks for your help!

[lawren2 Malibu Beach Barbie & A Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close lawren2]

I have been finding over the last year or so that it is better to book no further than a week or two before you need it. My prices were absolutely insane for my current trip. ~ $300/week for a Ford Focus type. I forgot all about it until last weekend. Booked last Saturday or Sunday and got $160/week all in.

Whether that is just plain dumb luck or still hanging with the trend I don't know. I could have gotten really hurt $ wise if it had gone the other way. I pick the first one up this Sunday.

Coincidentily booked with Thrifty.

[Luanne Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Luanne]

I have been finding over the last year or so that it is better to book no further than a week or two before you need it. My prices were absolutely insane for my current trip. ~ $300/week for a Ford Focus type. I forgot all about it until last weekend. Booked last Saturday or Sunday and got $160/week all in.

Whether that is just plain dumb luck or still hanging with the trend I don't know. I could have gotten really hurt $ wise if it had gone the other way. I pick the first one up this Sunday.

Coincidentily booked with Thrifty.

I always book as far out as I know my plans. But I book with someone where I know I can make changes, or cancel without penalty. Many times rates will go down as you get closer.....but what if they don't? Currently I'm watching the rates for two rentals we've made for this summer on Maui and the Big Island. I booked them back in January through Avis using a corporate discount. I keep checking Costco and discounthawaii and so far neither one has come close. I haven't checked to see what the price would be if I booked today through Avis, but I'll do that at some point as well.

My point is, it never hurts to book the reservation early, as long as there is no penalty to change or cancel.

[lawren2 Malibu Beach Barbie & A Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close lawren2]

I always book as far out as I know my plans. But I book with someone where I know I can make changes, or cancel without penalty. Many times rates will go down as you get closer.....but what if they don't? Currently I'm watching the rates for two rentals we've made for this summer on Maui and the Big Island. I booked them back in January through Avis using a corporate discount. I keep checking Costco and discounthawaii and so far neither one has come close. I haven't checked to see what the price would be if I booked today through Avis, but I'll do that at some point as well.

My point is, it never hurts to book the reservation early, as long as there is no penalty to change or cancel.

I neglected to say that I usually do tend to find something reasonable to book as a back-up that I can cancel.

and my rentals this time are Big Island and Maui.

[Luanne Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Luanne]

I neglected to say that I usually do tend to find something reasonable to book as a back-up that I can cancel.

and my rentals this time are Big Island and Maui.

So you're going to be on Maui and the Big Island fairly soon? Once again I'll miss seeing you there. Maybe someday. :-)

[lawren2 Malibu Beach Barbie & A Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close lawren2]

So you're going to be on Maui and the Big Island fairly soon? Once again I'll miss seeing you there. Maybe someday. :-)

This one really snuck up on me...leaving Sunday.

I may just have to come and see you!

[Luanne Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Luanne]

This one really snuck up on me...leaving Sunday.

I may just have to come and see you!

We have a guestroom. :-)

Let me know if there are any "must dos" on Maui or Big Island we may not think about.

[mpizza Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close mpizza]

My trick with car rentals is to book a safety net reservation at the best price I can find, then on the day before I'm arriving, Priceline it for a ridiculously low bid.

Works great in Orlando! Had a van reservation at $600+ from Hertz, Pricelined it for $160 - ended up being with Hertz anyway!

Not sure it'll work everywhere because the supply/demand ratio might be tighter, but worth a try.

Enjoy HI Luanne and Lawren - maybe someday I'll get there too!

Maria

[Dori Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Dori]

I will often book and cancel as many as 7 or 8 times before picking up our car. Prices fluctuate wildy and I check every day for a price drop. Our first trip to Hawaii is coming up for September, so as soon as I can (hopefully) get a decent airfare, I'll start looking at car rentals.

Dori

[lawren2 Malibu Beach Barbie & A Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close lawren2]

I will often book and cancel as many as 7 or 8 times before picking up our car. Prices fluctuate wildy and I check every day for a price drop. Our first trip to Hawaii is coming up for September, so as soon as I can (hopefully) get a decent airfare, I'll start looking at car rentals.

Dori

Where are you flying from? Hawaiian announced their fall sale the other day:

http://www.hawaiianairlines.com/spec...5256&MID=99631


Warm up in Hawaii This Fall! Deals Starting From $329 Roundtrip*
Aloha l,
Come fall, things will get chilly—but not in Hawaii, where it's always 80 degrees and sunny. The autumn weather will be consistently warm and pleasant.
So when summer's over, don't pack away the family's swimsuits. Book now
for these deals and come snorkel, surf or just sprawl in the sun on the warm, warm sand.
Booking Period: May 14 – May 20, 2013
Travel Period: Aug 19 – Nov 20, 2013

[wackymother Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close wackymother]

My trick with car rentals is to book a safety net reservation at the best price I can find, then on the day before I'm arriving, Priceline it for a ridiculously low bid.

Works great in Orlando! Had a van reservation at $600+ from Hertz, Pricelined it for $160 - ended up being with Hertz anyway!

Not sure it'll work everywhere because the supply/demand ratio might be tighter, but worth a try.

Enjoy HI Luanne and Lawren - maybe someday I'll get there too!

Maria

That's what I usually do...but this time the prices seem to be going up and up. Anyway, I do have the Thrifty reservation as a backup. And a Dollar one, too, because you can never be too sure! Hotwire has been almost as high as the regular sites. I'll try Priceline when we get closer to the dates.

We're actually taking two trips with car rentals this summer. For the first one, I have an Enterprise reservation for a really good price--it's like $85 for three days including all the taxes and fees. It's the second one, in August, where it's pretty high.

[StressCadet Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close StressCadet]

Car rentals are crazy. You just have to hit when the hitting is good. I use Hotwire and Costco. I have booked and rebooked Oahu and Kauai many times (thru Costco)..now that we are really close...much like Lawren stated-prices have come down significantly....and the two places don't always match. I got Oahu a couple weeks back for 169.00 standard car for 6 days...now it's over 300 on Hotwire. But, Kauai dropped a bunch in the last couple of days and I've got the same standard car for 8 days for 169.00....could have had the intermediate for 148.00. You just have to be obsessive and check constantly. You'll probably get your deal in the end.