Car rental pricing

[k_sheep]

I've tried autoslash, vroom, heck even expedia, qantas, avis / alamo / sixt / budget.

Might try the USA avis site again Monday from work (different computer in a different suburb) ... thought I can't imagine any cookies have managed to make it through my layers of security!

 

[Flashback]

$326 USD for me, with my Hertz Gold Plus Rewards number in booked from the UK site. Medium sized car and get to choose from the President's Circle aisle. That's for a 2 week rental in October. Pickup and return in LA.

 

[Frequent boarder]

I've tried autoslash, vroom, heck even expedia, qantas, avis / alamo / sixt / budget.

Might try the USA avis site again Monday from work (different computer in a different suburb) ... thought I can't imagine any cookies have managed to make it through my layers of security!

Try an Australian based car wholesaler that does nothing else but cars

 

[ozfflyer]

Interesting.

8-13 August SFO-LAS Avis US site (using USA on VPN, private browser so no cookies) over $1000 if I select USA resident. Down to $356 if I select Australian resident.

Still double what you are seeing but guessing there's a date surcharge for some reason. Still worse than the $232 I stupidly cancelled (all USD prices).

It all appears to be a dark art.

what sized car ?


When I look get from AUD$333 fully inclusive, $0 excess & automatic upgrade. Think lot of rates on U.S. sites don't include comprehensive insurance. AUD$333 = approx USD$233

 

[k_sheep]

Cheapest available.

Managed to get down to $400 AUD on driveaway. Will look on work computer tomorrow.

 

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An interesting thread.
If I may jump in with my own ignorance;

I am looking at a one-way rental between San Francisco and the Los Angeles/San Diego area.
A Hertz(AU) quote has a one-way fee included for a SFO to LAX/SAN rental.
Approx quote total = $600AU for my dates.
However there doesn't seem to be a one-way fee listed for a SFO to SNA(Orange County) rental.
Approx quote = $400AU.
(Renting the car from SFO and returning it to SFO for the same time period as the above quotes = $400AU)

Then on the Qantas website, a SFO to LAX rental doesn't seem to draw a one-way fee from Avis or Budget, however it does for Hertz.
Is the quote on the Qantas website the 'final' total, or should I expect there to be an additional fee or two added to the final price if booking an Avis or Budget rental?
For example, there is a $20 discrepancy between Avis' website quote and Qantas' website quote for the same category Avis vehicle.
Qantas' quote is slightly cheaper and neither list a one-way fee.

Cheers

 

[Ausbt]

I just did eight days in the UK with Thrifty via www.rentalcars.com.au . Collected at Heathrow and dropped at Edinburgh (one-way rental). 1,100 kms. Total cost was AUD$450 pre-paid for a Ford Focus ST-Line manual. No additional insurance taken, I was relying on my corporate policy to cover anything. Booked about six weeks in advance, bargain.

I'd had a negative experience with Rentalcars on a previous trip in France, so was glad to see this one went well. I used to be Europcar Elite and enjoyed the domestic services of no lining up / here-are-the-keys-off-you-go type benefits but I couldn't' be bothered with loyalty programs on hire cars anymore, just give me the cheapest rate.

 

[ozfflyer]

An interesting thread.
If I may jump in with my own ignorance;

I am looking at a one-way rental between San Francisco and the Los Angeles/San Diego area.
A Hertz(AU) quote has a one-way fee included for a SFO to LAX/SAN rental.
Approx quote total = $600AU for my dates.
However there doesn't seem to be a one-way fee listed for a SFO to SNA(Orange County) rental.
Approx quote = $400AU.
(Renting the car from SFO and returning it to SFO for the same time period as the above quotes = $400AU)

Then on the Qantas website, a SFO to LAX rental doesn't seem to draw a one-way fee from Avis or Budget, however it does for Hertz.
Is the quote on the Qantas website the 'final' total, or should I expect there to be an additional fee or two added to the final price if booking an Avis or Budget rental?
For example, there is a $20 discrepancy between Avis' website quote and Qantas' website quote for the same category Avis vehicle.
Qantas' quote is slightly cheaper and neither list a one-way fee.

Cheers

check the fine print. One way fees are often hidden.

Also direct with rental car companies or Qantarse, rarely seem to have best deals. Wholesalers seem way to go. One with an Australian office & phone number that you can call & doen't get picked up overseas, is best.

 

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check the fine print. One way fees are often hidden.

Also direct with rental car companies or Qantarse, rarely seem to have best deals. Wholesalers seem way to go. One with an Australian office & phone number that you can call & doen't get picked up overseas, is best.

Yes you're right, it is what is tucked away in the fine print that I am concerned about.
Having a look though the T&Cs online and I can't see any mention of a 'one-way fee' being added on as an extra charge.
I suppose a phone call to the rental company will confirm an answer, however i find it frustrating that the online quotes cannot provide a full and accurate estimate of the total cost. Calling the rental company seems like an unnecessary extra step just for peace of mind.

 

[ozfflyer]

Yes you're right, it is what is tucked away in the fine print that I am concerned about.
Having a look though the T&Cs online and I can't see any mention of a 'one-way fee' being added on as an extra charge.
I suppose a phone call to the rental company will confirm an answer, however i find it frustrating that the online quotes cannot provide a full and accurate estimate of the total cost. Calling the rental company seems like an unnecessary extra step just for peace of mind.

what some junior res person tells you over the phone is meaningless. If in doubt, send the company an email, so you have something in writing.

 

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what some junior res person tells you over the phone is meaningless. If in doubt, send the company an email, so you have something in writing.

That is a fair point, thanks ozfflyer, I'll send off an email.

Unrelated to one-way rentals, can anyone who has booked a car through Qantas.com, confirm whether or not the final price quoted on the website is fairly accurate - or are there extra costs to be paid at the counter?

As an example the Qantas.com quote for an Avis rental in the USA is $20 cheaper than the quote from Avis.com.au (without any discounts or coupons applied) .

 

[Flashback]

That is a fair point, thanks ozfflyer, I'll send off an email.

Unrelated to one-way rentals, can anyone who has booked a car through Qantas.com, confirm whether or not the final price quoted on the website is fairly accurate - or are there extra costs to be paid at the counter?

As an example the Qantas.com quote for an Avis rental in the USA is $20 cheaper than the quote from Avis.com.au (without any discounts or coupons applied) .

I booked a car for pickup/drop off in Hobart last year, was cheaper on Qantas than via Avis.com.au or .co.uk ; was nothing extra to pay and allowed me to use UK drivers licence no worries. When I set UK residency on the avis.com.au/co.uk site it bumped up the price by a fair whack.

 

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I booked a car for pickup/drop off in Hobart last year, was cheaper on Qantas than via Avis.com.au or .co.uk ; was nothing extra to pay and allowed me to use UK drivers licence no worries. When I set UK residency on the avis.com.au/co.uk site it bumped up the price by a fair whack.

Interesting. Thanks for that Flashback, good to know.

 

[Flashback]

Here's a new one .. got charged an Intercity fee today £8. Pickup Gatwick South, return Gatwick North. Uhh... It's the same place, doesn't justify it. Anyway, I did my usual rollover of the rental so I keep the same car so didn't even get close to Gatwick. One to chase down with them tomorrow.. fun times! Never a dull moment with Hertz.

 

[ozfflyer]

I booked a car for pickup/drop off in Hobart last year, was cheaper on Qantas than via Avis.com.au or .co.uk ; was nothing extra to pay and allowed me to use UK drivers licence no worries. When I set UK residency on the avis.com.au/co.uk site it bumped up the price by a fair whack.

did you check out www.driveaway.com.au ?
We find they are always much cheaper if book well in advance.

UK drivers licence ? You can use that anywhere, except maybe in a country that doesn't have english as main language.

 

[Flashback]

did you check out www.driveaway.com.au ?
We find they are always much cheaper if book well in advance.

UK drivers licence ? You can use that anywhere, except maybe in a country that doesn't have english as main language.

Yes, I've never been able to beat the price I'm currently getting. And yes, converted my AU licence many many years ago. Have used it fine over the world without a need for an IDP.