Hertz #1 Club

[oz_mark]

I would be a bit suspicous of the Avis rate actually - that rate looks as though it has the $20 a day excess reducing charge that the other quotes don't.

 

[JohnK]

Definitely did not tick any extras. I will check again closer to the trip.

 

[bravoecho1]

Looking at a weekly car rental late July/early August. For a Toyota Camry or similar size car, one way rental from Canberra to Sydney including excess reduction, the results are:

1. Hertz
2. Avis
3. Thrifty
4. Budget

Just goes to show, as Dave Noble said, who is the cheapest depends on the day, date and length of rental.

Note that the best results were from publically available promo's.

 

[markis10]

I am looking at 4 days car hire in smallest available car in HBA mid-November arriving on a Saturday afternoon and departing Wednesday morning.

Budget Group X Hyundai Getz $175.46
Thrifty Economy Hyundai Getz $210.98
Hertz Toyota Echo $250.91
Avis Group X Hyundai Getz $288.00

Looks like corporate rates do make a bit of difference, this is my quote with Hertz:

Selected Vehicle

Toyota Echo or Similar s.products=";ECMR;;";34.54 AUD - Per Day
Total Approximate Charges 191.70 AUD

Location and car availability also make a difference, I have often got a tarago at a rate cheaper than an echo!

 

[oz_mark]

Just goes to show, as Dave Noble said, who is the cheapest depends on the day, date and length of rental.

Which is why I look at all four when chasing a rental

 

[JohnK]

I hope it is clear that I don't have a favourite hire car company. I will hire a car from who is the cheapest and I know everyone has different needs e.g car size, hire days, place of hire etc.

Looks like corporate rates do make a bit of difference, this is my quote with Hertz:

Selected Vehicle

Toyota Echo or Similar s.products=";ECMR;;";34.54 AUD - Per Day
Total Approximate Charges 191.70 AUD

Huge difference. The rate of $250.91 I posted supposedly has a 3% discount for being a QFF member so possibly even bigger difference. Good luck to people with the corporate rates.

 

[mileagemax]

You should also look at the insurance excesses with the cheaper deals. It normally is alot higher, if you read the fine print.

Hertz seems to be more targetted to the corporate market, and I know my company's CDP (discount plan) makes their price competitive. The advantage is the excess is much lower. That's why I normally pick Hertz for personal as well as corporate rentals.

 

[JohnK]

You should also look at the insurance excesses with the cheaper deals. It normally is alot higher, if you read the fine print.

Thanks for pointing that out. I now take out travel insurance to cover the excess. Standard is $3000 and with a little more you can cover upto $5000 excess if you want. I don't think any of the 4 rental car companies mentioned charge an excess higher, in Australia, then the figure I quoted. I stopped paying car hire companies any excess reduction fees.

 

[markis10]

JohnK, maybe worth giving the companies a ring and seeing if they will set up a rate plan with a $3000 excess, if you are covered by insurance for that amount then it makes no sense to go lower as I am sure its factored into the rates.

 

[rwatts]

JohnK, maybe worth giving the companies a ring and seeing if they will set up a rate plan with a $3000 excess, if you are covered by insurance for that amount then it makes no sense to go lower as I am sure its factored into the rates.

It is interesting how the excesses do vary between plans - my corporate CDP for leisure rentals results in an excess of just $700 for most vehicle groups (and very good rates as well !)

- Richard

 

[Damien]

As well as comparing the different companies, you should also compare the different promotions on offer.

Any promotional discount seems to come off the full rate, so I have found that the standard rate on the day of booking is often cheaper than the promotional rate.

 

[JohnK]

JohnK, maybe worth giving the companies a ring and seeing if they will set up a rate plan with a $3000 excess, if you are covered by insurance for that amount then it makes no sense to go lower as I am sure its factored into the rates.

Normally to reduce the excess they ask you to pay an extra $20-$30/day and this is on top of the rental cost quoted. I don't pay this excess amount to the hire car companies anymore.

I don't hire a car enough times or for great length of time to worry about it. I am happy if I am able to get a Hyundai Getz from any rental company for 4 days for ~$175 and pay the $25 travel insurance. It means that the rental comes out to ~$50/day.

 

[coco50]

I agree with Mal's earlier comment about Hertz No 1 Gold membership about speed of processing. Via QF Holidays, I had booked a car through Hertz from Kahului (Maui, HI). Too late I realised that somehow I should have attached my Hertz No 1 Gold Number to the booking. I tried through Hertz but this didn't happen. When I arrived at Kahului on 5th July, the queue (in LOTFAP = line) at the Hertz counter was massive. I walked over to the No1 Gold counter, produced my card, was given an upgrade to a Pontiac Grand Prix, no paperwork and when I checked my QFF page yesterday, there were the points (albeit not many ~400+). The convenience is terrific and there is no cost to belong.

 

[rosesplus]

I don't know anything about Hertz Gold or 5* but one thing I do know is that in Australia Hertz is one of the most expensive and I have never hired from them. It is fine if your company pays but Hertz will not be getting any of my hard earned money soon enough unless all other companies have run out of hire cars.

My last 2 rentals with Hertz in SYD were $29p/day both dropping off at a different location to pick up. That rate the free upgrades and the easy pick up will keep me with Hertz. Maybe you need to change the CDP code your using (don't use the QF code).

 

[JohnK]

Maybe you need to change the CDP code your using (don't use the QF code).

To what? I do not have a CDP that I could access! And I am not one of those people that would use someone else's CDP.

Good luck to all those people that get good rates from any car rental company because of corporate discounts.

 

[rosesplus]

To what? I do not have a CDP that I could access! And I am not one of those people that would use someone else's CDP.

Good luck to all those people that get good rates from any car rental company because of corporate discounts.

You should have a look at the Hertz forum on FT, lot's of useful info.

 

[JohnK]

I am looking at 4 days car hire in smallest available car in HBA mid-November arriving on a Saturday afternoon and departing Wednesday morning.

Budget Group X Hyundai Getz $175.46
Thrifty Economy Hyundai Getz $210.98
Hertz Toyota Echo $250.91
Avis Group X Hyundai Getz $288.00

Decision appears very simple at this stage. I am surprised that Avis is showing very expensive rate. Will compare again about 1 month before trip and then compare again about 2 weeks before trip and make booking based on cheapest hire car.

:wipes egg off face:

Availability can change on a daily basis but I didn't think prices can vary this much in 4 months. I have booked a car for this weekend with Hertz! Clearly the cheapest and probably a better car as well.

Hertz Toyota Echo ~$170.00
Avis Group X Hyundai Getz ~$190.00
Thrifty Economy Hyundai Getz ~$210.00
Europcar Economy ~$240.00
Budget Group X Hyundai Getz ~$270.00

 

[Sprucegoose]

It is interesting how the excesses do vary between plans - my corporate CDP for leisure rentals results in an excess of just $700 for most vehicle groups (and very good rates as well !)

- Richard

Hi Richard would it be possible to piggy back on your CDP?

regards spruce

 

[rwatts]

Hi Richard would it be possible to piggy back on your CDP?

regards spruce

Note the post you quoted is over three years old and I haven't checked the details under that CDP for a while.

The CDP is for leisure rentals by employees of a certain government department. We're told to expect to show our identity pass (although I don't know anyone that has had to).

Richard.

 

[straitman]

Hi Richard would it be possible to piggy back on your CDP?

regards spruce

In the event of a problem you could expect to have to justify use of the CDP and inappropriate use could possibly invalidate your insurance.