Car rental pricing

[Flashback]

I rang the Hertz UK number (although it seemed to route to the US at 7.35pm our time!) and he applied my Gold number to it, no worries.

 

[VPS]

@Flashback have you looked at long term rental with Hertz - they did have some good deals at one stage - and there is another company mainly in Scotland (name escapes me now but I can find out if you want) that had some good deals

 

[Flashback]

I have but at the moment rely on the flexibility weekly or bi-weekly offers me as things are constantly changing. I've also factored in savings for taxis to / from LGW / LHR for leisure trips too (which also means the car would be left either sitting at home or sitting in the airport carpark) and it all stacks up for me, especially when you include earning Hertz Gold Plus Rewards as well as the upgrades we get out of it. I also believe you don't earn any Gold Plus Rewards points on rentals longer than 30 or so days.

 

[Flashback]

I've got it down to a tee now. Weekly price through Hertz UK over spring/summer months is £158 ...... book through Hertz AU £90 without fail. Hertz UK has the same price for group A/B, Hertz AU has the same price for group A/B/C so upgrade to D instead of the C upgrade buying from UK.

Bookings made for the next 3 months and after a bit of effort on behalf of the phone operator, all bookings now have Gold Plus Rewards number applied.

 

[ozfflyer]

I've got it down to a tee now. Weekly price through Hertz UK over spring/summer months is £158 ...... book through Hertz AU £90 without fail. Hertz UK has the same price for group A/B, Hertz AU has the same price for group A/B/C so upgrade to D instead of the C upgrade buying from UK.

Bookings made for the next 3 months and after a bit of effort on behalf of the phone operator, all bookings now have Gold Plus Rewards number applied.

have you looked at pricing through an Australian wholesaler ? For USA, almost always much cheaper than going to Hertz direct, especially for one ways as wholesalers have contract rates.

 

[Flashback]

have you looked at pricing through an Australian wholesaler ? For USA, almost always much cheaper than going to Hertz direct, especially for one ways as wholesalers have contract rates.

AFAIK I wouldn't be able to use my President's Circle benefits (guaranteed upgrade, availability) nor earn Gold Plus Rewards. For me this combo works and achieves what I need for now. FWIW I also looked at the long term rental options and this still comes out much cheaper, oddly.

 

[docjames]

While I could do that, some of the things I rely on wouldn't work for me (unless the counter agent is really friendly and does it anyway!). I like the benefit of booking group A/B and getting a guaranteed upgrade as well as accumulating points which I can then use for other rentals etc.

I'm surprised there's no charge for one way (or minimal?). In some cities I find they're happy for you to drop it at any depot (CPT was a good example) but in LON you'll get slugged a £50 one way charge picking up LHR and dropping off LGW for example.

This does seem to vary a bit. Last year we had a pick up at London city airport and a drop off at marble arch with no one-way fee.

 

[Flashback]

This does seem to vary a bit. Last year we had a pick up at London city airport and a drop off at marble arch with no one-way fee.

That's nice! I wish that applied for LGW/LHR as I swap between the 2 quite a bit depending on where I'm arriving/departing from!

 

[docjames]

Yeah I think the airports are the exception - we did LCY because we were staying near O2, and it was convenient.

We ended up doing return there too in the end (I changed it at the last minute). But I could have done any London metro depot for same rate (no one-way fee).

 

[Flashback]

@Flashback have you looked at long term rental with Hertz - they did have some good deals at one stage - and there is another company mainly in Scotland (name escapes me now but I can find out if you want) that had some good deals

A nice little 'trick' I've come across, I e-mail the LGW depot (you can do the same for any location if you have their address, I have them for both LGW and LHR) and you can ask them to rollover your rental. Obviously you do this on the day your rental ends and the new one starts, based on it being the same booking type i.e. same group.

I book a week at a time as the price is no different / better than longer term, so it gives me flexibility. When I have a car I'm happy with, rather than drop in and change it each week I just e-mail them and ask for it to be rolled over. Easy and saves me the trip, hassle plus fuel to get out there etc.

 

[Flashback]

Well, rang today to do my next 10 weeks worth of bookings and being told it absolutely can't be done - system won't let them.

Next steps ...... cancel all my bookings and go use another provider, raise a complaint with the equivalent of the ACCC over here for pricing disparity and forcing you to pay the higher price if you want to keep the booking.

 

[ozfflyer]

AFAIK I wouldn't be able to use my President's Circle benefits (guaranteed upgrade, availability) nor earn Gold Plus Rewards. For me this combo works and achieves what I need for now. FWIW I also looked at the long term rental options and this still comes out much cheaper, oddly.

upgrades are often not worth anything. Wholesaler rates are often so much cheaper than direct, who cares about a few frequent renter points.

 

[Flashback]

Upgrades work well for me, LGW really looks after me. Did HUACA and got it sorted, so seems to be the case of a difficult agent and/or computer says no .. i.e. not knowing which system to really use

 

[ozfflyer]

Upgrades work well for me, LGW really looks after me. Did HUACA and got it sorted, so seems to be the case of a difficult agent and/or computer says no .. i.e. not knowing which system to really use

Think you need to check out a wholesalers rates. PM me & will give you info on one we use all the time.

 

[k_sheep]

picked up in LA once & dropped off Vegas & no one way fee(or it was built in). Picked up Denver & Vail airports many times & dropped off Frisco & each of those times, cost around AU$120 for 24 hours all inclusive. (the drive between Denver & Frisco is about 90 mins. Vail airport to Frisco, just over the hour, so not far apart. The crazy part is Frisco depot, right in the middle of ski country, is not open Sat urday pm or at all on Sundays.

California and Nevada are regarded as one entity by rental car companies so shouldn't be any drop off charges.

I have always asked why my Preferred number always doubles the cost in Australia-nowhere else.Most agents haven't a clueOne did tell me it was because without my number in no insurance is paid-But the insurance is advertised as complimentary not only with preferred but with the agreement you have with my organisation so you are telling me Avis is guilty of false advertising and i should go to Consumer Affairs-so my number was added and nothing extra for insurance.

In August, I'm picking up in SFO city, dropping off in LAS airport 5 days later and the one way fee is minimum $81 USD, with most charging $300 USD! The ones that don't charge the 'fee' are triple in price.

Not sure what I'm missing?

Sadly I had a booking SFO-LAS (both airports) with Alamo that didn't have a one way fee, but I stupidly cancelled it when I saw a cheaper deal (then after cancelling, realising the cheaper deal had the $300 one way fee). So lost AUD $200 there *cries*

 

[drron]

Well just priced a 5 day rental on the Avis US site without my preferred number in-$US160 SFO-LAS.
But on the Australian site with my preferred number in $US395.
Neither had a drop off fee.But guess why in the US I often book on the US site.

 

[k_sheep]

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.

 

[drron]

Actually I was psychic because those are the dates I chose.gets more interesting.It was for a full size car.

 

[k_sheep]

Spooky!

Right I'm going to get hubby to try ... will see if it's something in our IP address .... otherwise I'll meet you at the pub and get you to reserve it for me!

Edit: his computer also the same $356. My mobile phone (on 4g not wifi so should have different IP address) the same.

Buggered if I know!

 

[Frequent boarder]

Think you need to compare a wholesalers site. Usually much cheaper thsn direct. When I'm next on a computer not a dumb phone I'll check