USA car rental - book now or when there?

[rowdyrobbieflyer]

Hey all, what's easier?

I want to book a car to go from LA to SAN FRANCISCO.

Also, is there any useful search tools like Google Flights for car rental?

Thanks heaps guys!

 

[raleyoz]

I have just started using www.amerciacarrental.com , price and service so far has been great. I am an avis corporate and preferred customer but sometimes pricing can be ridiculous. These guys will book you with a second tier company like Dollar or Fox or Enterprise. No big problem cars are perfect but it appears the save cost by having cough staff at check in counter , IME. So a tip, once you select your car , enrolled in there "preferred/Fast/Gold " program usually it us free. And skip the lines.
Also in CA there is usually no one way free between SFO and LAX

 

[Hvr]

I've booked with Enterprise for my imminent LAX-SFO trip and no one way fee at all. One of the reasons I booked ahead was because it is over the Memorial Day long weekend holiday and I wanted to be certain of getting a vehicle.

 

[hedge]

Just remember if you select your residency as Australian, you pay through the teeth.

 

[JohnPhelan]

Just remember if you select your residency as Australian, you pay through the teeth.

Which company are you talking about? (And don't say "all of them", because that certainly isn't true).

 

[raleyoz]

Just remember if you select your residency as Australian, you pay through the teeth.

Not my experience either,

 

[lovestotravel]

Just remember if you select your residency as Australian, you pay through the teeth.

Wrong in most cases

Hertz
If you select USA as your country of residence you don't get insurance coverage as part of the agreement, that's all extra and quite costly
If you select Australia as your country of residence the rate includes most insurances which is why it is more expensive than the USA rate (without insurance)

Most insurance packages through other insurance companies will NOT cover your car fully in the USA

 

[rowdyrobbieflyer]

Well, I booked with Thrifty. Didn't actually pay, so I'm really hoping they can't change the estimated price too much as it's really cheap.

$1 a day in one case.

 

[AdMEL]

Well, I booked with Thrifty. Didn't actually pay, so I'm really hoping they can't change the estimated price too much as it's really cheap.

$1 a day in one case.

Very unlikely to include any insurance, because a) Thrifty rates usually don't and b) it's so cheap.

Insurance will cost in the vicinity of $20-40 per day from Thrifty. Note that you need both CDW/LDW (waiver for damage to rental car) and ALI/LIS (third party legal liability), which are usually separate.

You may be able to get cover elsewhere (e.g. Amex Plat Charge Card), but note that almost all cards and travel insurances only cover the excess, not the full damage cost, which is useless in the US (generally no such thing as an excess). Also note that no card or travel insurance that I'm aware of covers third party legal liability for rental cars - it's specifically excluded (motorised vehicle is the usual term of exclusion).

 

[raleyoz]

the guys I found www.amerciacarrental.com include all insurances.
CDW,TLW,SLI,UMP,CFC,HSC. and were still 50% cheaper than the best corporate rate I could muster from Avis.

FWIW - no I do not work for them.
Just completed my second rental in last 10 days and not 1 issue. Worth a look!!