OT: Using Priceline to Rent A Car

[jimmywilson69]

Has anyone done this? I've never used the name your own price and I don't want to end up screwed, since the reservation is non-cancelable, refundable, etc,

I have a reservation with National at Denver Airport, and it's within our group of 4's budget. However Priceline name your own price said there is a very good chance that I could get the same class of car for $28/day cheaper.

thanks

Kevin

 

[gmcunni]

Has anyone done this? I've never used the name your own price and I don't want to end up screwed, since the reservation is non-cancelable, refundable, etc,

I have a reservation with National at Denver Airport, and it's within our group of 4's budget. However Priceline name your own price said there is a very good chance that I could get the same class of car for $28/day cheaper.

thanks

Kevin

i've booked a few hotel rooms via priceline and was very happy.

 

[noski]

I recently reserved a car with Budget using CostcoTravel.com. I am hopeful when we go to claim the rental next week the bottom line dollar actually reflects the $200 savings I realized by using Costco online.

 

[jimmywilson69]

I guess that is what I am afraid of. I get there and it's more than what I initialy paid for and then even worse it's more than the refundable reservation I have with National.

 

[hammer]

I guess that is what I am afraid of. I get there and it's more than what I initialy paid for and then even worse it's more than the refundable reservation I have with National.

Do you have to pre-pay?

The fees are always estimated (or should I say underestimated), but the base rate should be the same or close to what you paid. When I last reserved a rental through USAA the rate at the Budget counter was a few dollars (less than $10) more for a whole week. I could have tried to argue it down but they were giving me an SUV for the same price that I paid for a premium car.

 

[jimmywilson69]

With priceline name your price, you are locked in. That doesn't mean there isn't additional fees. I still haven't read all of the fine print.

 

[Vortex]

I just booked a car a couple weeks ago for the Denver airport going to Winter park next week.

I used hot wire and found what the rates were. Then I called the rental agency and said would you match? i wanted to make sure I got car where the seat folded down and at least had front wheel drive. Can't get that info specified on those sights. They did. I used pay less at the Denver airpot. Don't have the number its wth my resevations at home. I think I got a mid sized car for $22 per day.

 

[hammer]

I just booked a car a couple weeks ago for the Denver airport going to Winter park next week.

I used hot wire and found what the rates were. Then I called the rental agency and said would you match? i wanted to make sure I got car where the seat folded down and at least had front wheel drive. Can't get that info specified on those sights. They did. I used pay less at the Denver airpot. Don't have the number its wth my resevations at home. I think I got a mid sized car for $22 per day.

You bring up a good point...with car rentals, sometimes you can try to negotiate with the people at the counter. On our trip to UT we saw that they were renting 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokees and we are interested in buying one, so we arranged an upgrade for $20/day over what we initially paid. Was worth the $$ for an extended "test drive".

 

[deadheadskier]

No rhyme or reason to why some sites are cheaper than other. This thread reminded me that I needed to rent a car for an upcoming trip to Florida in April. I got regected all the way up to $45 through Priceline, so I went and checked Expedia. Got one for $33/day. This is for a compact car, which is all the two of us will need down there. Thought it was a decent deal for peak travel season in Florida. Most companies were charging $60 and up. Thrifty had the best deal.

 

[wa-loaf]

I booked a small SUV with Enterprise through Southwest when I went to Tahoe. Turned out I needed a bigger vehicle for all our buds and they were awesome. The manager pretty much let us pick whatever vehicle we wanted in the lot and just bumped the price a couple bucks a day. Not sure if it's just in Reno, but the customer service from Enterprise gets a big thumbs up from me.

 

[o3jeff]

I booked a small SUV with Enterprise through Southwest when I went to Tahoe. Turned out I needed a bigger vehicle for all our buds and they were awesome. The manager pretty much let us pick whatever vehicle we wanted in the lot and just bumped the price a couple bucks a day. Not sure if it's just in Reno, but the customer service from Enterprise gets a big thumbs up from me.

I've learned that with Enterprise that you just reserve the cheapest car they have and when you go to pick up the car they will upgrade you for minimal money.

 

[drjeff]

No rhyme or reason to why some sites are cheaper than other. This thread reminded me that I needed to rent a car for an upcoming trip to Florida in April. I got regected all the way up to $45 through Priceline, so I went and checked Expedia. Got one for $33/day. This is for a compact car, which is all the two of us will need down there. Thought it was a decent deal for peak travel season in Florida. Most companies were charging $60 and up. Thrifty had the best deal.

That's what I often find too, all over the country

 

[snoseek]

I just booked a car a couple weeks ago for the Denver airport going to Winter park next week.

I used hot wire and found what the rates were. Then I called the rental agency and said would you match? i wanted to make sure I got car where the seat folded down and at least had front wheel drive. Can't get that info specified on those sights. They did. I used pay less at the Denver airpot. Don't have the number its wth my resevations at home. I think I got a mid sized car for $22 per day.

I used hotwire and had a compact for 10 days out of Denver for 7.95 a day, like 123 i think total with fees. It was through enterprise. I returned the car with 1600 miles on it, a case or so empty beer cans in the back and it smelled like x-mas tree weed. :beer:

Hotwire worked well for me, the car was a complete peice of shit however.

Have fun in WP bob. Drink lots of water!

 

[Vortex]

You know how to travel. snowseek.:razz:

 

[noski]

Costco Travel

I am back from FL and here is how it all turned out with the rental: I used Costco Travel to book the car, with reservation quoted at $306 for 10 days, including fees, not including the full tank of gas option, estimated at $50 additional.

In error and unknowingly, I clicked the wrong Ft Myers location for pickup, and was charged a premium price. I ended up paying about $600 upon turning in the car at Orlando Airport. I thought, yup, duped.

After returning this past weekend, I emailed Budget, gave them the original confirmation number with base rate, and the resulting reservation number and higher base rate.

They brought to my attention my error in clicking the wrong pick up location, but after a day review, they returned $220 to my AmEx, so in the end with $50 gas I paid $440 for 10 days, unlimited miles, pick up at one location and return at another location. I would use Costco Travel again, I think.

oh, and we had a 2011 Chevy Cruz.

 

[Geoff]

I used hotwire and had a compact for 10 days out of Denver for 7.95 a day, like 123 i think total with fees. It was through enterprise. I returned the car with 1600 miles on it, a case or so empty beer cans in the back and it smelled like x-mas tree weed. :beer:

Hotwire worked well for me, the car was a complete peice of shit however.

Have fun in WP bob. Drink lots of water!

This was in-town in Denver, not at the airport?

 

[snoseek]

This was in-town in Denver, not at the airport?

It was actually at the airport, or at least a 5-10 minute shuttle. Hotwire runs some pretty cheap deals sometimes, I lucked out on that one though!

 

[Vortex]

I showed them I upgraded to a Explorer like I have at home, glad I did. Its snowed like a bastard.