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Started By
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Rental Cars
Posted on 4/5/16 at 7:29 am
Posted on 4/5/16 at 7:29 am
My wife and I are taking a trip to the Grand Canyon for my 30th birthday in August. We were considering driving because we want to hit up Arizona and some stops through Texas on our way back to Houston but found a flight to Phoenix for $300 total through Southwest so we're flying and plan on renting a car to drive back to Houston.
How in the hell are rental cars 3 times more expensive than flying? I can't find anything lower than $900 for a 6 day rental (even the economy class vehicles). It seems the hiccup is the one-way fee these car rental places tack on...some as much as $600. I once rented a car Friday-Saturday-Sunday to drive to Baton Rouge through Avis and it was $80 for the weekend.
This just blows my mind how expensive they are. Any tips from the consistent travelers out there?
How in the hell are rental cars 3 times more expensive than flying? I can't find anything lower than $900 for a 6 day rental (even the economy class vehicles). It seems the hiccup is the one-way fee these car rental places tack on...some as much as $600. I once rented a car Friday-Saturday-Sunday to drive to Baton Rouge through Avis and it was $80 for the weekend.
This just blows my mind how expensive they are. Any tips from the consistent travelers out there?
14
Posted on 4/5/16 at 7:31 am to ag3ntpurpl3
Costco
Become a member and rent cars from them
Become a member and rent cars from them
Posted on 4/5/16 at 7:35 am to ag3ntpurpl3
quote:
Any tips from the consistent travelers out there?
Don't drive one-way.
Posted on 4/5/16 at 7:35 am to ag3ntpurpl3
quote:
I can't find anything lower than $900 for a 6 day rental (
I rent vehicles for vacation every year. Usually end up with 8 days minimum due to most offices being closed on Sundays. I've never paid more than about $500 for the rental and we always have large vehicles.
You're not doing it right.
Posted on 4/5/16 at 7:36 am to ag3ntpurpl3
you rent cars? 
Limos or lose.
Limos or lose.
Posted on 4/5/16 at 7:36 am to ag3ntpurpl3
when you drop a rental car off at a different location, much less a different state, the drop off fees are a ton...one way rental cars can double in price just for this reason alone.
Posted on 4/5/16 at 7:38 am to ag3ntpurpl3
Why would you fly AND drive? One or the other.
Posted on 4/5/16 at 7:38 am to ag3ntpurpl3
Why would you fly AND drive? One or the other.
Posted on 4/5/16 at 7:40 am to ag3ntpurpl3
must be the one-way rental... yesterday i rented an SUV for 8 days for a trip at the end of the month for $350
Posted on 4/5/16 at 7:40 am to ag3ntpurpl3
quote:
It's generally cheaper to return the car to where you got it is because if you don't, somebody else will generally have to. Point to point rentals are rare, so when they happen, it throws off the very carefully managed inventories of multiple rental lots. Suddenly, one lot is short a car, and another lot has a surplus. In order to rebalance things, they either need to hope somebody wants to reverse your itinerary (unlikely), incentivize somebody to do so and lose money offering them a bargain, or pay an employee to transport the vehicle.
Posted on 4/5/16 at 7:50 am to BigJuicyJumbo
quote:
Why would you fly AND drive? One or the other.
Amazing you made it far enough into the post to ask this question but somehow missed the answer in the same paragraph.
Posted on 4/5/16 at 7:52 am to ag3ntpurpl3
I rented a car for 11 days last summer through Costco and it was $230, everything included.
I can't find a deal remotely that good anymore, I don't know why it was so cheap then.
I can't find a deal remotely that good anymore, I don't know why it was so cheap then.
Posted on 4/5/16 at 7:54 am to ag3ntpurpl3
"Relocation Charge" is standard in the Car Rental business. Some routes and markets don't have them if there's already pressure in the market naturally for units to move from one city to another. Rental cars end up in Las Vegas from California, and then people fly out of LAS and leave the car there for the rental company to have to return the excess cars to California. I once rented LAS to LAX and paid no relocation charge. Last year I did Seattle (SEA) to Vancouver Airport with no up charge.
tl/dr:What route the OP is suggesting doesn't coordinate well with the rental industry's needs, hence the hefty pricing.
tl/dr:What route the OP is suggesting doesn't coordinate well with the rental industry's needs, hence the hefty pricing.
Posted on 4/5/16 at 7:58 am to ag3ntpurpl3
There is one main provider that doesn't charge more for one way. I can't remember who it is, but several business associates all use that same carrier due to their frequent travel logistics that require different pickup / drop off points.
Check around.
Check around.
Posted on 4/5/16 at 8:11 am to lsunurse
quote:
Costco
Become a member and rent cars from them
or try AAA or USAA if you are a member of either.
Posted on 4/5/16 at 8:23 am to ag3ntpurpl3
Sometimes they let you do a one way if there is a need. Try pricing driving from Houston to Phoenix. They may need cars in Phoenix. More people are leaving Houston due to the oil bust.
Posted on 4/5/16 at 9:57 am to ag3ntpurpl3
I just went to Enterprise and selected a full size car for 6 days in May from Phoenix airport to downtown Houston. It was $110.
In August, it jumped to $1,000.
Take your vacation early and save $900.
Happy Birthday!
In August, it jumped to $1,000.
Take your vacation early and save $900.
Happy Birthday!
This post was edited on 4/5/16 at 10:04 am
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