One way car rental

[reddog]

Were flying into Vegas in March for a couple days of fun, then driving down to Phoenix for a wedding later on in the week. Were then flying home from Phoenix and were looking at a one way car rental.

Any ideas or suggestions or simply just bite the bullet and pay the one way premium.

I dont think its that uncommon between these 2 cities to do a one way, as it seems that almost all the agencies offer it, its just that some want a extra $250 for the one way .

Who do you guys use for car rentals?

[zamboni]

I worked at Avis Rent a Car for almost 10 years. Give them a call, always had fairly decent one way rates with unlimited miles. One hint for any person that rents cars out there: Get away from airport locations, the taxes can add up to 28-35% of your daily rate. Alot of times it is cheaper in any city to find out if your hotel has a shuttle from the airport and rent a car at an off airport site close to your hotel.

[reddog]

Zamboni,

Thanks for the tip. I have only been looking at the airport vendors and am surprised at the extra costs associated with renting there. Almost double in my case, and that is without any one way premiums.

Will any location in Downtown Vegas have a one way rental, and do the downtown locations and the airport locations work together or swap cars back and forth.

Should I just call the vendor, or am I better off booking online?

[zamboni]

I just did a dummy reservation to check a rate for you, off airport pick up in Vegas returning 24 hours later to the airport in Phoenix, $128 with unlimited miles. That is total after taxes. Oh and that was for a new convertible.

[zamboni]

BTW, another tip about one ways, rent it for your one way only, don't pick it up and keep it for example for 3 days before going to your final destination. If you do this, you will get your one way rate the entire time you have the car. you are best off to drive it for a few days under the local rates, and have a reservation set up for when you want to do your one way, return it under your local rates, and pick up your one way under your other reservation.

Anyone ever have any car rental questions, don't be shy, I can answer almost all of them.

[reddog]

Thanks again Zamboni, more good tips.

If we rent it at the local rate, and check it back in, you think we will be able to keep the same vehicle at the time of the one way?

We were flying into Vegas on Mar 9, and staying there. (would like wheels) till the 11th, when we head to Phoenix. We will need wheels in Phoenix also. Would be returning the car on Sunday the 15th.

Any suggestions on how to tweak that schedule?

We will need a full size vehicle. 4 adults and luggage. It bothers me when they say "Impala or equal" or the likes. Last time I rented in Sacramento, it said " Pontiac G6 or equal" and I got a Chevy HHR. Other than being ugly, it worked out OK.

[zamboni]

That depends whether or not they will let you keep the same car. Every location pretty much owns their own cars, and once a one way gets dropped in another city du to unforeseen curcumstances, they try to get that car back to its "owning" city. So more than likely for your local rental you will get a Vegas owned car, and for the one, an Arizona car.

Rent your car for picking up in Vegas on the 9th, returning it on the 11th, and have a one way reservation set up for the one way. Then drive to Phoenix, return the car and have another reservation set up for your time there. You will save some $$$$

[reddog]

Thanks again.

[echotrail]

We are going to Phoenix in Friday. A full size rental from Budget at Sky Harbor Airport for 8 days is $425. The same car from an neighborhood Budget location is $236. We will spend $35 for the Super Shuttle to the offsite location and return it at the airport. Total savings is $154 by going off airport.

[Sandmannd]

Trick I learned when traveling is rent the car from someplace in the city. It's cheaper than picking it up at the airport. Then a couple of days later, call and change it to pick up at the airport. You still get the same price but now the added bonus of picking it up right at the airport.

[zamboni]

Trick I learned when traveling is rent the car from someplace in the city. It's cheaper than picking it up at the airport. Then a couple of days later, call and change it to pick up at the airport. You still get the same price but now the added bonus of picking it up right at the airport.

That doesn't work. Rate might be the same, but the taxes are where they get you at the airport locations, and no- the car rental companies DON'T get the money, the state, airport commission and what/whomever else get it. Taxes CANNOT be overridden by anyone, even a manager. Believe me. Like I said earlier, most hotels have shuttles, and unless you are staying at an airport hotel location, you will have much better options at an inner city location. I worked at Avis at the Kansas City Airport, the Minneapolis/St Paul Airport and the downtown Kansas City and Independence, Missouri locations over 9 years.

[zamboni]

ECHO- is that before or after taxes???

BTW, just gotta toot Avis' horn some more, but Avis offers a pick up service within 10 miles and a 24 hour notice, they will pick you up at your hotel, off airport locations.

[echotrail]

Zamboni:

The $236 at Budget in Glendale, AZ. is with all taxes for a full size car. The 8 day rental rate is $198 and $38 are the taxes. I tried entering some discounts codes from various web sites but they always jacked the base price up and after the discount was applied the price was higher that not using a code. (Go figure) There was no added fee for returning it at the airport because thats where they get the car from anyhow. Sky Harbor Airport is a killer. I think they built Arizona on vacationer taxes and fees. I worked for Hertz at the MSP Airport (security) for the past 8+ years but that ended with a layoff last winter 2 days before we went to AZ. (They started early).

[zamboni]

If you worked the counter at Hertz, I might know you. Since the Avis and Hertz counters are connected. I worked at MPS 2000-2002

[echotrail]

You had it good, an indoor job. I worked security an outdoor job at customer exit and QTA from 1999 until Feb '08.

[zamboni]

You guys ever get hit by those car thieves working the rental places?? They would send like 7-10 guys up, lead man would grab a bigger vehicle, like an SUV or mini van and ram the water barriers, then drive out and the others would follow. Quite a deal they had going, right up until they got caught

[echotrail]

That happened to Hertz a couple of years ago at the Service Center lot in St. Paul. A handful of thieves cut the fence and got into the lot in the middle of the night and started up cars at the same time. 1st guy used a large SUV and rammed the fence tearing out a section but got all tangled up. He bailed out and jumped in with the next guy. I think they lost 5 or 6 cars that night.

[reddog]

Rather than starting a new thread, I have another question about the insurance.

Do you guys always use your own insurance, or do you purchase the rental agencies insurance.

I have always not bought the supplemental insurance and been covered with my own.

My FIL and BIL, both say to purchase the rental agencies insurance, because if you have an incident/accident, you can simply hand them the keys, and go about your business, or head home. They both say that if you have an incident with your own insurance, that you may be required to stay around a couple days while getting things straightened out (insurance wise)

What say you all here?

TIA

R

[echotrail]

When I worked for Hertz I used their insurance because it was only $5 a day for employees. Before I worked for them and now after I've been layed off I use my own auto insurance again. I put the charges on the credit card because they will cover $500 of the deductable. I carry my auto insurance info card with me in the event it's needed. Even if you have their insurance they are going to require an accident report. If you have wreck on the way to the airport to drop it off it's going to be a missed flight problem regardless of whos insurance it is.

[zamboni]

With Avis, when you rent they give you your rental agreement jacket, inside that is a incident/accident report. As long as you have filled that out ahead of time, the Avis damage personnel will tak care of everything. They will probably eventually call you, but other than that, not really too bad of a headache.