Coming to town for vacation at the end of Feb, need car rental advice!!! (2013, insurance)

[ijamez]

The last time I was in PHX I was in Peoria with some family and had them pick us up from the airport...We stopped by one rental place (Fry's grocery had a Hertz or something in it) and checked out their "fleet"...They only had a few cars, none of which I liked...Down the road was Enterprise and I called them to see what they had to rent...Basing off the prices that (Hertz) was quoting me (like 400-500 for the week IIRC), I just basically lied to the Enterprise people and told them I was "down the road at Hertz right now (you gotta pick a close-by competitor that they hate losing business to, not someone clear across the Valley!) and Hertz said they could give me a mid size car for 295 bucks"-(which they didn't) just to see what would happen...They price matched me with a new Taurus (still a lame car but better than the other lame options) for the 295...

The numbers are irrelevant, the point however is that they are negotiable on the prices; especially if you pick a close-by competitor and tell them you are there right now ready to fork over your money unless they can do something better...Of course your under-25 surcharge will always be more but the concept should remain the same...Do your homework before you call to get them to compete over you...

[goolsbyjazz]

Unfortunately, it is an expensive time of year to visit. Besides the ridiculous car rental rates because of spring training, our winter months draw many visitors in general. Hotels also raise their prices significantly. I would not trust the Craigslist suggestion for a rental as there are many scams out there.

[Zippyman]

one strategy ive used is to lock in a rate reservation at costco & then try to beat that rate using priceline. if you get a better deal on priceline, cancel your costco reservation. for a two day rental, id probably just bite the bullet if the rate wasnt too awful though..

ive gotten the best rates about 60-90 days early.. if youre only a few days out the rates start creeping up..

[MN-Born-n-Raised]

Originally Posted by Zippyman

one strategy ive used is to lock in a rate reservation at costco & then try to beat that rate using priceline. if you get a better deal on priceline, cancel your costco reservation. for a two day rental, id probably just bite the bullet if the rate wasnt too awful though..

ive gotten the best rates about 60-90 days early.. if youre only a few days out the rates start creeping up..

+1 for Costco rates. It's always smart to lock in early. Look at the rates online at the a day before too. About a 1/4 of the time I've gotten a better deal and re-booked.

[Deasnake]

I do not have a Costco membership, so that option will not work for me, however I did look into the priceline negotiation option, it kinda seems too good to be true, how does that really work?

[MN-Born-n-Raised]

Originally Posted by Deasnake

I do not have a Costco membership, so that option will not work for me, however I did look into the priceline negotiation option, it kinda seems too good to be true, how does that really work?

I've had ZERO luck with Price line. I've tried it 5 times and never got a deal. I've given up.

[TiredOfyycCold]

Originally Posted by Deasnake

I do not have a Costco membership, so that option will not work for me, however I did look into the priceline negotiation option, it kinda seems too good to be true, how does that really work?

There are set prices... which look to be refundable and "Name your own prices" or bidding - which are non-refundable/changeable. For these you put in your "bid", but before the site tells you if it is accepted... you have to guarantee it with a credit card, WHICH WILL BE CHARGED if your bid is accepted, so you should be comfortable with the rate. We did successfully use priceline once (maybe twice?) for a car rental and definitely a couple of times for last minute hotels.

It definitely is not a scam - but I don't think it tells you "exactly" what those extra charges will be for drivers under 25 on the set price section.
For the "Name your own Price" deals I found this:
"Minimum Age Requirements

Priceline.com offers car rentals to drivers between the ages of 21 and 24 years old in select locations. Rentals for drivers between the ages of 18 and 20 are available in New York only. Enter the details of your trip and we'll tell you if we can fulfill your request.

Those companies that allow renters under the age of 25 charge Young Renter Fees. These fees typically start at $20 per day and can be as much as $50 per day for high cost locations or more desirable car types. For example, a rental car that normally costs $30 per day could cost an underage driver at least $50 per day.

With priceline.com, you should include these additional fees in your offer price. If your request is accepted, you will not be charged any additional Young Renter Fees at the rental counter.

Please note: All drivers will be required to present a valid driver's license in order to pick up a vehicle and each driver's age will be verified at the rental counter. If the driver's age was misrepresented during the offer process, the driver will be subject to underage fees at the rental counter.

If we are not able to fulfill your request and you still need a rental, click here to see other options from our partners who rent to drivers under the age of 25. To prevent surprises, be sure to inquire about the Young Renter Fees that will be charged to you at the rental counter."

So someone over the age of 25 (me) would typically bid $15-$18 day for a compact car... you would have to bid minimum of $35-$38 and likely even higher depending on the Young Renter Surcharge. AND be aware that the bid price is car rental only and does not include the myriad of taxes and fees from Sky Harbor which are roughly EQUAL to the amount of the rental cost.

My next car which I am renting from Feb 8-15 is $106.19 (or roughly $15/day) for the rental and $99.98 for the taxes and fees = total cost of $206.17 for the week, so all in just under $30/day. A bid in priceline would be $15/day BUT with taxes you have to remember you will be paying roughly double your daily bid (plus your under 25 surcharge).

[grassfeeder]

check Kayak right now. Just got a full-size through Thrift for $100 cheaper than going through Thrift's site directly for the same car. Never seen that much of a discrepancy. $390 down to about $290 for 7 full days from PHX.

Dates: Feb 22-Mar 1

I am over 25 though....

[Steve Pickering]

I have used Rent-a-Dent for longer term stays.

[Deasnake]

I will have to keep looking, thank you for all the help