Need a good price on a rental car

In a few weeks, we’re going on a road trip. We want to get a rental car for the trip. My brother-in-law works for a rental car place, and may be able to get us a discount, but he also said we may be better off checking online for a good deal. I already looked at Priceline. The thing is that you can’t really “shop around” there. Once you put in your price and info, it says that you are required to take that deal. Does anyone know a good place where we can do a comparison and get a pretty good deal online?

http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=69744

I wondered the same thing.

In a nutshell: Goto each rental internet site and look at their specials, also if you have one of those entertainment coupon books they usually have some decent coupons in there. Also, AAA members can get some discounts.

Priceline is hit and miss, I’ve had mixed results from there.

Also,

http://www.orbitz.com has been advertising itself lately on the same model as priceline, but with better deals. Haven’t personally used it, though.

I spent a few years managing for the big yellow company. Try some of these techniques.

Even after you have a reservation, don’t give it away when you get there. Ask for daily specials or walk-up rates first and see if they can beat what the res center quoted you. If they can, great. If not it just looks like you’re cheap.

DFW is great for this tactic…Take your reservation and rate to a competitor and ask them to beat it. DFW has a consolidated rental facility (everyone under one roof) so you have about a dozen places to check with. My insider information is that the rental car companies are all cutting each others’ throat trying to take away business. Other airports might be more difficult, but if you see two or three counters it doesn’t hurt to ask.

Book the smallest car available. At most of the majors, those sub-compact rental rates are there to just get you in the door. Our fleet was mid-sized vehicles and larger (for the business demand) and very few were compact to sub-compact cars. At my location, I would guess that about 90% of the people booked into a sub-compact received a free upgrade to a mid-size car or better.

If, in the very slim chance they actually have the rollerskate on wheels you booked, you can always upgrade for just a bit more per day. The reps get payed bonuses off of the add-ons they sell (upgrades, CDW, fuel)and they will work with you. I’ve seen folks go out the door in Volvos for just $40-$50 daily using this technique. Usually, Volvos were closer to $70 a day.

Finally, if it is mid-week and you are booked into a full-size car (a Ford Taurus or similar) ask for an SUV for free. We always had tons of these sitting around during the week because business travellers don’t like them and we would usually cut deals or give them away just to get them off the lot for a day or two.

Hope this helps, safe driving.