Comments on: How to get the best price on a rental car

By: The Amateur Financier

The Amateur Financier — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 22:10:08 +0000

Carnival of Twenty-Something Finances – Amazing Anime Edition…

Welcome to all my friends, fellow bloggers and lovers of personal finance information. You are in for a treat today: a brand-spanking new edition of the Carnival of Twenty-Something Finances! Whoo! Since you’re in my neck of the woods now, I t…

By: Bible Money Matters

Bible Money Matters — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 21:26:25 +0000

Thanks for linking to my article about how we found deep discounts on our car rental..

Normally we use Hotwire or a similar discounter to get our flights, hotels and car rentals. The only problem this time was that our car trip started in one location, and ended in another – which meant that we couldn’t use hotwire. hotwire only allows you to book roundtrips from the same location – or rent cars that will be returned to the same location. We were doing neither.

In the end we got a good deal on our rental going through the agency, but normally hotwire ends up getting us a better deal.

By: Rob

Rob — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 17:32:14 +0000

Hotwire gives you good pricing info, but I don’t use it for my final purchase. Here is what I do:

1) Look at Hotwire.com to determine the lowest prices for a car you want.
2) Go to Priceline.com and offer $3-4 less than the quoted Hotwire price.
3a) If your bid is accepted, great! You’re done!
3b) If your bid is declined, you have 2 options:
4a) Adjust your car up or down by one tier (e.g., economy to compact, mid-size to full size, etc.).
4b) Use a different credit/debit card and try again for a slightly higher price. You can do this step as many times as you want as long as you have additional credit/debit cards. You can’t also apply a mix of 4a and 4b.

For the most part, Hotwire and Priceline use the same rental car companies, so that shouldn’t be an issue. The only difference is that you have to put in your credit card info before your transaction. This process only takes a few extra minutes and should save you quite a bit.

CAVEAT EMPTOR: The one drawback from using these sites is that you pay immediately and your rental is set in stone. If something changes and your rental is no longer needed, you don’t get your money back. If there is any chance this may happen, you may consider using some other means to rent a car. There are plenty of coupon codes to be found on the internet if you want to rent directly through a rental car company at a discount. In which case, you are simply making a reservation and you don’t pay until you actually rent the car.

By: Paneh Weekly Roundup #4: Carnival Edition | Paneh Praise Dance Ministry & Mime Ministry

Thu, 15 Oct 2009 17:26:51 +0000

[...] the Anointed Praise Dance Team to minister during worship services while deployed. How to get the best price on a rental car – Being flexible can save you up to 50% on a rental car. I’m going to try this the next [...]

By: Money Saving Tips from the Web | Living Richly on a Budget

Money Saving Tips from the Web | Living Richly on a Budget — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 18:29:56 +0000

[...] How to get the best price on a rental car from Christian Personal Finance [...]

By: Aaron

Aaron — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 17:59:04 +0000

Hi Bob! First, thanks for all the articles. I have enjoyed reading your blog. As far as Hotwire.com goes, it’s official–I love it! They have great deals on hotels as well. This selection system is basically the same as with the rental cars. You pick the desired star rating (1-6 stars) and general location, they show you several options with prices on each, then after payment you get to find out where you’re staying. My wife and I got an awesome deal on a stay at the downtown Charlotte, NC Hilton a couple months ago for just $45 (on a Friday, at that!). Even the cheapest Super 8 Motel in that area is more than twice that.

Bottom line, if you’re looking for a fantastic deal and are up for a little adventure, hotwire.com is definitely for you.

By: M-E

M-E — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 17:54:09 +0000

I am currently looking for a deal on renting a car for ~5 days in Vegas (going for a concert, warmth and R&R – not for the gambling). I have booked a hotel though hotwire – no issues.

I am probably going to book my rental through priceline.com. I am doing the bidding thing. If you have lots of lead time before your holiday, this is great – you bid on the price of your rental (you don’t know who you are renting from, but it will be someone at the airport in my case).

You are probably wondering what sort of rate you can get… just go to
http://www.betterbidding.com
(note – I am not affiliated with the site, but I use it)