The car hire tips thread

[SteveJ]

Anyone have any tips on how to get the cheapest car rental across the pond? My usual steps are:

– Try BA/Avis’s dedicated booking page, results for both Budget and Avis
– Go via Virgin’s car hire page to use their member’s discount
– Try Avis and Hertz directly, logged in as member (from Amex Platinum Charge Card)
– Cross check vs carrentals.com

Anything I am missing?

I find Budget and Avis to be cheaper via the BA route, and Hertz cheapest via Virgin. Am I meant to use a specific code when booking as member to get the Platinum discount? I find the logged in member rates are worse than the BA/Virgin rates!

Lastly, as Platinum Charge Card holder I get their car hire insurance, does that mean it’s safe to book on the US sites with their lesser insurance as standard? If so any tips on finding the best price?

For what it’s worth looking to hire in Phoenix.

• This topic was modified 54 years, 4 months ago by .

[jj]

It’s worth also checking an online broker or two, such as Holiday Autos or Easycar (I have used both with no issues). Also check Enterprise/Alamo directly, as their prices are often lower than Avis or Hertz and I have always had very good experiences hiring from them.

[JenT]

For the Avis & BA partnership, if you are flying with BA, also go through Manage My Booking for prices – there is greater choice that way sometimes compared to the AvisBA site.

For Hertz, you should have your member profile set up to include the Amex Platinum code (it shows up as AMEX PLAT EMEA) but if not, the CDP you need to enter is 633306.

Prices are significantly different on Hertz depending on the country website you use. Go to Hertz.com, log in, and it will take you to the UK site (EN/GB in top right hand corner). Change that to the US site (click on EN/GB) so that it says EN/US. Make sure you are still logged in and it is definitely the US site.

Prices in the US don’t include insurance as standard (this is why they are cheaper). We’ve never had a problem with the Amex Platinum coverage and the terms of the Amex policy state that you should decline all offered coverage.

If you rent from Phoenix SkyHarbor at Hertz, they have an Ultimate Choice system. You get directed to a particular area of the car park and can pick whatever you want. Make sure you are registered for Hertz Five Star (free through Amex Platinum) and if you have better status with anyone else, Hertz will match it. Last month we paid for the small SUV group and were put into the President’s Circle area with much better cars.

Let me know if you need any more information. At the moment, we are almost always renting with Hertz – two years ago it was Avis, but now they seem to be very expensive for us.

[masaccio]

Your strategy is sound and pretty much what I do.

My guess is you’re asking because the prices you are seeing are sky high. That’s just down to lack of inventory and if you really want to go, you’ll have to suck it up I’m afraid. We’ve decided against a roadtrip to the US for exactly this reason. Coast-to-coast a couple of years ago was 1500 quid including the one-way fee. Same thing next summer is over 4 grand for pretty dull cars.

Best suggestion I could offer is book something fully refundable and see if prices drop if new car availability improves. This is doubtful for 2022 but worth a go.

[Bill]

I’ve used autoslash

[Blindman67]

Have a look at Expedia.

I’ve booked through them for a Canada trip in June as they had sensible prices as opposed to everyone else.

• This reply was modified 54 years, 4 months ago by .

[SteveJ]

Brilliant thanks everyone, will check later and report back.

Yep prices are sky high, just trying to get best bang for buck, @JenT really liking the possibility of booking small and getting a Hertz Gold upgrade, I’m not sure I had that CDP entered either, so will double check that too.

[JenT]

Good luck @SteveJ! To get the Ultimate Choice section, book a midsize/intermediate class car or higher (Group C or above). You will often be opted-out of Ultimate Choice by booking a Minivan, Truck, SUV, Luxury, Prestige, or Adrenaline car as they are guaranteed types.

[memesweeper]

Priceline used to have great deals.

As others have mentioned, deals are not what they were.

[kjt]

Hi Steve . Also flying into Sky Harbour . Car hire prices in excess of £600 per week at the airport .
Booked with Hertz at Mesa . Premium car for £270 for a week . It’s 11 miles from the airport and on the tram route . This is for a February fly drive .
I am Amex plat and have the Hertz 5 star.

[Paul]

Car hire prices have soared as most rental
Cars cannot exceed a certain mileage before being sold on. Rental firms cannot get cars to replace them due to the electronic parts shortages which mean waiting lists for some models run to 9 months.
Hertz.come/au , the Australian hertz site was always my go to place and another reader provided a comprehensive review of how this worked here on HfP.
I am always intrigued by how others have been able to book on foreign hertz sites while logged in using their U.K. details. I have never been able to achieve this and found the site defaults back to the U.K. and U.K. rates, which needless to say are generally the highest.
I tend to use the discount code on the platinum web site to obtain the deal without logging in

• This reply was modified 54 years, 4 months ago by .

[JenT]

@Paul There is a bit of back and forth when switching countries on Hertz, but it is quick and easy once you get used to it. Just keep an eye on the top right corner to see what site you are on and checking you are logged in.

[Rhys]

I have found the cheapest deals by going via the Hilton car rental portal. Got me the cheapest rates in the US and Santorini, oddly.

[SteveJ]

Well well well, Hertz really is quite crazy with its country specific pricing!

Using my method in the OP I started with a Class D booked with Budget for £521 ($700).

So I tried the @JenT method and it worked a charm! Booked a Class C (hope to grab a larger vehicle with Ultimate Choice). Cycled through a few different country options:
– UK, Europe & Aus was priciest at around $700
– US came in at $640
– India was $600
– The Islands beat the lot (I used Bermuda) $440!

@JenT firstly, massive thanks for the tip!
– Any flaw in the above plan? Are they going to ask for Bermuda residence proof when picking up! I booked with my profile logged in, so they know who I am.
– And for Ultimate Choice did I need to select something at booking time or is that just how they operate, maybe I go to the Gold counter to check-in (assuming they have one)?

[JenT]

Well done @SteveJ! I am too lazy to check as many countries as you!

No flaw in the plan – they know who you are and where you come from (Hertz price based on website, not based on where your driving licence was issued like Avis).

No need to pick anything for Ultimate Choice – it’s what they have at PHX. Once you get to the Car Rental Centre, go straight to the cars (as you have Gold membership) and follow signs to Hertz. You’ll see a large video board which should have your name and the section you need to go to (e.g. Gold, Five Star, President’s Circle). Head to those bays and pick what you like. If there is a lot of activity at the time you arrive, it may be worth hanging around for a few minutes to see if more vehicles are being dropped off by the Hertz team. Just grab what you like and head for the exit – you’ll need your driving licence and your rental booking number at the gate. If you are feeling rich by the time you get there, you can pay extra to pick something from the Premium section.

Enjoy – the Phoenix area and Arizona are wonderful.

[Not Long Now...]

Jen T, how do you then get a second driver added? I have previously tried in advance by email and phone, but never managed it, and the excess insurance specifically requires additional drivers to be named on documents not just to be eligible to drive by being spouse/partner or whatever. This always leads to actually having to go to the counter, even if slightly queue jumping as status…

[JenT]

Hertz seem happy enough when I say it is my husband in the USA (we offer his driving licence but they don’t care) – either at the counter or as I leave. The staff at the exit can make amendments to the contract there too I think (major airports). I haven’t had any problems with the Amex Platinum excess insurance on that basis either, although the most I have claimed for is a new tyre after a puncture during the hire.

[JimBurgessHill]

Thanks ever so much JenT for the tip, I’ve got a 2 week June rental in San Diego down from $2441 to $1893 using the India site (incl Amex Plat CDP). It’s “pay later” so will simply keep cancelling and rebooking as & when I see a cheaper deal.

• This reply was modified 54 years, 4 months ago by .

[JenT]

Good job! I still find it fascinating which countries give the best rates at any given time – no rhyme or reason found yet…

[The Savage Squirrel]

Rhys Jones wrote:

I have found the cheapest deals by going via the Hilton car rental portal. Got me the cheapest rates in the US and Santorini, oddly.

Strange one, but this does seem to work. Just shaved $100 off a 10 day hire via Hilton. Better rate than comparison sites or direct. Thanks for the suggestion, Rhys!

[mycity]

JenT, am I missing something here? I am looking at car hire 20 days from MCO STARTING 11th November, using Hertz on the US site a large premium sedan is showing as $514 for the 20 nights, can that be right? I know that’s without CDW etc as my plat will cover this but would appreciate any feedback please

Also Jen have you ever had issues booking through the USA being a UK resident on a UK driving licence
Thanks

• This reply was modified 54 years, 4 months ago by .

[JenT]

Can’t see that it is wrong @mycity! Out of curiosity, how does that compare with the UK site. November isn’t really peak season in central FL so that may also help with the price, and that you are booking so far in advance.

No issues ever with Hertz using US site – I am a UK resident with a UK driving licence, all entered on my Hertz profile with my EMEA Amex Platinum code.

20 nights out of MCO sounds like a great trip!

[mycity]

Thanks @jenT the UK site is pushing double at $1059 which include CDW, the cost on the US site seems so low at £20 a day.

Sorry made an error it’s 11th January this year (no idea why I said November) so we are talking only 9 days away.

[JenT]

Car rental prices almost seem like random number generation sometimes. Looks good so I’d book it (it’s a lot cheaper than what we are paying to pick up in Miami later in January). As long as you book an Intermediate/Group C car or above and you are registered with Hertz Gold (you get Five Star status through Amex Plat) you’ll get the Ultimate Choice section at MCO too – hopefully they will have some nice vehicles to pick from.

[mycity]

Thanks @Jen