Car Rental for Cheap?

[akichan]

I know many of you live on the "mainland" of the USA, but we are from Hawaii, so wherever we visit we always have to rent a car.

Do you have any tips/tricks for getting a cheap car rental? Our biggest problem is that we have 6 ppl traveling (3 carseats) so we definitely need a minivan, and I don't know which car "upgrades" to a minivan. If we rent a full-size car, would the free upgrade be to a minivan? Or something else? Or, can my just-turned-4-yr old use a backless booster? At home I have him in a 5-point high back booster and I think it would be hard to bring him back home into it if I let him ride around in a backless for 2 weeks . . .

Or should we rent a full-size car because a friend will lend us her compact car? I think we could all fit comfortably in those 2 cars, but hesitate because that would mean double the cost of gas (we will likely all go to the same events at the same time) and double the risk of getting into accidents, etc.

And lastly, do you get the extra insurance? I have Visa, AMEX, AAA, and regular car insurance at home. Do I have to go over all my policies with a fine-toothed comb to figure out what they offer in terms of coverage while traveling or using someone else's car? What is covered when you borrow someone else's car, anyway?

[sunnysandiegan]

I have never needed a minivan, so I don't know about that part of your question. Personally, I'd call Alamo or Budget and talk to someone to get an idea of how the "upgrades" work for minivans.

For insurance, it depends on your insurance company. I talk to my insurance agent before traveling nearly every time to ask specific questions about our upcoming trip. We live in San Diego and the rules are different in Mexico (hop, skip, and a jump from our area) than in the continental US. We're about to visit your lovely state and I will be calling our agent this week to discuss the details. She always tells me the scoop about our policy. FWIW, we have State Farm and have never needed the extra insurance offered by rental car companies in the continental U.S. There is some tricky wording when borrowing another person's car versus you loaning your car to someone and I always forget the details on that one. (We've done both and were aware at the time of the rules.)

[Thystle]

I don't think they upgrade into a minivan at most places... mostly because the minivan is like twice the price.


I called my car insurance people and got a car rental rider for $4 more each month. It paid for all the stuff of the over priced rider insurance the rental place wanted you to buy.


I would shop around for prices, and don't forget the AAA card gives you a discount.



Good luck!

[zebra15]

I never ever get the car rental insurance from the rental place its way over priced. I have car rental ins from my reg insurance plan. Car rentals never auto upgrade to mini-vans. Mini vans are $$. its almost less money to rent a SUV then a minivan. I've had good luck going directly to the car rental website and getting price quotes directly from there. Oh and rule #1 never rent from the airport location.

[Bethla]

A lot of places don't even have minivans available. I once got a Ford Expedition for the price of an economy. If you are flying sometimes you can book your flight and there will be pop-ups ads to the side for rental cars. They will give you a coupon code which usually can give you an upgrade or really good rate.

[akichan]

I'm not sure of which SUVs would hold 6 people, so I've kind of stayed away from that category, just assumed I would need a minivan.

I'm thinking of calling some places directly tomorrow.

I had heard that renting from the airport is more expensive, however, I don't think catching a shuttle both ways for 2 ppl to get and return the car would be cheaper than just paying the rate for renting directly from the airport.

Thanks for your advice, keep it coming, please!

[akichan]

Originally Posted by Thystle

I called my car insurance people and got a car rental rider for $4 more each month. It paid for all the stuff of the over priced rider insurance the rental place wanted you to buy.

THAT is really good to hear.

[Satori]

Sign up for the emails from the companies, I just got one from Enterprise for a free double upgrade which would save about $20 a day I'm thinking.