Help! Car Rental advise
 

Although I have rented cars in the past, I could still use some help. I am totally lost when it comes to finding good deals. I will need a car in April 15-20 Houston (Hobby) and can't seem to find any really good deals. The last time I rented one was over a weekend and I guess rates are lower then. With this being during the week the lowest I have found is Advantage $175.75 intermediate size car. Which equals about $35 daily!!! That seems high to me???? When it comes to renting a car I just feel so naive and often feel like I have been taken advantage of with all the "hidden" fees, like extra insurance, etc. Is it just me, or does everyone else feel like this? Who do you think offers the best deals?
Any tips you could share would be greatly appreciated.

Have you searched all the travel web sites to see what they're offering?

And how long since you've rented a car?

I must say I think that's an amazingly low price for such a big car - since here is in NYC the only thing less than $100 per day is Rent a Wreck.

If saving money is that important why not go for a smaller size car?

As for the extras - ask in advance about airport taxes etc. And double check with your credit card and own car insurance - don;t see why you should take any insurance.

katiekate,

i usually go to expedia first and they are a good thermometer for how much cars are going for at the time i need to book. from there, i go directly to the web site of the rental company that shows the lowest fares and see if they have any offers. usually last minute offers are the best. i've rented a car for $18/day (mid size) in san diego because of last minute fares.

another way to go is priceline - name your own price. you can do one bid every 3 days so make it count. try at least $25/day for a mid size and see if you have any takers. the only thing about priceline is they charge your card right away but it works out ok for me in the end.

good luck!

go to www.orbitz.com
they list all the rental companies & various sizes on one page for easy comparison. I saw $159 total for your dates for a midsize.
If a member of Costco go to their website and go to 'travel' then 'rental cars' and try what pops up with the companies they use...Budget, Alamo, Avis, etc. Good luck

Also, if you have a Costco membership, check out their website. They offer a member discount to several companies as well as free upgrades, dollars off a weekly rental, etc.

With that, I don't think $35 a day for an intermediate car is too bad. I usually consider it a good deal if I can get a Compact or Economy car at $25 per day.

And definitely check with your insurance company. As long as they will insure you, then there's no need to pay the daily rate for the rental company's insurance.

Also, watch when you sign and make sure they don't add in those "hidden" fees that you refused when you reserved the car, but they add in when you pick up the car.

Thanks everyone. I will try those suggestions. I found the price quote I mentioned on Travelocity.
NYtraveler: guess Texas prices are much lower than NYC like everything else. Last time I rented a car was a couple weeks ago for approx. 19.00 per day + add on's from Enterprise and it was a full size car! (it was a weekend special they were running.) That was what I was using for my reference...I have now been spoiled!!!
I HAD to sign up for the minimum insurance because I did not have my insurance verification form. They said I could not wave the insurance since I was from out of state and didn't have the form. Does this make sense? I probably need to check into this???? Again, thanks everyone.

I have found that Hotwire usually has the best deals for rental cars..
I will also check Expedia too to see what they are charging..

No that doesn't make sense, but Enterprise is famous for that scam. Call your Visa or mastercard, you are probably covered through your credit card as well.

Try Alamo.com using CorpID 261390 and coupon code AD1336ADK

Katiekate, if you are anyone else ever forget your insurance card just call your agent and have them fax a verification to the rental office.

Enterprise is notorious for pushing their "insurance waiver" on customers. It got so bad that there were lawsuits filed. I believe you were scammed.
That said, weekends are always cheaper, and $35 /day is not a bad rate at all. With a 5 day rental you generally qualify for weekly rates which offer somewhat of a break. You may need to go directly to the company;s sites to get that, however. I usually try some combination of Travelocity, Orbitz or Expedia to see what they offer then book with the company directly.

That's not a bad rate if all-in. Hotwire for mid-size is $184. One problem is the very high tax rate for rental car in Houston. About $7.5/day is tax. [You're paying for our nice new ballparks.]

I would try Priceline. But watch the tax and fees. Start bid at no higher than $20.

katiekate - Here is another vote to try www.hotwire.com after you have checked all the above for offers.

Good luck.

Sandy

I have never been asked for proof of insurance.
Should I be bringing something with me?
I am not sure that I have ever been given an insurance card.

If you have auto insurance they will always provide you with 2 insurance cards and you must have one with you at all times when driving. (What if you have an accident - what proof of insurance do you give the other driver? the police? Technically you would be driving without insurance until you show proof to the authorities.)

The rental car company provides liability insurance. That's the only way the car can be legally driven on public roads. There is an insurance card inside the car.

What you bring to the table is coverage for the rental car itself. It can be through your credit card (most covers it), your own insurance, or you're just personally liable if you crash the car.

This is what I'm talking about!!!! It shouldn't be so difficult nor having the feeling they are out to "stick it to you!!!" I do appreciate your comments and suggestions. Sounds like I'm not the only one feeling this way.