I have to go to Los Angeles sometime in July or August, for 5 days. Car rental prices seem to have doubled since last summer. Does anyone know what I should do and does anyone know why the prices are so high?

You need to shop around for rates, and check again every so often because it will change. Check biddingfortravel.com "website for checking car rental rates" or something to that liking, there are a lot of discount codes posted.

Try hotwire.com. We've gotten cars at LAX in the past few months through them a couple of times for about $23/day (plus tax and fees). Just be sure you won't have to cancel - with hotwire you pay when you make the reservation.

I don't know if this is of any use to you, but what I did in January was fly into Burbank and rent a car near the Burbank airport. I had to fly home from LAX, so I returned the car to the pickup point the evening before, and got the supershuttle to LAX from my hotel. I saved quite a bit of money that way, as I recall.

Rentals are higher since 9/11 because many people are still afraid to fly and will rent a car instead for a trip. The car rental companies are taking advantage of this and have raised their rates accordingly. We've rented from Avis at LAX in the past and rates were not too bad, look for discounts, AAA rates, etc. Call and ask the reps too, just don't go by the website, sometimes there are different rates that are not on the web.

I rented a car through Priceline.com for an upcoming trip to LAX. They accepted my bid of $25/day for a full size car through Avis.

TRY FOX Rent-A-Car
Their prices are good

Breezenet is a good one-stop comparison site. Go to bnm.com and check it out.

I have been driving SUV's and trucks for over a decade now, so it was no problem for me. Listened to Clark Howard, rented a Ford Ranger (there are only 2 of us going) out of Santa Ana next August for under $22.00/day, through United.com They post a 15% discount. Good luck

Check Orbitz for rates. Then check www.biddingfortravel.com to see successful Priceline bids. Then bid on Priceline. YOu can save money. Don't pay full price.

Southwest.com......Go there to comparison shop. This site has all the major company's rates and some of the minor ones by size of car. If Fox is the lowest price...try booking it through their web site directly and save $5 a day over the quoted price on Southwest.com. Priceline and hotwire stink in LA...don't try them. I usually end up with foxrentacar.com even though the service is a little slower than the BIG companies because the rates are so low.

You're checking too early. The prices will come down a couple of months before your visit.

For instance, this week, car rentals for Dec at LAX start at $88 per week.

I always book via Travelocity. They have great negotiated rates that I typically can't beat -AND- you do not have to prepay, can cancel if you find something lower.