We've been invited to friends' party over a long weekend at the end of this month in Sag Harbor. We already have bus tickets DC to NYC that we bought more than a year ago but couldn't use because of a huge snowstorm here in DC on our travel dates, so we're planning to use them to get to NYC, then take a bus ("jitney," our friends call it) to Sag Harbor, then rent a car.

We've looked up Hertz and Avis and National and Enterprise and it seems the going rate for a car rental over a July weekend from Sag Harbor is about $120 a day. Can that be right? I pay about a third of that when I rent in Europe, so just wondering. Any alternatives would be much appreciated.

Yes - that's right. And reserve early - since they often run out of cars.

It's basic law of supply and demand - and cars in NYC those days are about the same prices.

The only way to save money is to rent the car in the city and drive out to avoid paying the more than $100 each fare for the Jitney.

Thanks, nyt. We actually ended up talking to lots of agencies and got Hertz to agree to $63 a day. And we've, I think, figured out that taking the LIRR out to Hampton Bays to pick up the car will cost a good deal less than the jitney.

The Hamptons ain't cheap, are they? Cripes, we're actually going on this trip because we've been invited as guests and have a place to stay for free, but honestly, I think I could go to Paris for a weekend for about the same amount of money.

End of rant. I'm glad to be going anywhere these days!

The Hamptons were never cheap - in the summer it's the home of the uber wealthy. You can find some local places that are more modest - but usually overrun by the young people living 12 to a house.

That's a fantastic price for a summer weekend.

It would probably be even cheaper to rent the car in the city and drive yourselves out thereby avoiding the cost of the LIRR and probably getting a better daily rate. If you do take the train, keep in mind you will likely change in Jamaica which is not that far from where you get on at Penn station. The key is not to worry about a seat from Manhattan to Jamaica but rather to get on the new train at Jamaica and get a decent seat there for the bulk of the trip. The only problem with the train is it doesn't run very frequently. Make sure you check the times of the train in both directions.

But finding a car in NYC for the weekend, mclaurie, can be a challenge of its own!

You can get a rental car in the city for under a $100. per day but of course need to add cost of gas and tolls.

We rent cars regularly on the weekends and yes $120 is the norm. For some reason I am still on the rolls of the company from which I retired and I am afforded a company discount, even though of course I put on my personal credit card. Weekends are blacked out for discounts in Manhattan after 12 noon on Friday until noon on Sunday all year.

Did you reserve before noon? And still expect long lines.

You can rent a car at Hertz Local Edition in Babylon for $85/day. They are closed on Sunday so you have to return on Monday.

tomfuller's post reminds me there's an Avis right near the Carle Place train station in a Holiday Inn (Westbury/Carle Place) and that's probably cheaper. Pam Rental Car is another co. in the Hamptons.

St.-Who knows? This might work. Take the LIRR to the Ronkonkoma station, taxi to the Macarthur Airport where hopefully they have lots of cars to rent and see if it's any cheaper there.Or google car rentals Macarthur apt. long island. Bonne chance.