I'm seeing very high prices for car rentals in San Francisco and returning to San Diego. Any suggestions for keeping price down?

Just shop around - one-way rentals are often very expensive.

You'll probably get a better rate renting off-airport (downtown or suburban locations depending on where you are staying) but one-way will still add $$$

Check out Thrifty. I have had good experience with them at their office on O'Farrell Street in San Francisco (415-771-5302).

HTtY

For rental cars, I use Hotwire and Costco. Rental car agencies have several locations in downtown SF.

I've found the best rental prices (saving as much as 60%) using Avis and Budget in San Bruno. They share an office in the back of the Sears Auto Center building at the Tanforan Shopping Center which is adjacent to the San Bruno BART station. San Bruno is one stop before SFO. After you exit BART, you have to walk through the upper parking lot, the upper level of Target, through the shopping center, through Sears, and out to the Sears Auto Center.

You might want to try www.kayak.com

Thanks everyone. I will try all of the above.

Holiday Autos also have no one way rental fees within CA, so give them a try as well. Otherwise it would be Hotwire for me

We like Dollar on O'Farrell ST.They don't have one way drop off fees.

Are you from the States? If so, I don't think Holiday Autos will be an option. They have good deals and one way rentals . . . to visitors from overseas. AFAIK their offers aren't available to US residents (though do check them out - things may have changed)

Correction to directions from San Bruno BART station to San Bruno Avis/Budget office:

1) There are 2 exits at the San Bruno BART station. Exit the station towards the shopping center (not the street).

2) Walk up the ramp towards the shopping center. You'll see V-shaped three-story glass walls.

3) Instead of walking into the shopping center, turn right and walk through the ground floor of the parking structure.

4) The Avis/Budget office is straight ahead, through the parking structure and out to the standalone Sears Auto Center. The office has an awning with the Avis and Budget names and is located next to the auto center's garage bays.

5) It's about a 5-minute walk.

If you have an American Express card, this might work for you. I was having no luck getting a good deal on a car at Dallas-Fort Worth Airport. Then, today, I got a pop-up on the American Express site suggesting I go to Dollar Rent A Car and use the promo code AXFLY. I did, and I am extremely pleased with the result--$150 less than I found anyplace else.

HTtY

PS Dollar and Thrifty are somehow related and I believe Hertz has bought both companies (or is trying to buy them).

Thanks everyone.
Jowalker, san Bruno Budget is definitely cheaper. Just want to confirm, Instead of using Bart to go back to the airport, I will use bart and go back one stop from the city.

If you are going to San Bruno from San Francisco, take either the SFO or Millbrae BART train. San Bruno is one stop before SFO and one stop before Millbrae (Millbrae trains bypass the airport on weekdays before 6pm). The fare from a downtown BART station is $3.95. It's about a 30-miniute ride.

If you are going to San Bruno from SFO, take the BART train one stop. The fare is $7.00.

Please verify the Budget office hours; they have limited hours on Saturdays and Sundays.

The Tanforan shopping center is next to highway 380 which connects to 101.

thanks everyone. I'm going to San Bruno and saving $170 over the $400 rental at the airport. Maybe I should skip Bart and splurge on a taxi. Of course I still don't have a hotel so I'm not sure where I will be located. I'm planning on using Priceline name your own price. Any suggestions on which area I should request?

The best PL zones in SF are Union Square East and Embarcadero/Financial District. If unsuccessful w/ those two then Fishermans Wharf is OK-ish. (definitely not Union Square West