Car hire cock up

[matt21]

PH I need your help to avoid a big old fee.

I have booked a holiday to drive from New York to Miami.

In hindsight I stupidly booked all the hotels before booking the car hire as looking online it was only £250.

As such a lot of it is not reversible, but went to book car hire yesterday and get landed with a whopping $800 fee for dropping car off in another state which is over 1000 miles away.

Any inside hints and tips. Fees are less elsewhere but hire cost is more, so I'm a net £500 worse off that I expected.

My fault, but any tips much appreciated.

[OliilO]

Get it nicked from your final city destination?

[steveo3002]

could ask on flyertalk.com someone might have some ideas

[Stu R]

Where are you hiring from / looking? I always found Carhire3000 decent but it's been a few years.

Also, try other locations than airport for pickup / dropoff if it's not going to ruin your plans, can save you a few quid.

[Rick Cutler]

Give them a call and ask if there are any other vehicle types from nearby rentals that need moving say they need a 4x4 where you are going?

Alternatively rebook and change cars every two or three days so the car doesn't move too far?

[matt21]

Fortunately I haven't booked yet, so haven't spent the $1000 plus.

Was looking to buy a car but compared to here prices are stupid.

Did look to book multiple cars to avoid fees but didn't really save any cash.

Will keep trying!

[Rick Cutler]

Look at RV one way hire, they often quite cheap as they cost soo much to move ie. no transporters

[davepoth]

My top tip is to try renting in New Jersey rather than New York. I saved $600 by hopping on the PATH train under the Hudson.

http://goo.gl/maps/c7J4y

I rented from this location. In Manhattan a Crown Vic for a fortnight was over $900 with excess mileage charges (I was doing 3,000 miles in two weeks), but it was about $350 all-in in Jersey City.

[matt21]

Tried the RV idea was a good one but going my way didn't work. Clearly more demand NYC to Miami.

Got it below $1000 direct with Hertz. Still not great for one week.

[xcentric]

get a friend to drive it back?

[morgrp]

Buy a cheap car and flog it at the other end? More fun than a hire car!

[cheddar]

morgrp said:

Buy a cheap car and flog it at the other end? More fun than a hire car!

He said he tried that, no good, used cars in the US are crazy money.

I tried it a few years ago and the kind of rust eaten bucket you'd pay £150 for in the UK costs £1500 in the US.

OP, I ended up doing a 'driveaway' from LA to Washington state, I was given 9 days to get there, had to pay a $90 + fuel, the bond was returned on arrival (despite the car being badly smashed by a block of ice on the the way there).

$1000 for a week's rental is crazy money, google is your friend.

[Roo]

Have you tried Avis directly?

Never had a problem with one way rentals around the West coast with them.
Currently got a hire car I picked up in Vegas that I'm going to drop off at LA on Friday with no extra charge. Cost me just over £300 for ten days.

[The Moose]

I did exactly that route back in 2011 - NYC to MIA, but over a 2 week period was circa $800 all in with Hertz. I'm surprised it's now so dear.

[CR6ZZ]

Used Dolllar Rentals on our driving holiday at Christmas. Booked on-line, picked up in Phoenix, Az. and dropped off at LAX. Can't remember the exact costs but it wasn't ridiculous money to pick up and drop off elsewhere.

[Ennoch]

It may or may not work for you but try economycarrentals.com, I used them a few years ago for going from Montreal to JFK and they worked out massively cheaper than anyone else given that it was cross border.

[Ozzie Osmond]

matt21 said:

Got it below $1000 direct with Hertz. Still not great for one week.

Console yourself that it's only just over 2p a mile. One hell of a lot cheaper than driving your own car at home!!

[Saleen836]

What car are you trying to rent?

I have just done a quote through Hertz for a week in August, pick up JFK and drop off at MIA the pre-pay online price for a Ford Focus or similar is £502!

[steveo3002]

if hertz is coming up okay ...press on with em but search for codes

flyertalk.com may help you out , but its fairly easy to get 10-20% off codes , plus 10% cashback with quidco or topcashback , might make it a bit more affordable ?

[mini1380cc]

Roo said:

Have you tried Avis directly?

Never had a problem with one way rentals around the West coast with them.
Currently got a hire car I picked up in Vegas that I'm going to drop off at LA on Friday with no extra charge. Cost me just over £300 for ten days.

Avis gave me a discount specifically because i dropped off in Miami and NOT the pickup location. Think I got $60 dollars back.