Car Hire - Haggling with the desk jockey - USA
Discussion
Right. So some mates and myself have booked some hire cars in the states for our impending trip to Florida.
We plunked for a nice convertible. not tooo expensive. and hopefully fun.
This will be my first experience of hire car's outside of Enterprise over here.
I keep on hearing tales of rocking up to the desk to collect your booked car and somehow shoe horning yourself into something more desirable for little or no more $$$.
how on earth does this work?
Anyone fancy giving me a few hints/pointers?
Thanks
We plunked for a nice convertible. not tooo expensive. and hopefully fun.
This will be my first experience of hire car's outside of Enterprise over here.
I keep on hearing tales of rocking up to the desk to collect your booked car and somehow shoe horning yourself into something more desirable for little or no more $$$.
how on earth does this work?
Anyone fancy giving me a few hints/pointers?
Thanks
I do this regurlarly - I go to the US 3 or 4 times a year for work and usually rent a car. I usually pre-pay at Hertz for a focus sized car. When I show up, I wait a little and ask when car they are planning on giving (they don't always have the right car available and may offer something better of nothing anyway). If this is the case, then I usually ask what else they have - they say what are you looking for, and I ask if they have a convertible (for example - knowing I am most likely to get a Mustang from Hertz). Then its a case of haggling, them asking for an additional daily rate - me saying forget about it, I'll take the other car if that is the cost, Being very nice, polite and English as I do it. I often get a mustang coupe or convertible at no extra cost. I have never driven away in a Focus - and have paid an extra $2-5 per day for a Mustang Convertible, $5 per day for a Hummer H3 and the most was $12 per day for a HUGE Lincoln Navigator - I was really disappointed with this negotiation, but the lady at the desk held firm, and I was desparate as the family was flying in to join me within minutes - I was the one that gave in. I could have had the Navigator or an Infiniti FX35 for the same price, but looking at the boot space in the Infiniti, there was no way that would work with the wife's and daughter's shopping plans.
I did exactly this when I went , upgraded from a basic car to a Mustang Convertible (3.8)
Waste of money really , the engine was so lazy and the autobox just wanted to change up at the earliest opportunity.
Out on the highway it was OK but as soon as we hit traffic the sun was too powerful for comfort and we put the roof up and A/C on.
The year after when we went got a Malibu for only a few $ more than a basic model . For the cost it was much better value and certainly no slower, This was in 2001/2002 though so the range on offer will be a lot different
Waste of money really , the engine was so lazy and the autobox just wanted to change up at the earliest opportunity.
Out on the highway it was OK but as soon as we hit traffic the sun was too powerful for comfort and we put the roof up and A/C on.
The year after when we went got a Malibu for only a few $ more than a basic model . For the cost it was much better value and certainly no slower, This was in 2001/2002 though so the range on offer will be a lot different
I have always done this. Found the best method to be really friendly with the desk guy. Use their name liberally (they always have a badge) let them know how much yopu love cars but let them think they know more than you. Have a particular car in mind and haggle like mad. I've had a Dodge Durango for no more than the cost of an econo hatch. A Lincoln Town Car, Camaro and a Chevy Suburban in white. Now that was big and cheap.
Generally in the States I have found that you can talk them in to letting you have a free upgrade using many of the tactics mentioned already. Though I have found it really does help if you are a loyal or regular customer of the car hire firm and then they are pretty flexible to upgrade you at no cost if they have it in stock.
On a side note; can't say I would want a convertible in Florida too damn hot, metal roof and powerful freezing air con all the way for me!!
On a side note; can't say I would want a convertible in Florida too damn hot, metal roof and powerful freezing air con all the way for me!!
A long, long time ago I went to Florida with two mates. Rolled up at the hire counter and the guy goes into his selling routine - Mustang for £10 a day more, we signed up thinking Christmas had come early, easiest sale he'd had all day. He could see were young and on holiday and warned us to keep the beer in the boot and not to drink and drive. His face changed when my very large, ginger, rugby palying mate said that we wouldn't do that as we didn't want to spill any on the seats !! 20 yrs ago, good times.
Edited by SwanJack on Thursday 3rd February 19:15
Hmmm...in recent years I've favoured the convenience of Hertz No1/Avis preferred where you can just turn up and have your car waiting, rather than having to queue and then deal with the desk jockeys......but then we never travel light 
so would never fit everything in anything "compact"...
so would never fit everything in anything "compact"... http://www.carhire3000.com/ use these for starters. Miles ahead of Hertz et al.
If you do use a larger company like Hertz, don't use the airport ones etc, go for a branch more likely to be used by locals if you're not booking online.
If you do use a larger company like Hertz, don't use the airport ones etc, go for a branch more likely to be used by locals if you're not booking online.
Stu R said:
http://www.carhire3000.com/ use these for starters. Miles ahead of Hertz et al.
If you do use a larger company like Hertz, don't use the airport ones etc, go for a branch more likely to be used by locals if you're not booking online.
But then the airport ones will have the bigger choice, at a local depot you will be restricted...If you do use a larger company like Hertz, don't use the airport ones etc, go for a branch more likely to be used by locals if you're not booking online.
One piece of advice - the US-market saloons are barges, pure-and-simple. All the involvement and handling of a Chesterfield sofa. And despite having a 3+ litre V6, they're slower than a boggo Focus/Mondeo because of the ultra-long gearing and the autobox.
Alternatively, if you get offered an upgrade to something European, take it - we had an S40 2.4 (still an auto) when in B.Columbia and Alberta, and it was so much better than the Nissan Ultima/Maxima (forget which - that memorable!) that we had in Ontario it's untrue. Seats both more supportive and comfier, ride a good compromise (less bouncy but still comfy), steering far more precise, visibility better, standard kit better, etc. etc.
First time I've been fulsome in praise of a Volvo, but it was a genuine revelation after a week in a Japanese Chesterfield...
Alternatively, if you get offered an upgrade to something European, take it - we had an S40 2.4 (still an auto) when in B.Columbia and Alberta, and it was so much better than the Nissan Ultima/Maxima (forget which - that memorable!) that we had in Ontario it's untrue. Seats both more supportive and comfier, ride a good compromise (less bouncy but still comfy), steering far more precise, visibility better, standard kit better, etc. etc.
First time I've been fulsome in praise of a Volvo, but it was a genuine revelation after a week in a Japanese Chesterfield...
Switch said:
Right. So some mates and myself have booked some hire cars in the states for our impending trip to Florida.
We plunked for a nice convertible. not tooo expensive. and hopefully fun.
There's nothing fun about driving in Florida, apart from the scenery. Relaxing maybe, but certainly not fun. The traffic just crawls from one set of lights to the next. Out on the highway the speeds are also low and it feels almost rude to do UK motorway speeds. For that reason I've never hired anything sporty out there, best to get something big and comfortable. We plunked for a nice convertible. not tooo expensive. and hopefully fun.
Edited by Webber3 on Sunday 6th February 01:27
Webber3 said:
There's nothing fun about driving in Florida, apart from the scenery. Relaxing maybe, but certainly not fun. The traffic just crawls from one set of lights to the next. Out on the highway the speeds are also low and it feels almost rude to do UK motorway speeds. For that reason I've never hired anything sporty out there, best to get something big and comfortable.
We're not going to Florida for the driving, we're going to watch a shuttle Launch, and then leaving the state. ASAP[quote=Switch`]Optimistic that it doesn't get pushed back again?
fair, We've allowed for it to be pushed back by certain margins within our schedule.
If we miss it, we miss it, but at least we tried.
[/quote]
Yes, sorry I missed the smiley, but booking a holiday to see a shuttle launch, given the delays in the past, is extremely optimistic in my book.
Good luck with it, all the same.
fair, We've allowed for it to be pushed back by certain margins within our schedule.
If we miss it, we miss it, but at least we tried.
[/quote]
Yes, sorry I missed the smiley, but booking a holiday to see a shuttle launch, given the delays in the past, is extremely optimistic in my book.
Good luck with it, all the same.
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