Rental car fees are ridiculous

Kaido

Elite Member & Kitchen Overlord
Feb 14, 2004
48,688
5,443
136
Got a rental for the week. $350. Fees & taxes...$150. Five hundred bucks total thanks to that. What the heck lol.
 
Nov 8, 2012
20,828
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Got a rental for the week. $350. Fees & taxes...$150. Five hundred bucks total thanks to that. What the heck lol.

Costco Travel yo.

Shows me 4+ car rental places with the prices for each type of car in columns with the lowest price for each car type in bold red. Those are prices with exclusive discounts as well.

Price includes ANY and all fees - unless of course you do something else later (e.g. request a car seat, go through tolls, add insurance, etc...).

https://www.costcotravel.com/Rental-Cars
 

IronWing

No Lifer
Jul 20, 2001
70,165
28,813
136
As they guy at the rental counter in Phoenix explained it. "We took a vote and visitors lost."
 

Kaido

Elite Member & Kitchen Overlord
Feb 14, 2004
48,688
5,443
136
Costco Travel yo.

Shows me 4+ car rental places with the prices for each type of car in columns with the lowest price for each car type in bold red. Those are prices with exclusive discounts as well.

Price includes ANY and all fees - unless of course you do something else later (e.g. request a car seat, go through tolls, add insurance, etc...).

https://www.costcotravel.com/Rental-Cars

My best rate ended up being through a Retail Me Not coupon - beat out Costco by four bucks!
 

rh71

No Lifer
Aug 28, 2001
52,844
1,049
126
Did something change? Last time I rented a sedan it was only about $50/day after everything. Started at like $35/day base rate.
 

BoomerD

No Lifer
Feb 26, 2006
64,137
12,456
136
As they guy at the rental counter in Phoenix explained it. "We took a vote and visitors lost."

That's pretty much it. Gubmint's have never met a source of money they didn't like...especially if it's paid by someone else. (Kind of like voting for cigarette and liquor taxes if you do 't smoke/drink)
 

FeuerFrei

Diamond Member
Mar 30, 2005
9,144
929
126
Zut alors!
I keep it around $280 for a week - or under $300. But then, I rent from Avis. And I don't buy the insurance.
 

BarkingGhostar

Diamond Member
Nov 20, 2009
8,409
1,617
136
Get the insurance that covers everything and hand it back in with more damage than the rental cost.

Actually, way back in 2010 the wife and I took a trip to Orlando. Got a rental for the three days and got the insurance. We were staying at a hotel out in Titusville (sp) without knowing that the hotel owner rented out parking spaces to people boarding cruise ships there. In the three days we were there, each night discovered more and more body damage to the vehicle. When we returned it, it needed paint ding removals on three sides, a rear bumper, a passenger's side mirror and more. The rental agency didn't look twice and just took the vehicle back.

People down there boarding those cruise ships don't give a flip about the damage they do to other vehicles. But then again, that's Florida for you.
 

BudAshes

Lifer
Jul 20, 2003
13,933
3,227
146
Get the insurance that covers everything and hand it back in with more damage than the rental cost.

Actually, way back in 2010 the wife and I took a trip to Orlando. Got a rental for the three days and got the insurance. We were staying at a hotel out in Titusville (sp) without knowing that the hotel owner rented out parking spaces to people boarding cruise ships there. In the three days we were there, each night discovered more and more body damage to the vehicle. When we returned it, it needed paint ding removals on three sides, a rear bumper, a passenger's side mirror and more. The rental agency didn't look twice and just took the vehicle back.

People down there boarding those cruise ships don't give a flip about the damage they do to other vehicles. But then again, that's Florida for you.

Anyone willing to shuffle their bloated body aboard a floating prison crushed in the mass of humanity for the privilege of spending a few hours fattening the wallets of some vendors selling them local artifacts made in china has probably given up any courtesy for their fellow man long ago.
 
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zinfamous

No Lifer
Jul 12, 2006
111,125
30,076
146
Anyone willing to shuffle their bloated body aboard a floating prison crushed in the mass of humanity for the privilege of spending a few hours fattening the wallets of some vendors selling them local artifacts made in china has probably given up any courtesy for their fellow man long ago.

I'd like to see this on a bumper sticker.
 
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Kaido

Elite Member & Kitchen Overlord
Feb 14, 2004
48,688
5,443
136
FWIW if you rent at a non-airport location the taxes can be way less.

Yeah, this was an on-premise airport rental location. Otherwise I'd have to call an Uber to drive me to an off-site location, assuming any of them are open in the middle of the night when the flight arrives lol.

Still, almost 50% additional charges for taxes & fees...ridiculous!
 

Kaido

Elite Member & Kitchen Overlord
Feb 14, 2004
48,688
5,443
136
Zut alors!
I keep it around $280 for a week - or under $300. But then, I rent from Avis. And I don't buy the insurance.

Yeah, I did Avis & no insurance. But I had to rent an SUV to move some large network equipment :p
 

Kaido

Elite Member & Kitchen Overlord
Feb 14, 2004
48,688
5,443
136
Did something change? Last time I rented a sedan it was only about $50/day after everything. Started at like $35/day base rate.

7 days x $50/day = $350 fwiw. THEN $150 of fees & taxes. That's the sucker punch lol.
 

nakedfrog

No Lifer
Apr 3, 2001
59,200
13,791
136
Do they break out the fees and taxes, or is it just a line item?
I remember when I had to call a locksmith to come out at like 10PM, there was an extra $30 charge because it was night time. I figure you maybe got the same "we know you need it now, and what else are you going to do but give us more money?" screw-you fee.
 

Kaido

Elite Member & Kitchen Overlord
Feb 14, 2004
48,688
5,443
136
Do they break out the fees and taxes, or is it just a line item?
I remember when I had to call a locksmith to come out at like 10PM, there was an extra $30 charge because it was night time. I figure you maybe got the same "we know you need it now, and what else are you going to do but give us more money?" screw-you fee.

Not when I checked out. I don't usually rent cars, I just drive, but it was far away & I needed the extra room as I have a somewhat small car as my daily driver.
 

Exterous

Super Moderator
Jun 20, 2006
20,479
3,597
126
Yeah, this was an on-premise airport rental location. Otherwise I'd have to call an Uber to drive me to an off-site location, assuming any of them are open in the middle of the night when the flight arrives lol.

Plus the car selections at airports are usually better. Most car rentals are cancel-able until pretty close to when you are supposed to pickup the car. I tend to have good luck with prices about 2 months out and then, occasionally great deals 2-4 days before the rental. Best one was a 4 day rental over memorial day weekend picked up near the St. Louis airport. 3 days before pickup it was $32 total for a midsize including all the taxes. Guy at the rental agency couldn't believe it. The rental place across the street was $1 more.

Costco does pretty well but Priceline sometimes beats them. National car rental for longer rentals (5+ days) sometimes does too, especially if you have access to a corporate discount code
 

rh71

No Lifer
Aug 28, 2001
52,844
1,049
126
7 days x $50/day = $350 fwiw. THEN $150 of fees & taxes. That's the sucker punch lol.

Something is shady there. I just did a quote for a mid-size car at Chicago (airport) and it was $325 / week base rate then $407 all included. This is what we'll be doing a few months from now. For a smaller car like an Elantra, it's $290 which comes out to $367 total.
 

nakedfrog

No Lifer
Apr 3, 2001
59,200
13,791
136
Something is shady there. I just did a quote for a mid-size car at Chicago (airport) and it was $325 / week base rate then $407 all included. This is what we'll be doing a few months from now. For a smaller car like an Elantra, it's $290 which comes out to $367 total.
He did specify he got an SUV since he needed the size, I believe.
 

nakedfrog

No Lifer
Apr 3, 2001
59,200
13,791
136
Dunno either, I was curious myself, that's why I asked if there was a breakdown.