https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sat, 23 May 2026 13:01:19 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/rental-car-tips#post-1795143 Sat, 02 Aug 2014 07:52:26 +0000 Grace 1795143@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Look into getting insurance for the car from an insurance provider or see of your credit card covers car rental insurance. The insurance from the rental company is really really expensive. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/rental-car-tips#post-1795104 Sat, 02 Aug 2014 06:07:15 +0000 septca 1795104@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@locavore_mama: you pick a type of car and name a price that you want, then you fill out your driver info and give your credit card information. Priceline then "bids" with it's system - if there is a match, you get the car and your card is charged. If there is no match, you can try again. You can try again immediately by changing your price or car type; if you want to resubmit the same bid, you have to wait 24 hours. </p> <p>The bids only go out to 4-5 big-name, reputable rental companies, so you will not get stuck paying a no-name company you have me ER heard of before. </p> <p>I have had excellent luck getting cheap rental cars this way, but it's a gamble, so it's better to start your bidding really low and work your way up to something you are comfortable with. (btw, ignore Priceline when it suggests bids or tells you your price is too low.) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/rental-car-tips#post-1794434 Fri, 01 Aug 2014 13:31:57 +0000 MaryM 1794434@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MamaG: I second the location thing.</p> <p>Also, see if your car insurance has any deals available. I know geico has in the past </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/rental-car-tips#post-1794415 Fri, 01 Aug 2014 13:26:16 +0000 regberadaisy 1794415@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@septca: @Mamaof2: how does priceline work? We'll probably be renting a full size SUV Thanksgiving weekend to drive my mom back. Our car seats a tight 5 even with one car seat! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/rental-car-tips#post-1794405 Fri, 01 Aug 2014 13:22:00 +0000 MamaG 1794405@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Are you looking at an airport pickup or neighborhood? Neighborhood tends to be cheaper. I would price all of the big names (Avis, Enterprise, National, Budget). I've never used priceline, but I would certainly consider it in this situation. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/rental-car-tips#post-1794381 Fri, 01 Aug 2014 13:13:42 +0000 Foodnerd81 1794381@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I always start with a kayak.com search. Most car rentals don't require a credit card to make a reservation and you can cancel anytime, so if you see an ok deal, book it and keep looking (but not for Hotwire or priceline, those are binding). And it's worth looking at some brand websites for their specials (like the hertz site or whatever). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/rental-car-tips#post-1794295 Fri, 01 Aug 2014 12:31:20 +0000 regberadaisy 1794295@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Google for coupons, Ebates, AAA has discounts, military discounts? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/rental-car-tips#post-1794286 Fri, 01 Aug 2014 12:27:58 +0000 T.H.O.U. 1794286@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@kjpugs: I mean if the Nanny has her Thur/Fri, maybe you could get the Nanny to take you to pick up the car Friday night and that way just rent the car Friday night to Sunday night. </p> <p>Usually for a compact car, you should be under $50/day so just the two days should be less/about $100. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/rental-car-tips#post-1794258 Fri, 01 Aug 2014 12:18:59 +0000 avivoca 1794258@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I love enterprise! Does your company offer any discounts on rentals? I would also see if you can rent a vehicle similar to the one you want for your mom-mobile so you can see how you like it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/rental-car-tips#post-1794253 Fri, 01 Aug 2014 12:18:16 +0000 Mamaof2 1794253@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>another vote for priceline! We got an Expedition for $16 a day!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/rental-car-tips#post-1794246 Fri, 01 Aug 2014 12:16:32 +0000 septca 1794246@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>First, run a search on Hotwire to see what cars/companies are cheapest right now. Then, if you don't see a deal you like, try bidding on Priceline. You have to pay upfront, but you can usually get great deals. Keep in mind that often bigger cars are cheaper. </p> <p>FWIW, a caveat: car rental prices seem really high this summer. We just rented a car and the cheapest I could find, out of a major airport, was $20/day. I can usually bid for about $12/day on Priceline. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/rental-car-tips#post-1794239 Fri, 01 Aug 2014 12:14:13 +0000 kjpugs 1794239@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@sunny: I think they actually JUST got something like that in Orlando and it's a huge deal because they keep getting ticketed for not having taxi liceneses or something? I dunno. Not something I feel fully comfortable relying on.</p> <p>Had not thought of priceline though taht's a great idea! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/rental-car-tips#post-1794235 Fri, 01 Aug 2014 12:13:02 +0000 kjpugs 1794235@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@T.H.O.U.: just the AC issue and also it has like 220k miles on it. So I'd be nervous driving it. It's this month (late August) and you know how hot it is here now... and not getting out of the house that weekend isn't an option!!! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/rental-car-tips#post-1794232 Fri, 01 Aug 2014 12:12:29 +0000 sunny 1794232@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Have you looked into Zipcar? Would relying on a taxi/Uber be cheaper?</p> <p>If you're set on doing a rental, I would do Priceline to try to get a lower price. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/rental-car-tips#post-1794226 Fri, 01 Aug 2014 12:11:48 +0000 T.H.O.U. 1794226@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>How not kid friendly is DH's car? Just the A/C issue? or no room for a car seat?</p> <p>Do you have a costco membership? I think they just had a Budget coupon. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/rental-car-tips#post-1794219 Fri, 01 Aug 2014 12:09:27 +0000 kjpugs 1794219@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Some background: we only have one LO-friendly car, our other car has no AC, DH drives it to work, since he doesn't drive LO those days. I WFH so it's not an issue. We're double-paying on the good car so we can kill that payment before getting rid of the no-AC one. Then I'll finally get a mom-mobile!</p> <p>DH is going out of state for a man weekend, and it's cheaper to drive because flights were insane. That being said, we realized it would be a LOT cheaper to rent a car for ME for the weekend and let him drive ours up there, instead of paying the out of state fees. He's going Thurs-Sun, and ideally I'd like to have the car Thurs-Sun too, but I can use our non-AC car in an emergency.</p> <p>Looks like the rental car will be about $200 for that time... this is based on the only provider I've ever used, Avis. Are there any ways you guys use to find good deals on rental cars? Any tips? I'd like to not have to pay so much since really I'll just use it to take her to Gymboree Saturday, maybe out and about a little on Sunday, and that's it! She's with the nanny Thurs/Fri and she has a carseat for her and so Thurs/Fri it's mostly just for emergencies (since she goes down fairly early for bed we don't go out usually after I finish work.)</p> <p>Advice is welcome! </p>