Needing to get hold of an inexpensive rental car for someone for eight days, I checked the local rates at Newark and found a ~125./weekly rate via Expedia and ~130./weekly rate at the Alamo site (code YQ) and elsewhere. With an additional one day charge of about $30-33., the best available rate at the time was just over $19/day.

I also again checked the famed EZboard where there is still precious little data on NY/NJ area Priceline car rentals! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/frown.gif

Various subsequent bids of $14., $16., $18., $19., & finally $20./day, each were ALL rejected for this period 1/28-2/05/01! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/frown.gif

Perhaps it was just an aberration or the NY/NJ metro rental market, but I seemingly wasted my time with Priceline as a rental car provider! If cars are relatively widely available at about $22./day inclusive (or even less), one might expect Priceline to perhaps accept a bid of $20, no? http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/confused.gif

In any case, I ultimately booked a "Mid-Size" car instead of an economy/compact car for this eight day period from Alamo for $162.98 (~20./day) and 25.72 taxes/airport fees (~3./day) for a total cost of $188.70 for the 8 day period!

Did I do something wrong or am I missing something here? http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/confused.gif

No Priceline fee!

No Restrcitions/Cancellation fees!

And Miles! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

All at about $23.50/day!




[This message has been edited by doc (edited 01-28-2001).]

Doc,

You're not missing anything. There isn't a lot of information because it's not a tremendous deal. It costs something substantial to let somebody drive a car around for a day, so there is less margin of savings.

PL is useless IMHO for car rentals of more than four days because the weekly rates of the majors will usually beat Priceline's daily rate.

For longer rentals, I find the probabilities listed by Priceline misleading for their rental car screens because they end up comparing apples (daily rates) with oranges (weekly rentals).

While I've saved over $2500 in the last year on hotels with Priceline, I've had exactly one car rental with them.

Where I think PL may be useful is in bidding for specialty vehicles like vans and SUVs where regular rates are often very very high. But, I get my SUVs from National's Emerald Aisle, so I don't bother with it.

Bad luck Doc. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/frown.gif

Have never used Priceline for cars, but agree with Nick, that for hotels they are just wonderful. $5 a night a Seattle Hilton properties for Feb. you can't beat!

Someone else here was telling me yesterday the largest van type vehicle hireable in NYC area is a 7 seater. That amazes me, but as Doc says, that interesting restriction also might be "just an aberration of the NY/NJ metro rental market" as it appears there is no call for anything larger to be available?

I think your deal came out looking good DOC, and as you say, gets points with a major plan - and no restrictions either.

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~ Glen ~

I tried to use priceline for a rental at BUF last week and I actually bid ABOVE my guaranteed rate (which includes a 15% corporate discount), but no luck. There were significantly lower rates available in the market from *no-name* companies.

Priceline is great for hotels, perfect for long distance calls, but the flights and rental car experiences leave much to be desired.

I recently booked a car at EWR with Payless for 18.90 day, about $58 total for 3 days (Sun-Weds, Feb 4-7) I've rented from them before, With the monorail down you have to take a bus to the long term parking station to connect with the Ramada van to get to their office at the hotel. It's worth the trouble for the value conscious traveler.

It's curious but sometimes a "Compact" prices lower then a "Economy" car. With the car rental companies being as stingy with FF miles I rarely consider mileage when choosing a rental.

In large metropolitan areas often there is a significant demand for rental cars on weekends from locals without cars, which, of course affects rental rates.

I have found that sometimes the daily rate can be significantly lower if you pick-up a car from a major company at it's downtown location. I've saved $20 a day picking up a National car in San Fransisco, with no charge for dropping it off at the airport.

[This message has been edited by Old Gold (edited 01-28-2001).]

I do not recall ever seeing a winning bid for a rental car through Priceline from the NYC airports. Your one experience certainly does not indicate that Priceline is useless for rental cars. In fact, we've seen some fantastic deals through Priceline in Florida as well as other areas.

Just as Priceline can get you fantastic deals on hotels in some cities, that's not the case everywhere.

doc, as far as very little info. on the board I host, frankly, I find that comment rather inaccurate. There's tons of data points for car rentals on the board and there is a category devoted exclusively to asking questions with regard to rental car bids. A simple question would have gotten you a prompt simple answer!!

I'd disagree Priceline is always useless. I got sme very good rates for 7 and 14 day rental at LIH last month. Cheapest rate I could find (tax-inc.) for a minivan was $518 for 2 weeks from National (checked all the majors with all the coupons/rates I had at my disposal). PL gave it to me at $331 all-inclusive (@$18/day), and from National too! Around the same time, I also got a convertible for 7 days for $170 all.inc. (also $18/day) also from National while the cheapest I could get was $300 elsewhere. All were accepted first bid so perhaps I paid too much!

You just have to research (yes, it does suck up time) and then submit a bid at PL for at least 40% below the lowest you found to account for fees/loss of miles. I have gotten really cheap rates direct from the car companies that PL bids couldn't match (e.g., 6-day in FLL @8 for an "economy" Neon), and pretty good 4-day Minivan rates at Alamo in HNL and KOA that PL couldn't beat.

"...as far as very little info. on the board I host, frankly, I find that comment rather inaccurate..."

The above comment was edited to specify that there is "still precious little data on NY/NJ area Priceline car rentals!"

I've always consitently lauded the EZboard and directed FT'ers and other folks to it in the past - and I'll continue to do so! The choice of a bid at $14., in fact was gleaned from reviewing the board! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

FWIW, the "problem," IMHO, is not the board, but rather Priceline or possibly a number of other factors! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

Thanks for the feedback!

BTW- I would have emailed you regarding this issue, Sheryl, but did not do so for reasons you well know!

[This message has been edited by doc (edited 01-28-2001).]

Finally, the bill at pickup read only $172. for the full eight days and with the application of one $15 Alamo voucher, the final bill will only be about $158. or just about $19.50/day! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

BTW, Old Gold, I had actually checked Payless, but they claimed to not be open "at the time of pickup" and did not return any rates with several tries! They must close early on Sunday or something! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/frown.gif

Well, due to scheduling changes, wether, etc., the rental car, due last night, was not returned and will likely be kept for several more days! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/eek.gif

IF this had been a successful Priceline bid, would that have been an additional problem? Or is it just as if one had rented independently through the particular company website or telephone representative?

Thanks! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

Interesting question. I mean I just booked an $8 Doubltree for March for one night via Priceline. Say I stay a second night, I wonder WHAT rate Doubletree will then come up with?! Probably not rack rate of $160 or whatever, but you can bet it will be nowhere NEAR $8 a night either. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

Same deal with your car I guess .. your pre-paid Alamo rental covers only specific days. The EXTRA days unless you have re-negotiated with them, they can charge darn well any rate they like. Me, I'd hit the coupon connection looking for some more $15 off Alamo vouchers! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/eek.gif

------------------
~ Glen ~

[This message has been edited by ozstamps (edited 02-06-2001).]

I'd planned to use one, but I think that you can only use one per rental Glen! Is that correct? http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

BTW - There is a $26 daily rate from C.O.O.L. at EWR too!

Rental cars are almost a perfect product for Priceline. They really are as close to a "commodity" in travel as you'll find. A midsize car from any of the providers (PL uses Hertz, Avis, National, Thrifty, and Alamo I think) is basically as good as a midsize car from any of the other providers (sure you can debate Grand Am versus Contour versus Stratus, but they're all still fine midsize cars I think everyone can agree to).

If you look at some of the winning bids on the PL board, there are some great deals. I've used it three times myself, getting an SUV for $25/day twice and $30/day just last weekend. You might be able to match those on a weekly rental, but not for only a few days.

There are also some unbelievable deals in Florida, mid-size cars for $10/day is a pretty good deal I'd venture to say!

My personal strategy when bidding for rental cars on PL is to find the cheapest full size from a major, then bid roughly the same price for a better car, luxury, SUV, premium in that order (and a convertible if appropriate for the location and time of year). If I don't get it, I just go with the full size through regular means.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Beckles:

...My personal strategy when bidding for rental cars on PL is to find the cheapest full size from a major, then bid roughly the same price for a better car, luxury, SUV, premium in that order (and a convertible if appropriate for the location and time of year). If I don't get it, I just go with the full size through regular means.</font>

---

Sounds good!

Yet how about for the low end smaller economical vehicles? Any success here at NYC airport locations lately? Thanks! http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttravel_forum/smile.gif

I too, bid like Beckles does.

If I get a luxury or convertible through PL, great, if not I just go normal means.

This turkey day, I will be in a convertible car out of MIA for $26 per day. I'm very pleased.

If I go with Avis directly, I always get an upgrade a airline points.I would need pretty good savings to justify using Priceline.
The FT Avis forum has some great discount codes that "always" (only me) seems to beat Priceline.However, I have seen that some on the EZ Board have had some success.It's worth a quick try,but I wouldn't normally use Priceline for cars.