Budget - As gas prices rise, size matters!

suddenly compact cars are more expensive than intermediates, etc...

A lot of rental companies are doing this now.

At Hertz in Canada, compact cars are going for 10-13 dollars less per day over a Full-size car from the beginning of the year.

Now they are going to be trying to give out free upgrades to mid size that no one wants.

Just last week, I was renting at Alamo because they were the cheapest deal. I had booked a compact and they gave me a Lincoln Town Car.

Just last week, I was renting at Alamo because they were the cheapest deal. I had booked a compact and they gave me a Lincoln Town Car.

I dunno. A "midsize" is really a compact car. How much are you going to save on gas?

I've only turned down upgrades in Alaska during high gas price years when I was going to do a lot of driving. Like I once turned down a minivan when we were only 2 pax.

Hard to imagine turning down what Budget considers a "midsize" car. I'd rather spend a couple more bucks on gas than drive a junk car (aka, a car that nobody would willingly buy if they could afford better).

At Hertz in Canada, compact cars are going for 10-13 dollars less per day over a Full-size car from the beginning of the year.

That's a pretty generic statement, which at least for YYZ is certainly not true. Was looking at a rental, and economy and compact were the same price, and lower than a mid-size, which was lower than a full size.

Of course, a compact/economy car from Hertz at YYZ also runs at about $70/per day (and I've needed rentals various weekends) vs. about $15/day from most US airports I've rented from (with a AAA discount). That's base prices - taxes are also more.

That's a pretty generic statement, which at least for YYZ is certainly not true. Was looking at a rental, and economy and compact were the same price, and lower than a mid-size, which was lower than a full size.

Of course, a compact/economy car from Hertz at YYZ also runs at about $70/per day (and I've needed rentals various weekends) vs. about $15/day from most US airports I've rented from (with a AAA discount). That's base prices - taxes are also more.

Well, it depends. It was true in April 2011 for both YUL and YYZ. However, for the month of July & the first three weeks of August, the price of cars per weekend day have indeed reached up to about $70/per day.

It's crazy I know.

Supply and Demand economics.

the thought that the (remaining) car companies abide by "supply and demand economics" in their pricing, definitely have more in common than my love of buttered crickets over a toasted bread with a twist of guacamole...

Well, it depends. It was true in April 2011 for both YUL and YYZ. However, for the month of July & the first three weeks of August, the price of cars per weekend day have indeed reached up to about $70/per day.

It's crazy I know.

Supply and Demand economics.

Now they are going to be trying to give out free upgrades to mid size that no one wants.

Yesterday at a Budget in Oregon I had a compact reserved and walked off the lot with a brand new, full extended cab Ford F150 pick-up truck. :o

Fortunately I was only going about 100 miles r/t so the extra gas cost was tolerable, and was mostly offset by the novelty of driving that enormous beast. But it truly was a case of an unwanted upgrade. (I was told I could wait ???? minutes for a smaller car to be processed and cleaned, but in my case my need to be on the road ASAP was greater than my need to save gas $$$.)

Yesterday at a Budget in Oregon I had a compact reserved and walked off the lot with a brand new, full extended cab Ford F150 pick-up truck. :o

Fortunately I was only going about 100 miles r/t so the extra gas cost was tolerable, and was mostly offset by the novelty of driving that enormous beast. But it truly was a case of an unwanted upgrade. (I was told I could wait ???? minutes for a smaller car to be processed and cleaned, but in my case my need to be on the road ASAP was greater than my need to save gas $$$.)

Watch out - I know that MC doesn't cover pickup truck rentals (including the quasi-pickup Escalade/Avalanches), not sure about other credit cards or insurance companies.

Watch out - I know that MC doesn't cover pickup truck rentals (including the quasi-pickup Escalade/Avalanches), not sure about other credit cards or insurance companies.

Good point, but I'm covered by my employer.

Yesterday at a Budget in Oregon I had a compact reserved and walked off the lot with a brand new, full extended cab Ford F150 pick-up truck. :o

Fortunately I was only going about 100 miles r/t so the extra gas cost was tolerable, and was mostly offset by the novelty of driving that enormous beast. But it truly was a case of an unwanted upgrade. (I was told I could wait ???? minutes for a smaller car to be processed and cleaned, but in my case my need to be on the road ASAP was greater than my need to save gas $$$.)

Two recent experiences: Rented a car in OAK that was defective and turned it in for a brand new F150 4X4 extended cab. Great fun to try one of these out. Paid a bit more in gas but I wasn't the least bit impressed with the HHR the firm offered initally. The rental charge ended up being about $35 less in Santa Rosa than in OAK by the way.
@ DCA I booked a F150 4X4 extended cab for about $70 less than the far smaller vehicles offered. This was several weeks in advance of the travel. Disregarding any insurance issues, the 'all-in' costs, fuel and rental charge, were only a few dollars more than the much smaller vehicle. This was particularly satisfying as we were traveling in this vehicle into Ohio. A much more pleasant trip with an opportunity to admire the views along the road than if we had rented an economy car....