Hertz - Renting a car without a reservation

I'm flying into MKE on Friday and need to get a car for the day. I've tried the priceline plan... nada. Tried several different sites, and the cheapest thing I can find is $60, which seems steep considering I need it for only 12 hours. So I'm thinking about just showing up at the airport rental desk, sans reservation, and seeing if they'll give me a deal.

Good idea or bad? Do they even do that?

yup, i have done that before

Almost every time I've seen someone walk in without a reservation in search of a car, the rate they are quoted is much, much larger than whatever I've reserved in advance. The fewer the cars, the greater the chance they'll say "all we have is a SUV at $125 a day". The one exception to this I've seen recently was a guy who missed his flight and walked in when cars were unbookable (sold out) via the website. Hertz allowed him to rent one at his corporate CDP rate and had a compact ($40/day) available "for a Gold member".

You can certainly try it -- for such a short rental it's worth doing -- but I'd have a backup reservation just in case. The worst thing that happens is you take the $60/reservation or a taxi. The nice thing about car rental reservations is that they're generally non-binding.

The nice thing about car rental reservations is that they're generally non-binding.

That I didn't know (I don't rent cars very much). Is that the case with all companies, or just Hertz?

Unless it's a prepaid rental, they are NON binding.

JP
That I didn't know (I don't rent cars very much). Is that the case with all companies, or just Hertz?

I constantly arrive later than anticipated. When I do that on Avis usually they don't notice, but each time I've done it with Hertz I end up with a walk-up rate that is about $20/day more than my reservation. :mad:

That I didn't know (I don't rent cars very much). Is that the case with all companies, or just Hertz?

All of them

All of them

It can depend upon location, corporate agreement, or promotion. I had a recent Avis reservation in Hawaii with a cancelation policy / penalty. I believe it required 48 or 72 hours advance notice for cancellation, otherwise 1 rental day penalty for no shows.

I constantly arrive later than anticipated. When I do that on Avis usually they don't notice, but each time I've done it with Hertz I end up with a walk-up rate that is about $20/day more than my reservation. :mad:

If you put your flight number and you are a gold member, arriving on a delayed flight usually doesn't matter and they will have your car ready.

That I didn't know (I don't rent cars very much). Is that the case with all companies, or just Hertz?

Car reservations are more commonly binding (meaning a cancellation or no-show penalty is applied) if picking up in a resort location or if reserving something in a specialty class - which may mean anything other than compact/midsize/fullsize/premium. It will depend on the rate plan and corporate agreement, if any. But yes, it's possible to make non-binding reservations to make sure a car is waiting.

Car reservations are more commonly binding (meaning a cancellation or no-show penalty is applied) if picking up in a resort location or if reserving something in a specialty class - which may mean anything other than compact/midsize/fullsize/premium. It will depend on the rate plan and corporate agreement, if any. But yes, it's possible to make non-binding reservations to make sure a car is waiting.

On non-specialty rentals, I've never experienced a binding rental agreement in 30 years of renting.

Also, note that after you make your reservation, you can continue to poll the web site - make dummy reservervations - and if the rate goes down, just put in a new rez and cancel the old one.

Can't lose.

Car reservations are more commonly binding (meaning a cancellation or no-show penalty is applied) if picking up in a resort location or if reserving something in a specialty class - which may mean anything other than compact/midsize/fullsize/premium. It will depend on the rate plan and corporate agreement, if any. But yes, it's possible to make non-binding reservations to make sure a car is waiting.

Hertz seem to be making more and more reservations binding with a cancellation fee if cancelled within 1-3 days.

Anythign from Mustangs to Hummers I have had a warning about it.

Let me tell you getting them to waive the cancellation fee took ALONG time!