Permanently Renting Instead of Owning

Old Sep 16, 2015, 2:53 pm
  #241  
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Originally Posted by IsleOfMan
Does reserving PCAR make permanent renting uneconomical in general?

Thanks in advance!
My suggestion is this: Start with Executive status (through whatever means or just eventually get there over time), and on an evening like Sunday or Friday, head to the airport and scour the Executive aisle for your favorite car (the lot should be chocked full on those days). Rent the car one way to a local branch under an FCAR contract. At the branch the next day, have a long-term FCAR contract waiting, and when you arrive at the branch, just ask them to keep the car you have and swap the contracts. The branch will usually be happy to oblige with processing the upgrade because you are now giving them money instead of the airport while at the same time not removing any of their inventory. It's basically free revenue for the branch.
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Old Sep 16, 2015, 7:31 pm
  #242  
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Originally Posted by memoses
My suggestion is this: Start with Executive status (through whatever means or just eventually get there over time), and on an evening like Sunday or Friday, head to the airport and scour the Executive aisle for your favorite car (the lot should be chocked full on those days). Rent the car one way to a local branch under an FCAR contract. At the branch the next day, have a long-term FCAR contract waiting, and when you arrive at the branch, just ask them to keep the car you have and swap the contracts. The branch will usually be happy to oblige with processing the upgrade because you are now giving them money instead of the airport while at the same time not removing any of their inventory. It's basically free revenue for the branch.
This works for many local locations but not all - Boca Raton as one example where the manager is specifically and deliberately mean spirited about taking away any car that falls outside your reserved class regardless of status.

The one-way one-day deal is the best use of free days as you can often get something in the premium or luxury category and then with a cooperative (which generally improves over time and frequent rentals) local office, keep it until you need to travel again and drop it back at the airport - where getting the car back will often net you an improved selection when you rent a luxury or premium again - while taking their prized inventory and giving it to the local office will often yield worsening options on future rentals.

Just keep both sides of the bread buttered and you're good to go.
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Old Sep 17, 2015, 10:30 am
  #243  
 
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Not sure if this applies to only certain airports, but at SJC, the branch manager told me that PCARs/FCARs can only leave the airport to local branches after hitting a certain mileage (6k if I recall correctly).

Anything newer and it has to come back to the airport since it is "new"
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Old Sep 17, 2015, 11:06 am
  #244  
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Originally Posted by kxc262
Not sure if this applies to only certain airports, but at SJC, the branch manager told me that PCARs/FCARs can only leave the airport to local branches after hitting a certain mileage (6k if I recall correctly).

Anything newer and it has to come back to the airport since it is "new"
Just book a reservation with the airport return and then take the car to the local office to close/open your new contract - they can always close an airport contract, but be mindful of returning nicer cars, especially specialty cars, back to the airport when you're done with a particular rental cycle and want to switch or you'll get on their naughty list if you keep giving their nice cars to local offices.
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Old Sep 22, 2015, 1:34 pm
  #245  
 
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Has anybody from Canada , especially Toronto, tried to permanently rent from National instead of leasing long term? The best monthly rental I could get was around $800 per month.Auto collision damage waiver is covered by most gold and platinum credit cards and if the person has two of them, then back to back rental is not an issue.

With leasing one has to consider monthly payments, cost of insurance, maintenance, long term contract (at least 2 years), and limitation of 24000 km per year and most probably it would be more than $800 per month for a SUV.

I'd be happy to hear from people who actually tried it in Canada.
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Old Sep 22, 2015, 5:29 pm
  #246  
 
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Originally Posted by matrixca7
Has anybody from Canada , especially Toronto, tried to permanently rent from National instead of leasing long term? The best monthly rental I could get was around $800 per month.Auto collision damage waiver is covered by most gold and platinum credit cards and if the person has two of them, then back to back rental is not an issue.

With leasing one has to consider monthly payments, cost of insurance, maintenance, long term contract (at least 2 years), and limitation of 24000 km per year and most probably it would be more than $800 per month for a SUV.

I'd be happy to hear from people who actually tried it in Canada.
Try local branches (Hertz/Avis, etc) and get them to bid against each other. Worth a shot.
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Old Sep 22, 2015, 6:06 pm
  #247  
 
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I am currently renting from National paying $775 a month all in, best they could do. Based on experience none of them want to budge a better price - I am happy with what I have now but I wish for a lower rate. I definitely like this vs. leasing, hopefully 2016 is a good year for National's fleet.

Originally Posted by kxc262
Try local branches (Hertz/Avis, etc) and get them to bid against each other. Worth a shot.
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Old Sep 23, 2015, 1:08 pm
  #248  
 
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Originally Posted by kxc262
Try local branches (Hertz/Avis, etc) and get them to bid against each other. Worth a shot.
With national you can choose any car from the aisle and even exchange it during your contract with something from another category, but with others like Hertz it's not that easy.


Originally Posted by rtch92
I am currently renting from National paying $775 a month all in, best they could do. Based on experience none of them want to budge a better price - I am happy with what I have now but I wish for a lower rate. I definitely like this vs. leasing, hopefully 2016 is a good year for National's fleet.
Do you get $775 from airport or local branch downtown Toronto?
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Old Sep 23, 2015, 2:58 pm
  #249  
 
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total is $775.72 with my (midsize) corporate rate per month with unlimited km. no LDW so I just use my credit card LDW. this is rented through YYZ, been driving a 2016 Explorer Limited since June. love it.

Originally Posted by matrixca7
With national you can choose any car from the aisle and even exchange it during your contract with something from another category, but with others like Hertz it's not that easy.




Do you get $775 from airport or local branch downtown Toronto?
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Old Sep 29, 2015, 9:59 am
  #250  
 
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Originally Posted by rtch92
total is $775.72 with my (midsize) corporate rate per month with unlimited km. no LDW so I just use my credit card LDW. this is rented through YYZ, been driving a 2016 Explorer Limited since June. love it.
Is it a real limited - with a sunroof, etc? Or is it one of those BS limited that would have been a base model a few years ago? I'm very disappointed with limited editions these days - seems like you need platinum titanium to even get a sunroof...
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Old Sep 30, 2015, 7:23 am
  #251  
 
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Originally Posted by Tedgrrrr
Is it a real limited - with a sunroof, etc? Or is it one of those BS limited that would have been a base model a few years ago? I'm very disappointed with limited editions these days - seems like you need platinum titanium to even get a sunroof...
Actually, I recently had a titanium which did not have a sunroof. Go figure...
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Old Sep 30, 2015, 9:40 am
  #252  
 
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dual panel moonroof, massaging seats, and active SXM. it's been perfect since day one. would wait for 2017 model for SYNC3.


Originally Posted by Tedgrrrr
Is it a real limited - with a sunroof, etc? Or is it one of those BS limited that would have been a base model a few years ago? I'm very disappointed with limited editions these days - seems like you need platinum titanium to even get a sunroof...
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Old Sep 30, 2015, 10:19 am
  #253  
 
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Originally Posted by rtch92
dual panel moonroof, massaging seats, and active SXM. it's been perfect since day one. would wait for 2017 model for SYNC3.
ohhh what about ambient lighting? i had that in a ford edge in NC a couple years ago and that was fun.
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Old Sep 30, 2015, 12:52 pm
  #254  
 
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ambient lighting too, these several colors are in the door handles, throughout the cabin and in the cup holders - can be changed through the touchscreen.

Originally Posted by Tedgrrrr
ohhh what about ambient lighting? i had that in a ford edge in NC a couple years ago and that was fun.
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Old Oct 6, 2015, 6:37 pm
  #255  
 
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Originally Posted by rtch92
total is $775.72 with my (midsize) corporate rate per month with unlimited km. no LDW so I just use my credit card LDW. this is rented through YYZ, been driving a 2016 Explorer Limited since June. love it.


Quote:





Originally Posted by matrixca7


With national you can choose any car from the aisle and even exchange it during your contract with something from another category, but with others like Hertz it's not that easy.




Do you get $775 from airport or local branch downtown Toronto?



Be careful relying on credit card LDW. Most have terms stating they won't cover rentals longer than 30 or even 14 days. I ran into this when my primary insurance provider was being a pita over a claim.

I also recommend getting a non owner policy since Cc won't cover damage to other vehicles/property/people.
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