Originally Posted by
drummerjon
111 views and no replies. Am I asking the wrong questions?
Car rental prices are very dynamic, and it is not surprising that this far out the prices you are quoted are very high.
The best thing to do is to reserve the best price from a large chain that is available now, and keep checking until you are ready to leave home for better prices. Your best prices are likely to be available 1-2 months before the rental. The nice thing about car rental is that no deposit is required, so you don't even suffer a loss if you forget to cancel a reservation, though it is obviously courteous to cancel whenever possible.
I recommend using the direct US websites to reserve, as they are often cheaper than Expedia, and I suspect anything with .co.uk will likely try to snag an even higher premium. As the time approaches, using Hotwire.com or Priceline.com may get you the absolute lowest price, though you won't know the company till you pay.
There are always a number of coupons/special deals available, too, so you may have to comb the internet to get the deals. I'll PM you my favorite website for my car rentals with links to special deals and discount.
Edit: Just checked, a Jeep Grand Cherokee from IAH in April is $362.06 AI/week at Alamo. Good luck!