Extending Rental a Few Hours w/o Getting Charged for a Full Day
Jul 28, 2015, 11:33 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Dallas
Posts: 130
Extending Rental a Few Hours w/o Getting Charged for a Full Day
I'm currently trying to extend my rental by 3-4 hours, but I am incurring a $100 fee, essentially an extra day charge. I called Avis and the women would do nothing for me other than say they'd charge me for an extra day.
I'm not going to pay for an extra day. How can I go about working with an agent to at least get a discount on their $100 quote? I am currently in the middle of the rental.
I'm not going to pay for an extra day. How can I go about working with an agent to at least get a discount on their $100 quote? I am currently in the middle of the rental.
Jul 28, 2015, 12:32 pm
#2
Moderator: Avis and Rental Cars
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 8,033
Most rentals have a fee based upon:
Hourly
Daily
Weekly
Monthly
If your (hourly rate * # hours) > daily rate, then it defaults to the daily rate. Same with daily/weekly, weekly/monthly.
Also, if you extend the rental after pickup, there's usually a $10 extension fee.
If "going to pay for an extra day", then you have 2 options:
1. return the car on the time you told them you would when you picked-up
2. return while the hourly fees are less than the daily fee. The typical break-even point for this is 1-2 hours.
You can ask upon return, but most likely that's futile and they'll charge you for when you had the car.
Hourly
Daily
Weekly
Monthly
If your (hourly rate * # hours) > daily rate, then it defaults to the daily rate. Same with daily/weekly, weekly/monthly.
Also, if you extend the rental after pickup, there's usually a $10 extension fee.
If "going to pay for an extra day", then you have 2 options:
1. return the car on the time you told them you would when you picked-up
2. return while the hourly fees are less than the daily fee. The typical break-even point for this is 1-2 hours.
You can ask upon return, but most likely that's futile and they'll charge you for when you had the car.
Jul 28, 2015, 12:40 pm
#3
Join Date: Feb 1999
Location: San Jose, California, USA
Programs: AS 100K, UA MM, AA MM, IC Plat Amb, Marriott Gold, Hilton Gold, Hyatt Explorist
Posts: 3,146
The charge for each extra hour on a typical car rental is 1/3 of the charge for an extra day. Most car rental companies have a grace period, so you can return the car slightly late (say, 29 minutes) before being charged, but otherwise you'll be hit with the relatively high extra-hour charges that are specified in your contract.
What this means is that, for a typical rental, after keeping the car for 3 extra hours, you're essentially paying for an extra day, and the full extra day charge applies. That's just the way it works for the majors.
What this means is that, for a typical rental, after keeping the car for 3 extra hours, you're essentially paying for an extra day, and the full extra day charge applies. That's just the way it works for the majors.
Jul 28, 2015, 1:36 pm
#4
Moderator: Avis and Rental Cars
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 8,033
Jul 28, 2015, 2:29 pm
#5
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: home = LAX
Posts: 25,934
Is your current reservation for returning the car at the same hour as for picking it up? If so, all that is written above certainly applies.
The only case where it might not apply is if you originally said you'd be renting for 3.5 days, and they rounded that up to 4 days, and now you're turning it into 3.7 days, which should still round up to 4 days. (However, the fact that it's returned late may cause the whole 4 days to be recomputed at a last-minute rate, which itself could cost more. So it's no guarantee that changing it from 3.5 days to 3.7 days would not cost much. It's just that there's some hope in that case, whereas in changing it from 3 days 0 hours to 3 days 3 hours I don't see any hope.
So please explain exactly how long (down to the hour) your current reservation is.
The only case where it might not apply is if you originally said you'd be renting for 3.5 days, and they rounded that up to 4 days, and now you're turning it into 3.7 days, which should still round up to 4 days. (However, the fact that it's returned late may cause the whole 4 days to be recomputed at a last-minute rate, which itself could cost more. So it's no guarantee that changing it from 3.5 days to 3.7 days would not cost much. It's just that there's some hope in that case, whereas in changing it from 3 days 0 hours to 3 days 3 hours I don't see any hope.
So please explain exactly how long (down to the hour) your current reservation is.
Jul 28, 2015, 3:15 pm
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Dallas
Posts: 130
Is your current reservation for returning the car at the same hour as for picking it up? If so, all that is written above certainly applies.
The only case where it might not apply is if you originally said you'd be renting for 3.5 days, and they rounded that up to 4 days, and now you're turning it into 3.7 days, which should still round up to 4 days. (However, the fact that it's returned late may cause the whole 4 days to be recomputed at a last-minute rate, which itself could cost more. So it's no guarantee that changing it from 3.5 days to 3.7 days would not cost much. It's just that there's some hope in that case, whereas in changing it from 3 days 0 hours to 3 days 3 hours I don't see any hope.
So please explain exactly how long (down to the hour) your current reservation is.
The only case where it might not apply is if you originally said you'd be renting for 3.5 days, and they rounded that up to 4 days, and now you're turning it into 3.7 days, which should still round up to 4 days. (However, the fact that it's returned late may cause the whole 4 days to be recomputed at a last-minute rate, which itself could cost more. So it's no guarantee that changing it from 3.5 days to 3.7 days would not cost much. It's just that there's some hope in that case, whereas in changing it from 3 days 0 hours to 3 days 3 hours I don't see any hope.
So please explain exactly how long (down to the hour) your current reservation is.
I talked to another agent and at least got my return location changed to a place close to my hotel where I will rerent a car for $40. Really annoying, but I will save $60+.
Last edited by AlexM125; Jul 28, 2015 at 3:21 pm
Aug 10, 2021, 3:19 pm
#7
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 583
[MODERATOR'S NOTE - Referenced post deleted as it was resurrecting a 5+ year old thread by a new user. Dialogue between users can continue below without the quoted text]
I JUST had warranty work done on my Volkswagen last week. Rented a car from Budget for 1 week. I originally put in that it would be returned at 1pm the day after I was supposed to get my car back..
My part came a day late so I ended up needing the car until 6pm that day instead. All I had to do was call and tell them. They didnt care at all. [/QUOTE]
If you picked up the original car after 6pm on the Pick Up Day, returning the car at 6pm (as oppose to 1pm) did not extend the amount of days (in terms of 24 hours) that the car is rented out.
Per OP, OP already had the car for 2 exact full days (48 hours), extension of a few hours will indeed means a new 3rd day being charged.
There are a few scenarios where extending a rental for a few hours won't get charged for a new full day.
1) The rate you paid for allows for more time than your original reservation
For example, extending a 5 days reservation by a few hours is going to cost nothing because a 5-days rental is priced the same as the weekly rate (7 days). So extending it for a few hours still falls in the weekly rate, may be a few extra dollars for taxes/fees that are per day.
2) The Corporate Rate / Special Rate allow for that kind of flexibility.
- American Express Platinum Card holders are allowed a 4-hour grace period at Hertz. So they can simply return the car a few hours (no more than 4) late and not get charged extra.
- A Corporate Rate with similar flexibility.
3) There are also some rental locations that have long standing business relationships with the local dealership/body shops and they allow customers referred by these dealership/shops a bit more flexibility, as a matter of mutual business benefit.
I JUST had warranty work done on my Volkswagen last week. Rented a car from Budget for 1 week. I originally put in that it would be returned at 1pm the day after I was supposed to get my car back..
My part came a day late so I ended up needing the car until 6pm that day instead. All I had to do was call and tell them. They didnt care at all. [/QUOTE]
If you picked up the original car after 6pm on the Pick Up Day, returning the car at 6pm (as oppose to 1pm) did not extend the amount of days (in terms of 24 hours) that the car is rented out.
Per OP, OP already had the car for 2 exact full days (48 hours), extension of a few hours will indeed means a new 3rd day being charged.
There are a few scenarios where extending a rental for a few hours won't get charged for a new full day.
1) The rate you paid for allows for more time than your original reservation
For example, extending a 5 days reservation by a few hours is going to cost nothing because a 5-days rental is priced the same as the weekly rate (7 days). So extending it for a few hours still falls in the weekly rate, may be a few extra dollars for taxes/fees that are per day.
2) The Corporate Rate / Special Rate allow for that kind of flexibility.
- American Express Platinum Card holders are allowed a 4-hour grace period at Hertz. So they can simply return the car a few hours (no more than 4) late and not get charged extra.
- A Corporate Rate with similar flexibility.
3) There are also some rental locations that have long standing business relationships with the local dealership/body shops and they allow customers referred by these dealership/shops a bit more flexibility, as a matter of mutual business benefit.
Last edited by IAHtraveler; Aug 12, 2021 at 7:00 pm
Sep 2, 2021, 8:13 am
#9
Join Date: Jul 2010
Programs: UA, AA, SPG, HH
Posts: 672
I have a somewhat related question: What happens if I pick up my rental car ~45 minutes earlier than the reservation time? Do they adjust the return time to reflect that? For example, lets say my reservation was Sep 5th 10AM - Sep 7th 10AM, if I pick the car up on Sep 5th at 9:15AM does the return time automatically switch to Sep 7th at 9:15AM?
Sep 2, 2021, 10:10 am
#10
Moderator: Avis and Rental Cars
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 8,033
I have a somewhat related question: What happens if I pick up my rental car ~45 minutes earlier than the reservation time? Do they adjust the return time to reflect that? For example, lets say my reservation was Sep 5th 10AM - Sep 7th 10AM, if I pick the car up on Sep 5th at 9:15AM does the return time automatically switch to Sep 7th at 9:15AM?
- If it's a small station that doesn't pre-print contracts, the time out usually matches the time the contract is printed.
- If they pre-print the contract, usually, they leave the time as the planned pickup (if you don't ask to swap vehicles or change anything else on the contract). I have even seen a few times where the time out is actually the time they print the contract (hours before scheduled pickup) and have to go have them adjust the contract.
- If you use the app to select, swap or confirm your car, the time out reverts to the time you hit the "confirm" button in the app. If you don't hit the confirm button before your reserved time, the time out is left as your scheduled time.
Sep 2, 2021, 5:11 pm
#11
Join Date: Jul 2010
Programs: UA, AA, SPG, HH
Posts: 672
This really depends. In my experience:
- If it's a small station that doesn't pre-print contracts, the time out usually matches the time the contract is printed.
- If they pre-print the contract, usually, they leave the time as the planned pickup (if you don't ask to swap vehicles or change anything else on the contract). I have even seen a few times where the time out is actually the time they print the contract (hours before scheduled pickup) and have to go have them adjust the contract.
- If you use the app to select, swap or confirm your car, the time out reverts to the time you hit the "confirm" button in the app. If you don't hit the confirm button before your reserved time, the time out is left as your scheduled time.
Sep 3, 2021, 1:24 am
#12
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: TOA
Programs: HH Diamond, Marriott LTPP/Platinum Premier, Hyatt Lame-ist, UA !K
Posts: 20,061
This really depends. In my experience:
- If it's a small station that doesn't pre-print contracts, the time out usually matches the time the contract is printed.
- If they pre-print the contract, usually, they leave the time as the planned pickup (if you don't ask to swap vehicles or change anything else on the contract). I have even seen a few times where the time out is actually the time they print the contract (hours before scheduled pickup) and have to go have them adjust the contract.
- If you use the app to select, swap or confirm your car, the time out reverts to the time you hit the "confirm" button in the app. If you don't hit the confirm button before your reserved time, the time out is left as your scheduled time.
Example: I had booked at GEG for an 11:45 am pickup and a 11:30 am return knowing that we had a departing flight at around 1 pm.
Family was ready to hit the road at 10 am and was able to delay them until around 11 am.
GEG Avis usually pre-prints their contracts so I knew that any paper i'd get would be for the 11:45 am time but I'd checked on the app to see what cars were available so was hoping that I hadn't started the contract earlier. Did not hit "confirm".
Anyway, we selected and picked the car just after 11 am - both keys and the card stock. Checking again on the app, still said 11:45 am as the start time.
Kept an eye on the app and kept checking - Contract stayed at 11:45 am as the start for the whole trip.
Dropped the car off at around 11:15 am after getting gas. No extra full day charged - success!
David
Jan 12, 2022, 12:09 pm
#13
Join Date: Jul 2011
Posts: 1,138
I have a one-week rental in OGG (literally one week to the minute) using the Costco AWD but just realized the return is 4 hours before our departing flight. Not sure we want to get to the airport that early. I tried extending two hours (assuming we'd want to be there about 90 minutes later than scheduled) and the price jumps $400. I looked at Hertz (with the Platinum CDP) and it is the same price. Not being sure how long the weekly rate covers, am I better off just returning late or trying to extend when picking up?
Jan 13, 2022, 12:46 am
#14
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: BER
Posts: 512
I have a one-week rental in OGG (literally one week to the minute) using the Costco AWD but just realized the return is 4 hours before our departing flight. Not sure we want to get to the airport that early. I tried extending two hours (assuming we'd want to be there about 90 minutes later than scheduled) and the price jumps $400. I looked at Hertz (with the Platinum CDP) and it is the same price. Not being sure how long the weekly rate covers, am I better off just returning late or trying to extend when picking up?
The Hertz AMEX Platinum CDP (EMEA region) works fine in Europe, i.e. x days result in the same price as x days + 4 hours.
Jan 13, 2022, 3:23 am
#15
Join Date: Oct 2016
Posts: 3,706
I have a one-week rental in OGG (literally one week to the minute) using the Costco AWD but just realized the return is 4 hours before our departing flight. Not sure we want to get to the airport that early. I tried extending two hours (assuming we'd want to be there about 90 minutes later than scheduled) and the price jumps $400. I looked at Hertz (with the Platinum CDP) and it is the same price. Not being sure how long the weekly rate covers, am I better off just returning late or trying to extend when picking up?