albertoy

Hi,
I need to rent a car for for 61 days. Ideally, a premium car(Audi, Volvo) but I would take a SUV(Grand Cherokee or similar).
Anyone know what the best(cheapest) way is to accomplish this? Will Avis accept upgrades/double-upgrades for rentals this long?
Am I better off buying a used car for two months?

Any help is greatly appreciated!

Thanks,
AY

number_6

Since nobody else has answered, here are some points:
1. most rentals are limited to 30 days (otherwise different laws kick in, esp. for liability insurance). So you will have to bring the car back after 30 days and exchange it -- meaning you might have 3 different cars during this period. A problem if you are far away from the rental location.

2. Only a few agencies rent premium cars like Audi so that limits your choice on rates quite a bit. Also if you don't have a corp rate that includes insurance they might force you to provide proof of insurance to check the limits, or buy their (very expensive) LDW.

3. Do you really think you can buy a used Audi or Volvo and resell it on the day you want, in this market? Unless it is very cheap and high mpg. This works in some countries, but has never been a good way to go in the US.

4. Sometimes monthly rentals are more expensive than weekly. Also rates vary by location even for the same agency, you might get a 30% lower rate 40 miles away. Or it might be 30% higher. LAX rates are often quite cheap if you take any car, but for specific cars, esp. high-end, they can be quite expensive. You might try valley locations or ONT.

3Cforme

Good points, all. Although off-airport locations may not have the depth of selection for a walk-up rental, one can save considerably on airport taxes and concession fees. Speaking with a site manager regarding vehicle type and rate would almost certainly improve the experience.

As an alternative to the traditional short-term rental, you might try a fleet management company if you're price sensitive: the kinds of firms that supply company cars on monthly lease.

albertoy

I have found that you're right. Weekly rentals can be cheaper(not always though). I just have to try the different locations on weekly/monthly rates. But I do think buying/selling a used car will the chepest option. The only reason I would think about doing this is because the US is the only place this could work. You can walk in to a dealer and walk out with a car within a couple of hours. And there's no other place on earth with a used car market like the US.

heffa

Sure you can buy a car like that, but wait until you try to insure it, if you're not residing in the U.S.