Why so expensive?
 

Hello all!
I have never posted on the AVIS threads, so please forgive if this is a stupid question.
I requested a reservation for 4 days, 20 hours, over a weekend, subcompact, and the quote is $337.00 including tax. HUH?
This past April, I rented from the same location, LAX, had the car for 12 days, and paid $227.00....with an upgraded car.
Does anyone know WHY the big jump? Any ideas how to get a better rate?
Thanks in advance!

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No mention of dates here so it is hard to say for sure. My recommendation would be to try picking up off-airport if possible to avoid fees, and/or using a discount code like the one offered to Choice Hotels (see their forum for more details).

It is hard to imagine a 2 week rental reserved through Avis was that cheap for you in April. That is less than $20/day including airport taxes? I have never rented that cheap anywhere for that kind of duration, even using Priceline.

I would try Hotwire or Priceline.

4 days and 20 hours is billed as a weekly rate. Anything beyond 4 days and 3 hours is billed by the week.

also, april is a slow season time throughout most of the country. rates back then are almost always lower.

thirdly, april was before the big "adjustment". due to gas prices and economy, april was still "hopeful" for the summer. Reservations booked before April 1 did not have built in gas price spike (not all of it at least), nor the airlines closing up shop (ATA, Aloha) who service the LAX area. So come mid april, there was a glut of cars across the country, which during the summer period was rectified. There are still deals that can be had, but you have to look very very closely.

Thank you all for your thoughts.

I too was amazed at how little I paid last April. 12 days....and with taxes etc it was just about $225.00. I requested a sub-compact and was given a Volkswagon Golf (I think that was the model...).

I just looked off-airport (Sepulveda Blvd in Culver City)...the same request I made for LAX at $337.00 came in at $126.00!!!

I think a $20 taxi ride to Culver City is worth it!:p

Again, thanks for the advice!

Shop around to other companies. Avis quoted me about $337 at the end of January. I am going to pick up a car for $189 at Budget. Be persistent, prices change every day.

You can try one of the AWDs that's floating out there.

Or just change your country of residency to some European (e.g. Germany) or Mideast country. That will drop the rate and additionally include insurance. Whether you need it or not.