Hi, all.

So I need to book a car for four adults from the Pen to Simatai.

For an Audi (A6) or BMW (7er) the Pen has quoted RMB 5600 RT ().

So, I like the type of car - I don't like the price.

An alternative suggestions?

Thanks,

Steven

The hotels mark up their car services by at least a factor of 3, sometimes 4 or 5. I have never used an independent car service (or maybe the same service as the hotels provide but not through the hotel). I bet they exist, maybe some of our old China hands have a reference

RMB 5600 is hilarious. For that price, you should be getting a stretch limo with full champagne service, flag flying on the front, girls....well, never mind.

Looking at my trusty handy Beijing City Weekend magazine, you might try the following for a per-day rental with English speaking driver (I have not used so cannot give first-hand report):

Beijing Top-a-Car Service (scroll to "Daily Car Service" where they have a Simitai trip listed with Audi A6 for RMB 1500, Benz S350 for 2800. (http://www.expatslife.com/htdocs/epages.asp?id=24

Beijing First Choice Car Rental Service (pricing structure a little different so make sure all-in costs are calculated/estimated upfront for you. Looks like it will work out about the same as Top-a-Car)
http://www.fccars.cn/English/Default.asp

Any chance I'm going to end up in a ditch somewhere with these guys, or do we think they're reliable?

Well, this is China, and you could end up in a ditch through an accident, but I doubt these drivers are any worse than the average Chinese driver, and probably a lot better/safer. You could also end up in a ditch through criminal kidnapping and evil intent, but this is China...so I think zero chance of that. If the people you are accompanying are those you need to impress (as in, no logistical slip ups), one thing you could do is set something up with a service, but insist that the day or so BEFORE the trip, meet the driver/car for 5 minutes so you can bless with final approval, leaving time to still arrange substitute if you don't like. If just travelling with friends, maybe don't bother with a previous meet-up. That's what I would do.

Hah, I didn't mean from an accident perspective - I get that risk in China. I meant from a criminal perspective. Guess not.

Nah, it's just family - but I want them to be safe and happy.

In that case, you might want to shoot for a nice Honda or Nissan, both of which can be more comfortable than A-6s IMO. Benzs and imported BMWs tend to cost a lot more on account of the luxury tax and are not worth the premium unless you are really trying to impress. 5-series (Chinese) BMWs could warrant consideration. Did you get a chance to check out any of the "Beijing driver" threads?

Been a while since I last used a private car with driver service (days before the 2008 Olympics) RT Mutianyu & Summer Palace (from 7am to 6:30pm). The car was not a bimmer, only a recent model full-sized Hyundai (smoke free and air). Comfortable nonetheless.
I negotiated with the driver (who parks outside the hotel everyday) after knowing what it might cost if booked through hotel. Final deal was 500 RMB, payable at the end of trip.
The entire experience was good. Driver spoke a few words of English. He understood spoken English more than he can speak. Polite, punctual and courteous. He mentioned jade museum once. After I told him I was not interested in shopping, he never brought up any shopping idea again. Invited him to join us for lunch, but he gratefully declined as he already had it during our hours on the Wall.
A day or two before you need the car, try talk to some drivers outside the Pen and get some sense of what it costs. The hotel is ripping you off big time, based on what they quoted you.

2-3 years ago I spent a few days in Beijing and used this website exclusively:http://www.bestourchina.com/china-travel/index-en.htm. The rates were very reasonable. I had a private English-speaking tour guide and a private car and driver every day. It was a Chinese made car but very new and air-conditioned. I believe they contract out to different companies, depending on where you want to go. It was approximately US $100 for a city tour (Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square, etc.) and $140 to the Great Wall at Mutianyu. It's probably a little more expensive now but nowhere near the prices they quoted you at the Peninsula.