cheaper to rent for 2 days, keep for 3 ?
Apr 6, 2011, 3:22 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2008
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cheaper to rent for 2 days, keep for 3 ?
this is a general question but i'm not sure where to put it ..
i'm looking at car rental rates for a weekend in may on kayak, and i see that if i pick up a compact on saturday at 11am and return it on monday at 10am it will cost $30/day ($60 total). however if i pick it up at 10am saturday and return it on monday at 11am (more than 48 hours) it will cost $33/day ($99 total).
my assumption (and this is where i need verification/correction) is that most car rental places will charge you for one extra day at your existing rate if you bring the car back late (past the next 24hr threshold). so in my situation what is to stop me from making the rental for two days and then keeping the car for 2.5 ? if the $30/day rate is the one that gets applied for the third day i've made out ahead of what i would pay for 3 days up front.
can anyone clarify/verify this approach for hertz or any other rental agency?
thanks!
i'm looking at car rental rates for a weekend in may on kayak, and i see that if i pick up a compact on saturday at 11am and return it on monday at 10am it will cost $30/day ($60 total). however if i pick it up at 10am saturday and return it on monday at 11am (more than 48 hours) it will cost $33/day ($99 total).
my assumption (and this is where i need verification/correction) is that most car rental places will charge you for one extra day at your existing rate if you bring the car back late (past the next 24hr threshold). so in my situation what is to stop me from making the rental for two days and then keeping the car for 2.5 ? if the $30/day rate is the one that gets applied for the third day i've made out ahead of what i would pay for 3 days up front.
can anyone clarify/verify this approach for hertz or any other rental agency?
thanks!
Apr 6, 2011, 3:27 pm
#2
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Each car company is a bit different, but you usually have a half hour or hour past the 24 hour period from when you picked up the car.
So if you picked it up at 10:00 and return it two days later at 10:29, you will be fine (again it depends on the rental company), and if you bring it back a minute later you won't be.
The problem is that if you return it a day late, it probably won't be anywhere near the $30 a day rate, it could be the extra day will be two, three, or four times that. It would probably be the walk up weekday rate.
So instead of $90 for the three day rental, you could be spending considerably more, paying $60 for the first two days at $30 a day, and paying $100 or more for the third day because you returned it late.
So if you picked it up at 10:00 and return it two days later at 10:29, you will be fine (again it depends on the rental company), and if you bring it back a minute later you won't be.
The problem is that if you return it a day late, it probably won't be anywhere near the $30 a day rate, it could be the extra day will be two, three, or four times that. It would probably be the walk up weekday rate.
So instead of $90 for the three day rental, you could be spending considerably more, paying $60 for the first two days at $30 a day, and paying $100 or more for the third day because you returned it late.
Apr 6, 2011, 4:40 pm
#3
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Or the $30/day rate might not apply at all to Saturday rentals of more than two days; you might be charged a higher daily rate for each day of the rental, not just the last day. Check the rate rules for the weekend rate, and what minimum and maximum rental periods apply to that rate.
Or the $30/day rate might not apply at all to Saturday rentals of more than two days; you might be charged a higher daily rate for each day of the rental, not just the last day. Check the rate rules for the weekend rate, and what minimum and maximum rental periods apply to that rate.