Dollar rental car: return car early results in daily rate vs weekly rate
 

Learned the hard way that dollar will automatically switch you without explanation to the daily rate if you return the car early on a weekly rate. Seems kind of scummy to me...

Did your contract specify a minimum-keep requirement for the weekly rate? If so, did you satisfy that requirement, but still have your rate changed to the daily rate?

Did you rent direct from Dollar for a corporate location or through a third party travel agent of some sort? I've had that problem with the latter but not with a direct rental at a company store.

Did you rent direct with a corporate location or it ended up being a franchisee at a small airport? I've had that problem with the franchisee but not a corporate location.

I booked through Dollar's website but it seems this is a franchised location (STL). There's nothing spelled out in the reservation about any minimum requirement or any mention of a daily rate.

But is there anything spelled out in the rental contract?

"scummy"?
 

I don't come to the defense of rental companies often, but it's not unusual when booking a reservation, to find that a weekly rate is cheaper than a daily rate. If after you book a weekly rate and you decide to return it early, not sure why one thinks it's "scummy" for a rental car company to recompute the rate. As a practical matter, I find on weekly rentals, generally if you have the car at least 4 days, they never recompute the rate. If I think I may be returning the car early, I check with the rental company before booking on their policies.

But "scummy" practice when you contract for one pricing period, and then unilaterally switch it to another expecting the rental company to honor it? On this one, I don't think the word applies... jmho

Scummy? Why? You broke your contract with the rental company.

If you book a hotel for Tuesday night and turn up Saturday instead, are they "scummy" for changing the rate since you didn't originally book that date?

Why I Asked and the Word I Would Use Is "Surprising"
 

Back when I traveled many business trips of uncertain length I'd book the maximum expected length and hope I got done early. With virtually no exception booking direct on the company website for a company location with a loyalty program number resulted in being charged the lesser of the weekly or daily rates even when recalculated to the actual rental period.

Not the same deal if booked through a third party travel agency as I previously had done; in fact it got to the point there were often early drop fees and I asked for an explanation. Duly noted they viewed booking channels differently and I then only booked direct.

Would not have felt shafted if they charged the original rate for a shortened rental and a very limited number of times it was. But usually the price went down. Either way it's a data point for next rental.

enterprise is best if trip is unspecific time. It is automatic calculated though daily rate is slightly higher. It did not charge extra penalty. Herz used to be worst. Return earlier will result total cost higher than that weekly cost. I do not know what herz practice now since I avoid them a long time.

I imagine the switch feels "scummy" because the agency has their property back to re-rent early; they can get a double-rental off the same time period.

Why should it cost more to keep the car for less time?

I do see, however, the easy potential for abuse. I guess. But unless a patron's record shows this sort of trickery I can't understand why enabling the company to turn a bigger profit should cost the OP.