anngi

What is the most efficient way to choose the best rate on rent cars?
Going to each airlines to see who has best points offer or car rental companies themselves and testing codes what way or website do you use?
Best rate I've gotten for an upcoming rental to date is at rentalcars.com but haven't used them before. I have a more expensive booking with Budget but includes having to switch cars mid long trip. I got to rentalcars.com through hotwire.

IAHtraveler

There's not one set way to get the best rate on cars. If you always want the best price, you need to shop around each time:
1. Try each code you're eligible for at each rental cars' site
2. Play around on Google/other looking for any applicable coupons to use
3. Use 3rd party engines (expedia, kayak, costco travel, etc)
4. Once you've found what's best, then try submitting to Auto Slash.

Once you've done this quite a few times, you'll quickly learn which discount codes give you the best rates regularly. There are always exceptions and you might find something slightly cheaper. It comes down to how much time you're willing to spend to save a few bucks on every rental.

AutoSlash

We think that AutoSlash is the best way to get the lowest rate possible. If you're looking to maximize airline points, then we're probably not the best site to use, but then again, you need to compare the best all-in rate with discounts vs. the value of any airline miles bonuses to see if it makes sense to take advantage of them. You can request a quote using the link below if you like.

anngi

For an upcoming rental rentalcars.com sees to beat everyone by $100 but I haven't used them before and it necessary to pay upfront though website says you can cancel at no charge 48hours before. Rental is with Thrifty or Dollar and seems local fees aren't included but don't say what they are. Think since it's airport pickup these may not be included.

AutoSlash

Typically the price you'd see at rentalcars.com is an all-in price that includes taxes and mandatory fees, but I'd certainly check with them to make sure.

If the rate is in fact cancelable, what you can do is, book it and then use the link below to track it for a lower rate. If AutoSlash does eventually find you a lower rate (assuming it's greater than 48 hours before pickup), you can cancel and re-book.

Then again, many people prefer not to have to pay up-front to keep maximum flexibility, so you may want to consider at pay-at-the-counter rate as an alternative.

sdsearch

Choose it at the right time (if you're not using autoslash to do that for you).

See, rental rates for a particular car on a particular date are not fixed. They go up and down over time. In many markets in the USA, I find that a few weeks out to a few days out is often a much better rate than a few months out, and so during the last month or so it pays to check at least about twice a week. But this pattern does not work always or everywhere. (It certainly doesn't work during major forecast events like the total eclipse [near the totality path] this past August! )

So one way is to book refundable/changeable rates, and then if it goes down change it to the lower rate (either by checking and changing your reservation yourself, or by using autoslash).

If you book nonrefundable rates at the wrong time, you're stuck!

wolfie52

I rent cars maybe once a year. I have some car rental status via CC's which helps a little (Mostly with getting past the lines!). So I check 2 months, 1 month and 2 weeks and about 5 days before I need the rental. I check with at least 3 companies and miles are not important unless it is really spectacular.

Just this last weekend at BUF the lowest price I could get (for a 2 days rental) was 120$ and most wanted much more. 4 days before travel (by which time I knew there would be no changes) I found a Hertz rate for $80/prepaid (note: I would NEVER book prepaid more than 2-4 days out), but full refund w/i 24 hours if cancelled. I checked the next day and same car was $75/prepaid. I cancelled the first and booked the lower rate! My original reservation was for 120$ so just by checking (and usually I can get a better rate than I did at BUF) I saved minimally $45 for 2 days.

I also check the airlines website but their rates were much higher. 500 bonus miles aren't worth $50 more!

Bottom line, you need to continuously check until 1-2 days before. (This also applies to hotels). It is work, but it is ALWAYS better to book DIRECTLY for hotels and cars. If there is a problem, the company doesn't like to deal with a 3rd party and you probably won't either.

BTW, I still always manage to get a few hundred air miles no matter what I do. I usually save a bunch doing it this way. Frankly, a car is a car. However now I consider if I can do a trip cheaper with Uber/Lyft.

anngi

Both above posts are good advice. I do similar but was thinking maybe there was a more efficient way.

Did chat with rentalcars.com and said airport service fees and taxes were covered but went to trusted.com and reviews weren't very good.
Since the cars was with Thrifty and they have a price guarantee chatted with them on facebook but they said they wouldn't match 3rd party websites.

Delta Airlines has 200 bonus per day and this is a 17 day rental but you need to book through their website and the prices are twice as high as retail.

Turns out cheapest option is airport pickup and drop off to suburb where work is.
next day. At drop off pick up another car for 16 days returning to Airport.
For exchanging cars I save $150 which probably are the airport tax and fees.

IAHtraveler

This is usually a great option (when available) if you're staying >~3-5 days. Might even be an option to take Uber to the off-site location. The only concern going off-site is that their selection won't be great and upgrades are usually non-existent. But if you get stuck with a beater, you can always go to the airport and swap it for free and still not pay the airport fees.

anngi

It worked out well for me. In fact when I went to change at local location was offered an Infiniti. I only turned it down because it had a keyless ignition and I have been locked out once with them so no more of those but that's another story.

JoeJMcLennan

Thrifty and Kayak are satisfying for me.

Whowouldanewman

I just booked my first rental using the Autoslash search (based on the info found here on FT) and setup a tracker. I’m pretty excited about it so far! The initial search found a rate that was $60 cheaper for a 6-day rental from what I found on Kayak. Can’t wait to see if the tracker finds better deals as I get closer.