Do Budget late returns result in change to original rate?
Feb 1, 2020, 12:32 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Chicago
Programs: Southwest A-List, Bonvoy Platinum
Posts: 19
Do Budget late returns result in change to original rate?
I am taking my family on a ski weekend in Colorado this March and reserved a fullsize SUV through Budget back in October -- total cost of $430 for a 4 days and 2 hour rental.
Our flight home got changed to be 6 hours later, so I want to hang onto the car for longer so we can sleep in and have lunch in the mountains before heading back to the airport. Unfortunately, Budget is quoting me $280 more to extend the car for 6 hours, because the rate I booked in October can no longer be honored since it was so far out.
The contract T&C say the following regarding late returns:
This has me scratching my head: we're currently booked at an effective rate of $105.30/day (incl taxes and fees), but to change that would put us at $163.84/day (incl taxes and fees). Based upon the contract language, I'm debating whether I should just keep my reservation as-is and simply not tell them until I return it, at which point I'll be billed an added day's rate + $10, which would likely be cheaper than the $280 they want now, or if that last sentence I quoted in the T&C means they'll rebaseline the entire rental at some new, unknown-to-me rate?
Anyone had experience in this circumstance? Thanks.
Our flight home got changed to be 6 hours later, so I want to hang onto the car for longer so we can sleep in and have lunch in the mountains before heading back to the airport. Unfortunately, Budget is quoting me $280 more to extend the car for 6 hours, because the rate I booked in October can no longer be honored since it was so far out.
The contract T&C say the following regarding late returns:
After 30 minutes late, a 3/4-day late charge + $.01 + taxes apply. After 90 minutes late, full-day late charges + taxes apply.
...
If you don't call to extend your rental within 7 hours of your originally scheduled return time, a late fee will apply.
...
The rate is based on the exact parameters (location, dates, etc.) of your particular rental -- so changing any of your confirmed reservation parameters could result in a different rates, taxes and fees.
...
If you don't call to extend your rental within 7 hours of your originally scheduled return time, a late fee will apply.
...
The rate is based on the exact parameters (location, dates, etc.) of your particular rental -- so changing any of your confirmed reservation parameters could result in a different rates, taxes and fees.
Anyone had experience in this circumstance? Thanks.
Feb 1, 2020, 8:23 pm
#2
Join Date: May 1998
Location: australia
Posts: 5,772
I would think that if you have booked the car for 4 days and 2 hrs then you have been charged for a 5 day rental and that returning it at 4 days and 8hrs won't add an extra day's fee on.
Sometimes the rate may change if you have booked for example a weekend rate that requires the car to be returned by noon on Monday and you don't end up returning it until 6pm.
Having said all that car rental companies are a law unto themselves
Sometimes the rate may change if you have booked for example a weekend rate that requires the car to be returned by noon on Monday and you don't end up returning it until 6pm.
Having said all that car rental companies are a law unto themselves
Feb 3, 2020, 2:13 am
#3
Join Date: Oct 2016
Posts: 3,740
It may not be helpful to you now, but it usually makes no sense to rent for x days and y hours, because anything longer than 2 hours bumps you up to the full daily rate anyway. I always book for the full 24 hours to have the flexibility to keep it longer like if my flight is delayed or plans change. (The one exception is that you might be bumped into a weekly rate going from 4 days to 5, but the weekly rate savings might cancel out the difference anyway.