So much dearer than a year or two again - am I missing something?

[Tinkjon]

Originally Posted by Mr Tom Morrow

Sorry, been out since 2.00pm. I will check in the morning for you.

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Really no rush - it's kind of you to offer at all!

[Griff_389]

Originally Posted by Tinkjon

Has car hire really gone up so much in the last few years or am I doing something wrong?! In 2016 we paid £746 but the same thing is now £1034. I'd expect it to be dearer with inflation but that's a heck of a lot of inflation for 3 years!

My mum seems to think that we paid around £600 last year but we got car hire included with our flights so am I right in saying you can't really compare that to the price of hiring outright?

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Ive generally found it to be the same. We paid around £380 in 2017 for a full size car, and paid around £390 for a standard SUV this time.
We booked for Sept at the beginning of this year, but pricing it up now only comes back around £30 dearer.

[Mr Tom Morrow]

Originally Posted by Tinkjon

Oh that's really kind, Tom! We need a 7 seater (not fussed what kind) from 28th July (3pm) to 19th August (5pm).

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Ok. I have done some prices for your dates and they are shown as a 7 seater first and a Full size SUV second.

I have used your dates but not your times! By collecting at 3.00pm and dropping off at 5.00pm you will be charged more. I have priced for a collection after the drop off time not before.

Virgin Atlantic £1004 & £1162
Andy £1225 & £814
Netflights £1034 & £1563 (SUV with Dollar)
Auto Europe £1082 & £819
Carflexi £1236 & £1137 (Yukon with Dollar)

Just a flavour as there are another 6 or more companies to trawl through

For a 7 seater Minivan with 2 drivers I would use Virgin. For a 7 seater SUV I would use Andy or Auto Europe but both are 1 driver only.

Hope this helps.

[Tinkjon]

Originally Posted by Mr Tom Morrow

Ok. I have done some prices for your dates...
Hope this helps.

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Tom, you are a superstar - thank you SO much, I really appreciate it. I did think about the times but decided that we'd probably rather pay the extra £20 or so, not to sit at MCO for a few hours until we can pick the car up. Or do you think that if we said we'd be there at 5pm but actually turned up at 3pm we'd be able to get the car early? Or, the other way around, I don't want to get to the airport really early to drop the car off just to save a bit of money but could we drop off late? Not sure how strict they are on times...

Second question... sorry, I don't get the difference between a 7 seater and a Full Size SUV - I thought they were the same thing!

[Mr Tom Morrow]

Originally Posted by Tinkjon

Tom, you are a superstar - thank you SO much, I really appreciate it. I did think about the times but decided that we'd probably rather pay the extra £20 or so, not to sit at MCO for a few hours until we can pick the car up. Or do you think that if we said we'd be there at 5pm but actually turned up at 3pm we'd be able to get the car early? Or, the other way around, I don't want to get to the airport really early to drop the car off just to save a bit of money but could we drop off late? Not sure how strict they are on times...

Second question... sorry, I don't get the difference between a 7 seater and a Full Size SUV - I thought they were the same thing!

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OK. It matter not what times you put. We have arrived 90 mins early for the car hire and nearly 7 hours late (ash cloud year)! They don't care The time clock starts as you exit the barrier and the new contract they print is issued to you.

That contract has the car index number on it and is timed and dated.

So you may book to collect the car at 5.00pm but actually pick it up at 3.30om. No problem at all, however in that scenario it needs to be back by 3.29pm or as you say pay the bit more.
Virgin gives you a 2 hour leeway free.

If you Google Chrysler Pacifica that's a 7 seater seater Minivan Do the same for a Ford Expedition, that's a 7 seater SUV - Big!

[Tinkjon]

Thanks Tom, that's very helpful. The only thing I notice about cars is what colour they are so this is all new to me

Regarding times, just to clarify (my brain is getting scrambled!), is this correct: Whatever time I actually pick the car up, I have to have it back by the same time or pay a bit extra (unless using the Virgin 2 hour leeway).

[Mr Tom Morrow]

Originally Posted by Tinkjon

Thanks Tom, that's very helpful. The only thing I notice about cars is what colour they are so this is all new to me

Regarding times, just to clarify (my brain is getting scrambled!), is this correct: Whatever time I actually pick the car up, I have to have it back by the same time or pay a bit extra (unless using the Virgin 2 hour leeway).

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Correct. They do tend to give you 30 mins leeway but I never chance it. Virgin has a unique partnership with Alamo hence they give longer.

Check out Costco Travel (UK website) They have some good deals on for Hertz rentals.

[metalguru]

The last 3 years trips have been pretty much the same price wise, but I did get a nice reduction this year on my car hire by monitoring the BA/Avis prices.

A discount and a class upgrade, so this years hire has worked out the cheapest of the last 3 years

[Tinkjon]

Sorry to resurrect this thread but Tom, you said that full size SUVs are bigger than Minivans - but the ones I'm looking at say that the Minivan will fit more bags in than the SUVs...and both carry 7 pax... so wouldn't that mean the minivan is bigger than an SUV?

[Mr Tom Morrow]

Hi. I think they are broadly similar albeit I never hire a Full Size SUV as wont pay the price.

You would need an expert like DuncanB to answer this sorry.

The Expedition is bigger I would have thought. But as you say the web sites are saying less luggage in a 7 seater SUV.