Better to split rental? Prices astronomical!

Tea · 12 Aug 18, 06:39 PM

I know these things can turn on a pin but at the moment I can't get a decent price for next June.
Is there a cut off above which prices go crazy (here it's 30 days) ? Is it better to split the rental to 28 days plus 20 days. Or does the US rentals not have that rule? (And prices are just bonkers at the moment)

7SeasSailor · 12 Aug 18, 09:31 PM

Booking a hire car is not a one off job to me. I choose a company with good reviews that allows me to cancel or amend the booking free of charge, usually Alamo Brits. I then book regardless of price and check the prices every day until the price comes down. I am going next month for a month. I booked the car last November and have amended the booking at least 4 times.

Tea · 13 Aug 18, 01:00 AM

Thanks! I'll keep checking in that case. I just thought perhaps that once the rental went over 30 days that the price would shoot up as they have a 30 day limit like here.

Mr Tom Morrow · 13 Aug 18, 06:56 AM

OP. No cap on duration, but some have a price surge seasonal date built into their system

This doesn't apply to all 3rd party suppliers but as 7Seas Sailor says it's not a quick job to book.

What I do is price up for my duration which in my case for the next holiday is 28 days.

I then reprice it for say 13 and 15 and see if the price is identical as it should be. If it's not I hunt out the critical date that is the surge day and hunt out a work around. which could be Alamo Brits for one part and swap the car out and rehire with say Virgin etc.

Br'er Bear · 13 Aug 18, 07:33 AM

And agree with the above post, over the last few years we've booked with Sixt as they've been cheaper than Alamo which use to be our go to company.

But unlike Alamo Sixt is offsite and you don't get to choose your car within the group you've book so that's the downside. We book with pay later which has free cancellation and we change if/when prices reduce which we've done a few times for our upcoming trip. We currently have one rental for the full amount of days and also split rentals which is currently the cheaper option.

Sixt usually offers a slightly lower price with pay now so when we get within a week or so of picking up our first rental we will possibly cancel the pay when picking up reservations (which are set in dollars when you make the booking) and purchase the pay now options in sterling.

With the current exchange rate movement and the weaker pound the rates in dollars have stayed the same over the last month or so while the pay now option in sterling has been increasing.

And Sixt sometimes offer longer reduced rates, one which is current is for rentals of 28 or more days between 6 Aug and 31 Oct.

So as stated in the above posts, don't book a reservation you can't cancel for free, look at split bookings and keep checking right up until you go and good luck.

13 Aug 18, 06:56 AM	#4
	13 Aug 18, 06:56 AM Mr Tom Morrow Imagineer
Mr Tom Morrow Imagineer Join Date: Jul 14 Location: The Tiki Room. theDIBB Guidebook Pages Created: 3	OP. No cap on duration, but some have a price surge seasonal date built into their system This doesn't apply to all 3rd party suppliers but as 7Seas Sailor says it's not a quick job to book. What I do is price up for my duration which in my case for the next holiday is 28 days. I then reprice it for say 13 and 15 and see if the price is identical as it should be. If it's not I hunt out the critical date that is the surge day and hunt out a work around. which could be Alamo Brits for one part and swap the car out and rehire with say Virgin etc. __________________ "PAGING MR MORROW, MR TOM MORROW..." ''I drink Wine and know things'' DVC Owners at SSR since 2003. Multiple annual visits to America since 1976

13 Aug 18, 07:33 AM	#5
	13 Aug 18, 07:33 AM Br'er Bear Very Serious Dibber
Br'er Bear Very Serious Dibber Join Date: May 13	And agree with the above post, over the last few years we've booked with Sixt as they've been cheaper than Alamo which use to be our go to company. But unlike Alamo Sixt is offsite and you don't get to choose your car within the group you've book so that's the downside. We book with pay later which has free cancellation and we change if/when prices reduce which we've done a few times for our upcoming trip. We currently have one rental for the full amount of days and also split rentals which is currently the cheaper option. Sixt usually offers a slightly lower price with pay now so when we get within a week or so of picking up our first rental we will possibly cancel the pay when picking up reservations (which are set in dollars when you make the booking) and purchase the pay now options in sterling. With the current exchange rate movement and the weaker pound the rates in dollars have stayed the same over the last month or so while the pay now option in sterling has been increasing. And Sixt sometimes offer longer reduced rates, one which is current is for rentals of 28 or more days between 6 Aug and 31 Oct. So as stated in the above posts, don't book a reservation you can't cancel for free, look at split bookings and keep checking right up until you go and good luck.