Car rental rate trick.

[exit30]

Well maybe it's not a trick, but we booked a car with Payless about a month ago for our trip and got a rate of $79 for 3days. I checked back a week ago and it was down to $66, so I booked it and cancelled the old one. Just this a.m. I checked again and it's down to $52, once again booked it and cancelled. We leave this Sunday, so I guess the closer to your arrival date you can book, the better deal you might get. If you know you need a car, book it in advance but keep checking back to see if the rate dropped. I don't rent cars very frequently so maybe this is normal procedure for companies.

 

[olive]

I have called to ask the company (usually Enterprise) to honor the new rate, and generally they have said no, in which case I do just re-book and cancel. It's a good idea!

 

[exit30]

I would go online and do it, but don't cancel the old one until you have the new res. I don't know about Enterprise, but the Payless system didn't recognize my info. so I had no problem booking a new res. for the exact same dates, once I was done I simply went back into the system and cancelled the old one.

 

[tinka-belle]

As a travel agent I've done this many times for clients. Usually works for off peak travel times, like right now. I've rebooked some a dozen times before the client actually travels. But for peak times, special events, or holidays often the rental rates get higher or a car type sells out.

Car rentals are getting like the airlines, playing constantly with rates to get the sale.

 

[lesliejmorris]

This works at National as well.

 

[Lynne M]

I'm going to move this over to the Transportation board...

 

[kaytieeldr]

And be sure you cancel the correct reservation (advises the woman who spent over an hour on the phone with various Alamo employees trying to get back the lower rate, that I cancelled by mistake).

 

[jlewisinsyr]

And make sure your original rate is not prepaid or comes with a cancellation charge (yes, these both exist with some agencies and specific car classes now).