Help with Hertz Rental!

[Callalily6]

I'd planned on renting a mini van from Hertz and driving from TX-FL for our trip soon. Vans are usually around $300 a week, but for some reason it is coming back at over $800 per week. After taxes and everything the rental rate is over $1100! Someone help me! The only other rental car place we have locally is Enterprise and they wont allow the car to go to FL.

Does anyone have any discounts? Sams Club, AAA, and the reg stuff is still coming back crazy high.

There are 2 tweens, 2 adults, and 1 baby. I need a 5 seater. This sucks! The car is gonna cost more than the park passes.

 

[DISdreamin']

Honestly, without knowing where you need to rent there isn't a lot I could figure out to try and lower the cost. Have you considered a neighboring city instead, even if you have to drive an hour or two? If the rate drops by $500 and they'll allow you to leave your vehicle there, it might be worth it. Perhaps something on the way where you could drop your vehicle off and go from there?

I wish I had more ideas, but it seems like you've tried them all!

ETA: Have you considered an SUV or luxury car? Sometimes those price out less than minivans (usually, in fact).

 

[Nayan]

Do you have to use Hertz? I'm using Budget for a 3 week rental next year and it's less than $600. Try looking at different rental points, as airport locations command the most money. If you can use Budget go to rentalcarmomma.com as they have codes.

 

[Boston Tea Party]

I live outside of Houston and for our trips to California or Florida I either use Priceline or Hotwire for our vans. I make the trip to Bush Intercontinental to pick up because that location seems to have the cheapest rates.

Is there an airport nearby where you can pick up the van?

 

[DISdreamin']

Oh, you may already know this, but one thing to try is sometimes going longer on the trip. Sometimes picking up earlier and dropping off later will be less than the exact number of days you need (easy to do if you are local, obviously won't work if you are flying in and out of somewhere).

Try it in weeks instead of days (five days is almost always more expensive than a full week) and try different pickup and dropoff days to see if maybe the day you are looking for is low on inventory or something. Just some things to try if you haven't already...

 

[Soarin_04]

Don't know if this site will help or not, but it helped us last year on our drive from PA to FL...

http://www.rentalcodes.com/hertz.html