How far ahead do you rent your car?

[Paticake]

We will be going late June and have rented a car for the last 3 trips. Love the convenience and being able to go to the grocery store. The rates right now seem high for that time but we have never done late June.

 

[jlewisinsyr]

Usually we rent as soon as we know the date of our travel. We tend to rent from Hertz and reserve one of the Prestige Collection vehicles, like last year's Escalade and the H2 the year prior. This year it might be a Corvette, but we'll see.

 

[disneynuts777]

I have already reserved our mini van for August. It is the first time we are traveling as a party of seven and I did not want to take any chances. The rate is not the best at the moment but if the price drops I know that I can make changes to the ressie that I already have.

 

[OKW Lover]

We usually rent as soon as we know our flights - typically 2-3 months ahead. We then keep checking the price (weekly) and re-book if it goes down.

 

[Paticake]

Ok just booked with Alamo a little higher than I would like but alot lower than National (who I would prefer). Now I guess I will keep watching the fares here.

 

[cjnix29]

The rental car game is one that drives me the most crazy! It could be a matter of hours difference and you have a huge difference in price! I booked for end of April with Dollar this week, and today, found a rate with Alamo about $15 cheaper. Not a lot, but every penny helps. You really just have to find a rate you can live with, book that, and then keep checking, using all different combinations of ID's and coupons. It's time consuming, that is for sure! Good luck!

 

[Sleepy]

I booked for our August trip exactly one year in advance. Price then was $777 total for 2 weeks Fullsize SUV. In November, the price jumped to over $1,500 total for the same car!

I have been watching prices for August since 2007 (we thought we would be vacationing August 2008) and I have found so far that prices are cheapest before November and jump drastically thereafter and don't go back down. At least they did not for this past summer. I am glad I locked in my price back in August.

 

[Disnydad]

I book as soon as we book our room. Then keep checking and almost always get a better deal by the time we go.

 

[mrsstats]

I book as soon as I know the dates I am going. Sometimes a year in adviance. I find I get good rates doing it this way but I still keep checking and if they go down I change them.