National Car Rental

[Free4Life11]

We are using a coupon. Picking up on a Friday at 2PM and returning on a Monday at 2PM. With the coupon we pay only $8.26.

I changed the pickup time to 1:30PM and suddenly it shot up to $56 we would have to pay.

My question is, can you pick up your car early? Is there a penalty or do you pay for that extra time? Is there a grace period for returning the car?

Thanks so much...don't want to pay that much money just to pick up the car half an hour earlier! If we will get charged we will just wait but it woudl nice to pick it up earlier if possible...

 

[safetymom]

Have you looked to see if that is a special rate that only starts at 2?

There is a 59 minute grace period. Go over that and they charge you for all the time you were late.

If it is a busy time of year they may not let you pickup early with a special rate.

 

[Amberle3]

The reason is that car rentals are based on a 24hr time period. Your previous reservation went 2pm-2pm. (Friday 2pm-Saturday 2pm, Saturday 2pm-Sunday 2pm, Sunday 2pm-Monday 2pm) Your new one adds a half-hour on to it, which takes it into another 24hr period. Unfortunately all the big agencies that I know of operate this way - it's all or nothing. So if you're 30 or 45 minutes over the 24hr period, you get stung with the extra day.

If you changed your return time to 1:30 it should return back to your original price.

 

[Microcell]

I would think that if you ask at the counter and say you are willing to wait if need be I would think they would be nice and let you get it earlier if possible- It may depend on thier system like if the computer records the time of pick up based on paperwork printing it may not work.

 

[CarolA]

If you pick it up early I would bet you will be OK. However, if you return it late be prepared to pay. Your 24 hours starts from when National checks you out.

 

[Free4Life11]

Thanks! I think we will just keep it at 2PM. Waiting an hour isn't really that big of a deal...we'll find something to do. I just don't want to pay $56 bucks for a 30 minute difference!

 

[DMRick]

If you pick it up early I would bet you will be OK.

If you pick it up early, that is the time they expect it back, and if you are over by 59 minutes you pay more. So maybe pick it up a tad earlier and return it a tad earlier.