Opinions about Hotwire.com???

[freckles and boo]

I found a thread posting my question but there weren't many answers. Has anyone ever used Hotwire.com for car rentals? I was quoted a weekly rate $60 less than the best rate I could find with a great coupon and code. Once you have made the reservation, though, it can't be changed or refunded. You also don't know which company you will be renting from until after you make the purchase. I don't have any brand loyalty with regard to rental companies, but not knowing still makes me nervous. Has anyone had a good experience with this?
Thanks.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

Sorry I can't help you but I'd like to know too. It's so tempting sometimes but I wonder what co. they'd give us. I don't mind taking a shuttle if it's a huge savings but it's a little scary since there are so many companies that are not a nationally known chain, like "Joe Blow's Car Rental" he he.
If you go with Hotwire, please post about your experience. I've gotten great hotel deals from them but for car rental, I'm chicken.
Good luck!!!
Maybe you could ask the Hotwire guru on www.betterbidding.com. He is able to identify most Hotwire hotels before you book so you know what you're getting.

 

[slruud]

Surely if you went through Hotwire all the way to find the price of a rental car for your time period, you saw the box that says: "Hotwire offers cars from brands you trust...Alamo, Avis, Budget, Hertz, National." Why not try Priceline??? You could probably bid $4 or $5 less per day than Hotwire for your rental periiod. As long as your dates and times are set, you could save mucho dinero.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

I did go back after I posted to read what they specifically offer and saw that it's only nationally known companies.

When I enter my dates with Hotwire, it's actually $5.00 more than my Alamo ressie with the BJ's discount and coupon and with that I'm not locked in. If I find a better rate between now and Nov. which is very likely, I can easily rebook and cancel the old ressie.

 

[bab31]

pricelline uses the same car agencies as hotwire. I used hotwire for a hotel stay in Minneapolis and I was satisified with the transaction. I tried priceline a couple of nights ago with a rediculous low bid for a trial run. Tonight I can rebid- 72 hours wait. I have not found as good of a rate as hotwire. So I figure if I can get better with priceline I will give it a try! The 5 agencies they use would be the ones I would be intersted in anyways. I am hoping it will be hertz!

 

[slruud]

About the only place we travel to that we rent a car is Phoenix. When Hotwire is offering economy/compact for $12.95 to $14.95, I have had luck bidding on Priceline for $8 or $9 a day. I always start my research with Orbitz or some such website that will give me rates for all the rental car companies. I then check Hotwire, and using a complex algorithm related to the weight of the cat before and after dinner divided by the finishing place of Tony Stewart in the weekend NASCAR race, times the amount of $$$$ I wish I had, I bid on Priceline that amount. Good luck.

 

[Paging Tom Morrow]

I've used both Hotwire and Priceline on numerous occassions.

I can tell you ow impressed I was with Hotwire. Last year, my wife and I booked a stay at a 3-star resort in San Diego through Hotwire. About a month after booking, I received an email from them stating they had re-evaluated the resort and now they only classified it as a 2.5-star resort. They gave me two options: 1. Cancel the ressie and receive full refund or 2. Keep the ressie and have $75 worth of Hotwire credit.

We took the credit and booked a convertible for that trip. The car ressie was made through Hertz and when Hertz tried to place us into a smaller covertible size than the category we booked, on call to Hotwire straightened it all out.

I have no reservations about using either service, but Hotwire has provided the better customer service as far as I am concerned.

 

[PatsGirl]

I just booked a car for 4/28 through Hotwire (which I always use for hotels when I can and love it). The rental company came through as Avis -- price was $16.95/day so I went from about $160 with thrifty to $125 Hotwire -- not a bad savings.

Now -- anyone think I can use a coupon when I get to the counter? I just purchased Avis coupons on Ebay and wanted to use one for a free tank of gas and/or another for an upgrade -- they were only $2 so I thought I'd take a shot with them.

Brenda

 

[DVC Grammy]

A few months ago, I also posted a thread regarding Hotwire. I got a few responses, all positive, so I went ahead and booked a rental car through them.

It was great! We got a full-sized Grand Prix for a week for less than $180, and this was at Austin-Bergstrom Airport, where the fees and taxes are high! Our rental company was Hertz, and it was right in the airport parking lot! We could've gotten an even cheaper deal if my DH was will to drive a smaller car.

BTW, all the car rental sites, even with codes, were at least $50 more, after taxes and fees!

 

[bab31]

About the only place we travel to that we rent a car is Phoenix. When Hotwire is offering economy/compact for $12.95 to $14.95, I have had luck bidding on Priceline for $8 or $9 a day. I always start my research with Orbitz or some such website that will give me rates for all the rental car companies. I then check Hotwire, and using a complex algorithm related to the weight of the cat before and after dinner divided by the finishing place of Tony Stewart in the weekend NASCAR race, times the amount of $$$$ I wish I had, I bid on Priceline that amount. Good luck.

 

[bab31]

I've used both Hotwire and Priceline on numerous occassions.

We took the credit and booked a convertible for that trip. The car ressie was made through Hertz and when Hertz tried to place us into a smaller covertible size than the category we booked, on call to Hotwire straightened it all out.

Thanks, if I book thru hotwire or priceline I will be sure to have the phone number handy in case of a "mistake".

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

When you bid on PL, do you bid the $ amt per day or for the whole stay before taxes?

 

[bab31]

I just was successful bidding for a full size car for sfo- the dollar amount you put in is without taxes - before you accept your bid to go thru - they tell you exactly how much the rental is going to cost you.

 

[freckles and boo]

Thanks everyone. OP here. I went ahead and booked through Hotwire. The rental is with Hertz. I am saving $50 above and beyond the rate I could have gotten at Hertz with a ComEd (Ameren) code and coupon and more than $80 from the rate without a code. Now as long as everyone stays healthy and there are no weather delays we are set!

 

[bab31]

That is great you were able to snag Hertz! The last time I rented in SFO about 3 years ago we must have waited in line about an hour and for the life of me I cant remember which rental agency we used. I am thinking it was Alamo. It was obviously the cheapest as all the other counters were not busy at all. I am hoping Avis will be one of the non busy ones!

Hope everyone is healthy for your trip- lots of hand washing!!

 

[Lewisc]

Customers that book conventionally can generally find a way to get the extra driver fee waived. You'll almost never get that fee waived if you book through PL or Hotwire. That includes customers that belong to the quick rent program and normally have the fee waived.

You may not get a grace time if you return you car late and the fees if you return your car late may be much greater than if you rent conventionally.

Not a problem if your savings are enough.