Penalty for returning car early?

[aanderson5]

We are going on a cruise in Jan and have added 2 days at WDW. We are thinking about renting a car but haven't got any great deals. The main reason we are thinking about renting is because we keep hearing that it is cheaper to rent a car than to pay for Disney transfers.

I have found a decent price through Airmiles but I have to rent the car for 3 days. We only need it for 2 days, 7 hours. When I put in our real pick up/drop off times the price almost doubles. Can I say we need the car for the 3 days but then drop it off early? It would be the day before. Has anyone encountered this?

 

[seashoreCM]

Depends on how long you actually had the car and sometimes whether you had it over a Saturday night.

The hourly leeways and thresholds and grace periods to qualify for daily rates, weekly rates, three days in a row, etc. vary from one company to the next.

 

[kaytieeldr]

A car rental day is 24 consecutive hours, not a calendar day.
The rental agency isn't making any money from a car sitting unexpectedly on their lot due to an early return (vs. the rental fee they'd be getting from the customer who rented it for x number of days, or from the customer who could have rented it if the agency knew it was going to be back on their lot by a certain time/day).
A car rental agreement IS a contract.

Expect that if you change the terms of the contract, so will they; they would be well within their rights to charge you the higher rate you've discovered. See mousesavers.com, vacationoutlet.com, carrentalsavers.com, bnm.com for car rental discount codes - although if you're not renting over a Saturday night/weekend, likely you're not going to find a great deal for just a couple of days.

 

[aanderson5]

I am actually renting over a Saterday. I would be picking it up Saterday morning, 9am, and droping off Monday at 4:30pm. If I drop it off Tues morning instead the price is cut in half. I understand that they now have the car back unexpectanty but that would give them the oppertunity to rent it early if they had customers interested.

I understand I am signing a contract but to be penalized for dropping a car off early seems strange to me. Unless they have to pay for the parking spot (which I doubt). If I wanted to rent a hotel room for a weeks rate but left after 6 days they wouldn't care (I have done this).

 

[Lewisc]

The rental agencies don't think they're penalizing customers. They are just charging you the correct rate applicable to the actual time you rented the car.

You need to read all the "fine print". You may be OK. You've reserved the car for 3 days. You're renting for 2 days 7 hours. Normally anything more then 2 (or 3) hours results in a customer paying for the an extra day. The question is if the "fine print" requires keeping the car for 3 full days. If you have to keep the car through Monday etc.

Getting the car early doesn't help the rental agency. They may have lost customers that would have made a reservation had the agency known they were getting the car early.

Some of the restrictions are designed to offer better deals to price sensitive leisure renters then are offered to business renters.

There are numerous rental agencies in Florida. Countless codes. No point wasting time pricing rental terms you know you're not going to be able to honor.

 

[dudspizza]

I am in the same position. I originally resevered a car for 10 days. We did this before booking our flights. Well, we are now only going 9 days and I have had to make another reservation. If I were to stay with the 10 day and return in the day before, I would be penalized for an early drop off AND the 10 day coupon I am using would be void......

I am holding on to the ressie since Airtran could change my flight times and I would then be able to use the 10 day......

Best of luck..

 

[5boyz]

We are going on a cruise in Jan and have added 2 days at WDW. We are thinking about renting a car but haven't got any great deals. The main reason we are thinking about renting is because we keep hearing that it is cheaper to rent a car than to pay for Disney transfers.

I have found a decent price through Airmiles but I have to rent the car for 3 days. We only need it for 2 days, 7 hours. When I put in our real pick up/drop off times the price almost doubles. Can I say we need the car for the 3 days but then drop it off early? It would be the day before. Has anyone encountered this?

Hey there neighbour!!!!! I do it with a one day rental all the time...I did it 4 times in the summer. I did not pay 1 cent more than I was suppose too.

I used code 299851 from Alamo or Y973800 from Budget. I am going in Jan too. We are going on a cruise too. When are you going?

 

[andrews_dad]

Hey there neighbour!!!!! I do it with a one day rental all the time...I did it 4 times in the summer. I did not pay 1 cent more than I was suppose too.

I used code 299851 from Alamo or Y973800 from Budget. I am going in Jan too. We are going on a cruise too. When are you going?

no, use budget code X474200. almost always cheaper than y973800

 

[uva185]

I once rented a car that required I keep it over a Saturday night. I made the reservation to return it on Sunday but went ahead and returned it on Saturday evening anyways. I did so knowing they very well may charge me the correct rate. In my case I was not charged any extra amount for returning early.

 

[5boyz]

no, use budget code X474200. almost always cheaper than y973800

I think I tried the X one and it was like $67.for an econo for the day????? I will try again...thanks!

 

[Lewisc]

It sounds like the OP reserved the car for 3 days and will be renting the car for 3 days (2 days 7 hours should be 3 days). I've read very few posts where customers were re-rated based on an early return. I suspect the OP will be OK. My guess is the rates went up since he booked. The higher rate isn't a result of keeping the car a few hours less but rather whatever rate they booked is now higher. My concern would be if the OP used and "iffy" code. The reservation system may be catching it for new reservations.

I wouldn't knowlngly do something like reserve a car for a week but plan on returning it in 3 or 4 days. I could easily shop and get a better rate, maybe with a different agency, then getting stuck with whatever rate the agency wanted to charge me when I return the car.

 

[brernick]

We rent one day at a time so we can spend some time in Cocoa Beach.

You want to be sure where your drop off is. They may charge taxi fees to the ship.

 

[Brian Noble]

It would be the day before.

Check the fine print very carefully. My guess: you're rolling the dice a bit.

 

[aanderson5]

OP here. Thanks for everyones help. The code I was using was sent to me from Airmiles and was for Budget. I was playing around with different drop off times and at some point my code was no longer being used and a 3 day rate was being used instead. I have no idea how I got there and cannot find it again. So all is moot.

My code is still valid and is giving me a rate of $118.77 for an economy. It is the price for 2 days 7 hours as it is for the 3 days. I wish I had booked the 3 day rate (which was $67) when I had the chance. But you snooze you loose.

I may still use Disney transfers. It will be slightly cheaper and we really don't need the car. I will keep my eye open for a while before I decide.

5BOYZ - Hey back. We are going on the Jan 3-8, Magic cruise.