Priceline & surcharges

[jsmla]

If I submit a priceline bid and am accepted will that be the total charge for my rental? When I check National's website surcharges and taxes added almost 30% to my fees. This is our first time to rent a car so I'm totally clueless. We're arriving at MCO at 9:20 am on a Thursday and departing at 6:50 am on a Monday. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[lady400]

If you're asking if what you put in as a bid will be the total price, no, it won't. The taxes and surcharges will be added on, as well as Priceline's 5.95 charge. Those taxes and fees are charged to virtually everyone who rents a car, and are usually levied by the airports, counties, and other taxing authorities, and yes, they can add an outrageous amount to the bottom line.

I haven't tried Priceline for a rental car, but I think they give an estimate before you place your bid of extra charges. To get the best info, visit http://www.biddingfortravel.com.

 

[tinaluis]

I've found www.hotwire.com to be a better deal for a rental car because the price per day that they quote includes all taxes and fees. And you know what the total price is before you agree to accept it. But, beware, just like Priceline, Hotwire is non-refundable so make sure your dates are set in stone.

 

[AllanJ]

I specifically e-mailed Priceline about this subject two years ago and never got a straight answer.

So (not part of my question) yes the car rental agency may charge you all the standard charges that you would be charged had you rented directly, that includes license recoupment, sales tax, surcharge for riding the shuttle to the airport, etc.

BUt (my opinion) they may not demand that you buy insurance or a tankful of gas. If you want these, fine, but if they refuse to rent you the car for the Priceline price plus normal taxes and charges, I would expect you have a right to a refund.

Why? Here's one reason why. What good is a $15.00 per day Priceline deal with a mandatory $25.00 per day collision waiver compared with a $25.00 walk up deal at another agency with a $10.00 optional collision waiver???

Drivers under 25 should not rent with Priceline even if/when Priceline allows them to. There is no telling how big the under-25 surcharge will be, see the preceding paragraph for an analogy.

More Disney tips:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/disney.htm

9/65 Disneyland
3/75 (World Inn* off I4 near DD)
4/85 (Kon-Tiki* on 192)
'80s Disneyland once or twice
7/94 PORiv
9/97 ASMu
11/98 ASMu
12/98 (Knights Inn on 192)
9/99 ASMo
12/00 ASSp
11/01 ASSp planned
*no longer exists

 

[Lewisc]

AllanJ


Actually both Hotwire and Priceline ask for your DOB and include any underage surcharges in your price. In other words for your bid to be acceptable for PL you have to bid high enough to account for the surcharge.
Hotwire adds the surcharge to the final price they quote.
That said, a driver under age 25 may do better to shop on their own (Enterprise).

 

[jsmla]

This is too complicated for me. Right now I can get National with the DC discount and free weekend day coupon for $131 all charges included. Thanks for the help.