# Using priceline.com for Hawaii Car Rental



## thheath (Aug 16, 2009)

I've not used priceline.com "name your own price" before and I'm trying to rent a car for 8 days in October out of the airport in Hilo, Hawaii.  Is there a timeframe that is best to try and "name your own price"?  I've already tried from $15-$18 without success for a standard size vehicle.  While I realize this is pretty cheap I don't want to keep trying everyday until I'm in the $20+ range unless I have too.  I'm wondering if I wait until close-in might I have a better chance?  Any thoughts would be appreciated.


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## T_R_Oglodyte (Aug 17, 2009)

thheath said:


> I've not used priceline.com "name your own price" before and I'm trying to rent a car for 8 days in October out of the airport in Hilo, Hawaii.  Is there a timeframe that is best to try and "name your own price"?  I've already tried from $15-$18 without success for a standard size vehicle.  While I realize this is pretty cheap I don't want to keep trying everyday until I'm in the $20+ range unless I have too.  I'm wondering if I wait until close-in might I have a better chance?  Any thoughts would be appreciated.


While you will no doubt get answers to your questions here, you should ask your questions at either www.betterbidding.com or www.biddingfortravel.com.

Those sites are to Priceline what TUG is to timeshare.  The moderators and regular participants at those sites are the best resources on interacting with PL, just as the participants here and at TS4Ms are the best resources on interacting with timeshares.


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## Aaron Kristen (Aug 17, 2009)

same problem for us. Tried and tried to get the cheapest deal on Priceline. Then, ended up getting as good a deal as what the lowst Priceline deal was, straight through Budget. So check the car rental company's individual websites for specials.
Our Big Island rental was for 20 days, in April


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## T_R_Oglodyte (Aug 17, 2009)

Aaron Kristen said:


> same problem for us. Tried and tried to get the cheapest deal on Priceline. Then, ended up getting as good a deal as what the lowst Priceline deal was, straight through Budget. So check the car rental company's individual websites for specials.
> Our Big Island rental was for 20 days, in April


No one should expect that PL (or HW) prices will *always *be lower than what you can get by direct booking.  It's really pretty obvious that won't be the case.

PL and HW are clearinghouses for *excess* inventory; IOW, the vendors only give inventory to PL and HW that they can't move through regular business channels.

It follows naturally that when the vendors don't believe they will have excess inventory, they will only give inventory to PL and HW at prices that are *higher* than the prices at which they can move the inventory themselves.

Anytime  you use PL and HW you should always do background checking to find the best vendor rates.


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## Palguy (Aug 18, 2009)

I have had the best luck when bidding within the 30 day mark. I have very often bid $14 a day for a mid sized on Maui and won the bid when within that time frame. The Big Island however rents for about 30% more in my experience. Right now I see where recent rentals for a full size have gone for $20 a day there. My most recent rental there was $38 a day for a compact, but I was unaware that it was the weekend  of the state canoeing championships and cars were virtually impossible to get. When we arrived to pick up the rental they only had 4 cars on the lot, a van and 3 convertibles. We took the Chrysler Sebring convertible (and no my grandson did not drive it).





Good Luck.


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## T_R_Oglodyte (Aug 18, 2009)

Palguy said:


> I have had the best luck when bidding within the 30 day mark. I have very often bid $14 a day for a mid sized on Maui and won the bid when within that time frame. The Big Island however rents for about 30% more in my experience. Right now I see where recent rentals for a full size have gone for $20 a day there. My most recent rental there was $38 a day for a compact, but I was unaware that it was the weekend  of the state canoeing championships and cars were virtually impossible to get.



Conditions seem to have changed greatly on Kaua'i.  In past years Priceline has worked excellently on Kaua'i; I've gotten accustomed to picking up compact size cars for $14 to $20 per day.  This year - I PL'd for $35/day; meanwhile the best rates I was able to see anywhere on line started at $50 per day.

The rental companies on Kaua'i must have shrunk their fleets drastically.

******

A couple of years ago we were on Kaua'i when the state canoeing championships were being held at Hanalei.  Fortunately we made our car reservation (through PL) quite early; apparently before the canoeing details were finalized.  When we arrived on Kaua'i, people were desperate for car rentals.  I saw quite a few shocked looks on people's faces as they reached the car rental counters and were quoted a price.


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## Palguy (Aug 18, 2009)

T_R_Oglodyte said:


> Conditions seem to have changed greatly on Kaua'i.  In past years Priceline has worked excellently on Kaua'i; I've gotten accustomed to picking up compact size cars for $14 to $20 per day.  This year - I PL'd for $35/day; meanwhile the best rates I was able to see anywhere on line started at $50 per day.
> 
> The rental companies on Kaua'i must have shrunk their fleets drastically.
> 
> ...



I may have confused you. My most recent trip to the Big Island the rental was price $38 a day for 2 days, July 31 thru August 1. The state championships were in Hilo that weekend.  However the following week we were able to get a compact for 7 days on the island of Kauai for $14 a day plus taxes and fees of $55.22. A total including taxes and fees of $153.22 for the week. By the way, all were thru Budget and we were upgraded in the lot on Kauai and were given a midsize. That happens a lot to us with Budget in Hawaii, we chose the red HHR.


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## thheath (Aug 18, 2009)

Thanks for all the information, I wasn't sure if there was a secret formula and/or handshake to get the best deals on priceline.com.  I'll keep trying and see what happens.

I currently have back-up reservations though Budget that are $252 for a compact.  I am always looking for ways to game the system though and get things cheaper.


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## Luanne (Aug 18, 2009)

thheath said:


> Thanks for all the information, I wasn't sure if there was a secret formula and/or handshake to get the best deals on priceline.com.  I'll keep trying and see what happens.
> 
> I currently have back-up reservations though Budget that are $252 for a compact.  I am always looking for ways to game the system though and get things cheaper.



I kind of have my own method for priceline.  I do check the bidding websites to get an idea of the bids being accepted.  I also get a "back up" reservation, usually using a corporate discount which gives me about the best rate I can find.  Then I bid what *I'm* willing to pay through priceline.  If I can get the price, great.  If not, I have my back up reservation.


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## Kenrabs (Aug 18, 2009)

I bid last Oct for my July rentals on Kauai, Hawaii, and Oahu. Premium car on Kauai was $20 bid, Fullsize on Oahu and Hawaii were $19 bids and all were for Hertz which went well. I had previous reservations with Alamo with discount codes and went to priceline and underbid those reservation.


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## eal (Aug 18, 2009)

I tend to plan well in advance, and in June I got a compact car for Kauai using priceline for 28 days in November for $18 per day.


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## tmcasey (Aug 25, 2009)

*2009 Car Rental Rates*

In general, car rentals in the U.S. have been expensive this year. While hotel and airfare bargains can be easily found this year, that is not the case with car rentals.  The car rental agencies have adjusted their inventories through attrition and few additions to the fleet.  I read this in the travel section of a major paper, was likely the NYT.  I also experienced it when trying to get a car for a week in Los Angeles.  The car ended up costing me more than the airline ticket.  

Tami


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## thheath (Aug 26, 2009)

Someone else on TUG posted this company for Hawaii rentals and I tried them.

http://www.discounthawaiicarrental.com/

I was able to rent a full size vehicle though them for less than the best price I had previously been able to find for a compact.  The best part is that they deal with major rental companies and you don't need to use your credit card to make a reservation.  Of course the rental is cancelable with no penalty.


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## T_R_Oglodyte (Aug 26, 2009)

Palguy said:


> I may have confused you. My most recent trip to the Big Island the rental was price $38 a day for 2 days, July 31 thru August 1. The state championships were in Hilo that weekend.  However the following week we were able to get a compact for 7 days on the island of Kauai for $14 a day plus taxes and fees of $55.22. A total including taxes and fees of $153.22 for the week. By the way, all were thru Budget and we were upgraded in the lot on Kauai and were given a midsize. That happens a lot to us with Budget in Hawaii, we chose the red HHR.



Our rental period must have included some high rental period days, because I was turned down on PL about 15 times bidding for Kauai this August on both compact and economy size at rates ranging from $20 to as much as $30 per day.

Last week I was even bidding for just two days - a Wed and Thur - on the Monday and Tuesday prior pickup, and still couldn't hit at $30/day.  Offered rates at HW were even higher - about $40 per day for a compact.


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## webdizzy (Aug 26, 2009)

*Beach / Sand Chairs*

Are there places to rent beach/sand chairs at Waikiki on Oahu and Ka'anapali on Maui?  We're staying at the Sheraton Waikiki and the Westin KORV.


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## thheath (Aug 26, 2009)

Here on Kauai I've read in the local newspaper that the rental car companies have reduced vehicle inventories to the bone in a cost cutting effort.  They reported a few times when all rentals at the airport were exhausted and visitors without reservations were sitting at the airport.  This is probably the reason for the increase in rental prices and I presume that they are doing it on the other islands too.


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## cgeidl (Aug 26, 2009)

*big Island now*

From Priceline we rented from Hertz for a week a mid sized for $165, When we arrived on Sturday they were out of cars. We waited for a turn in and clean up and they gave us a large Lincoln for the same price. Very comfortable until you go to park in Kailua Kona. We called and exchanged ti fro the mid sized Green ??? Ford Fusion which we also rented on Oahu for the same price. Supposed to get 23-30 but we just went round the Island and never got 20. Same on Oahu. Guess they are Green if tuned right.
We always check Orbitz for rates then deduct 20-30% and bid Priceline for Hawaii and they always seem to be available -normally the first bid.


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## Born2Travel (Aug 26, 2009)

Kenrabs said:


> I bid last Oct for my July rentals on Kauai, Hawaii, and Oahu. Premium car on Kauai was $20 bid, Fullsize on Oahu and Hawaii were $19 bids and all were for Hertz which went well. I had previous reservations with Alamo with discount codes and went to priceline and underbid those reservation.


 
Last October I doubt anyone knew what the economy was heading into - or at least how bad it might get - things have changed since then - In April in Maui it was a free for all trying to find a clean and ready car -when we checked in we were told to pick any car on the lot - well, no wonder... there wasn't anything ready to go so folks were taking whatever they could get.   We were told the rental agency had shipped cars back to the mainland.  They've all reduced inventory and we are paying much more next April unless things turn around.


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