# Costco--boo hiss



## Kauai Kid (Feb 12, 2013)

Rental cost for a compact car, one driver, for three Oct weeks on Kauai

COSTCO:  $942

DISCOUNT HAWAII CAR RENTAL $657 

THAT'S A $285 SAVINGS of 30% WITHOUT PAYING COSTCO'S MEMBERSHIP FEES.

COSTCO'S PRICE FOR THREE WEEKS ON MAUI THIS MARCH WAS $942.48

DISCOUNT HAWAII CAR RENTAL:  $651.59 



Sterling

  A fool and his money are soon parted.
Thomas Tusser (English) 1524-1580


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## slip (Feb 12, 2013)

Nice rate. I'm going to see what I get for my two weeks starting Thanksgiving.
Plus one week on Kauai.


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## taffy19 (Feb 13, 2013)

Kauai Kid said:


> Rental cost for a compact car, one driver, for three Oct weeks on Maui
> 
> COSTCO: $942
> 
> ...


We also had a savings of almost $300 between Costco and Discount Hawaii Car Rental. We started out with our usual car rental agency but they were very expensive this year.  We need a car for 4 weeks on Maui in a few weeks.


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## Fisch (Feb 13, 2013)

Kauai Kid said:


> Rental cost for a compact car, one driver, for three Oct weeks on Maui
> 
> COSTCO:  $942
> 
> ...



Exact Same trend as last year, hopefully?  Once June came, Costco had way better deals than Discount Hawaii.  We booked early(January) with DHCR, great Costco rates came up later, bought the Costco membership and still saved $75 on a 10 day rental.(Our car rental was on Kauai)

Every few weeks check back to see when any Costco deals hit.

Just booked my rental for Kauai in October 2013 yesterday through DHCR and I will keep watching.  Almost every year the rate has dropped at least $100.


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## Luanne (Feb 13, 2013)

Right now on Maui in August I have a reservation with Avis (corporate discount).  As it gets closer I'll start checking Discount Hawaii and Costco.  I'm betting one of those will come in with a better price.


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## rickandcindy23 (Feb 13, 2013)

Costco for our full-sized car, two weeks on Maui for next month: $403 total, booked yesterday through Alamo, but the other companies are very reasonable too.  Love Costco's new rental car search feature.  

Discount Hawaiian was $489 total for the same dates through Enterprise.  Asked if they can beat our total, and their answer was, "Sorry, we cannot beat that rate."  Okay.  

Keep watching Costco and save big.


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## rickandcindy23 (Feb 13, 2013)

iconnections said:


> We also had a savings of almost $300 between Costco and Discount Hawaii Car Rental. We started out with our usual car rental agency but they were very expensive this year.  We need a car for 4 weeks on Maui in a few weeks.



We will be on Maui 3/2-3/16. We will see you there!


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## rickandcindy23 (Feb 13, 2013)

Now my Costco price is $399 for the two weeks, full-sized car.


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## Kauai Kid (Feb 13, 2013)

*cAR RENTAL RATES*

Checked costco's rates today 2/13/13 for three weeks this march for a compact $1098

i've seen costco cheaper i believe one time than discount hawaii car rental, but i keep checking.

Sterling


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## rickandcindy23 (Feb 13, 2013)

Kauai Kid said:


> Checked costco's rates today 2/13/13 for three weeks this march for a compact $1098
> 
> i've seen costco cheaper i believe one time than discount hawaii car rental, but i keep checking.
> 
> Sterling



I make reservations with Discount for most of our trips, and I have cancelled 100% of those reservations, when Costco beat their rates.  I check often.  

3/2-3/16 is $399 all in for Maui.  That's Alamo through Costco.  

Checking often is key.  I believe in saving money on cars, because then I can afford more meals out.


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## UWSurfer (Feb 13, 2013)

I wrote last year about Costco and the strategy I used to get two weeks, mid-size car for half of what was initially quoted.  When I booked our airfare approximately six months prior to the trip, I booked the car with Costco for nearly $700 for the two weeks.  Basically about 3 months prior to the trip I started checking daily and two months prior twice a day, once in the morning, once in the evening.  

When the price dropped, even by a dollar I booked the new rate & then cancelled the old reservation.   The price dropped $50 one time and then by smaller amounts $1 to $10 at a time, sometimes going up as I checked.  By about 20 days or so prior to the trip the price accelerated in the days leading up to the trip to about what we were originally quoted.   It took a bit of effort, but it was sort of fun checking each day and looking at the pricing on the Costco price grid.


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## LisaRex (Feb 13, 2013)

UWSurfer said:


> When the price dropped, even by a dollar I booked the new rate & then cancelled the old reservation.



It's not necessary to do this.  Instead, go the confirmation email, and click on the link to edit your current reservation.  It will allow you to edit the existing reservation, including changing corporate codes and coupon codes.  After you calculate the new rate, it will give you a side-by-side comparison between the original and modified reservations. At that time, you can choose which one to keep.  

This way, you don't have to keep booking and cancelling, booking and cancelling.  Best of all, you don't have to re-enter the pertinent information again and again.  Plus, your reservation number doesn't change.


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## DaveNV (Feb 13, 2013)

Just a little head's up, in case anyone doesn't already know this:

I want to remind everyone who complains about "having to buy a Costco membership," that the membership fee is fully refundable for the entire year of the membership.  Do what you like, buy what you will, rent a car or shop in the warehouse while on vacation, book a vacation, or whatever -- but even as late as the LAST DAY of your membership year you can cancel your membership, and the entire year's fee you paid is FULLY REFUNDED.  

So there is no need to worry about what you think you may not use.  You aren't stuck with something you don't want.

Dave


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## klpca (Feb 13, 2013)

LisaRex said:


> It's not necessary to do this.  Instead, go the confirmation email, and click on the link to edit your current reservation.  It will allow you to edit the existing reservation, including changing corporate codes and coupon codes.  After you calculate the new rate, it will give you a side-by-side comparison between the original and modified reservations. At that time, you can choose which one to keep.
> 
> This way, you don't have to keep booking and cancelling, booking and cancelling.  Best of all, you don't have to re-enter the pertinent information again and again.  Plus, your reservation number doesn't change.


Thanks for the great information!


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## UWSurfer (Feb 13, 2013)

LisaRex said:


> It's not necessary to do this.  Instead, go the confirmation email, and click on the link to edit your current reservation.  It will allow you to edit the existing reservation, including changing corporate codes and coupon codes.  After you calculate the new rate, it will give you a side-by-side comparison between the original and modified reservations. At that time, you can choose which one to keep.
> 
> This way, you don't have to keep booking and cancelling, booking and cancelling.  Best of all, you don't have to re-enter the pertinent information again and again.  Plus, your reservation number doesn't change.



Great to know!


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## Luanne (Feb 13, 2013)

This thread did cause me to check my current reservations against Costco and Discount Hawaii.  Currently, for rental in August/September, my corporate rate with Avis is still better than both of those.  But, as time gets closer to the trip, I'm sure that will change.


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## Elli (Feb 14, 2013)

LisaRex said:


> It's not necessary to do this.  Instead, go the confirmation email, and click on the link to edit your current reservation.  It will allow you to edit the existing reservation, including changing corporate codes and coupon codes.  After you calculate the new rate, it will give you a side-by-side comparison between the original and modified reservations. At that time, you can choose which one to keep.
> 
> This way, you don't have to keep booking and cancelling, booking and cancelling.  Best of all, you don't have to re-enter the pertinent information again and again.  Plus, your reservation number doesn't change.



Does this work if you book through Costco?


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## Sandy VDH (Feb 15, 2013)

Costco currently discount only runs through 3/31/13.  I am also waiting for costco to add a new discount. 

I am sure it will come out with a new one eventually.


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## nygiants11991 (Feb 15, 2013)

Costco saved me $300 today on 2 full size cars on Kauai, I for two weeks and the other for one.

Yeah Costco,  After seeing this thread I will definately keep checking back


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## LisaRex (Feb 15, 2013)

Elli said:


> Does this work if you book through Costco?



Yes, it works exactly the same.  But instead of clicking thru the Costco portal, write down the corporate code and/or discount codes and manually enter them on the reservation screen.


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## LisaRex (Feb 15, 2013)

Sandy VDH said:


> Costco currently discount only runs through 3/31/13.  I am also waiting for costco to add a new discount.
> 
> I am sure it will come out with a new one eventually.



Next time you're in Costco, pick up their travel magazine.  Many times they have inserts with car rental discount codes for dates beyond what is listed in their website.


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## LisaRex (Feb 19, 2013)

I picked up a travel magazine for you.  There is an Avis coupon that is good through 6/30/13:  25%, Additional driver fee waived, free weekend day.


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## BocaBoy (Feb 19, 2013)

I always book fairly early through Discount Hawaii (they have contract prices good for the calendar year with some difference for peak periods).  Then I use Priceline's "name your own price" staring a week or two ahead of our trip and usually do better.  Discount Hawaii's prices are very good, so I am never stuck with an outrageous rental price.  This strategy also reduces the constant checking as retail prices change constantly.


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## rickandcindy23 (Feb 19, 2013)

Discount Hawaii was at $489 for our two weeks on Maui, 3/2-3/16

Same two weeks on Maui through Costco: $338.80, all taxes and fees included.

Now the prices are going back up again, but who cares?  That is a great deal on a full-size.


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