# Avis Bait & Switch



## Kauai Kid (Jan 30, 2009)

I reserved a car at OGG using Discount Hawaii Car Rental.  They came back to me with AVIS at $400.07 --this afternoon I remembered my AVIS Wizzard #, called AVIS directly and gave them my Wizzard #.  Avis sent me an email with the same confirmation number as the $400.07 quote except this time the price was $438.35

We canceled the $438.35 reservation and booked without giving them the Wizzard # and got the same $400.07 quote which we accepted.

No wonder they want your Wizzard #--it puts more money in their pocket.

Heck $38 covers two umbrella drinks.   


Sterling


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## Polly Metallic (Jan 30, 2009)

Kauai Kid said:


> I reserved a car at OGG using Discount Hawaii Car Rental.  They came back to me with AVIS at $400.07 --this afternoon I remembered my AVIS Wizzard #, called AVIS directly and gave them my Wizzard #.  Avis sent me an email with the same confirmation number as the $400.07 quote except this time the price was $438.35
> 
> We canceled the $438.35 reservation and booked without giving them the Wizzard # and got the same $400.07 quote which we accepted.
> 
> ...



Are you sure you don't want the Alamo convertible special at $180.00/week?


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## slabeaume (Jan 31, 2009)

Or the midsize SUV for $179 or the full size SUV for $199?


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## Kauai Kid (Jan 31, 2009)

Polly Metallic said:


> Are you sure you don't want the Alamo convertible special at $180.00/week?




Don't want a convertible--that would ensure a 2 week Kona storm.   But I am interested in $180/wk rate.  

Tell me how please.

Mahalo, Sterling


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## Kauai Kid (Jan 31, 2009)

Who has this rate?

Thanks, Sterling


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## Kauai Kid (Jan 31, 2009)

I just checked Alamo's web site for 1 Mar-13 Mar at OGG

Convertible 670.40 includes 121.91 in taxes, surcharges, fees
Mid sized sedan 482.23 includes 100.84 in taxes, surcharges, fees
Mid sized SUV 794.11  with 136.26 in taxes, surcharges, fees

Could save 10% with a pre pay

My Avis rate of 400.07 looks pretty good.  It includes taxes, surcharges, and fees.


Sterling


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## cgeidl (Jan 31, 2009)

*Try Priceline*

I always check Kayak and another car rental site get the best deal price then bid on Priceline 20% Less and it works usually the first time.


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## Ann in CA (Jan 31, 2009)

Don't know if it's there now, but in November, wither Avis or Alamo had a "Hawaii Special" on the Home page of the website.  It had the convertible, the midsize SUV and something else at a really, really good rate for one week.  We ended up needing 10 days, and when the extra three days were added, it was not a great offer anymore.  So we cancelled and booked on Hotwire.

We recently used Hotwire for Washington DC, and got a great rate, Hertz, for less than half of the website Hertz #1 rate.  Think we also had a higher price with Wizzard when I was checking prices at the  Avis site.  Not good business sense!

Aloha!


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## Kildahl (Feb 1, 2009)

*4WD?*

Is 4WD advisable for getting off the asphalt on Kauai in July?
I am talking roads not the beachs.
Any suggestions?
TIA, Kildahl.


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## gorevs9 (Feb 1, 2009)

Kauai Kid said:


> I reserved a car at OGG using Discount Hawaii Car Rental.  They came back to me with AVIS at $400.07 --this afternoon I remembered my AVIS Wizzard #, called AVIS directly and gave them my Wizzard #.  Avis sent me an email with the same confirmation number as the $400.07 quote except this time the price was $438.35
> 
> We canceled the $438.35 reservation and booked without giving them the Wizzard # and got the same $400.07 quote which we accepted.


Did you re-book without your Wizard # to get the $400 reservation or did you never cancel the initial $400  reservation?

I has something similar happen to me.  I had a confirmed reservation, but later I went online to ADD my incoming flight information.  After that my rate increased by $15.00.  The Avis rep told me that whenever ANY modificationsa are made to a reservation, then you are re-confirmed at the current rate.  Adding the flight information was considered a change. 

Also if you made the original reservation with a certain coupon code, when you called Avis and gave them your Wizard number, it may have been associated with a different code. 

My company uses Avis and a specific AWD is associated my Wizard #.  Sometimes that AWD is more expensive than the using other codes.


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## DeniseM (Feb 1, 2009)

Kildahl said:


> Is 4WD advisable for getting off the asphalt on Kauai in July?
> I am talking roads not the beachs.
> Any suggestions?
> TIA, Kildahl.



We have gone out to Polihale beach twice with a standard car with no problem.  I can't think if any other place you might want to go that's not on a paved road.  Were you thinking of somewhere in particular?

And you are right - don't drive on the beach! 

The visitor below got stuck in the sand all the way up to the frame, some local guys dug him out, and he immediately got stuck again.  At that point one of the local guys drove his rental car off the beach for him!


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## Polly Metallic (Feb 1, 2009)

Kauai Kid said:


> Who has this rate?
> 
> Thanks, Sterling



Sorry, I didn't see this message sooner. Alamo has a special deal. I didn't find it from using the various search engines like Orbitz or Kayak. Another Tugger posted a message about the "Hawaii Special" which was listed on the Alamo Home Page, so I checked it out and took advantage of the offer. I just checked again, and it's gone now, so must be a bunch of us jumped on the deal and booked all their converibles.


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