Rental car Shock

[suzanne]

We have full size car reserved with Enterprise for 14 days. We reserved thru Costco, total cost $422.00. I went to check on prices today and that same car is now $637.00. YIKES, So glad I listened to you all and reserved when I did. I will keep checking to see if prices drop before our arrival on Big Island Nov. 3rd.But that was definately sticker shock.

Suzanne

 

[Eagle7304]

Make sure to check back closer to your trip. Prices can go down dramatically if the demand is soft

 

[klpca]

Thanks for the reminder. I just rechecked our reservation for Maui (Nov 2). The cost is the same for the compact ($160 for the week) but the cost of a convertible has dropped from $350 to $200, so I made a new reservation!

 

[suzanne]

Good deal. I need full size as there is 4 of us older (plumper) adults.

Suzanne

 

[Elli]

Suzanne, we had reserved a full size car through Costco at a very good rate - Budget was the cheapest - and got upgraded to an SUV.

 

[Luanne]

Suzanne, we had reserved a full size car through Costco at a very good rate - Budget was the cheapest - and got upgraded to an SUV.

It may depend on which rental car company you get. I rented through Costco and got a car with Enterprise. This was in Tampa. I did get a very nice Camry, but I was offered an upgrade to an SUV......with an increase in the price. I turned them down.

 

[Bee]

I have a jeep reserved on Maui in mid October $200 w/tax for a week. Reserved with Thrifty about two months ago.
Also on Maui, I have a mid size car reserved in mid October for $101 w/tax. I booked through rentalcarsavers.com. This is the first time I used this site, it was posted about a week ago by a Tugger. I'm sure we'll keep the Jeep, but that $101 for the mid size car is a good price.

On Kauai I have a mid size SUV reserved through Costco for mid October, $168 w/tax. I made this reservation about 3 or 4 weeks ago.

I always make rental car reservations early then look again when it gets close to departure date. Most of the time I find better prices. There have been a few exceptions, usually in high demand times and places.

 

[daventrina]

What was shocking was that the taxes and charges were almost half of the cost :annoyed:

 

[Kauai Kid]

Doesn't anyone use discount hawaii car rental.com any more? Use to be unbeatable prices.

Sterling

 

[suzanne]

I will continue checking prices right up til we leave because you just never know when a rate will drop.

Suzanne

 

[Luanne]

Doesn't anyone use discount hawaii car rental.com any more? Use to be unbeatable prices.

Sterling

Each time I've checked them their price has been beaten either by my corporate discount, or by Costco.

 

[Elli]

It may depend on which rental car company you get. I rented through Costco and got a car with Enterprise. This was in Tampa. I did get a very nice Camry, but I was offered an upgrade to an SUV......with an increase in the price. I turned them down.

We didn't get a price increase, otherwise I would have turned it down as well, but sure nice getting an SUV, as we drive one at home.

 

[daventrina]

The best rate that we have found was by clicking on the add car on Hawaiian Air...

15 days ($19.95 extra days) $469 mid-size SUV $138.00/Week (+ $90/week in fees and taxes :annoyed: )

 

[mjkaplan]

you can submit your rental info at Autoslash.com and they will continue to search for a better rate.

 

[fern817]

Costo Car Rental Rates for Hawaii

I have always found the best rates on Costco.com and I recommend checking it daily or at least every other day. About 3 weeks ago I started pricing car rental on Oahu for 11 days in Nov. during Thanksgiving for both a Full size and intermediate SUV. I surprisingly found that pricing fluctuated up and down almost daily! These are rates that I found for both over the past 3 weeks:

Full size: $415 $274 $231 $175 $171
Int. SUV: $507 $411 $397 $297

Whenever I saw the rate lower, I booked it and cancelled the previous reservation. As you can see, at some point the rates have dropped $200+ from my original reservation so it's definitely worth it to take 3 minutes every morning just to check the rates! Almost all of these rates are from Alamo and include the spouse free as an addition driver. You can't always find that outside of Costco. Taxes and fees are included as well!

Discount Hawaii Car Rental (DCHR) found me a full size for $403, then emailed back a lower rate for $353 but has not emailed back since in 3 weeks. In that same time I've found a full size rate that dropped to $171!!! :whoopie:

Just trying to decide if the SUV is worth the extra $120. But either are great rates!

 

[ronandjoan]

I have always found the best rates on Costco.com and I recommend checking it daily or at least every other day. About 3 weeks ago I started pricing car rental on Oahu for 11 days in Nov. during Thanksgiving for both a Full size and intermediate SUV. I surprisingly found that pricing fluctuated up and down almost daily! These are rates that I found for both over the past 3 weeks:

Full size: $415 $274 $231 $175 $171
Int. SUV: $507 $411 $397 $297

Just trying to decide if the SUV is worth the extra $120. But either are great rates!

WOW , how great. I don;t check that often, I should . Good advice, and I will now!

I need a month in December and just one day saw $904 (taxes/fees included) for the entire month.....both before and after when I checked they were much more.

 

[Kauai Kid]

A compact thru Costco for 3 weeks in Mar 2013 $950.70

Thru Discount Hawaii Car Rental compact for same 3 weeks $651.59

I'm not a member of Costco maybe that is why their price is so much more.

If I was a member what would the rate be for 10-30 Mar 2013?

Sterling

 

[Luanne]

A compact thru Costco for 3 weeks in Mar 2013 $950.70

Thru Discount Hawaii Car Rental compact for same 3 weeks $651.59

I'm not a member of Costco maybe that is why their price is so much more.

If I was a member what would the rate be for 10-30 Mar 2013?

Sterling

Sterling, I'm not sure if you have to be a member of Costco to see their discounted price. Maybe you do. I know I'm asked for my number at some point during the reservation process. I'm going to go check and see what I come up with.

You didn't say which island. I assumed Kauai. It didn't ask me for my Costco number up front and the best price I'm getting for those dates is $986.00. That's today. If you keep checking as it gets closer to the date I bet those Costco rates will go down dramatically. At least that's what I've found.

 

[suzanne]

I did not need to give my Costco Member number to check the rates. I had to give it when confirming the reservation. It also states in the fine print that you have to show your Costco Card when picking up the vehicle.

Suzanne

 

[Luanne]

I did not need to give my Costco Member number to check the rates. I had to give it when confirming the reservation. It also states in the fine print that you have to show your Costco Card when picking up the vehicle.

Suzanne

So far we've never had to show our Costco card when picking up the car.

 

[Fisch]

Doesn't anyone use discount hawaii car rental.com any more? Use to be unbeatable prices.

Sterling

I always get a quote from them. We leave on Wednesday to Kauai. Back in April I booked a standard car for 10 days through discount hawaii. It was $350(costco was $450). That was by far the best price at that time. Last week, I checked again and got the rate at $295.
I then checked Costco. $235 for the standard car, $250 for an SUV. So we booked the SUV at costco and cancelled the Discount Hawaii.

 

[Kauai Kid]

Sounds like I better get a Costco card then.

Sterling

 

[Luanne]

Sounds like I better get a Costco card then.

Sterling

And if the island has a Costco with gas that's the cheapest place to buy it.

 

[Kauai Kid]

Costco

I couldn't rent a car from their site without a $55 costco membership.

Savings was $139.57-$55 for the card=$84.57 savings for two weeks

Discount Hawaii $432.32 Costco $ 292.75

Mahalo, Sterling

 

[winger]

I couldn't rent a car from their site without a $55 costco membership.

Savings was $139.57-$55 for the card=$84.57 savings for two weeks

Discount Hawaii $432.32 Costco $ 292.75

Mahalo, Sterling

Ha! I am sitting exactly at $292.75 for my upcoming 2 weeks in Kauai (Nov). Lol I'm still trying to get a load in that. Do you think I'll have any luck with that?