Maui-Dollar Rental Prices vs Hertz for a Jeep Wrangler

[pcgirl54]

I am a Hertz Gold member. Most of the time with coupon codes I fare just as well with Hertz prices and love the quick service lane. I know Hertz can be pricey but I have done well with them most of the time.

We are headed to Maui in a month. Best Hertz price for the Fun Collection Jeep Wrangler with fees is $487 for 8 days Base is $339 plus fees and extra day at $68 per day.

Today I read Endless Vacation Guide and input Dollar Rental Discount code CDBR1465 and got a base rate of $194.87 rate with taxes plus extra day at $30.77 for a total of $281.83. Per day rate is less than half over Hertz. Or a difference of $206.

Dollar charges for an 2nd driver. Hertz does not. No off road allowed. We plan to drive the Road to Hana.

Hertz does not say Jeep or similar since it is their Fun Collection. Dollar says ATV mid size Jeep or similar. I am leary of bait and switch for a Jeep.

DH wants a Jeep. Why would there be such a large difference in the prices per day? It is almost double.

I have been pricing Jeeps with Avis,Budget and other companies with varying codes for a few months and they all mirrored Hertz prices or even a bit higher. About $480-$500 for 8 days.

Also we have Amex Damage coverage for $24.95 per rental. Because it is Hawaii do you buy the rental coverage from the company? I believe with Dollar it was $95 for the week.


Thanks for your input. We are Hawaii newbies.

 

[LisaRex]

It's all about supply and demand. When I went to book a car for my Phoenix trip a few months ago, I did a search on Alamo via Costco. By far, the least expensive vehicle was a mini van. I want to say it was less than $100 for 4 days (+$100 in taxes, etc. Grr.) My husband wasn't thrilled because he envisioned himself driving a little sports car through Sedona, but I kept the reservation, hoping prices would come down on other cars.

Fast forward a few weeks and the price for mini-vans is TRIPLE what we paid. In fact, all the rates sky-rocketed. Turns out there was a NASCAR race in Phoenix that weekend and the demand was outweighing the supply. This is contrary to most occasions where rental companies will offer specials at the last minute to clear out excess inventory. So renting early really behooved us. Though my husband really wanted a sports car.

By the way, what are your travel dates? I'm shocked that you can't find a lower price than that. I'd check out the "Hot Deals" section of Alamo as they have a big presence in Maui. Be sure to go to them through the Costco.com page as they have good discounts and Costco members get a free add'l driver. National also offers great deals, but the best deals are usually found within a few weeks of travel. Emerald Club members get a free additional driver plus they can bypass the line, so be sure to join before booking (It's free to join. See mousesavers.com if you can't find a promo for free membership.)

In this case, I'd also consider renting from a local agency, such as MauiCarRentals.com. They have Jeeps for $259/week + add'l drivers are free.

 

[nygiants11991]

I have not rented many cars, but I have to tell you, the last time I rented, I used Hertz and my gold membership. Boy was that nice. Quick....

I don't know if I would pay twice the price for that luxuary, but it is worth a couple dollars.

 

[pcgirl54]

Ny
I agree. Hertz is nice-no lines.

National is the same price as is Avis/Budget over $50. I will check Alamo. Traveling in 4.5 weeks.

Dollar prices are 30-40 per day. I got a rate of $30.99. Hertz is $68.

 

[T_R_Oglodyte]

… Why would there be such a large difference in the prices per day? It is almost double.

I have been pricing Jeeps with Avis,Budget and other companies with varying codes for a few months and they all mirrored Hertz prices or even a bit higher. About $480-$500 for 8 days.

There is nothing unusual about those types of pricing differences. Whenever I rent vehicles as a minimum I check offerings via Kayak, and 2x differences for the same vehicle among "name brand" rental companies is quite common. There also is no apparent pattern I can discern as to which companies will be cheapest. It simply varies all over the place.

Also we have Amex Damage coverage for $24.95 per rental. Because it is Hawaii do you buy the rental coverage from the company? I believe with Dollar it was $95 for the week.…

There is little reason to pay for damage coverage from the rental company if you have it through your credit card. The credit card coverage is cheaper and more comprehensive.

The only rationale I can think of for not using credit card coverage is because credit card coverage fo rentals in the US is secondary - meaning you will first have to present the claim to your primary auto insurance company and collect whatever coverage you have from your primary insurer before the credit card coverage will kick in. That means that you will have an incident on report with your primary insurer.

I don't worry about that since I figure that the reason I bought my auto insurance coverage in the first place is to cover me in case of an accident. So if I have an accident and need coverage, that's exactly what I bought the policy for. It seems silly to me to pay extra to not use a policy for the reason for which I bought it.

***

But if that is a matter of concern for you, then I suppose you can rationalize taking the rental company coverage. But if that truly is an issue for you, you would be better off getting a credit card that allows you to buy their coverage as primary insurance on a per rental basis. It would be cheaper than taking the rental company coverage and it will provide better coverage.

 

[pcgirl54]

The Amex plan I have is primary. I have never experienced a claim when renting a car. Since Hawaii is not stateside I do not know if there are any differences that Tuggers have experienced.

I search and compare prices including Kayak but Dollar is half of all the others and says jeep or similar.. All other companies no matter the coupon codes hover $20-$30 dollars shy of $500 for 8 days.

On the average rental prices change 7 times a day per Budget Travel article.