anyone rent-a-car via priceline

[bell02fantasy]

i nkeeping with the rfd effect.....i bought my family 5 tickets to florida via southwest for 755 USD....sweet, now looking to cheap out on a car...have checkedo ut other threads and coupon and alot expire end of march.

i am trying to find something decent from tampa airport april 4 - midnight to april 11 - 4:00 am....all i am getting is upwards of 500 can or us depending...the extra day kills me (75 bucks for 3-4 hours)

now i am thinking priceline, just wanted to know if anyone had success

[ken_ll]

bell02fantasy
I think if you want help, post details - dates noted, exact prices, base rates and estimated total for your rental period you have received, pickup-TPA/dropoff ??? and the car size.

This will give someone like me and others parameters to work with from our favorites websites.

Never used Priceline for car rentals solely as you cannot be covered by car rental insurance offered free on some credit card. Also look at Hotwire for a guide to prices.

[discodan]

Never used Priceline for car rentals solely as you cannot be covered by car rental insurance offered free on some credit card. Also look at Hotwire for a guide to prices.

Why wouldn't you be covered? You are paying Priceline for the full price of the rental period with the credit card.

[bell02fantasy]

bell02fantasy
I think if you want help, post details - dates noted, exact prices, base rates and estimated total for your rental period you have received, pickup-TPA/dropoff ??? and the car size.

This will give someone like me and others parameters to work with from our favorites websites.

Never used Priceline for car rentals solely as you cannot be covered by car rental insurance offered free on some credit card. Also look at Hotwire for a guide to prices.

dates above....hertz - 490.00 cdn, alamo 436.00 usd - full size car - taurus, etc
for some reason its more $ to pickup-drop off at tpa vs "off site"

[ken_ll]

Why wouldn't you be covered? You are paying Priceline for the full price of the rental period with the credit card.
The reason is that you are paying Priceline and not the car rental agency. While there would be a rental agreement with the agency, you have not charged the cost of the car rental with the agency as you have already paid Priceline, a third party. This may trigger debate.

bell02fantasy

Go to http://www.thetravelhotline.com/packages.asp, click on Car Rental -top, right.

CAD $271.00 Tax not included
Option # 1
Rental Provider Car Category Insurance
AVIS USA FULL-SIZE CAR (2-4 DOORS), AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION WITH A-C
CHEVY IMPALA BASIC PLAN, BAS
Pick-up: Tampa April 04, 2007 at TAMPA AIRPORT
Return: Tampa April 11, 2007 at TAMPA AIRPORT

With tax - 7 days x $39.95 + Tax $19.58 = $299.26 (Canadian)

Comment: Your rental I suspect runs until April 12 at 4 am. and depending on which agency you pick, some may not be open at 4am. You will see rates less than $271 and some in the $350 range with CDW. Keep in mind your car rental is for 24 hour periods and with any delay of arrival at airport and the need to be back there 2 hours or so ahead on return, you may not need the car for the part day. Car rentals in Florida are going to high prices, I have been conditioned to $89 US/week for an economy car.

[bell02fantasy]

The reason is that you are paying Priceline and not the car rental agency. While there would be a rental agreement with the agency, you have not charged the cost of the car rental with the agency as you have already paid Priceline, a third party. This may trigger debate.

bell02fantasy

Go to http://www.thetravelhotline.com/packages.asp, click on Car Rental -top, right.

CAD $271.00 Tax not included
Option # 1
Rental Provider Car Category Insurance
AVIS USA FULL-SIZE CAR (2-4 DOORS), AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION WITH A-C
CHEVY IMPALA BASIC PLAN, BAS
Pick-up: Tampa April 04, 2007 at TAMPA AIRPORT
Return: Tampa April 11, 2007 at TAMPA AIRPORT

With tax - 7 days x $39.95 + Tax $19.58 = $299.26 (Canadian)

Comment: Your rental I suspect runs until April 12 at 4 am. and depending on which agency you pick, some may not be open at 4am. You will see rates less than $271 and some in the $350 range with CDW. Keep in mind your car rental is for 24 hour periods and with any delay of arrival at airport and the need to be back there 2 hours or so ahead on return, you may not need the car for the part day. Car rentals in Florida are going to high prices, I have been conditioned to $89 US/week for an economy car.

thanks for checking....when my reservation did not go through, i called and was told of the "hidden" taxes paidl locally....added roughly 100 bucks to my total - billed me extra day, but i was only overlapping 3 hours (12:00 am to 3:00am).....gimme a break

[Ben Jr]

Man that sounds like one hell of a flight you have there. I guess the reasons are obvious for the cheaper price.
I've used priceline on cars and for the most part its a hit or miss. You may bid $18/day on a car, but all the extra fees/surcharges are a killer. I've seen bids pass for $14/day from tampa, + whatever the charges are...

I usually reserve the econobox rental, and 80% of the time they don't have it available. Then its a free upgrade to something halfway decent.

Ebay also has coupons for sale for various rental companies.

[bell02fantasy]

Man that sounds like one hell of a flight you have there. I guess the reasons are obvious for the cheaper price.
I've used priceline on cars and for the most part its a hit or miss. You may bid $18/day on a car, but all the extra fees/surcharges are a killer. I've seen bids pass for $14/day from tampa, + whatever the charges are...

I usually reserve the econobox rental, and 80% of the time they don't have it available. Then its a free upgrade to something halfway decent.

Ebay also has coupons for sale for various rental companies.

well to be honest, i got 5 flights for 755 usd...we land at 9 pm but was told to ask for a car 5 mins after 12 to avoid extra day charges

[mayfly]

I have booked my rental car to SFO for early April, 2007, airport pickup via priceline.com. We just need an economy. The cheapest published price was about US$17/day plus taxes and fees. I bid US$11/day and got it. It's Hertz. The whole trip (8 days) costs me US$133.20 including taxes and fees. It's about US$100 cheaper than anywhere else. What a deal!