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2008-12-08 3:49 PM

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Elite
3201
20001000100100
South Florida
Subject: Anyone used Priceline for car rental?

I need to rent a car for my trip in December and I'd like to try the Name Your Own Price at Priceline.  I've never used ti before and had a few questions.  Are you guaranteed an at the airport location and not a near the airport location?  I'll be lugging my three kids around and don't want to have to be all over Boston to get the car.  On the regular site where you can see the prices they only have the dealers you've heard of- Hertz, Abis, etc.  When I use the Name Your Own Price part will it be the same big name companies or do they throw in strange ones?  (I just found a section that says it will be from the top 5 companies)

I have AAA so I'm trying to figure out f it would be cheaper than Priceline.  How low do you usually go when you put in your bid?

Thank you!



Edited by MomX3 2008-12-08 3:57 PM


2008-12-08 5:26 PM
in reply to: #1844273

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Master
1402
1000100100100100
Cumming, Georgia
Subject: RE: Anyone used Priceline for car rental?
I use it all the time and I think as long as you put the airport code you will get one from the airport location.  Go lower than you expect.  I've got a rental for as low as $12/day but the last time I used it $20 was the best I got.  I've also always got one of the top companies.  You should be fine.
2008-12-08 5:46 PM
in reply to: #1844273

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Elite
3201
20001000100100
South Florida
Subject: RE: Anyone used Priceline for car rental?
Cool- so do you start low and they say no and you keep going higher?  It's over Christmas and we need a big car so they're going about $35 a day right now.
2008-12-08 6:09 PM
in reply to: #1844273

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This user's post has been ignored.
2008-12-08 6:52 PM
in reply to: #1844273

Master
1376
1000100100100252525
Chicago
Subject: RE: Anyone used Priceline for car rental?
I've used it several times as well.  What I usually do is check to see what it would cost me on a site like Hotwire and then go over to PL and put in a bid anywhere from $3 - $10 lower than what I was quoted, depending on the car size.  As long as you put in the airport code you should be good to go at that location.  I've always gotten a deal via the top companies as well. 
2008-12-08 7:54 PM
in reply to: #1844273

Master
1572
10005002525
PA
Subject: RE: Anyone used Priceline for car rental?

I use it as well.  I've always had a big name company.  Usually I've had to hop on the airport shuttle to get to the rental car company (meaning rarely have the companies I've gotten been right at the airport, but they are still the companies for that airport code location).  I've gotten full size cars for around $14/day.  All supply & demand though.  Depends on where you're going, time of year, demand for the cars, etc.  as to how good of a deal you'll get.  You cannot just keep rebidding.  There is a window of time before you can rebid with the exact same specifications.  I can't remember what it is for cars off the top of my head.  Maybe one bid every 72 hours with cars?  With hotels it's 1 bid every 24 hours.  But I think cars might be longer.  With that said, you can usually change what type of car you are looking for (like add an additional pick) and rebid immediately.  I always start with the better cars so I can keep rebidding.  For instance let's say you pick this....

SUV $17/day.  And don't get it.  You can either wait out the waiting period and rebid at say SUV $19/day.  OR, you can now check another box so you're bidding SUV and Minivan $18/day.  (You could do $17 again or you can use this to go a little higher).  Don't get it, now check full-size, etc.  

I do the same thing with hotels.  I start at the highest star level, put in a bid, and then start decreasing my star level to allow me to rebid on the spot, or I'll add a second area I'm willing to stay.  I dont check everything I'm willing to get right off the bat b/c that's our chance to rebid.  Basically you only have to change one thing to rebid on the spot (hotel or car).   FYI...for hotels my bids that are accepted are usually LESS than 50% of the rack rate (or Priceline's published rate) and 90% of the time I end up in Marriott brand hotels when I pick say 2.5 stars or higher.  For instance if most of the hotels at a 2.5 star level are say $109/night, I bid $45 or $50 and it's usually accepted.  Pretty amazing.  Don't forget about priceline fees/taxes, but you'd be paying at least the taxes anyway.  It will show you your total cost with taxes, fees for that particular bid before you submit your bid.



2009-07-06 3:25 PM
in reply to: #1844273

Elite
3201
20001000100100
South Florida
Subject: RE: Anyone used Priceline for car rental?
So I never used priceline at Christmas because I got a good rate on my own.  But- now we're going back to Boston next week and I'm having the hardest time finding reasonable prices.  I went to a few sites and then took about 30% off those prices, but when I put those prices into Priceline it says, "your price is so far below current rates you're not likey to get it" and then gives me an estimate that is the same or more than I found on Hotwire/Kayak, etc.

So - do I just keep going and hope I get it or do I go higher?  We're going to be there for 24 days and we are a family of 5, so it is going to be a ton of money no matter how I do it. 
2009-07-06 3:41 PM
in reply to: #2265494

Alpharetta, Georgia
Bronze member
Subject: RE: Anyone used Priceline for car rental?
MomX3 - 2009-07-06 3:25 PM
but when I put those prices into Priceline it says, "your price is so far below current rates you're not likey to get it" and then gives me an estimate that is the same or more than I found on Hotwire/Kayak, etc.

So - do I just keep going and hope I get it or do I go higher?   


I'd continue with the request, if it's not like $1/day or something silly. In my experience, about half the time I get the "warning" it accepts it.

I, too, have gotten the $12/day deal on a full sized car - you just can't beat priceline! Love.
2009-07-06 4:35 PM
in reply to: #1844273

Elite
2998
2000500100100100100252525
Fishers, Indiana
Subject: RE: Anyone used Priceline for car rental?
Priceline is THE way to go for rental cars. I haven't found a way to get it done any cheaper any other method!!
2009-07-06 5:20 PM
in reply to: #1844273

Elite
3201
20001000100100
South Florida
Subject: RE: Anyone used Priceline for car rental?
Well, so far it's said no to $35/day for a minivan and an SUV.  Now I have to decide if I want to wait the 24 hours to try again or go down to a full size. So far the cheapest I've found on a full size is $35/day through Hotwire.  It's crazy to thing our car rental is going to cost more than our flights!
2009-07-06 9:44 PM
in reply to: #1844742

Master
2701
2000500100100
Salisbury, North Carolina
Subject: RE: Anyone used Priceline for car rental?
gopennstate - 2008-12-08 8:54 PM

I use it as well.  I've always had a big name company.  Usually I've had to hop on the airport shuttle to get to the rental car company (meaning rarely have the companies I've gotten been right at the airport, but they are still the companies for that airport code location).  I've gotten full size cars for around $14/day.  All supply & demand though.  Depends on where you're going, time of year, demand for the cars, etc.  as to how good of a deal you'll get.  You cannot just keep rebidding.  There is a window of time before you can rebid with the exact same specifications.  I can't remember what it is for cars off the top of my head.  Maybe one bid every 72 hours with cars?  With hotels it's 1 bid every 24 hours.  But I think cars might be longer.  With that said, you can usually change what type of car you are looking for (like add an additional pick) and rebid immediately.  I always start with the better cars so I can keep rebidding.  For instance let's say you pick this....

SUV $17/day.  And don't get it.  You can either wait out the waiting period and rebid at say SUV $19/day.  OR, you can now check another box so you're bidding SUV and Minivan $18/day.  (You could do $17 again or you can use this to go a little higher).  Don't get it, now check full-size, etc.  

I do the same thing with hotels.  I start at the highest star level, put in a bid, and then start decreasing my star level to allow me to rebid on the spot, or I'll add a second area I'm willing to stay.  I dont check everything I'm willing to get right off the bat b/c that's our chance to rebid.  Basically you only have to change one thing to rebid on the spot (hotel or car).   FYI...for hotels my bids that are accepted are usually LESS than 50% of the rack rate (or Priceline's published rate) and 90% of the time I end up in Marriott brand hotels when I pick say 2.5 stars or higher.  For instance if most of the hotels at a 2.5 star level are say $109/night, I bid $45 or $50 and it's usually accepted.  Pretty amazing.  Don't forget about priceline fees/taxes, but you'd be paying at least the taxes anyway.  It will show you your total cost with taxes, fees for that particular bid before you submit your bid.



Very good explanation/instructions. My experience has been the same too..... i.e. $ 40 night @ a Hilton in Alexandria VA the week of the 4th, luxury/premium cars for $ 20. Have never been burned or even dissatisfied. But like she said above, it's all supply/demand/timing.

Good luck !



Edited by tri42 2009-07-06 9:45 PM


2009-07-06 10:34 PM
in reply to: #1844273

Extreme Veteran
3177
20001000100252525
Subject: RE: Anyone used Priceline for car rental?
I have had friends use priceline before with very good results for cars. I get a good enough discount nationally through work with either of two different companies that I have not needed priceline yet, but I have always checked first!
2009-07-07 7:01 AM
in reply to: #2266330

Subject: ...
This user's post has been ignored.
2009-07-07 8:30 AM
in reply to: #1844273

Master
1573
10005002525
Red Sox Nation
Subject: RE: Anyone used Priceline for car rental?
Holy cow!  This site is GREAT!
2009-07-07 10:28 AM
in reply to: #2265722

Champion
8766
5000200010005001001002525
Evergreen, Colorado
Subject: RE: Anyone used Priceline for car rental?
MomX3 - 2009-07-06 5:20 PM Well, so far it's said no to $35/day for a minivan and an SUV.  Now I have to decide if I want to wait the 24 hours to try again or go down to a full size. So far the cheapest I've found on a full size is $35/day through Hotwire.  It's crazy to thing our car rental is going to cost more than our flights!


You're looking at Christmas time, right?

Of COURSE they aren't going to offer you a deal 6 months out...they hope to get people to pay full price between now and then.  I would say the closer it gets to Christmas the better the deal you can get as they try to make sure their inventory is booked.

I'd try again in several months.  But maybe make reservations somewhere so you can be sure you have a backup plan.  Then cancel them if you managed to get a cheap priceline rate.
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