Here are four ways to get huge discounts and free perks to reduce the ever-increasing cost of renting a car in a US city, even in peak season. To verify the deals, a search was made requesting a compact car Wednesday through Friday (2 days) at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) and Boston's Logan Airport (BOS) in July or August.
Hotwire
At this discount travel Web site,the customer sees the all-inclusive price before entering a credit card number. Hotwire guarantees that the company is a major one such as Hertz, Avis, Budget, Enterprise or National. On the best deals, your credit card is charged immediately and you do not see the name of the car rental agency until the end of the process.
This reporter recently rented a car at LAX through Hotwire and not only got a rate that was lower than any senior discount, but the compact Toyota Corolla came with a free GPS navigation system. Hertz's proprietary GPS device "NeverLost." was mounted to the right of the steering wheel, with instructions. It was easy to enter an address and a voice announced turns while a small screen displayed them.
“The vast majority of Hertz's US fleet comes equipped with NeverLost,” spokeswoman Paula Rivera said in an e-mail. Avis did not respond to the same query, although it offers seniors one free day of GPS plus a 25% discount on some rentals via AARP.
Priceline
Priceline offers its well-known “name your own price” on car rentals and promises major companies as well. But without making a non-cancellable bid it is impossible to tell what car agency is involved. Still, many budget-minded seniors have reported satisfaction with Priceline on Web forums.
AARP
AARP members get online discounts of up to 30% at National; up to 25% off at Alamo, Avis and Hertz; up to 20% off from Budget; and an unspecified discount from Enterprise. One comparison of online reservations showed savings of up to $100 on a two-day rental from National. But the company still charges $11.95 per day for a navigation system.
Car Rental Express
This Web site shows very cheap car rentals in many cities for everyone. But its agencies are smaller, independent companies such as Basic, Black & White, E-Z and Discovery. Typically, the least expensive deals are at sites several miles from the nearest airport.
Request Senior Discount
Tavelers often don't need an AARP card. Just ask for the senior discount. A spot comparison at National’s AARP site, Web site and toll-free phone showed the same prices.
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