Thanks to a road hazard, my engine was toast; a cracked block – covered by comprehensive insurance – meant I needed to rent a car for a couple of weeks. My insurance policy’s standard rental provision allows $15 per day for up to 30 days. In a city saturated with tourism money, was it enough? Motivated, I began my research.
When comparison shopping, look at the prices for all of the car classes. Sometimes a surplus availability of a larger size will cause an agency to put a particular class “on sale” so that it is cheaper to rent than a smaller car.
Car Models by Pricing Classes
The following list – taken from surveying seven San Diego car rental agency websites – provides the car models for the classes, in order of size:
- Economy – Chevrolet Aveo, Hyundai Accent, Toyota Yaris
- Compact – Chevrolet Aveo, Ford Focus or Fiesta, Nissan Versa
- Standard – Chrysler Sebring, Ford Fusion, Nissan Altima
- Intermediate or mid-size – Dodge Avenger, Hyundai Elantra, Nissan Sentra, Toyota Corolla
- Full-size – Chevrolet Malibu or Impala, Dodge Charger, Ford Taurus, Hyundai Sonata, Toyota Camry
- Premium – Buick Regal, Lucerne or LaCrosse, Dodge Charger, Ford Crown Victoria
- Luxury – Cadillac DTS or DeVille
- Specialty (SUVs, trucks, vans, and convertibles) – Chevrolet Silverado, Equinox or Express, Chrysler 300, Dodge Caravan, Ford Escape or Mustang, Kia Sorento, Toyota Sienna
Note that not all companies put cars in the same classes. Fox considers the Chevrolet Aveo a compact car while other companies put it in the economy class.
Important Money-Saving Hints in Deciding Car Rental Choices
Seniors, military members, employees of large businesses and even members of professional organizations are often eligible for discounted rates, but don't assume the discounts are great. Often the internet specials are better.
Surprisingly, coupons and “free” upgrades from mainstream companies like Avis, Hertz, Thrifty and even the low-price touting Enterprise resulted in prices that were quite similar, not bargains.
Prices are not always fixed. My insurance company recommends Enterprise, but as one local manager put it, “We have to use the USAA-contracted prices for all policy-holders, even if our current prices are lower.” I discovered making my own reservation, paying and then being reimbursed saved me nearly $100 on a week-long rental.
Consider renting for the shortest time you will need a car. If you need to extend your contract, some companies will negotiate on the price. Don’t count on it, but you can pay $10 or less per day for a few additional days, much less than the original, daily contract price.
Prices are likely to be higher during holidays and summers when the supply may be less than the demand. If unable to make reservations early, opt for waiting until the last minute. While waiting, track prices and if they seem to go up, quit watching and rent something.
If convenience is not the main issue, sometimes it is much cheaper to rent from a local neighborhood office rather than the airport. Renting a higher priced car from the airport for one day, to go to a nearby community office can be a wise option, but it helps to make the arrangements in advance.
Discounters like Kayak, Expedia and Orbitz often add a service charge. If so, check the internet prices of the individual companies. If you like to gamble, Hotwire and Priceline, may sometimes net a good deal, but they often end up with prices that are higher than if you go directly to the rental company.
The cheapest car will probably not have keyless entry, power windows, locks or mirrors, but it should be clean and include a working radio, heating and probably air conditioning.
The price for a week is often about the same as for five days.
Additional Fees Vary by Agency
Do not be fooled by the advertised “daily prices”. These are not true prices because the following fees are usually not included but required:
- State and local sales taxes
- Airport concession fee (if company does business at the airport)
- California tourism fee
- Facility charge
- Vehicle Leasing Fee (VLF) estimate
Additional fees will add 35 - 160% of the cost before including optional charges like insurance or pre-paid gasoline. This online list of all possible fees may be helpful.
The Results of Research and Dedicated Persistence
Due to a planned trip, I needed to rent a car for three days, then about three weeks later, for another week. To get the best prices, I used two different companies.
Offsite, but near the airport, Payless Car Rental had great service, friendly people and the total price was just under $15 per day. The bus driver helped me with my luggage, and the manager checked me in at the front gate because the line in the office was rather long. The car was clean but very basic. Online reviews for Payless are poor, but my experience was terrific.
The week-long rental was from Enterprise because Payless had no cars available. Renting from a neighborhood office saved about 40% over the airport price, but I still ended up paying the difference after what my insurance allowed, about $20. The car I reserved was not available, so I was given a free upgrade. At check-in, there was an attempt to charge me for the higher priced car. An informal review of online ratings were average (three stars) for most of the Enterprise locations which are conveniently sprinkled throughout many American cities.
When saving money is more important than time, doing a little research can certainly pay off for anyone renting a car in San Diego. Plus, driving a bargain always feels great!
Mistie Shaw - Writing for nearly half a century, Shaw's interests and education meander from music to the military, and from faith to fun.
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