Car hire- pay here? Or pay locally? USA

lynzpower

Hello

Wasnt sure if this should go in motoring or in here. Please feel free to move it if more appropriate elsewhere.

We are wanting to hire a hire car when we go to the US this summer. We fly into Asheville (North carolina) and out of Mempis (TN) there are "apparently" only 2 potential providers- national and alamo. national charge 300usd locally for one way drop off. alamo charge 250usd.

I have a quote from car hire3000 of 247.40 ( economy car) from the 6th - 16th ( plus 250USD locally) inc additional driver and full tank... I got a £5 off code off this today- soo 242 + 250usd local....

Online with alamo I can get it for 347.35 including the one way drop off fee that is $usd 185.00 including local taxes. not inc additional driver ( not sure how much)

Im looking to get this as cheap as possible and cant work out whats best!

jen_br

Buying over there is not cheap check out usrentacar.co.uk and Netflights. then you don't have to worry about insurance and additional driver fees etc.

dzug1

Does that Alamo quote include all the insurance you would need? If it's direct with the US company it almost certainly doesn't - most Americans can use either their own car insurance or their credit card cover so rates don't normally include anything more than a legal minimum - we Brits have to pay or face enormous bills ourselves in the even of an incident.

jeanna_2

buy here.carhire3000 have good prices.we used them last year.

Spursman180

I had a happy coincidence with Thrifty a couple of years back, I had £185 to pay at the desk and they charged me $185, I did ask if that was right and the operative said words along the lines that the machine is omnipotent, bonus but unlikely to be repeated.

I do pay before I go as I find it more comfortable in myself knowing I don't have to think about that cc bill landing with a thump when I'm back home.

Gloomendoom

I'd hire from the UK... and take out extra excess cover as well. It will still probably work out cheaper than the car plus equivalent insurance cover arranged locally.

BTW I've rented from Alamo and they included my wife as an extra driver at no extra charge. They said it was standard policy.

Vikki_74

Just wanted to add that I don't think those are your only options - had a quick look at Hertz & Avis as that's who we tend to use, and both allow pick up / drop off from the places you mentioned.

The prices you've quoted aren't clear at all as to whether they're in £ or $, whether insurance is included etc, so I don't know whether either of these would be more competitive, but worth having a look.

If you're booking direct with a car hire company, I would suggest using their .co.uk site rather than .com i.e. where they quote you the price in £! These are set up for UK drivers hiring in the US so will include all the necessary insurances - usually works out cheaper in the end than using the American sites and having to add all the optional covers.

photome

A UK broker for me Carhire300, usrentacar, netflights.

With all of those you should get an all inclusive price, dont understand why you are getting a price in £ and the extra to pay when you get there.

In my experience the brokers usually work out cheaper than going direct to a carhire company

EDit to add, I missed the one way drop charge, that will make a difference

lynzpower

US renta car is coming in cheaper, is definately showing on the top search bar that the car departs asheville and drop off in memphis, but it doesnt say if there are any one way drop off fees? Is USrentacar include these one way fees? It is coming in at 287 if so. ( i think this is only one driver tho)

whereas carhire3000 said that the one way drop off fee has to be paid locally in cash or credit card.

I think USArentacar is the cheapest but Im never really sure. I have used carhire3000before and always come in cheapest but

misa.blue

Hi has anybody booked hire car with Ebookers? They are coming up £30 cheaper than Netflights or Usrentacar.

Also want to ask about Alamo, it seems they don't include 3rd party cover in their insurance, other places like Dollar, Avis do.
Is it important cover to have or are the other companies just listing it to make it look good?

eslick

carhire3000 includes everything you need, always best prices for our dates for the last two years and we check all of the companies and we do check them all . for best customer service try fifteen02.com