Car Rental Questions

We are 79 days out from our trip, car rentals seem pretty steep. Any suggestions on best time to book car rentals? We are looking at a nine day rental. Thanks for any advice you can offer!

If you find a price that you feel is ok book it and check all companies daily, if a better one come along cancel and re-book The closer you get the better the prices should get...Keep checking this forum. Members will post when they feel it a good deal...don't wait if it comes up book right then...TR had a super deal a month or so ago and many members took advance of it $108.24 full-size for a week...may have been misquoted but most received their conformation and the price is locked in...

I wouldn't worry about it until you are 76 days from your arrival! Just joking. I too would go ahead and book the high rate. As mentioned previously, the worst that can happen is that the prices stay the same, but likely, the prices should drop as you get closer. I too check regularly and have often re-booked 2-3 times within a week from arriving in Vegas. That being said...... you must book with the rental car company itself and not a third party broker like expedia, hotwire, travelocity...etc. Once they got your money, it can be next to impossible to switch or cancel with the 3rd party companies.

Thanks for the info guys!

I usually work thru the Costco site to get the rate, than go to the company site with the Costco numbers. Have never had a problem rebooking...and I do it alot. Tomorrows rental is with Alamo and its around $40 for a full size for the 3 night stay...rebooked that one 3 times and I locked it in 2 weeks ago. Got it off a special email from Alamo.

My prices for Nascar weekend are the highest I've ever seen(since 1998). I think they misunderstood me,I only want to use the car,not buy it!!

I use Travelocity almost exclusivly for rental cars. Not a credit card transaction so easy to do, and I have cancelled and rebooked many times before a trip without penalty.

I am 75 days out, just re-booked with PayLess for the second time. Decent prices at the moment, hopefully more rate drops in the near future....

Rates change constantly. The key is persistent in the form of frequent on-line checking.

Had never done the "pay now" option to lock in the lower price at the time of the search; had always just reserved, leaving me the cancel/rebook option as discussed. But about a week out from 2/15, figured the rate wouldn't drop any lower, so went ahead and did the Pay Now.

Good thing I did.

When we got there that Saturday night in the range of 9pm, Payless was out of cars. Because I was paid up front, we had one set aside for us. Otherwise I would have been standing around like others waiting for them to shake one out of a tree somewhere.

Something to keep in mind - I would think especially if you're arriving on a weekend evening. Had a similar experience with AVIS years ago in Orlando - - - and it took hours to resolved.