I need to rent a car to drive from Austin, Texas to the upper west side of NYC. I plan to take a week to do so. And yes, I have to drive (taking dog and belongings). I’m not finding much below $120 a day or so. Any tips?
One way car rentals are a nightmare. Just call every agency you can find and hope for some sort of deal. Might do better with a Uhaul van.
I once rented a minivan from CT to the airport in Madison, WI for a week. Maybe five days. It didn’t cost that much. And I even used Hertz.
Shop it on Expedia, then book it directly w the car company, instead of w Expedia.
We are renting an enterprise van for a week…round trip from CT to GA. It’s about $550 for the whole week.
try enterprise.
Also, I see you are a new grad student. If you are under 25 years of age, you will pay a premium cost to rent a car in most cases.
It’s the one-way that gets you because there is usually a drop charge. You CAN get decent rates- but not always. It really depends on the markets.
Are you a member of AAA or a credit union or any other group that might get a better rate?
btw, preironic, how nice for you that your son is coming back. I think my D will be home in October, unless she changes her mind again.
It’s for my son who is a new grad student. I worded it for him - he’s 28 so there shouldn’t be a problem there. I’ve done one ways before and never seen it this high, so I was hoping some of you experts could provide some help.
Enterprise is showing one ways not available. By the way, for you guys that gave tips for housing, they moved up on the waiting list for student housing and were able to get a one bedroom - pricey buy convenient. They found a sublet for the 2 summer months.
Do you belong to Costco? I find they often have the best rates/upgrades, etc. Not sure about one way deals though. Or Hotwire.
You usually need to call about the one-way rentals in order to really be sure of the availability. Sometimes it depends on what they have on the lot and what they don’t mind losing to another state.
I don’t belong to Costco, but that would be a great excuse to join.
musicmom - I should have written you, but it’s been crazy. They arrived the morning after we got back late from a trip to Turkey and we had to drive to Houston to get them - 3 hours each way. We’ve been zombies for several days. Glad your D is coming home, too! Not bringing a new spouse?
For everyone else, musicmom’s D and my S have both been in Korea for years, but they don’t know each other. We’ve traded info during the process.
Maybe it’s me, but if all the taxes and fees are included, I don’t think $120 a day is a lot. Its summer when car rental,rates are very high. If he is under 25 he pays a premium cost. If he goes one way he pays a premium cost.
Honestly, $120 a day doesn’t sound awful.
As a comparison, I’m renting a car in Cleveland for five days. It is being dropped off and picked up,at the same location. I’m a preferred customer. I’m over 25. It’s costing me $320 for five days. In Ohio!
I don’t think $120 a day for a one way rental from TX to NYC is unreasonable for an under 25 year old.
He could save money by making the trip in four days instead of seven.
The renter (OP’s son) is 28. I think $120 sounds steep, but it may be the best you can do. As for COSTCO, I did really well with them for awhile, but lately (I rent a fair amount for personal trips and business) I’ve done better on priceline or going right to the agency websites. The priceline rates (not the name your own price- which can be great but you can’t cancel or change) are usually pretty good.
@thumper1 - he’s 28, so no penalties for being under 25 y/o.
I usually check automobile rentals with vroomvroomvroom.com , but I’ve never tried that site for one-way rentals.
I agree with the suggestion to check UHaul and the other self-move options. And, consider what it would cost to make this move by air/bus/rail instead. That might make $120/day look like a real bargain!
I don’t think I’ve ever paid over $60 a day, even one way. And I feel that’s high.
But I know in this case it will be higher. Once I find the right company I know to call and start throwing the AAA, AARP, etc. at them
One way rentals, particularly ones to destination states that don’t border the originating state, are outrageously expensive. @preironic What states were those?
We had to do it once, and thankfully H’s company picked up the tab, but there was like a $800 penalty. Seriously. Calif to Alabama.
the problem the OP is facing is the trip goes from Tx to NY. There is a penalty for that. It’s not like he’s going from Conn to RI.
I once had to pay a smallish penalty for a one way Las Vegas, NV to Anaheim, Calif, but the states border.
Got it. I had no idea his age…just that he was a new grad student.
Still for a one way rental, the best way for him to save money is to shorten his trip. It doesn’t have to take a week to drive from TX to NYC.