It’s been several years since I’ve rented in N America, thanks to the friends I stay with having a surfeit of vehicles and lending me one. Lucky me.
A friend is visiting family in Vancouver in a few weeks, after which he is touring for a fortnight. Tonight he was complaining about the rental cost, several hundred dollars, so I did a quick comparison.
Late September I’ve just rented a vehicle for two weeks from Alicante, full to full fuel, Clio or similar, 2 drivers €39 via an online broker.
Same dates, Vancouver airport, cheapest through a broker is $836 Canadian...£509.
I realise the Spanish rental market is more competitive with far more operators, it’s out of peak season, but that’s a huge price differential.
Having said that I’m paying €92 for 20 days ( full to full) imminently at Tenerife, less competition than ALI, but it’s still the most I’ve paid in the last 15 Spanish rentals.
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Try comparing rentals from off-airport locations. Often much cheaper.
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...not always cheaper off-airport. I've currently got a car from Downtown Vancouver for one-way to Calgary. Airport rental would have avoided the one-way drop-off fee. Vancouver without a car for three days, and pick-up 10 minutes from the hotel made that more attractive (taxi from the airport is fixed rate and cheap), but I'm paying for the drop-off.
North American rental rates are, I think, predicated on high-mileages - I've done 800+ miles the last two days alone!
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Out of curiosity, with European rentals you have options to take out both limited (daily) and unlimited mileages. Is it the same in N America, plus the ‘full to full’ option ?
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>> Same dates, Vancouver airport, cheapest through a broker is $836 Canadian...£509.
When you say "cheapest", is that for the smallest car? Based on my experience of hiring in the US I've never* paid that much for 2 weeks and I usually hire a full size SUV.
I've heard (maybe on here) that sometimes in Spain you can get cars for basic rental cost of a Euro per day.
*Paying £1000 for 2 weeks next month, but that's to hire a 15 seater minibus. Was shocked at the cost - was expecting £6-700.
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I rented a car from Southampton Airport for two days earlier this week. Drop off in Newquay - £150 for the smallest car. Even dropping off at the same location would be about £70 for two days.
Spanish prices seem ridiculously cheap. Do you get stung for insurance and other charges?
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>> Spanish prices seem ridiculously cheap. Do you get stung for insurance and other charges?
One or two Spanish operators offer silly come on rates then try and make up difference with stings.
Most egregious offender is said to be Goldcar. We booked with a linked company, same office etc, but on an insurance basis called something like 'no worries'. That bumped cost up to similar level as big internationals but absolutely no pressure to take extras.
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I don't like hiring cars.
I have had problems with Europcar who insisted a Fiat 500 was a Ford Focus sized car and tried to claim for every blemish to paint work, even though some were clearly there from manufacture (orange peel effect).
They also delivered a car (Insignia) for work once that I couldn't drive because it just stank, of what i don't know, but no one i knew could stay in it for more than a few seconds.
It was dropped off whilst i was out, from a depot about 30 miles from where I live, which is about 45 minutes to an hour away depending on traffic. No idea how they managed to stay in it for that long.
I fired of a complaint email saying my employer would not expect an invoice for the hire and got a holding reply 365 days later!
I have had no problem with Enterprise who even give you a chart of allowable "ding" sizes, deliver the car to your doorstep and collect as well. They may be more expensive - but worth it IMHO.
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>>more expensive - but worth it
Often the way.
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I used enterprise in CA a few times last year, I was surprised at the cost (high) for anything American but unremarkable such as Chevrolet Eldorado, but Nissan Sentra etc... was reasonable. Another thing that surprised me was they don't clean them much between hires and the condition is quite bad with damage to tyre sidewalls etc.. I think that's generally a reflection of California, a far-left, drugged-up dystopia verging on third world in many places.
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>>the condition...
Same in Chicago, I can't recall the company but it was a major brand.
I was given an Impala and whilst it was clean it, it was clearly very well used and a significant mileage on the clock.
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Don't forget that in most US states prices are quoted pre-tax!Different states apply different taxes.
Last edited by: jc2 on Sun 7 Jul 19 at 07:18
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>> >>more expensive - but worth it
It remains to be seen...
We are going to Iceland in August. Local rental companies were stupidly expensive. The international companies were cheaper using one of the brokers.
I almost booked with one company but realised that the reviews and star rating were poor. So I have paid an extra £50 to go with an international company and hope that I get a better service and less hassle. I have annual excess insurance which I have only used once in ten years but they paid out nice and quick.
Last edited by: Netsur on Sun 7 Jul 19 at 09:09
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Rental prices Europe vs N America - Kevin
