Denver Car Rental 7/8-7/14

[KeyWest]

Hello all,

Needing help from Denver Staches, Im flying into DEN and need a rental to drive to Cheyenne for a wedding that week. I have looked online at Kayak and Orbitz. Most of them were going to charge $800+ during that time. Does anyone know of a cheaper option for a vehicle to rent in the area? Thanks, any input would be helpful!

Adam

[mpg350]

One option is look at the price renting from a location away from the airport.  Take a taxi from the airport to the location.
I believe enterprise has a location not that far from the airport.

[Spartana]

Also look directly at the various rental car companies and see what discounts and coupons they offer thru their various partners. For example you can get big discounts from Avis and Budget (and I think Alamo and Enterprise) if you have a Costco card, Discounts from Hertz for a AAA card, etc... I rent cars ALOT (like for several months a year) and often get them for $100/week for a midsized car with unlimited miles. I also use a CC that pays the collision damage so waive the rental car companies insurance for that and save money.  Also book at an off-airport site as they are much much cheaper.

[geekette]

I don't know what's up with that area this July.

I'll be renting a car from 7/16-26 for the great circumnavigation of Wyoming trip (don't ask, it's for my 79 year old Mom's bucket list).  A couple months ago we reserved a car for the 10 days with Budget (Discover Card promo) for $605 inclusive, and I thought that was high.  I recently looked to see if they'd come down, but they've doubled!   

Normally, I'd recommend http://biddingfortravel.yuku.com (direct link for rental cars in that area), but there's very little traffic right now.  Previously I've gotten very good prices via priceline or hotwire, but I check there first to see how the bids are going. 

[Eric]

Wow!  That's some insane pricing!  Renting away from the airport to a local non-airport location can save on taxes and fees, but I don't think there's usually much price difference in the actual car.  Sometimes slightly lower, but of course it costs money to get there.  I wonder why cars are so expensive for this time.

[geekette]

Just plugging in those dates and any discount code I can find gets a Prius for $500 for the 6 days ($450 if you pay in advance).  Pretty nuts.

[oldtoyota]

There are some huge conventions happening. That might be causing the price increase. I agree with others that you should try to rent away from the airport. Can you take a shared Blue Van to your destination (do not know where Cheyenne is located in CO) and then rent a car in that town? Alternately, if Cheyenne is far away, could you take a shared van to another town on the way to Cheyenne and rent a car from there and return to another location?

When I was in Denver a few months back, I rented from Budget. I rented from the airport (got a good price), drove north to see some places, and then was able to return it in downtown Denver. I then took a shuttle back to the airport when my stay in Denver was done.

[Eric]

(do not know where Cheyenne is located in CO)

Psssst.  Try looking in Wyoming.  ;)

[Bateaux]

I just priced Denver cars as well.  Over twice what I paid in 2012. 
Try EZ car rental.  I've saved some money using them.

[dude]

More than half of that rental car price is going to taxes.  Local politicians have figured out that tourists/business travelers are a cash cow largely because they can't vote in the visiting state.  I've been renting cars for a lot of years for road trips out west, and the increase in price is not due to inflation -- it's all taxes.

My brother turned me on to Autoslash.com -- each time the price drops, they alert you and you get the new, lower price.  Would have cost us about half of what I paid for a Denver rental back in April had I not already booked and paid for a car through Hotwire.

[KeyWest]

Thanks, Im currently looking on relayrides.com and finding some better deals. Just trying to find a good way to get to the owners homes to pick one up now. Seems like the best deal I can find.

[oldtoyota]

(do not know where Cheyenne is located in CO)

Psssst.  Try looking in Wyoming.  ;)

Psssst. There's a Cheyenne County, CO. ;-)

[oldtoyota]

PS: Most, if not all, rental car companies will screw you over on the toll card. They add it into the fees and charge you a PER DAY use even on days when you do not use it. The per day fee is on top of the toll fees and is often charged via AMERICAN TRAFFIC SOLUTIONS. IMO, that is one evil company. Go ahead and Google it...

There's a highway heading north out of Denver that is usually empty and, therefore, quick. There are tolls on it. I have never seen a way to pay a human so the only way is with the toll card or by them photographing your license plate. Either way, you will be screwed re how much you pay b/c they will charge you more than just the toll fee that the locals would pay (if any locals actually used that road, which it seems they do not).

To avoid that highway, you need to be certain to remove toll roads as an option from your GPS/mapping tool and see if you like the route your map tool gives you.

I had to fight a rental car company for charging me 1) for the use of a toll card I did not want to use 2) for charging me for tolls via the toll card when I paid in cash.

It took a long time but I got the $$ back. Hoping to save you the trouble...or at least let you know what you are getting into when you rent a car.

[Phy to FI]

PS: Most, if not all, rental car companies will screw you over on the toll card. They add it into the fees and charge you a PER DAY use even on days when you do not use it. The per day fee is on top of the toll fees and is often charged via AMERICAN TRAFFIC SOLUTIONS. IMO, that is one evil company. Go ahead and Google it...

There's a highway heading north out of Denver that is usually empty and, therefore, quick. There are tolls on it. I have never seen a way to pay a human so the only way is with the toll card or by them photographing your license plate. Either way, you will be screwed re how much you pay b/c they will charge you more than just the toll fee that the locals would pay (if any locals actually used that road, which it seems they do not).

To avoid that highway, you need to be certain to remove toll roads as an option from your GPS/mapping tool and see if you like the route your map tool gives you.

I had to fight a rental car company for charging me 1) for the use of a toll card I did not want to use 2) for charging me for tolls via the toll card when I paid in cash.

It took a long time but I got the $$ back. Hoping to save you the trouble...or at least let you know what you are getting into when you rent a car.

I have also run into this scam. We went out to visit my father, and flew into Denver and rented a car. We could not find a way to pay a human on that toll road, and expected that we would be sent a bill. A month after our trip, the rental company charged $33 to the card they had on file, without ever sending a bill or an explanation. This is approximately double of what the toll charges should have been. We'll never make that mistake again.

[Spartana]

PS: Most, if not all, rental car companies will screw you over on the toll card. They add it into the fees and charge you a PER DAY use even on days when you do not use it. The per day fee is on top of the toll fees and is often charged via AMERICAN TRAFFIC SOLUTIONS. IMO, that is one evil company. Go ahead and Google it...

There's a highway heading north out of Denver that is usually empty and, therefore, quick. There are tolls on it. I have never seen a way to pay a human so the only way is with the toll card or by them photographing your license plate. Either way, you will be screwed re how much you pay b/c they will charge you more than just the toll fee that the locals would pay (if any locals actually used that road, which it seems they do not).

To avoid that highway, you need to be certain to remove toll roads as an option from your GPS/mapping tool and see if you like the route your map tool gives you.

I had to fight a rental car company for charging me 1) for the use of a toll card I did not want to use 2) for charging me for tolls via the toll card when I paid in cash.

It took a long time but I got the $$ back. Hoping to save you the trouble...or at least let you know what you are getting into when you rent a car.

I have also run into this scam. We went out to visit my father, and flew into Denver and rented a car. We could not find a way to pay a human on that toll road, and expected that we would be sent a bill. A month after our trip, the rental company charged $33 to the card they had on file, without ever sending a bill or an explanation. This is approximately double of what the toll charges should have been. We'll never make that mistake again.

If you read the small print on your rental car agreement it explains how they do this. First time it happened to me was crossing the Golden Gate Bridge (which doesn't have a cash option any longer) and I was shocked to receive a bill for approx. $35 or so a couple of months later on my CC. Now that I know how it works (a one-time fee of approx. $28 for the length of your rental plus whatever your toll charges are) I try to either avoid toll roads and bridges - or use them a lot since I already have to pay the one-time fee even if I used the toll only one time.

[Prairie Gal]

Thanks, Im currently looking on relayrides.com and finding some better deals. Just trying to find a good way to get to the owners homes to pick one up now. Seems like the best deal I can find.

Maybe they would pick you up for a small fee.

I tried a few searches using tricks that I know of, and whoa! Those rates are crazy!

[clarkfan1979]

http://www.greenrideco.com/schedule.php

shuttle to Cheyenne and rent a car later.

[GeneralJinjur]

I just looked up your dates on the Enterprise site at the Centennial location (southern edge of Denver) and most are in the $300 range.  I would see about using RTD to get away from the airport to another location in town.  I know they have a shuttle to and from the airport.  http://www.rtd-denver.com/

[KeyWest]

Just an update, I used RelayRides and was able to rent a 2006 civic for $225 for the dates listed including insurance. Feels good to have just saved $575 dollars! haha Thanks guys!

[Goldielocks]

This should be a common problem for other wedding guests too.   Offer to car share with other attendees?  Ask for wedding party's extended family to help you, and go car free in exchange for paying for something nice, but less $ for the wedding, like $400 of open bar?  First night hotel for the couple?

Get bus service like greyhound to Cheyenne?   Walk and share rides while there?

[oldtoyota]

PS: Most, if not all, rental car companies will screw you over on the toll card. They add it into the fees and charge you a PER DAY use even on days when you do not use it. The per day fee is on top of the toll fees and is often charged via AMERICAN TRAFFIC SOLUTIONS. IMO, that is one evil company. Go ahead and Google it...

There's a highway heading north out of Denver that is usually empty and, therefore, quick. There are tolls on it. I have never seen a way to pay a human so the only way is with the toll card or by them photographing your license plate. Either way, you will be screwed re how much you pay b/c they will charge you more than just the toll fee that the locals would pay (if any locals actually used that road, which it seems they do not).

To avoid that highway, you need to be certain to remove toll roads as an option from your GPS/mapping tool and see if you like the route your map tool gives you.

I had to fight a rental car company for charging me 1) for the use of a toll card I did not want to use 2) for charging me for tolls via the toll card when I paid in cash.

It took a long time but I got the $$ back. Hoping to save you the trouble...or at least let you know what you are getting into when you rent a car.

I have also run into this scam. We went out to visit my father, and flew into Denver and rented a car. We could not find a way to pay a human on that toll road, and expected that we would be sent a bill. A month after our trip, the rental company charged $33 to the card they had on file, without ever sending a bill or an explanation. This is approximately double of what the toll charges should have been. We'll never make that mistake again.

If you read the small print on your rental car agreement it explains how they do this. First time it happened to me was crossing the Golden Gate Bridge (which doesn't have a cash option any longer) and I was shocked to receive a bill for approx. $35 or so a couple of months later on my CC. Now that I know how it works (a one-time fee of approx. $28 for the length of your rental plus whatever your toll charges are) I try to either avoid toll roads and bridges - or use them a lot since I already have to pay the one-time fee even if I used the toll only one time.

It is an unacceptable fee and, at times, is charged PER DAY and not one time per rental as you mentioned. Often, renters do not learn of the fee until the charge hits their card. The rental car companies know they have you when you are vulnerable and at the airport. You, the customer, are not in the bargaining position and you might even be tired from your trip. It's a money grab, plain and simple.