car hire in California - any way to avoid the "one-way drop off" surcharge (rip-off) ?

"PeterL" wrote in message
...

"Peregrine" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 21 Oct 2004 13:36:25 -0700, "PeterL"
wrote:

I do believe one national chain don't tack on the drop off charge. I
think
it's Enterprise.

I just tried calling Enterprise and they don't allow one-way rentals.


I rented from Enterprise downtown Seattle and returned the car to SEATAC.
But I guess that's not what you mean. IIRC there is one such national
chain. Just don't remember which one.

John Leavey



A few years ago I drove from SF to LA with Alamo and there was no one way
charge. This was booked from the UK.

"PeterL" wrote in message
...

"Peregrine" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 21 Oct 2004 13:36:25 -0700, "PeterL"
wrote:

I do believe one national chain don't tack on the drop off charge. I
think
it's Enterprise.

I just tried calling Enterprise and they don't allow one-way rentals.


I rented from Enterprise downtown Seattle and returned the car to SEATAC.
But I guess that's not what you mean. IIRC there is one such national
chain. Just don't remember which one.

John Leavey



A few years ago I drove from SF to LA with Alamo and there was no one way
charge. This was booked from the UK.

Peregrine" wrote in message
...
Are there any hire car companies that wouldn't charge such a big
penalty, or is there any other way of getting around this ?

Hi.
You have to work the phones. The websites are more strict. I'll bet if
you call all the major companies, you will find one that won't charge a drop
fee. It's not a ripoff, just a way of paying the company for throwing their
fleet off balance. Some companies will want cars moved from x to y and
therefore drop the fee.

Just so you know, a car company cannot get a car moved from SF to LA for
less than $80. According to AAA, it costs over 50 cents per mile to own a
new car. 400 miles works out to $200. Now, the company knows it doesn't
really cost that much, but I can tell you that it will cost about $30 in gas
alone. That leaves $50 for the driver and all other expenses and risks.
Easily enough to justify the charge UNLESS the company needs the car in the
place where you're going.

I'll bet you can find one without a charge. Hope so, anyways.. At today's
cheap phone rates, even if you're overseas, it's worth the calls.

Have a great visit in the US.

Bruce

I really don't see the problem with a $160 for 5 days one way. You will
be putting at least 500 miles on the car's odo, AND dropping it off in
about the last place the car rental company will want to see it going in
November.

By the end of the October, American car rental companies want to start
moving their surplus capacity as far south as possible to take advantage
of the winter vacationers visiting the warmest parts of the country.
They will try to move as many surplus cars as possible from Seattle and
San Francisco to places like Phoenix and Tuscon, while you're headed in
the opposite direction.

You also have to remember that while some car rental locations are owned
by the rental corporation itself, many are franchised agents. You may
be renting, for example, from an Avis corporate location in Los Angeles,
but returning it to an Avis independent licensee in SanFran, and that
licensee needs to be paid for processing the return (because he made
nothing on renting to you) and then assuming the responsibility for
seeing that the car eventually gets shepherded back down to LA.

BTW, make sure your own car insurance back home in the UK covers you for
US rental cars -- for both collision damage to the rental car itself,
and for third-party liablity. If not, you will have to purchase the
comprehensive package from the car rental company, which will add
probably another $100 - 150 to your cost. Last thing you want to do is
rear-end some California lawyer in his Porsche with only the statutory
$60,000 in third-party liability coverage!

----------------------


Peregrine wrote:
I'll be in California in mid November, and was planning on hiring a
car and taking a few days to drive up PCH from LA to San Francisco.

The best rate I can find for a 5 day car hire for this route is about
$160. If I was to get the same car and just drive around LA for the
same time it would only cost $80. After some investigation, I've
discovered that the difference is due to a "one way drop off"
surcharge.

OK, I understand that there is some additional work involved in taking
a car from one office to another (of the same company), but surely not
enough to justify double the cost. It's not as though I'm crossing
international or even state borders.

Are there any hire car companies that wouldn't charge such a big
penalty, or is there any other way of getting around this ?

Thanks

John Leavey

On Thu, 21 Oct 2004 23:58:46 +0100, Michael wrote:


A few years ago I drove from SF to LA with Alamo and there was no one way
charge. This was booked from the UK.

How much did you pay? The one way charge was probably just part of your
daily rate.

SF-LA is notorious for the one-way charges, which is weird because you'd
think MANY people do this in both directions so getting a car back wouldn't
be such a big deal. Whether a company charges one-way drop off fees depends
on the two locations. Certain locations and directions they charge for and
some don't. You can always call a local agent and see if you can work
something out. Some might have plenty of customers driving from SF to LA
and won't mind waiving the fee. Web sites don't have that option.

Zeyd

On Thu, 21 Oct 2004 23:58:46 +0100, Michael wrote:


A few years ago I drove from SF to LA with Alamo and there was no one way
charge. This was booked from the UK.

How much did you pay? The one way charge was probably just part of your
daily rate.

SF-LA is notorious for the one-way charges, which is weird because you'd
think MANY people do this in both directions so getting a car back wouldn't
be such a big deal. Whether a company charges one-way drop off fees depends
on the two locations. Certain locations and directions they charge for and
some don't. You can always call a local agent and see if you can work
something out. Some might have plenty of customers driving from SF to LA
and won't mind waiving the fee. Web sites don't have that option.

Zeyd

SNIP

SNIP
BTW, make sure your own car insurance back home in the UK covers you for
US rental cars -- for both collision damage to the rental car itself,
and for third-party liablity.
It probably won't. In over 20 years of regularly renting cars in
California I have NOT discovered any insurance company here in the UK
that will cover you for driving in the USA - (My wife's brother lives
in California, so we visit him every year or so, then usually set out
on a "road trip" by rental car for several weeks).


If not, you will have to purchase the
comprehensive package from the car rental company,
That is the cheapest - and most convenient - way I have found of
doing it . However, by booking a car from here in the UK on an all
inclusive package (for example Hertz's "World on Wheels") we can get
some very good deals, cheaper than actually renting whilst in the USA.

Regards

KGB

SNIP

SNIP
BTW, make sure your own car insurance back home in the UK covers you for
US rental cars -- for both collision damage to the rental car itself,
and for third-party liablity.
It probably won't. In over 20 years of regularly renting cars in
California I have NOT discovered any insurance company here in the UK
that will cover you for driving in the USA - (My wife's brother lives
in California, so we visit him every year or so, then usually set out
on a "road trip" by rental car for several weeks).


If not, you will have to purchase the
comprehensive package from the car rental company,
That is the cheapest - and most convenient - way I have found of
doing it . However, by booking a car from here in the UK on an all
inclusive package (for example Hertz's "World on Wheels") we can get
some very good deals, cheaper than actually renting whilst in the USA.

Regards

KGB

" BruceB" wrote in message
ink.net...
Peregrine" wrote in message
...

it will cost about $30 in gas alone.

Just $30 to do 400 miles? WOW!

"Poopkins" wrote in message
...

BTW, make sure your own car insurance back home in the UK covers you for
US rental cars -- for both collision damage to the rental car itself, and
for third-party liablity.

No normal car insurance policy in the UK will cover you for any rental cars,
either in the UK or abroad. There are specialist policies you can take out,
but these are rare and expensive.