RMDJW

Bid $14 several times before raising it to $15. Alamo mid-size. Rental $105 for 7 days. Taxes and fees $37.47 for a total of $142.47.

Accepted first bid of $45 (enhanced by Priceline rewards credit of $5) for $50 total for two nights, Wednesday and Thursday May 21-22. Total with fees, taxes. $112.57. Garage parking extra at $4 per night.

First bid for $14 (plus $1.88/day Priceline bonus) for mid-size vehicle for 8 days, Sept. 6 -13. Total with fees and charges, $166.62.

After a dozen tries at $65 or higher, bid $60 (plus $5/night Priceline bonus) for Thursday and Friday nights, Sept. 4 and 5. Total with fees and charges, $145.32.

After several failures and waiting periods, $14 daily bid was accepted by Avis for a compact for 10 days. Total, with fees and taxes, $241.00.

Priceline bid at $16 three times before acceptance at that price, with usual three-day wait between bids.

I tried every dollar starting at $33 over several days. Last before successful bid was $45.

Bid first in the $30s but was finally successful at $47 for a 2* in Columbus South region. Online prices for this AmeriHost Inn and Suites at Rickenbacker start at $79. Total for two nights, with taxes and fees: $117.90.

First bid for $13 for compact rejected. Rebid for mid-size at $14 accepted. Two days plus $14.56 taxes and fees = $42.56.

Got the Holiday Inn Golden Gateway (AAA Tour Book agrees with 3-star rating, but Priceline said it upgraded my 2 1/2-star bid) for $70 after failed bids for 3* and 2 1/2* in Fisherman's Wharf area for $85 and $89. Holiday Inn Web site lists least expensive room as $179 for the Saturday night, $161 for the Sunday night, so this is quite acceptable, though I had originally hoped for something in the $80 range for 3* in Fisherman's Wharf. Total for two days, taxes and fees: $168.52. In-and-out onsite parking is $25 daily.

Got this 2* Fairfield Inn and Suites in Sparks for $47 (total after taxes, fees: $60.52) after waiting for three days following failed bids of $33 and $39 for the Sparks and/or airport areas. September 30 is a Friday night. Orbitz cheapest in Reno this night was $70 at the Rodeway Inn, Hotwire $104. Marriott's Fairfield Inn Web site shows the least expensive rate at $89.

Sorry. Rental is for 11 days, Sept. 29 through Oct. 10.

First Priceline bid of $16 accepted for mid-sized car by National Car Rental. Total for 11 days, $219.59, beating Hotwire's best total of $257.85. This is best multi-day car rental rate I've obtained in some time. National's best rate through their own Web site was$434.50 (without discounts or coupons, etc.).

First Priceline bid of $35 accepted by the Doubletree Hotel for Monday, Oct.10 Will have dropped the car beforehand, so won't have to pay $12 parking charge. Total cost, including fees, taxes: $47.08.

This is Priceline, not Hotwire. It was Woburn-Wakefield, of course. I had earlier checked Hotwire (Burlington-Woburn) and found nothing at such a good price as this. Good editing!

Priceline bid $49 for Medford-Somerville area two and two-and-a-half stars for the same four nights, rejected. Added Burlington-Woburn, lowered bid to $45. Accepted. One room, four nights, $180. Taxes and Service fees: $27.25 for a total of $207.25. In my experience this is excellent for a relatively close Boston suburb.

This Hotwire car rental through Budget is better than anything I've previously got in New England during the prime leaf peepers season. 10-day rental -- 30 September - 10 October -- is $305.95, including all taxes and fees, $153 less than Budget wants through its own Web site. I've never used Priceline for car rental. Is it more advantageous than Hotwire?