Need a car: Toronto, Ontario

[SRenegade]

Hi

I will be needing a car in Toronto (any size) from Dec 22- 23, 2010. What will be the reasonable price to bid on priceline? Thanks for all the help.

[thereuare]

Welcome to BetterBidding!

Are you willing to pay more for a higher car class OR is your goal the least expensive car available? What is the best rate you're able to find thru conventional booking channels? What is your maximum bid for this rental?

Please use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases.

[SRenegade]

Hello,

My goal the least expensive car available, that will be safe for me to go on a 200km trip one way and 200km trip back with 5 passengers.

I've tried to check out priceline and it asks me for pick up time and return time, what are your suggestion?

Thank you

[thereuare]

What is the best rate you're able to find thru conventional booking channels?

Use our Car Rental Checker to see the best rate you're able to find thru conventional booking channels? Given the rate you find (please post both the daily rate and the 'all-in' rate including taxes and fees), what is your maximum bid for this rental?

...safe for me to go on a 200km trip one way and 200km trip back with 5 passengers.

An economy and/or compact car may be safe in terms of road worthy, but it might not be comfortable for 5 people... is such a car acceptable? What is the lowest car class you're willing to accept?

I've tried to check out priceline and it asks me for pick up time and return time...

What are your pick-up and return times? Is this just a one day (24 hour) rental or will you actually be returning at a later hour than your pick-up making it a two day (25+ hours) rental?

Please use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases.

[SRenegade]

Use our Car Rental Checker to see the best rate you're able to find thru conventional booking channels? Given the rate you find (please post both the daily rate and the 'all-in' rate including taxes and fees), what is your maximum bid for this rental?

So after a little bit of reading, as this is my first time. my choice is a Mid- Car. using the "Car Rental Checker"

Priceline:

$74/day ($100 total)- Budget

$79/day ($106 total)- Avis

$80/day ($108 total)- Hertz

Travelocity

$65/day ($91.64)- Payless

$75/day ($98.49 total)- Budget

$80/day ($107.58 total)- Avis

$80/day ($108.03 total)- Hertz

Expedia

$64.25 ($91.64 total)- Payless

$74.59 ($101.09) - Budget

$80.06 ($108.03)- Hertz

$105.92 ($138.97- Dollar Rent A car

What are your pick-up and return times? Is this just a one day (24 hour) rental or will you actually be returning at a later hour than your pick-up making it a two day (25+ hours) rental?

It will be 10am- 10am. so it'll be 1 day. Now that I've done the above, what is the next step? what would the suggest bid be and do i still use priceline? thank you

[thereuare]

So it looks like your best rate thru a top tier provider is $98.49 with Budget thru Travelocity... or a third tier place like Payless for $91.64.

Are you comfortable renting from a third tier player like Payless? Given the $98.50 or $91.64 rates (whichever company your most comfortable dealing with) what would be your maximum all-in you'd be willing to pay for this rental thru an 'opaque' provider (where the actual company you'll be purchasing from what be provided until after your purchase)

Please use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases.

[SRenegade]

what would be your maximum all-in you'd be willing to pay for this rental thru an 'opaque' provider (where the actual company you'll be purchasing from what be provided until after your purchase)

Hello, sorry can you clarify the above quote? I don't know what is an "opaque" provide. I would be more comfortable with Budget with the given $10 differences. at this point, am I still bidding through Priceline for car rental? maybe i'm confused about the fact that you can only bid hotels and not car rental on priceline/hotwire? I apologies for being so new to this.

Thank you for your help!

[thereuare]

I don't know what is an "opaque" provide.

OPAQUE = the name of the car rental company is not provided until after you have made the purchase

I would be more comfortable with Budget with the given $10 differences.

You can still save more than $10 for this rental (see below) but you have the right idea... eventually the difference in price may be so small that it's not worth 1) not choosing the rental company and/or 2) locking in a non-refundable purchase vs. paying $x more for the flexibility should something go wrong and you can't show up at the counter for your rental.

...am I still bidding through Priceline for car rental? maybe i'm confused about the fact that you can only bid hotels and not car rental on priceline/hotwire?

You can bid for car rentals thru PRICELINE. Click THIS LINK but DON"T enter your city and dates info on that page... instead look at the "BID NOW" button under near the bottom of the page... click that and you'll see the form to bid on a rental car.

Do you see it now? If so, it brings us back to the question above... how much savings do you need vs. a conventional booking to make an opaque purchase worthwhile?

Please use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases.

[SRenegade]

Hi, I see it now, and thank you for your detailed explanation. so through our research methods, we got $100 total, tax included basically. I am looking to save as much as possible. I see at the end that it says "name your price ($USD)". if the price is not good enough, PRICELINE will just deny request. So my question is what is stopping me from say... starting the bid at $25, and it keep bidding it up until PRICELINE agrees it is a reasonable price?

I want book the car for no more than $50. is that possible? honestly, since this is my first time doing it, i dont know what is a 'reasonable' bid. if my requested amount is a little amateur, please feel from to correct me. Thank you

[thereuare]

Hi, I see it now, and thank you for your detailed explanation. so through our research methods, we got $100 total, tax included basically.

I see this thru Budget... if you're willing to take one of the secondary players (Ace, Universal, etc) i'm seeing rates as low as $50-$55 for your dates.

I am looking to save as much as possible. I see at the end that it says "name your price ($USD)". if the price is not good enough, PRICELINE will just deny request. So my question is what is stopping me from say... starting the bid at $25, and it keep bidding it up until PRICELINE agrees it is a reasonable price?

You can only bid on the same dates and car class once every 24 hours, so while you can slowly increase your bids, it would need to be done over the course of a few days/weeks.

I want book the car for no more than $50. is that possible? honestly, since this is my first time doing it, i dont know what is a 'reasonable' bid. if my requested amount is a little amateur, please feel from to correct me. Thank you

My guess is that $50 may likely fall short, but as per above, you have nothing to lose by giving it a try... but if the second tier players are acceptable to you then you can get this rate without any bidding.

Let us know how you'd like to proceed and we'll take it from there.

Please use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases.

[SRenegade]

My guess is that $50 may likely fall short, but as per above, you have nothing to lose by giving it a try... but if the second tier players are acceptable to you then you can get this rate without any bidding.

Let us know how you'd like to proceed and we'll take it from there.

Okay, so I decide to do my first bid as soon ask I saw what you mention above, however it kept saying:

Server error.

Looks like we hit a speed bump on the road to deals. Don't worry - we'll get this fixed soon.

any idea?

as for second tirer players, if I fail to bid the price I need for my budget, I will accept it, is there more risk? on your next reply, if you can give me the steps as to how I may get the $50rate without any bidding, that would be great.

Thank you for all your help

[thereuare]

The above is a server issue on PRICELINE's end which you'll just have to wait for them to correct... but i've only ever seen that error when clicking certain links in their HELP section... at what point in the booking process do you receive that error message?

For the 'second tier' players go to HOTWIRE (please use this link) and do a car rental search... allow the box at the bottom of the form "Compare with CarRentals.com" to remain checked. In the new window which opens you'll see $50 rental rates from some of the companies i've listed above.

Please use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases.

[SRenegade]

hi there, I've tried bidding again just now in Priceline

The bidding price I enter, does not include Tax. so $50 tax included is impossible then? because I'm getting the below msg:

"Price Too Low: Please Try Again

We couldn't find a deal to match your offer price of $40.00 per day for a Mid-Size Car. Your credit card has not been charged. If you would like to Name Your Own Price

[thereuare]

At this time a $40 bid ($60 all-in) is not enough for the car class you selected... do you want to bid higher OR go for one of the 'second tier' players? (thru the HOTWIRE link as per my post #12 above)

Please use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases.

[SRenegade]

I would like to bid higher, please suggest a bidding price. thank you

[thereuare]

With a 'retail' rate of ~$100, and the second tier players at ~$50... how high are you wiling to bid for a car for this trip?

Please use the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board to begin your travel purchases.

[SRenegade]

Went for second tier players

Email confirmed:

Pick-Up Location:

SHEPPARD-CONSUMERS (C267)

299 YORKLAND BLVD

NORTH YORK, ON M2J1S5

CANADA

Drop-Off Location:

SHEPPARD-CONSUMERS (C267)

299 YORKLAND BLVD

NORTH YORK, ON M2J1S5

CANADA

Pick-Up Date/Time: Wednesday, December 22 11:00 AM

Drop-Off Date/Time: Thursday, December 23 11:00 AM

Vehicle Type: Intermediate

Features: Automatic, Air Conditioning, Unlimited Mileage

1 Day @ 30.99/day = 30.99

Estimated Taxes and Fees: 4.71

TOTAL ESTIMATED CHARGES: 35.7 (CAD)

Will report how it is, thank you. (total estimated charges sounds very unreliable-> any info?)

[thereuare]

The estimated total should be fairly accurate... within a dollar or so and more likely within a few cents.

However, i'm not familiar with the pick-up/drop-off location of SHEPPARD-CONSUMERS, so you may just want to confirm that this at/near the airport (or provides a shuttle) if you're arriving by plane (although given the one day rental i'm assuming this might not be the case)

Have a good trip.