NYC MInivan 7/25-8/28

[cunparis]

I've been using this site for years now (using the links thank you) and I need a bit of help with a car rental:

We fly into Newark on July 18th but we want to spend 5 days in NYC and don't want/need a car. We'll want to pick up our car in Manhattan if possible, on July 25th and return it August 27 in the evening, spend the 28th & 29th in Manhattan again, and then fly home the evening of the 28th. If we weren't staying in Manhattan and/or if parking weren't so expensive, this would be a no-brainer to get it at the airport. In the past I rented from a place directly and walked to the car rental place from the hotel and drove it away, and that was quick and easy.

On Hotwire, if I put JFK I see a minivan for around $1300 with Thrifty. Why doesn't Hotwire hide the name like they do for hotels? If I go to Thrifty directly it's almost $2k. Why is it so much more? I'm confused. The hotwire price is for getting the minivan at JFK.. if I put Manhattan i don't get a minivan choice but a SUV is a lot more expensive (when normally it's cheaper) so apparently there is a premium for Manhattan.

This means I will have to go from the hotel back to the airport to get the car.

What are my options? What do you recommend?

[thereuare]

Thanks for using the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board... please use for your searches too!

Please click each of the links above, then reply to this thread and we'll advise accordingly.

Thanks.

[cunparis]

Ok I clicked them and will use them for all searching.

[thereuare]

Why doesn't Hotwire hide the name like they do for hotels?

If HOTWIRE does not have 'opaque' rates (where the name of the rental company is hidden) for your rental period they will show you 'retail' rates (where the name of the car company is shown). The maximum car rental period on PRICELINE is 28 consecutive dates, and while i can't find this information for HOTWIRE, i assume it's similar, and given that your rental period exceeds this, may be why you're not seeing any opaque rates (although the price you're getting thru HOTWIRE seems to be enough of a discount to justify booking thru them). I'd also see if this rental is refundable and if so i'd grab it asap to lock in the price and protect yourself from rates moving higher from here (if fully refundable nothing to lose and everything to gain)

On Hotwire, if I put JFK I see a minivan for around $1300 with Thrifty. If I go to Thrifty directly it's almost $2k. Why is it so much more?

HOTWIRE may be getting a discount for this rental and passing along the savings to you.

if I put Manhattan i don't get a minivan choice but a SUV is a lot more expensive (when normally it's cheaper) so apparently there is a premium for Manhattan.

Correct... it costs the rental company more to 'house' the car in Manhattan than at the airport. Just to have the car sit and wait for a customer at a NYC garage costs a lot more than the real estate of a parking lot by the airport.

This means I will have to go from the hotel back to the airport to get the car.

Yes, you'll have to decide if the time involved to pick-up/drop-off the car is worth the savings of renting from the airport location.

Thanks for using the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board.

Let us know what you decide or if we can be of further help.

[cunparis]

Hotwire isn't making much sense.

I changed our dates to get our rental period smaller by staying longer in NY. the price is still around $1300. Then I wanted to see if a 3 week rental would result in a hotwire special rate (company unknown). It did for many car types but not for minivan. and the minivan was $4k!!!! Yes it was $1300 for a little more than a month, but over double for 3 weeks. Very strange.

Getting the minivan inside NYC is about $800 extra. so We'll have to deal with the airport issue. Taking the public bus with 3 kids including a baby will be a bit challenging. that or I leave early to get the car and leave the family at the rental apartment. we'll pick up the car on a sunday so traffic should be minimal and a taxi not so expensive.

[cunparis]

PRICELINE isn't cheaper with the named car companies. We can't name our own price because we're at 1 month and that's 3 days over the limit (July 28 - August 28 doesn't work, it only goes to August 25). So it seems hotwire's la guardia rate is the cheapest option. from what I see it's easier to get to la guardia than JFK.

i'm using the links and will use it when I pay for the car @ HOTWIRE.

next up is a hotel or rental house. we're comparing prices to decide..

Thanks

[thereuare]

Taking the public bus with 3 kids including a baby will be a bit challenging. that or I leave early to get the car and leave the family at the rental apartment. we'll pick up the car on a sunday so traffic should be minimal and a taxi not so expensive.

Once you know where you're hotel will be let us know and i'll suggest best route to LGA.

Please remember to conclude this thread with what you ultimately decide to do for this rental.

Thanks for using the PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links on the board.