OGG Maui Intermediate Alamo

[Jackboot]

I've used priceline to bid on a couple of hotels before so I understand how the bidding concept works.

I'm getting strange results when attempting what I should be using as a rate to beat when doing a search directly on the rental companies websites. If I input my desired dates of Dec 23 - Jan 7, I get rate of $60/day for a compact car excluding tax. Strangely, if I INCREASE the length of that rental period by picking up the car on 17 Dec then I get a rate of only $15/day for a compact car excluding tax. It seems that the rental companies are trying to cash in on the Christmas holiday rental period but only if you check out a car on the 18th or after.

What gives? What should I be basing my priceline bid on?

[thereuare]

Welcome to BetterBidding!

It's possible that starting your stay a week earlier puts you into the "long term rental" category and therefore cheaper rates.

Searching HOTWIRE for your actual dates there is a compact car offered for $33/day.. i would use that as your 'upper limit' and price you're trying to beat, but with time in your side, start low and increase $2-$3 every 24 hours until you're accepted.

Please use these PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links to begin your travel purchases.

Let us how it goes or if we can be of further help.

PS- with car rentals, taxes are often a little less thru HOTWIRE, so make sure you look at the TOTAL cost if you purchased the $33 HOTWIRE car and make sure to keep your bids low enough so that the total doesn't exceed that number when bidding on PRICELINE

[Jackboot]

I just placed my first bid and it was rejected.

Can anyone comment on how accurate the "suggested bid amount" is? For example, if I enter a bid of $8/day and press next it will show an alert that tells me that my bid is so far below retail rates that it is unlikely to be accepted but that if I increase my bid to $12 (for example) that there is a "good" chance of it being accepted and a "great" chance at $13.

My question is how often are bids accepted when below the "good" threshold? Ever? If so, how much lower have bids been known to be accepted?

PS: I started my bidding by using the PRICELINE referral link :)

[thereuare]

Generally speaking you should ignore their "low chance" message... we've seen wins accepted even when this warning was given, but likewise, we've had bids rejected at the "good chance/great chance" prices too. I dont' think you can use this info for too much insight.

Thanks for using our PRICELINE links for your bidding.

[Jackboot]

Played around some more today but no luck yet.

The "good chance"/"great change" dollar amount changes depending on what days I input. The lowest "good chance" I'm getting is $11. The highest I've bid so far is $6.

On yet another note, I don't believe OGG actually has "economy" cars. I think the smallest cars that they have are "compact". I'm going out on a limb, but I think that if you win a bid (or place a reservation directly) in OGG that they will give you a free upgrade you to an "economy". I've seen all the cars at the different rental places by the airport and there are no cars for rent that meet the description given for an "economy" car.

[Jackboot]

Just an update - I'm still trying! LOL

I have fooled around with various classes and dates (economy, compact, standard, full-size, up to $13/day) with no luck yet. Today I was given a "one time offer" to increase my bid amount from $11 without waiting a day on a compact. I'm guessing if I would have used the offer and bid $12 I would have got it. I decided instead to change the class of car and rebid without luck. Maybe I should have just taken the "one time offer" to increase my bid, won (hopefully) and be done with it.

Maybe tomorrow...

[thereuare]

Thanks for the update.

You're getting close enough that i soon wouldn't worry too much about a $1 or $2.

Please use these PRICELINE and HOTWIRE links to begin your travel purchases.

Good luck.

[Jackboot]

I agree about not waiting any longer. Tomorrow I'll finish it. Today was rainy so it kept me occupied for a bit haha :)

[Jackboot]

Today I got this message:

Please wait several minutes and click the "Check My Offer Status" button to see if we have an answer for you.

The purpose of this message seems to be to prevent me from making multiple bids one after another. It forces me to wait a while before it will tell me that my bid has been denied. Hmmm.

[Jackboot]

Well I finally won an economy car at $15 from Alamo Dec 14 - Jan 3. Upon winning it gave me the option to upgrade to a midsize for $2 more per day so I took it.

Is it necessary to click through the referral link every day, or once I start bidding do subsequent re-bids on future days still count towards this sites credit?

Should I start a new thread with the basic info on the win? I cluttered up this one...sorry.

[thereuare]

Congratulations on your win... hope you're happy with the deal you ultimately received.

Please start with our PRICELINE link for each bidding cycle. In other words, if you are bidding for a hotel, start with our PRICELINE link and if that bid is rejected, you can just continue on from the existing failed bid screen, add your re-bid zones (assuming available), and continue bidding. However, if you stop bidding and resume bidding later that day or in the next few days, please return here and use our link to begin the 'new' bidding cycle.

Most importantly is to not click the link in any PRICELINE email which let's you know that it's been 'x hours' since your last failed bid and that you can now bid again, as those links overwrite our ownn referal.

No need to post a new topic, we'll edit the title of this one to reflect the details of your win, so that others who read this thread in the future will see the events which led up to your win.

Thanks for keeping us updated along the way and for using our PRICELINE link for your bidding.

Enjoy your trip.