Practical Traveler | Renting a Hybrid With Supplies Tight, Prices Are High By MICHELLE HIGGINS Published: August 24, 2008 AS travelers continue to face sticker shock at the gas pump, more are turning to hybrid rental cars in search of savings. But with supply still limited and demand so high, these green cars are commanding a substantial premium. In a recent search for a weekend rental from San Francisco International Airport in August on the Avis.com site, the Nissan Altima hybrid was the most expensive vehicle — $207.98 for a two-day trip — more than even the sporty Ford Mustang, for $161.98, or the Pontiac Vibe, listed as an “intermediate S.U.V.,†for $149.98. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/24/travel/24prachybrid.html
It's a little less here in Atlanta. Our new Prius still has not arrived so we found an Enterprise Green rental for our 8 day vacation about two weeks ago. We payed about $400 with tax. Since we put down our deposit without ever getting to ride in a Prius this served as our test drive, training program and our vacation car. We got a standard model, not the Touring we're hoping for but we have no regrets on our order or the rental. Enterprise in Atlanta seems to have plenty of Prii waiting for anyone who wants to rent one.
80 bucks per day for a mustang in San Francisco? Hell maybe I should rent out my Prius at those rates!
"Nevertheless, travelers are reluctant to book S.U.V.’s ... 'They’re having a hard time in off-peak periods even giving away these things.' " "The offer of free upgrades — a perk that once delighted customers at rental counters when the smaller vehicle they booked was sold out and they drove off in a large, often cushier car, for the same price — is now backfiring on rental car companies."
Hertz 'upgrades' me to an SUV with great regularity (I think the tie with Ford means they get a larger proportion of SUVs than the market would otherwise determine). Normally I don't care (expense account) but on a personal rental I'll go into the shack and ask for a smaller car. That's the downside of #1 Gold - you don't know what car you're given until you've carried your suitcase to the parking space with your name.
I went to Maui (and later Kauai) and had a reservation for a compact car, I told them I wanted a compact, no I didn't want a damn midsize "upgrade". Then I proceeded to chew them out and let them in on the whole concept of what having a "reservation" means, finally I told them I'll take the midsize if you give me that first tank for free (a "choice" they try to lure you into), they agreed I went ot the lot to pick up my car, and low and behold here comes a compact freshly washed... it was a nice sporty one with a sunroof/moonroof but hell I took it... and my free tank of gas!
