Does Anyone Want (or Know Anyone Who Might Want) a Free Hire-Car for a Week on The 24th March in LA (Pick up from LAX) ?

jwrathall on 22/02/2015 - 14:27
Last edited 22/02/2015 - 17:12

It's a long story, but basically I had to reduce my US trip thanks to a good friend getting married back here. The legality of the US is so stupid that they won't let me reduce my car hire for free… in fact, they want to charge me $1500 more.

As a result, a work around is that I add an additional driver (for free coincidentally) to my booking, and they can pick up the car on the 24th or 25th March, and I can arrange to pick it up from them on the 30th.

Anyone who might want to do this, or knows someone who would, it is not only free for you, but a massive help to me, as well… your fellow OzBargainer abroad.

Travel

Comments

  • [Deactivated] on 22/02/2015 - 16:55
    +1

    Really? Just return it early. I've had to do it with Dollar and National/Alamo at LAX, ONT and MCO, none of them had a problem with it.

    The issue I think here is to change your booking they have to cancel your current one and do a new one at the current price?

    To give a stranger your rental car even if they are on the agreement is dangerous. It is your credit card on file after all. Insurance could covered any damage to the car, but possibly not theft?

    BTW. How long is your rental for and what kind of car? $1,500 is a lot of money for a rental in LA I've rarely paid more than $500 a fortnight for 300C/Impala type cars.

    • jwrathall on 22/02/2015 - 17:11

      So the original booking was 24 March to 14 June for $2600. I am actually asking to pick it up later (30 March) as well as return early (30 May), which as you correctly pointed out, isn't an issue. It is the rebooking at the new price for the 30 May which jacks the price up tremendously.

      It is a chevrolet spark with alamo from LAX. I actually just made another booking from 25 March - 30 May for $2300, as that was the best rate until the price jumped up astronomically from the 26 March. It literally changes by around $1000 for picking it up a day later! Makes no sense, I know… I made the 2nd booking as it is free cancellation, and so I have 2 bookings now… I might just make heaps of bookings now just to keep my options open, then cancel all of the ones that work the least well when time draws nearer.

      Also, I would be covered for theft under my insurance.

      • [Deactivated] on 22/02/2015 - 17:32

        I meant theft by the other renter, pretty sure that wouldn't be covered.

        Does it have to be a Spark? LA roads aren't the best by any standard. Can get a Nissan Maxima/Chevy Impala for $1500 + insurance from Dollar.

        What that $2300 including insurance?

      • [Deactivated] on 22/02/2015 - 18:26
        +1

        I'm currently renting a Chevy Spark from Alamo LAX with Nevada plates 060LUP. If you see her feel safe that an Ozbargainer has given her a good workout, XM radio trial now expired and can't be renewed though.

        Also Spark is a 4 seater with hardly any boot so only good for two people and use back seats as storage.

        When I went there the desk said Spark but then when I went to choose they said take any compact.

        Webjet $365 USD for two weeks, price was cheaper even putting my country in as Australia not USA but could still do USD

        • jwrathall on 22/02/2015 - 22:06

          Does the Spark have an audio input and/or usb input?

        • [Deactivated] on 23/02/2015 - 02:13
          +1

          @jwrathall: they tried to upsell by saying that it doesn't, but it does and it also had cruise control which they also said it didn't. When you go to choose a car there are about 10 different compacts lined up with keys in ignition so you can spend a few minutes to find the one you like. The cruise control of the spark has 4 buttons on the left of the steering itself you can click without taking your hands of the wheel RES + (restore cruising speed), SET - (set cruising speed), A speedometer with an X through it (suspend cruising speed), A speedometer with an arrow pointing atI the speed needle (cruise on/off). If you turn the engine on and press cruise on/off you will see an icon light up on the speedometer in white to see if it's on/equipped/working (green for set speed engaged).

          Audio & Bluetooth handsfree are on the right side of the wheel with volume tucked undernear that you can control with fingertips.

          If you have a choice try and get one less than 3 months old if it's a Spark so that the XM radio trial is still active. Turn the radio on and see if there is more than one XM station. Mine cut out midway as trial over. I found XM pretty good but was annoyed they wouldn't even allow me to pay for more.

          MPG is stated as 34 by Alamo, 36 by Chevy, but I haven't been driving very conservatively so I'm around 35

          Also don't fall for the full tank scam, they offer you a full tank at 2/3 the price of a full tank but they expect cars to be returned with a full tank or get charged a fee anyway so in reality 99%+ have full or at least 2/3 full tanks anyway. You will get better odds in Vegas and you can always check the level before you go. The Spark only takes $30 to fill anyway

  • jwrathall on 22/02/2015 - 17:40

    yes $2300 including all insurance

  • [Deactivated] on 22/02/2015 - 17:47
    +3

    … all you need to do is pick up a package for me in Tijuana. Pull up to the address I give you, pop the boot, and don't turn around. Whatever you do, do not open the boot until you give me the car at LAX. DO NOT OPEN THE BOOT.

    • [Deactivated] on 22/02/2015 - 17:49

      And who is going to pay the extra $20 a day for insurance?

    • jwrathall on 22/02/2015 - 18:15

      Haha, well yes… I just called anyway, and Alamo require that all drivers are present at the time of pickup anyway… so i guess this will not work. Maybe I will just buy and sell a car after my trip

      • Randxyz123 on 22/02/2015 - 19:49

        Buying and selling a car is very difficult without a US address and license…

        • Hoju on 23/02/2015 - 07:21

          License no.
          Address maybe. You have to write something on the forms…

        • Randxyz123 on 23/02/2015 - 10:51

          @Greenspoon: Insurance is a problem though… I'm sure if you walked into a dealer with the money and said sell me a car they will want to but there will be other issues.

      • [Deactivated] on 22/02/2015 - 20:04

        You'll probably be more comfortable in a nice new rental.

  • travelwiz on 23/02/2015 - 13:17

    yep a lot of people replying to post re airfares cheaper thru agents, BUT they'll want you to pay them, so they'll take it off your hands free.

  • travelwiz on 23/02/2015 - 13:18

    seriously why not try putting an ad on ebay or gumtree ?

  • DKZ370 on 15/10/2017 - 08:23
    +1

    Just curious OP did this end up working out?

    • jwrathall on 15/10/2017 - 17:17

      :D What ended up happening was that closer to the date of arriving, the price had dropped, and I could cancel for free and re-book. The booking had to be for the date that the driver picked it up. In this case, it worked out better!

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