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Car rentals

Posted: Tue Jan 11, 2022 1:09 pm
by ousdahl
I may be renting a car for a few days here soon.

Any tips or advice?

Isn’t that industry too even more of a mess than normal right now?

Re: Car rentals

Posted: Tue Jan 11, 2022 1:14 pm
by CrimsonNBlue
I have rented 100's of those damn things.

You'd really have to describe your particular need/use for one to give any good advice. Especially considering the supply nightmare right now.

Hertz and National let you skip the counter at airports, which is great, but might not apply to you.

Re: Car rentals

Posted: Tue Jan 11, 2022 1:20 pm
by ousdahl
I may be flying to Seattle then bouncing around the Olympic peninsula area for a few days in search of large sea-run fish and also vampires.

Hopefully don’t need 4wd or anything crazy. And might just wait and ride with friends, but that would limit my time out there and the opportunity to visit other friends.

Trying to decide if just renting a car, even if for part of the trip, would be worth it

Re: Car rentals

Posted: Tue Jan 11, 2022 1:23 pm
by pdub
Cascadia will loan you his car.

Re: Car rentals

Posted: Tue Jan 11, 2022 1:25 pm
by digitalkookie
Turo?

Re: Car rentals

Posted: Tue Jan 11, 2022 1:31 pm
by CrimsonNBlue
ousdahl wrote: Tue Jan 11, 2022 1:20 pm I may be flying to Seattle then bouncing around the Olympic peninsula area for a few days in search of large sea-run fish and also vampires.

Hopefully don’t need 4wd or anything crazy. And might just wait and ride with friends, but that would limit my time out there and the opportunity to visit other friends.

Trying to decide if just renting a car, even if for part of the trip, would be worth it
You first need to figure out if you need it for the whole trip or just a day. If over half the trip, just rent a car from airport and realize that you are saving money on taxi/uber to/from airport which is always like 20-30 bucks per trip. If you only need the car for a day, or very few days of the trip, look into carshare like Turo, Zipcar, Lyft, etc. or find a neighborhood car rental branch as they are always cheaper than airports.

If you go with airport, look to see what is cheaper between Hertz and National. Then sign up for an account before booking and enter all information including DL number so you can use their skip-the-counter service. This could save you up to a couple of hours--don't be tempted by shitty car rental company you haven't heard of with low prices because you could wait in line for a long time and may not even get a car.

You might think that small cars are always the cheapest, but not true, sort by price. And, don't think you will definitely get the type of car that you book. Also, when you use skip the counter with Hertz or National, you actually get your choice of several cars. Hop in the car and go, you will settle the paperwork at the exit gate.

Pre-paying gas is a ripoff, but absolutely do not forget to gas up before returning to airport.

Re: Car rentals

Posted: Tue Jan 11, 2022 1:58 pm
by Overlander
digitalkookie wrote: Tue Jan 11, 2022 1:25 pmTuro?
I always use Turo

Re: Car rentals

Posted: Tue Jan 11, 2022 1:59 pm
by KUTradition
CrimsonNBlue wrote: Tue Jan 11, 2022 1:31 pm but absolutely do not forget to gas up before returning to airport.
sounds like you’re speaking from experience. i’m guessing you’re not a fan of $10/gal

Ousie, i’d rent a car if it were me. i hate being beholden to others when i’m visiting them, particularly if you think there’s even a chance that you’d have time and want to get out and do some exploring/fishing on your own

Re: Car rentals

Posted: Tue Jan 11, 2022 2:03 pm
by Cascadia
digitalkookie wrote: Tue Jan 11, 2022 1:25 pmTuro?
This

Re: Car rentals

Posted: Tue Jan 11, 2022 2:04 pm
by Cascadia
pdub wrote: Tue Jan 11, 2022 1:23 pm Cascadia will loan you his car.
If he were closer, I would

Re: Car rentals

Posted: Tue Jan 11, 2022 2:08 pm
by CrimsonNBlue
My only concern with Turo is getting in a wreck. I got rear-ended in a rental car, and while I know that Turo is insured-up and there's no risk from that standpoint, there's just zero emotions involved when it's a rental car company's car that gets fucked up.

Also haven't used Turo from an airport, so have no clue how convenient that would be.

Re: Car rentals

Posted: Tue Jan 11, 2022 2:10 pm
by Cascadia

Re: Car rentals

Posted: Tue Jan 11, 2022 3:33 pm
by ousdahl
Thanks for the insight you guys.

Indeed, I could make it happen just bumming rides and going a la carte on Ubers here and there.

But affording myself my own vehicle opens up a lot more opportunities to explore, and to visit friends I wouldn’t see otherwise.

Re: Car rentals

Posted: Tue Jan 11, 2022 3:34 pm
by ousdahl
I’m also not even 100 percent committed on leisure travel any time soon anyway, with the fungus and what have you.

But granted, other than the airports and planes it’s a pretty naturally socially distant trip.

Gonna be hiking up remote rivers in a rainforest. Not exactly going out bar hopping with yall.

Re: Car rentals

Posted: Tue Jan 11, 2022 5:37 pm
by RainbowsandUnicorns
My worthless 2 cents. Whatever you rent, if you are staying in a hotel, you better check their parking fees before you go. I have paid over $80 a night (not even 24 hours) to park at an "average" hotel.

Re: Car rentals

Posted: Tue Jan 11, 2022 5:40 pm
by TDub
ousdahl wrote: Tue Jan 11, 2022 1:20 pm I may be flying to Seattle then bouncing around the Olympic peninsula area for a few days in search of large sea-run fish and also vampires.

Hopefully don’t need 4wd or anything crazy. And might just wait and ride with friends, but that would limit my time out there and the opportunity to visit other friends.

Trying to decide if just renting a car, even if for part of the trip, would be worth it
when? whole stretches of the peninsula are inaccessible right due to flooding and landslides.

Re: Car rentals

Posted: Tue Jan 11, 2022 6:21 pm
by ramjet
TDub wrote: Tue Jan 11, 2022 5:40 pm
ousdahl wrote: Tue Jan 11, 2022 1:20 pm I may be flying to Seattle then bouncing around the Olympic peninsula area for a few days in search of large sea-run fish and also vampires.

Hopefully don’t need 4wd or anything crazy. And might just wait and ride with friends, but that would limit my time out there and the opportunity to visit other friends.

Trying to decide if just renting a car, even if for part of the trip, would be worth it
when? whole stretches of the peninsula are inaccessible right due to flooding and landslides.
This^^^^^

Heavy rain, record high tides, lots of trees down and roads washed out around the Grays Harbor/Olympic Penn... get a AWD/4X with some ground clearance

Re: Car rentals

Posted: Tue Jan 11, 2022 10:04 pm
by jhawks99
ousdahl wrote: Tue Jan 11, 2022 1:20 pm I may be flying to Seattle then bouncing around the Olympic peninsula area for a few days in search of large sea-run fish and also vampires.

Hopefully don’t need 4wd or anything crazy. And might just wait and ride with friends, but that would limit my time out there and the opportunity to visit other friends.

Trying to decide if just renting a car, even if for part of the trip, would be worth it
My buddy and I hiked in the Ho rain forest and had it all to ourselves. Incredible. I hugged a bunch of trees. Do whatever it takes to get there.

Re: Car rentals

Posted: Tue Jan 11, 2022 10:50 pm
by jfish26
CrimsonNBlue wrote: Tue Jan 11, 2022 1:14 pm I have rented 100's of those damn things.

You'd really have to describe your particular need/use for one to give any good advice. Especially considering the supply nightmare right now.

Hertz and National let you skip the counter at airports, which is great, but might not apply to you.
Sometimes!

Re: Car rentals

Posted: Tue Jan 11, 2022 10:50 pm
by TDub
jhawks99 wrote: Tue Jan 11, 2022 10:04 pm
ousdahl wrote: Tue Jan 11, 2022 1:20 pm I may be flying to Seattle then bouncing around the Olympic peninsula area for a few days in search of large sea-run fish and also vampires.

Hopefully don’t need 4wd or anything crazy. And might just wait and ride with friends, but that would limit my time out there and the opportunity to visit other friends.

Trying to decide if just renting a car, even if for part of the trip, would be worth it
My buddy and I hiked in the Ho rain forest and had it all to ourselves. Incredible. I hugged a bunch of trees. Do whatever it takes to get there.
did ya find Mick Dodge?