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Hi!
I'm new here. I hope this is the right place for this question.
Maybe you have some advice to add to all the googling my husband and I are doing. We'd like to either:
1. Find someone who needs their car driven from VT to SFla this summer (I know, wrong time of year)
or
2. Rent a car one way. It can be airport to airport (BTV>FLL) if needed. AmEx and car rental companies offer plenty of options, but maybe you know some tricks to get a better deal.
Any thoughts?
Welcome to the RTA Forum!
Personally, I would consider your first option to be a non-starter. As a car owner, the amount of risk you'd be taking on letting someone random take your car and driving it across the country is astronamical. Frankly, even as a driver, I would be equally skeptical of anyone who would let you do such a thing, as either they have incredibly bad judgement or an alternative motive, such as letting you effectively be a mule.
The only way I'd ever do such a thing is if it was facilitated by some 3rd party. There's Turo - which is like AirBnb for cars, but I don't think they do one way rentals. There used to be auto-driveaway services that did let people drive cars that need to be moved, but I don't know what the status of those services is these days, and they've never been a great option when you are someone who needs to get between 2 specific destinations.
When it comes to car rental, the best thing I can say is shop around as much as you can. Changing the pickup/drop off locations or dates even by a little bit can make a big difference, but one way rentals are almost always expensive. If you could get to a bigger city, that could help - the problem with Burlington is the big city would typically be Montreal, and one way rentals across the border are either not going to be possible or extremely expensive.
Otherwise, I don't know what your reasons are for wanting to rent a car one way but considering the typical cost of one way rentals, you might consider transportaion options other than driving.
Between gas, meals, lodging and tolls, you're looking at around $500 for a one-way drive. Economy class airplane tickets from Burlington to Miami/Fort Lauderdale can be had for $250 or so even in the height of summer. So, you could either fly or drive for the same cost in dollars, but driving would cost you an extra 2½ days of time. Unless you've got a very good reason for not wanting to fly, that would be your preferred option.
AZBuck
If you don't want to fly, there's always Amtrak. Fares are competitive with air.
Thanks for the welcome and your suggestions!
We're driving both ways. We have reasons. Also, we do that drive twice a year and know it all too well. This is just the first time we'll be driving back with a car we got down there.
I found decent rates to rent a car from the Burlington airport to the Ft. Lauderdale airport. Still, I'll try to do better until push comes to shove.
The companies offering drivers for people who want their cars waiting for them at their destination don't have Vermont-to-South-Florida needs this time of year.
In my part of Vermont, it's not that unusual for individuals to allow other individuals to borrow (or hire them to drive) their cars. Yeah, it's not like most places.
I posted my request to my small city's digital forum. While no one yet has responded about driving their car, I heard from a lovely much-older person seeking a ride to Miami, where she is also from. She no longer flies, and for years she and her dog have been visiting her son and old friends in SFla by finding rides with Vermonters driving between the two states. It won't work for us to take her and her dog this time, but you never know.
Just snagged a cancel-anytime-free car rental through American Express Travel: a Nissan Rogue or equivalent, one-way, from the Burlington, VT, airport to the Ft. Lauderdale airport for $369.81.
Wow, that seems like an incredible bargain. Hope you have a fun trip.
Mark
Thanks!
My husband and I are wondering if they're phasing out the Rogue. They must have financial reasons for offering that deal. A Corolla in the AmEx search results cost >$200 more.
Certainly seems possible, perhaps a vehicle they are planning to sell off from the fleet and feel it would be a better seller in one area than another (thinking with many retired folks in FL who might be looking for a used vehicle?).Quote:
Originally Posted by Sherylcatmom
Remember, when you're renting a car you're reserving a class of car, not a specific model.
It's pretty rare when I've actually gotten the specific model that's used as the example, so there's probably no conclusion to be reached about the Rouge, because it's at best 50/50 that you'll get that model.
It's more likely that their algorithms predict that they will have too many SUVs in Vermont and/or too few in Florida at that time of year.
While that does seem like a good deal, you can reserve it yet still keep your options open. If you're a CostCo member, they have a travel service with connections to many car rental places. We used them to rent a vehicle a few times. Also, if you are a working person, check with your HR dept, as they may have some connections/discounts. If you are retired, and you get benefits, check with that agency for the same connections/discounts.
It's quite a possibility, no matter where you rent the vehicle from, you will be asked the question when you arrive to pick up the rental: "What do you require in a car?" Usually we just answer, normal stuff. One time, my response was, "A working heater!" (We had arrived in the Midwest during a snowstorm, coming from warm and sunny San Diego.)
Donna
We are new Costco members. That's a great idea. Thank you! We'll check it out. The free-cancellation deal we scored on this rental means we're continuing to look, and you've added to the possibilities.
You're correct: The contract said "Nissan Rogue or equivalent." My husband and I were merely speculating on why there was such a great deal on an SUV when a mere Corolla cost so much more.
There was no option to use our AARP card to reserve this deal on AmEx Travel, but we plan to show it at the desk as well as try for an upgrade without paying more.
We're self-employed. It's wonderful in so many ways, wouldn't give it up easily, but wow, an HR department to ask about corporate benefits, paid sick time and vacation days, and employer-provided health insurance sure sound nice sometimes.
Update: The Costco car rental prices look almost too good to be true! The quote is $179 total for "Toyota Rav4 or similar." They have the same kind of SUV special as AmEx.Quote:
Originally Posted by DonnaR57
We're going to check the details. If it checks out as we hope, you will have saved us beaucoup bucks. Many thanks!
Oops, my mistake. I forgot to enter the different car drop-off location. We still have the best deal with AmEx.