Did I get a good deal, or am I hosed?

October 24, 2005 5:21 PM

Do I owe $270 or $638 for an auto rental?

Using Priceline today to arrange a rental vehicle for my wife's trip; 5 days total. On the "confirm your reservation" screen, it reflected a great deal of $270, which included all taxes and fees. OK, great...so I press the magical "confirm" button, and the final screen displays a total of $638! I contacted Advantage Rental Car, and they told me it was Priceline's bill, and I need to take it up with Priceline. When I called Priceline, all I get is a recorded confirmation of my reservation. So I e-mailed Priceline, and the site says that they will try to answer me via e-mail within 3 hours. Until then, I'm growing increasingly agitated: is this just a routine part of the Priceline process, and I will wind up owing only the $270? Or do I need to cancel this reservation ASAP? Thanks for any insight.

posted by davidmsc to travel & transportation (7 comments total)

How about contacting your credit card company and disputing?
(FWIW--I have never used Priceline).
posted by 6:1 at 5:24 PM on October 24, 2005

Cancel the reservation and make it through travelocity. I use them all the time and they have never pulled that BS on me.
posted by fshgrl at 5:35 PM on October 24, 2005

6:1
posted by Pressed Rat at 5:57 PM on October 24, 2005

If I had to guess I would say this has someting to do with the Insurance that all companies try to stick you with when you rent. That is never included in the price quoted, and then they spring it on you when you are standing at the counter.
Most likely there was some sort of small print on the screen that you hit the confirm button on.
Dirty pool as far as I am concerned.
I would tell them to go fuck their hats....

YMMV
posted by TheFeatheredMullet at 7:12 PM on October 24, 2005

For regular rentals, car rental companies don't charge your credit card until after you return the car (and they don't reserve/block some of your credit until you are actually picking up the car). So you almost definitely should go ahead and make another reservation, either directly (try Enterprise) or via Orbitz or Travelocity (which have nice car comparison features), just in case.

You can always cancel your backup reservation (or simply not show up to pick up the car, but that's not being courteous) if Priceline does in fact adequately reassure you that you're going to be paying $270.

And if Priceline won't budge, then use your backup reservation. As noted above, you have the option of disputing any credit card billing. Given your efforts, and the way that the car rental business works (it's not like you've blocked a hotel room from being occupied), it seems very unlikely that you'll pay the $638. (As always, keep notes of what you did, who you talked to and what they said, etc.)

Good luck!
posted by WestCoaster at 9:32 PM on October 24, 2005

Definitely call your credit card company. No credit card company wants its cards used this way. You're supposed to get a chance to see what you are paying before you agree to the charge.
posted by ikkyu2 at 11:37 PM on October 24, 2005

WestCoaster -
If you do the "Name your own price" on priceline, the rental is charged to your card immediately, it's more like a plane ticket than a normal car reservation.

davidmsc - Did you get a confirmation email from priceline? Usually that has all the terms and a price breakdown in it.
It's been a while since I've used priceline though.
posted by madajb at 12:02 AM on October 25, 2005