Are rental cars in Los Angeles really as cheap as they seem?
May 13, 2023 6:23 PM Subscribe
Why are rental cars in Los Angeles so cheap? Am I missing something? I'm going to Southern California and renting a car for 9 days comes out to about the same cost as it would just to Uber from the airport to my parent's house and back to the airport.
When I look up rental car prices from LAX for May 16 through 25th, they seem shockingly low. ($150 at Kayak and $300 on Travelocity.) A single Uber trip from the airport to my parent's house is going to be around $140.
Why are rental cars so cheap? Is there some catch? Can you really rent a car for nine days for $150?
When I look up rental car prices from LAX for May 16 through 25th, they seem shockingly low. ($150 at Kayak and $300 on Travelocity.) A single Uber trip from the airport to my parent's house is going to be around $140.
Why are rental cars so cheap? Is there some catch? Can you really rent a car for nine days for $150?
Stick with a well-known company and there shouldn’t be any surprises.
posted by hwyengr at 6:38 PM on May 13, 2023
posted by hwyengr at 6:38 PM on May 13, 2023
I don't think there's a 'catch' per se - but do include in your math the fact that LA has some of the country's most expensive gasoline.
posted by kickingtheground at 6:43 PM on May 13, 2023
posted by kickingtheground at 6:43 PM on May 13, 2023
That rating in your screenshot is 3.9 out of 10 - definitely recommend going with a bigger/better company.
posted by acidic at 7:23 PM on May 13, 2023 [3 favorites]
posted by acidic at 7:23 PM on May 13, 2023 [3 favorites]
And the second company on Kayak is not in the terminal and instead you have to call to be picked up- that is not common at large airports in my experience. Added to it being a ‘surprise agency’ I’d give that one a miss.
posted by sizeable beetle at 8:15 PM on May 13, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by sizeable beetle at 8:15 PM on May 13, 2023 [1 favorite]
Could be a service like Turo, i.e. a car share instead of an actual rental car. I have seen them show up on rental booking apps and sites.
posted by phunniemee at 8:16 PM on May 13, 2023 [2 favorites]
posted by phunniemee at 8:16 PM on May 13, 2023 [2 favorites]
Recommend using AutoSlash, they’ll notify if the price goes down
Also, check prices through Costco- in the past they’ve had the best prices.
posted by dbmcd at 9:12 PM on May 13, 2023 [2 favorites]
Also, check prices through Costco- in the past they’ve had the best prices.
posted by dbmcd at 9:12 PM on May 13, 2023 [2 favorites]
I searched on Enterprise, and most classes are coming out to around $500 for that time. That’s still pretty low, compared to some of the rentals I’ve done recently, but obviously not as low as you’ve found. It’s your car whether to trust the companies on Kayak, but yes, rental prices do seem lower.
posted by kevinbelt at 2:57 AM on May 14, 2023
posted by kevinbelt at 2:57 AM on May 14, 2023
Bargain car rentals often turn out to be a scam where you get surprise damage bills or hidden insurance fees or admin charges for refilling the fuel tank because it was only 98% full when you returned it. I would be very cautious.
posted by EndsOfInvention at 3:54 AM on May 14, 2023
posted by EndsOfInvention at 3:54 AM on May 14, 2023
All of the car rental companies at LAX are off terminal.
posted by SemiSalt at 4:57 AM on May 14, 2023 [3 favorites]
posted by SemiSalt at 4:57 AM on May 14, 2023 [3 favorites]
I would guess there will be a lot of fees and daily additional charges on top of the quoted base rate, usually about double the listed price in my experience. And they'll also try to sell you insurance in top of that. Last time I rented from Thrifty at LAX I took their shuttle to the car rental place and waited in a huge line for over an hour to get the car. I'd be reluctant to rent with a discount brand I'd never heard of for the reasons mentioned above, it just seems too good to be true.
posted by emd3737 at 5:13 AM on May 14, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by emd3737 at 5:13 AM on May 14, 2023 [1 favorite]
I checked your dates on AutoSlash and the discount/no name brands were coming out around $150 and the brand name companies were around $350 including fees and taxes. If it were me, I'd avoid potential hassle and go with the brand names.
posted by Xurando at 6:12 AM on May 14, 2023 [3 favorites]
posted by Xurando at 6:12 AM on May 14, 2023 [3 favorites]
I've used Fox before, they're not fancy but overall I've never had an issue with them. There's a recentish thread you might find useful: https://ask.metafilter.com/360945/Fox-Rent-A-Car
posted by ambulanceambiance at 7:40 AM on May 14, 2023
posted by ambulanceambiance at 7:40 AM on May 14, 2023
In the last 1-2 months, a LA based podcaster I listen to shared a horrible story of trying to rent a car at LAX from the cheapest provider. It sounded nightmarish. I'd be cautious of anything that sounds too good to be true.
posted by mmascolino at 10:30 AM on May 14, 2023
posted by mmascolino at 10:30 AM on May 14, 2023
Some hilariously negative reviews for Ace Rentacar in LA on Yelp. Multiple "do not come here!" and "worst rental experience of my life" reviews. Seems bad!
posted by Mid at 2:44 PM on May 14, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by Mid at 2:44 PM on May 14, 2023 [1 favorite]
Reading more of these nightmare reviews, it seems like lots of people end up at Ace because they are choosing the cheapest "hidden name" option on Priceline and they wind up getting sent to this place, where you take two different shuttles to get there and then wait an hour plus in line to get abused by mean customer service. Sounds really terrible. Avoid.
posted by Mid at 2:50 PM on May 14, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by Mid at 2:50 PM on May 14, 2023 [1 favorite]
I think that others have pointed out sufficient reasons for you to be leery of the lowest-cost option.
If you still feel inclined to risk it, I would at least consider making a backup reservation with a reputable vendor. Most national-scale car rental agencies do not require pre-payment of the reservation and allow canceling any time up to receipt of the car, so you can at least lock in a rate for a backup plan if you are at all worried about the cheapo option.
posted by Nerd of the North at 3:47 PM on May 14, 2023
If you still feel inclined to risk it, I would at least consider making a backup reservation with a reputable vendor. Most national-scale car rental agencies do not require pre-payment of the reservation and allow canceling any time up to receipt of the car, so you can at least lock in a rate for a backup plan if you are at all worried about the cheapo option.
posted by Nerd of the North at 3:47 PM on May 14, 2023
Could I ask, in general terms, where your parents' house is?
The price of the rental car is only one part of the overall cost of driving in Los Angeles. You'll pay the rental car fee, but also gas, and parking in a lot of places. Also, there is the "cost" associated with worrying about traffic, sitting in it, getting lost in unfamiliar neighborhoods, the stress of returning the car before your departing flight, etc.
I think a lot of people upthread have pointed out red flags regarding the companies you were considering, but... do you actually WANT to drive?
If where your parents live is pretty far out from LAX, but you won't need a car once you get there (i.e. can borrow theirs or aren't going out, etc), $140 for an Uber might actually be worth it!
Food for thought.
posted by Temeraria at 9:39 PM on May 14, 2023
The price of the rental car is only one part of the overall cost of driving in Los Angeles. You'll pay the rental car fee, but also gas, and parking in a lot of places. Also, there is the "cost" associated with worrying about traffic, sitting in it, getting lost in unfamiliar neighborhoods, the stress of returning the car before your departing flight, etc.
I think a lot of people upthread have pointed out red flags regarding the companies you were considering, but... do you actually WANT to drive?
If where your parents live is pretty far out from LAX, but you won't need a car once you get there (i.e. can borrow theirs or aren't going out, etc), $140 for an Uber might actually be worth it!
Food for thought.
posted by Temeraria at 9:39 PM on May 14, 2023
Response by poster: do you actually WANT to drive?
Yes.
posted by davidstandaford at 10:59 PM on May 14, 2023
Yes.
posted by davidstandaford at 10:59 PM on May 14, 2023
I think there are two different questions to be answered.
1) are rental cars getting cheaper (generally) and the answer to that is yes. Uber has taken a big bite out of the rental car industry, especially corporate. So demand for rentals cars is falling. COVID inflation/ car manufacturing price increases kind of hid a demand cliff too, thought it has basically returned to normal, which was falling.
2) are these low priced options legit? it depends on the company and the time. It's hard to consider reviews, because the biggest renters are corporate people who are time-crunched, not budget crunched, so if they rent the wrong one and a line takes to long, they miss out of on family time. But generally, if budget is your biggest concern and you have spare time, they are generally fine.
posted by The_Vegetables at 7:39 AM on May 15, 2023 [1 favorite]
1) are rental cars getting cheaper (generally) and the answer to that is yes. Uber has taken a big bite out of the rental car industry, especially corporate. So demand for rentals cars is falling. COVID inflation/ car manufacturing price increases kind of hid a demand cliff too, thought it has basically returned to normal, which was falling.
2) are these low priced options legit? it depends on the company and the time. It's hard to consider reviews, because the biggest renters are corporate people who are time-crunched, not budget crunched, so if they rent the wrong one and a line takes to long, they miss out of on family time. But generally, if budget is your biggest concern and you have spare time, they are generally fine.
posted by The_Vegetables at 7:39 AM on May 15, 2023 [1 favorite]
LA has some of the lowest-quality car rentals I have ever seen in a developed country. They are cheap (doubly so if you are under 25) but the cars are old and not generally well maintained. One time I rented from Fox (I think) and got a Daewoo Lanos. If you are wondering why a company that is mostly know for making air conditions, air fryers, and other appliances decided to produce a whole automobile, I think Daewoo probably wonders that as well, as they went bankrupt shortly after.
That said, I think it is fine to rent as long as you treat it like a rental in a low social trust society. I would call the day before, check that the actual franchise has your reservation, and take a ton of pictures on pickup. Take a picture of the spare tire, that's a common scam, and make sure to squat down and get a picture of the undercarriage from the front and back. Also the odometer. When you return, same pictures plus the gas receipt. I'm not convinced the pictures actually do much, but if they are going to pick someone to try to pin some damage on, it won't be you. Check that the tires aren't bald. Decline the insurace coverage and check that it is indicated correctly on the rental contract. I am often willing to pay for convenience and for $150 a bargain car rental seems like a good deal to me. If it breaks down an Uber is only a few minutes away. If I were road tripping or going somewhere rural that's a different story.
posted by wnissen at 9:01 AM on May 15, 2023 [1 favorite]
That said, I think it is fine to rent as long as you treat it like a rental in a low social trust society. I would call the day before, check that the actual franchise has your reservation, and take a ton of pictures on pickup. Take a picture of the spare tire, that's a common scam, and make sure to squat down and get a picture of the undercarriage from the front and back. Also the odometer. When you return, same pictures plus the gas receipt. I'm not convinced the pictures actually do much, but if they are going to pick someone to try to pin some damage on, it won't be you. Check that the tires aren't bald. Decline the insurace coverage and check that it is indicated correctly on the rental contract. I am often willing to pay for convenience and for $150 a bargain car rental seems like a good deal to me. If it breaks down an Uber is only a few minutes away. If I were road tripping or going somewhere rural that's a different story.
posted by wnissen at 9:01 AM on May 15, 2023 [1 favorite]
This thread is closed to new comments.
Or perhaps you stumbled on a perfect combo of after spring break + before summer break + a large car inventory + their market prediction of few travelers at that moment = super low rates? Congrats!
posted by BlahLaLa at 6:32 PM on May 13, 2023 [1 favorite]