Deep State really, really doesn’t like us driving.
My car bit the dust in early May. New car supply is short, so I considered renting a car for a month or two until I got the car I wanted, at the price I wanted. For the price of a two month rental, I could have made six car payments. I took what I could find, and it was an overly optioned 6.5% off MSRP SUV.
I booked a RAV4 in January to use beginning 6/7. $187/week. In the two weeks preceding 6/7 I was called three times to confirm that I still wanted the car. That’s never happened before.
During the peak pandemic I actually rented a lot of cars. Nice sedans for under $20 a day, compact car for under $15 a day. Last I checked they had tripled already but that was Easter week so could be a demand issue for that. Would not be surprised if they went up higher by end of summer. They were a little cheaper at the airport but not by much, and is sort of to be expected since they have a lot of cars at the airport rental lots vs the ones inside city areas.
Just checked on one week car rental for September: more than $800, of which nearly half is for taxes and fees!
$106 / day for a compact in rural southwest PA, now.
https://www.autoblog.com/2021/05/03/rental-car-agencies-buying-used-cars-chip-shortage/
We’re lucky, over the years we’ve made our hideout the way we like it, like a sanctuary with most everything we need or like. It’s why when we leave the compound we only travel locally and very little of that nowadays. I no longer like or desire to be around strange people or big crowds. Been there done that. In fact is someone gave be free tickets on one of those floating apartment building cruises, I’ve give them away or sell them.
People that fly really depend on getting a rental car at the end of their travel. With prices like this it is bound the airlines. Who would want to fly if getting a rental car is out of possibility?
It’s gonna be very interesting by August. Keeping the car in good shape. Stocking up on pretty much everything, many dry and canned staples. Canning meat (no freezer needed), drying fruit, making jerky. Barrel of water in basement (might get another). Extra gasoline, propane, kerosene. Oh yeah, and ammo.
I always wondered why car rentals for a week or more were so cheap here compared to Europe. Guess that’s over for now.
I just moved back the U.S. from Europe. The rental car for me, my wife, and our oversized mutt is costing me twice what I pay for my truck. Can’t wait until the truck gets here and unloaded off the boat. I want my own wheels again.
Of course, I have to buy her a car as well. We sold her undersized German car and the replacement won’t be cheap. But she puts up with me, so it’s worth it at twice the price.
We rented a car via Thrifty a couple of weeks ago at DC’s Washington Reagan airport. Their desk was closed and two ladies at the Hertz counter were servicing renters for Hertz, Dollar and Thrifty.
I was there for two hours. When I got to the car, it had just been washed and had 50,000 miles. Never been in a rental with that many miles but it got us everywhere we wanted to go.
I just booked a week rental, picking up in Georgetown (DC) and returning to Baltimore Airport for $428/week. The highest I’ve ever paid but $200 less than picking up at Dulles airport where we arrive.
Rates are so high in Hawaii, some people pay $1200 to ship their car there.
Something is definitely up. I tried two car rental centers today for a trip next week and both are sold out.
Looked for a FL rental a week ago:
Orlando - $32.00 day
Jacksonville - $82.00 day