New York Car Hire

Housey

Housey

Housey

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Joined
21 Feb 2006
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I am off for 8 nights in the US from 1st August. Flying out into JFK for 4 nights in the big apple then planning to head off upstate to Boston, via Martha's Vineyard. Will seek to take a car from NY city with drop off back at JFK. I know there are lots of US road trip threads, but specifically, what do people suggest for car hire from NY. Not seeking anything flash, just pointers I might have missed on deals and don't forgets.
 
Hire through Alamo using one of the brokers - netflights.com, uscarhire.com etc.

This will give you a good price and be fully inclusive of absolutely everything you need with zero excess. I don't beleive there is a better way to rent in the US, IMHO - you get to select your car from the aisle of your chosen class, too. Go for a PCAR (Premium) for best value if you 'dont want anything flash' although frankly I always chose Luxury because it's hardly big money.

Though for some reason NYC is very expensive for car rental - I opted for Boston instead this time and saved £200 on my rental of the exact same car with the exact same rental firm just be switching from JFK to BOS.
 
If you have a different pickup and drop off location the fees can be quite bad from most of the companies, also NY state rentals cost more than most to rent from. The best deal I could find when I went earlier in the year (I picked up in the city and dropped off in Boston) was using Hertz directly and using Amex CDP. The initial rental cost was a touch more than other places but the one-way fee was substantially less than others so it worked out cheapest.
I also got a free 'upgrade' to 'Luxury' which gave a Buick LaCrosse...didn't really care what the car was, just wanted something bigish to ensure it had space for cases and was comfy whilst sat on interstates.

E: I didn't find those sites to be of any use at all when choosing to pickup from NYC, costs were really quite stupid via them (£100 or so more than direct to hertz). The only 'positive' is you get to pick the car if you use one of them, but not everyone cares much at all about that, some just want four wheels, a boot and some seats.
 
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I know this in motors, but have you already booked flights?

Why wouldn't you fly out of Boston instead of heading back to JFK? NYC to Boston and back again is a big chunk out of your holiday. Also, have you thought about going via AMTRAK train instead?
 
Thanks Fox, will have a nose. I have the flights booked already and I did consider in to JFK and out of Logan but it was getting messy and reduced my options. I had a good deal for Upper Class with Virgin I wanted to take advantage of on the way back so we could take a red eye and sleep.

Booked into here for 4 nights too http://www.gansevoorthotelgroup.com/hotels/gansevoort-park-avenue-nyc/

Now awaiting a few friends coming back with Boston options :) My point about cost saving was more the fact I didn't need a ZR1 :D
 
Burned_Alive said:
I know this in motors, but have you already booked flights?

Why wouldn't you fly out of Boston instead of heading back to JFK? NYC to Boston and back again is a big chunk out of your holiday. Also, have you thought about going via AMTRAK train instead?
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As above really. I want my wife to get a feel for the place and driving off to a few places suits. Boston to NY is not a big journey at circa 4 hours so 6am leave will have us at JFK for 10am, hardly eating into the holiday and allowing us to go off track a bit too. I want to head down to Philly if I can as I want to see New Jersey.
 
I can recommend the Nine Zero in Boston, lovely hotel in a really great location.

Housey said:
As above really. I want my wife to get a feel for the place and driving off to a few places suits. Boston to NY is not a big journey at circa 4 hours so 6am leave will have us at JFK for 10am, hardly eating into the holiday and allowing us to go off track a bit too. I want to head down to Philly if I can as I want to see New Jersey.
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Yeah, fair enough, gives you the flexibility. I was thinking 8 hours (total in both directions), but you've got to make at least half that journey anyway :D
 
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Alamo does not seem to show JFK as a drop off point, the ones above Fox don't seem to allow me to collect from New York city. I am sure I am breaking it, what could I be doing wrong? Should I raise a support ticket :D
 
[TW]Fox;26649781 said:
Weird. It's missing, very odd. They definitely have a location there!
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Not just me then. I am going to book Hertz as I just found out I have a good corporate discount there, 20% ish so makes sense to use them
 
Housey said:
Not just me then. I am going to book Hertz as I just found out I have a good corporate discount there, 20% ish so makes sense to use them
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The Amex platinum CDP might beat any corp discount you have with them, it can sometimes give big discounts. 211762
 
I've found Budget to be extremely competitive in the US, but having a decent discount code helps. I used BCD L192000 and got very good rates.

--edit-- For Hertz, Jez wins

Don't forget quidco, etc for extra saving.
 
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mjt said:
I've found Budget to be extremely competitive in the US, but having a decent discount code helps. I used BCD L192000 and got very good rates.

A Hertz CDP that gives me good rates (in Europe anyway) is CDP 633306 (Amex platinum EMEA) or 645970 (LH Miles & More)
Whether they actually check you have an airline card is another matter.

Don't forget quidco, etc for extra saving.
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Neither of those codes seem anything like as good as the standard Amex Plat 211762 code for me regardless of location?
 
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