With the price of gasoline going up, the attraction of a free rental car upgrade go into reverse. If you book an economy car, then getting a gas guzzler SUV with satallite radio, DVD in every seat and the jacuzzi in the trunk, is going to hit you large in the pocket book.Even if you do book such a compact car, you may find out that when you get to the airport late in the day, all they have available are the larger cars. This happened to me a few times but this has always been on business trips so didn't hit my pocket book. For my private trips abroad, I've got what I booked but European gas prices tend to be x4 US prices anyhow, so a compact there is already expensive.
Like airlines, rental companies are slowly altering their contracts to make more money. In feb, I rented a car from Indianapolis and returned it to Louisville, KY. I noticed of the contract that instead of a flat per day rental with unlimited milage, it was now a per milage charge.
I guess this is another symptom of 'peak travel'.
This week I read that GM intends to close 4 car assembly plants that make SUVs due to the change in the market. Ford are also cutting back in this market. As car rental companies are a significant purchaser of new auto's, will we see the paradoxical situation in the future of gas guzzlers bought from the car manufacturers dirt cheap where these end up being the low tarrif cars?
'Sir, You want the SMARTCAR instead of the Hummer? That will be an extra $50 per day.'
btw: related to car rentals, don't get me onto the stadium taxes surcharges that get tags onto the final car rental bills. You'll not like it when I'm angry. Pen mightier that the sword and all that.
That phrase sounds a bit old fashioned doesn't it? I mean who writes on paper anymore. However, the keyboard is mightier and the sword doesn't have same impact.
Phileas Fogg,
Houston, Texas
8th June 2008
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