Part III of the Bargain Traveling series. Missed part 1? Read about booking the cheapest flight here.
Los Angeles has 23,000 miles of maintained roadway. And, as much fun and breathtaking backpacking and taking the public transit are, admittedly, we sometimes need a car to explore the world.
With a multitude of rental companies (Hertz, Budget, Fox, etc.), new companies pitching revolutionary ways to get around (Uber, Lyft, Turo, etc.), and a variety of websites with “amazing deals” (Expedia, Priceline, TripAdvisor), it’s certainly overwhelming to find the best deals. With this, we at Truovo present you our Top 3 picks for go to websites when renting a car.
Quick notes: The quotes are based on travel dates February 16 (10AM) – February 19 (10AM), with pick up and return at Los Angeles International Airport.
#3. Costco Travel
Costco is known for their cheap prices – and their travel subsidiary is definitely aligned with that vision. Costco Travel makes it at number 3 not just because of the amazing prices, but also since they waive the additional driver fee! If you have a Chase Sapphire card, which offers complimentary rental car coverage, you can even save more on their quoted price by declining the insurance!
Quote: 36% savings – $174 for a standard car vs $274 for an economy car (Hertz)
Not Hot: Costco Travel only quotes you prices from 4 agencies – Alamo, Avis, Budget, and Enterprise
#2. AutoSlash
AutoSlash is one of the best kept secrets – a very basic website (definitely not aesthetic), which gives you the best quotes on rentals. In addition, AutoSlash gives the following promise: Book free on its site, and a couple of times a day until your travel date it will search for coupons or lower rates and has an 85% success rate! (New York Times) It definitely gives you the best deals for the day and continues to look for even better prices until your rental!
Quote: 38% savings – $172 for a standard car vs $274 for an economy car (Hertz)
Not Hot: You may get a lot of emails each day alerting you of new deals / cheaper prices.
#1. Turo
Turo is not your typical car rental company. Neither is it a travel agency like the aforementioned. Instead, it’s a company that operates a peer-to-peer carsharing marketplace – it’s the “AirBnB for Cars.” While you might not get the newest cars, it’s definitely the best value. In addition, a lot of Turo’s listings also offer airport pick up and return – while also offering free delivery and $25 off your first booking! Turo undoubtedly has revolutionized the car rental industry and is definitely worth a try on your next trip!
Quote: 63% savings – $100 for a 2016 Chevrolet Cruze vs $274 for an economy car (Hertz)
Not Hot: Turo’s only available in 4,500 cities and a lot of their listings only have 1 or 2 bookings.
TRUOVO 