Boston car hire.

jamesbil

Hi All,
We (2 + 2 kids) are off to Usa mid march and will be hiring a car from the airport in Boston.
Been looking to book online but its all so confusing!
Not only car size, but what you get and what you need.
Some say it includes shuttle to car, some talk about homeland security tax..

I think what I need to know is if I get a car at a good price (€3-350 2wks) but basic package will I end up being stung at the pickup point for extra charges?
Or I can get a Dodge avenger with a tank full sat nav and extra driver for €420

I know itsa broad question but any advice welcome..

James

InTheTrees

I agree with the confusion.

There's different regulations between different states so a lot of times quotes can be low because they leave out local taxes, insurance req's, etc.

Also sometimes companies have "off airport" offices and require you to take a bus.

Anyway It's always good to call them, and talk to a human.

Colonialboy

If your flying into Logan all the main Car Hire companies provide a FREE shuttle to collect your car .
When you walk out of the terminal theres signs with the logo, the buses are very frequent every 5 mins so dont panic one will be along.

Ive dealt with National,Avis and Budget out of logan and never had an issue.

Cars in the US tend to be big but if you have alot of luggage plus 2 kids, you may need more than a Compact.

Generally I have found the companies to be flexible and you can change your car on the day. Ive been given cars that didnt suit me but I only discovered that when I went to collect it, but there was never a problem going back to the desk and asking them to change it.
eg. once I was staying in the city and the car was too large to be parking on he streets so I had it changed.

Basic package is just that, you probbly wont have any insurance so thats your call.
You probably need insurance, CDW collision damage waiver and sat nav, generally those are charged by day but you should be able to get all that in the online application.

Have a check if Aer lingus have a partner car rental see if they will give you a rate.

Oh and make sure you check the car before you drive off, check for scrathes or dent and if there are any have the clerk at the desk circle them on your rental agreement, that way you should not be billed for them if they report you caused it.

Oh fill up the tank before you return it, they will charge alot for gas if its 3/4 full say.

Ive always found the car rental people very nice to deal with in Boston.

jamesbil

Great info thanks a lot.
Size wise we need to fit in 1 carry on each and 1 suitcase each.
Some say you pay for a full tank at pick up, but do they charge a lot more per gallon?

Does €420 sound ok for 2 weeks? Dodge avenger with a tank full sat nav and extra driver.

James

InTheTrees

jamesbil wrote: »

Great info thanks a lot.
Size wise we need to fit in 1 carry on each and 1 suitcase each.
Some say you pay for a full tank at pick up, but do they charge a lot more per gallon?

Does €420 sound ok for 2 weeks? Dodge avenger with a tank full sat nav and extra driver.

James

If you get it with a full tank you have to return it with a full tank, and they usually charge a little more per gallon to fill it for you if you forget.

Does that price include all the insurance? Dont skimp on insurance.

Doesnt seem too bad. An Avenger is a good size.

ProudDUB

jamesbil wrote: »

Great info thanks a lot.
Size wise we need to fit in 1 carry on each and 1 suitcase each.
Some say you pay for a full tank at pick up, but do they charge a lot more per gallon?

Does €420 sound ok for 2 weeks? Dodge avenger with a tank full sat nav and extra driver.

James

That quote sounds ok, but have you factored in car insurance? Odds are they won't even give you the car unless you purchase it as a) they want to protect their own property and b) it is illegal to drive in the US uninsured. Do your home work on that, before you decide what quote to go with. There is no point on going with who ever charges the lowest rental rates, if you get screwed ON the insurances. There are two types, one that covers their car, and one that covers you hitting/damaging other cars. You'll need both and it can substantially drive up the cost of what you'll pay for your car hire over all.

On the sat nav, how much are you being charged for that? It may be cheaper to go to a WalMart or Target, and just buy one for $40-$50. You'll also have it to use again for future trips.

On the petrol: Car hire firms normally charge 10-20 cents per gallon over what you'd pay yourself at petrol stations. If you return the car empty, that is what you will be charged to top it up, as long as that is what you have agreed to do in advance. If you say that you'll return it full, but then decide then not to, you will get absolutely screwed, so don't do that.

There is a petrol station at Boston airport, just before you get to the car returns centers. It is very well sign posted, so there is no reason to return the car empty really. You can refill your tank with very little delay. That's what I prefer to do. Even if you agree to return the car empty, you still need petrol in the tank to get from A to B. As you won't get credit back for unused petrol, its money down the drain really.

I hired a car at Logan last October and just pulled out my receipts. I was charged the following:

1. EP
2. T&M
3. Unlimited mileage (make sure you have that at no charge if you are going for 2 whole weeks)
4. Additional Driver
5. Convention Center surcharge
6. Parking surcharge
7. Vechicle Lic recovery fee
8. Customer facility charge
9. Concession recovery fee
10. Sales tax at 6.260 on items 2,3,4,6,7


Sorry, I forget what the abbreiviated terms stand for.

I agree that picking up the phone, and going over all the charges at the precise airport where you'll be picking up the car, is a very, very good idea. It is good to know what is what before you arrive. I did that last year & was very grateful that I did. All US airports and cities have different car hire polices & charges. They can change quite often too. The car hire company websites and even their central reservations staff can not keep up with the differing policies, and will often give out wrong information. Don't bother looking for direct airport numbers to call on individual car hire companies websites. A quick Google search should turn them up.

InTheTrees

Its common for the charges, insurance, taxes etc etc to add up to more than the base rental charge for the car.

Its the same when I come home and hire a car at Dublin airport though. The insurance is more than the car.

:mad:

Green Diesel

I hired a car for 5 weeks in Boston last summer, through Hertz via the hertzflydrive (aerlingus) site which included all the insurance CDW and liability, unlimited miles. Only paid 90 dollars extra at pickup for tax (around 30 dollars) and a tank of fuel (Hertz rate was actually the cheapest I got in MA)

Was roughly 100 euro a week altogether including all insurance + the $90 on pickup, but would have been $450 for pickup from Logan itself, so I got the bus to the city and picked up there instead. Paid for the smallest car, ended up getting one 3 classes higher for free.

jamesbil

Really isnt easy is it:(
There was me thinking I would just find a site and book!

How does this sound so:

€328 for 14 days in a 4 door corolla

Unlimited Kilometres
Insurance ( - Collision Damage Waiver - Theft Protection - 3rd Party Liability - Supplementary Liability Insurance - Uninsured Motorist Protection )
Local Taxes
Airport Surcharge
Premium location fee
Homeland Security Fee

The vehicle is supplied with a full tank of fuel. It should be returned full or refuelling charges will be applied OR Fuel should be paid for on arrival and it is not necessary to refill the tank before returning.
Refunds are not given for unused fuel.

Again really appreciate the info guys..

James

Marcusm

jamesbil wrote: »

Really isnt easy is it:(
There was me thinking I would just find a site and book!

How does this sound so:

€328 for 14 days in a 4 door corolla

Unlimited Kilometres
Insurance ( - Collision Damage Waiver - Theft Protection - 3rd Party Liability - Supplementary Liability Insurance - Uninsured Motorist Protection )
Local Taxes
Airport Surcharge
Premium location fee
Homeland Security Fee

The vehicle is supplied with a full tank of fuel. It should be returned full or refuelling charges will be applied OR Fuel should be paid for on arrival and it is not necessary to refill the tank before returning.
Refunds are not given for unused fuel.

Again really appreciate the info guys..

James

What age are kids? 1 Suitcase & 1 carry on each - is that 4 of each? If yes, you have no hope in a Corolla. To be honest, even a Full Size/Premium (Fusion, LaCrosse or similar) would not come close to carrying all that luggage. Generally, there can be good prices with minivans (MPVs in our parlance). I have had a Dodge Grand CAravan (similar to a Chrysler Grand Voyager in Ireland) for the last 5 days in NY/Boston with my two brothers. We needed the extra space from stowing the seats for luggage. Maybe we have more than your family plans to have (my sister in law had preplannd some purchases). Don't kid yourself, however, on how much luggage space you'll need.

Use carhire3000.com or similar to compare prices but the key things to note are the different included insurances etc.

Re sta nav, do you have one in Ireland? Do you hire cars regularly? It can often be cheaper to buy one and get the additional maps for your holiday destinations than pay $10.95 plus tax per day during a holiday.

jamesbil

Kids are 11 and 9, so will have 4 suitcase (medium) and 4 carry on, I figured if I can get it all into my car (c-max) to get to the airport, then we should be ok the far side. Do US versions tend to be bigger than ours?

Also, if I book the corolla and it turns out to be too small, I can always up grade there.


James

Marcusm

Maybe you'll get a C-Max; they sell them in the US now. The Corolla, like most US cars, is a sedan/saloon car rather than a hatchback. I expect in your C-Max, the bags will be piled high rather than fitting below the level of a saloon boot. An American cousin came to Ireland last year with similar aged kids and one bag each. They'd pre booked a Q5, ie a small SUV, but had to swap to a Megane estate to get the bags in (ad even then piled high).

I would advise against getting a car where the bags were visible; it'll fairly obviously be a rental car and for a small upgrade fee, I'd rather hide my luggage away.