As planning is moving along for my planned trip to France in late summer 2012, after keeping an eye on airfares (best dates seems to be departure August 24 and return September 3 or 4, Newark to Barcelona is my best bet…thanks Farecompare) I am turning my attention to car rentals.
After seeing Ron Lieber mention AutoSlash in Swatting Down Start-Ups That Help Consumers (NY Times, April 6, 2012), i gave them a test drive for a 10 am to 10 pm car rental in Nantes.
For most of my 10 day trip, train would be my first choice for travel between Barcelona and Toulouse and then various points in France.
2 exceptions, Toulouse-Nantes where airfares seem competitive with rail and a day visiting various places in Morbihan around Lorient where renting a car seems more practical.
Best rate AutoSlash offered me for that 10 am to 10 pm spot on August 30, 2012 is $238.38. Rate includes $83.56 in Taxes and Fees for a Peugeot 407 or similar standard vehicle with air conditioning, automatic transmission and unlimited Km (mileage).
At the Nantes Airport location, the only car rental company with rates featured by AutoSlash are from Sixt Rent a Car. This might be result of their current difficult relationship with a number of rental car companies who seem not to appreciate having someone cutting through car rental rates maze for us, average Janes and Joes.
(* This is not a sponsored post. AutoSlash logo from its Facebook page)
With AutoSlash, you can’t rely on the rates shown when you first do the search. You have to actually book the car and then wait about 24 hours to see if they can find any better rates.
I’ve had some reservations literally drop 50% between the time they’re booked and the day of pick-up.
Unfortunately, with the pushback from the rental companies, it’s gotten a lot less useful. I’m hopeful that the new and improved service they promise comes out soon!
With AutoSlash, you can’t rely on the rates shown when you first do the search. You have to actually book the car and then wait about 24 hours to see if they can find any better rates.
I’ve had some reservations literally drop 50% between the time they’re booked and the day of pick-up.
Unfortunately, with the pushback from the rental companies, it’s gotten a lot less useful. I’m hopeful that the new and improved service they promise comes out soon!