Rental car prices when traveling

[cregb]

I have a tentative plan for hitting the salmonfly hatch this June/July with flight into Bozeman. I saw an article 3 weeks ago about how rental car prices might be high this summer as agencies sold off their car inventories during the dormant travel period in the thick of COVID. I went ahead and reserved for a fairly high cost, but then saw another article today about the same thing and searched again. HOLY COW!


I imagine it will only get worse as more get immunized.

[ctwhite]

If after flying to (Missoula), my only choice for a rental car was a Kia Rio for $245 a day, I'd seriously consider just driving to Montana... from Maine.

[BigTJ]

Good thing my summer trip to Montana is a work play trip and I don’t have to pay. Those are triple pre Covid rates.

John

[tabrods406]

I usually order the lower end car or SUV and ask at the counter in my destination if they have any upgrades. Works more often than not.

Tom

[cregb]

I usually order the lower end car or SUV and ask at the counter in my destination if they have any upgrades. Works more often than not.

Not sure that will work here to any advantage as the absolute lower end cars are already over $200\day. I wouldn’t want a Rolls Royce or a BMW 8 series for a fishing trip, even at that price.

[adrien schnee]

Hi Creg, you mentioned having already reserved. I hope you aren’t obligated to pay $200 a day plus for your vehicle. If you are not locked into your reservation you could try seeing if there are any members here around Bozeman who might have a reliable fishing vehicle they could rent to you for a better price for a week or two. There’s always a possibility something could work out.

Good luck and good fishing

Adrien

[BigTJ]

Pretty doubtful anyone would rent or lend a car to a stranger it’s too risky. A good friend maybe.

It won’t take long for prices to go back down one we get back to normal. Guessing this time next year.

John

[Hellmtflies]

For the past two years I have worked part time for a local Bozeman Toyota dealer as their shuttle driver. The rental agent there has told me several times that the car rental business is off the charts. He cannot take any more as the supply has been booked for the season. He won't take a waiting list as well. At most times the fifty vehicles he has are all booked every day. The costs are off the charts as well. Supply and demand is what it's all about. Bozeman itself has been experiencing an explosion of growth over the past few years and there is simply no end in sight. Most homes soared up an average of $80,000. in value in just one year and rentals are now getting over $3,000. per month for a two bedroom apartment. Crazy stuff. So, anyway, if you need to rent a car here for vacation etc. get on it early as all rental agencies are filling up as quickly as they can get a vehicle free. Good luck.

[adrien schnee]

John - Creg ( like you ) has a lot of friends here in the 14 years he’s been on the Forum. Though most of us have not met him, he’s no stranger to a lot of us! But I agree, if I saw on ad, for example on a supermarket bulletin board, from someone I knew nothing about I would certainly not consider renting or lending a car out. To Creg, yourself, and many others here I would not hesitate if I had a reliable spare vehicle around, especially in driving conditions such as those found around Montana. You never know, there may well be someone around who could help out!

[ffftroutbum]

I personally would not want to mess around with it due to the insurance. If one does, I might suggest calling your insurance agent to see how that would work since you would be renting to a third party. The car rentals can be high in Bozeman and I have friends fly into surrounding airports because the car rental differences made up for it. Might be worth considering.

[GrsdLnr]

After getting my second dose of COVID vaccine several weeks ago, I booked a flight back east for the month of May, including a rental car. After reading this, just for laughs I checked rental car prices for the same time frame and am very glad I reserved when I did - it's now double. Now let's just hope they actually have a car available when I need it.

[owenscaddis]

Many fishing guides in Bozeman/Big Sky/Ennis/West Yellowstone area are already booked for the entire summer season as well. Looks like it will be a busy summer.

[PYochim]

Dog boarding facilities are filling up fast, too.

[Bob G]

Earlier today my charming wife reserved a rental car in Bozeman for 5 nights, early to mid-September, for $347 total ...this amount is at least $100 lower than past years. Good Luck, Bob

[adrien schnee]

Bob, very interesting! I was curious and did a quick search for mid Sept compared to mid June and rates were about 80 or more percent cheaper for the fall. A number of agencies had cars for the week under $375 all included. Odd, as I would not have expected significantly more demand for June than Sept. Perhaps, as pointed out, it has to do with how far in advance bookings are made - the closer to the date requested the higher prices become if availability becomes limited. But such a difference is still surprising.

[bassman]

If I was looking at costs like that I'd get on the computer, find a 12-1500 dollar car in Bozeman area to beat around in, then sell it when I left at a fly by night dealer for whatever he'd give. That or fly in one way, buy a decent SUV or truck and drive it back when trip was over.

[Cimarron]

No matter where you live in the country, you can be there in your own car in a matter of days.

[lestrout1]

If I was looking at costs like that I'd get on the computer, find a 12-1500 dollar car in Bozeman area to beat around in, then sell it when I left at a fly by night dealer for whatever he'd give. That or fly in one way, buy a decent SUV or truck and drive it back when trip was over.

Yo bas - I had a friend who spent several months in New Zealand each year, and his strategy was to do just that. Japan has a system whereby older cars are exported. New Zealand is too small a country to have its own car manufacturing, so its car fleet is essentially used cars. In many cases the freshly imported car is 3 years old. Most Japanese cars last decades and 200,000 miles, so my friend would buy a used car after he landed. After several months, he would resell it, sometimes for a profit.

tl
les

[Bamboo River]

No matter where you live in the country, you can be there in your own car in a matter of days.

My thoughts exactly.

[cregb]

No matter where you live in the country, you can be there in your own car in a matter of days.

Absolutely true, but for those with limited vacation days, the price becomes something that people might sacrifice for, especially after the last 13 months. I’d be looking at +4 days of vacation for travel to Bozeman than essentially 1.5 days, exclusive of activities. BTW, I canceled my trip to Bozeman for this year. I can wait.

Bob, very interesting! I was curious and did a quick search for mid Sept compared to mid June and rates were about 80 or more percent cheaper for the fall. A number of agencies had cars for the week under $375 all included. Odd, as I would not have expected significantly more demand for June than Sept. Perhaps, as pointed out, it has to do with how far in advance bookings are made - the closer to the date requested the higher prices become if availability becomes limited. But such a difference is still surprising.

Having been to the YNP area in September a couple of times, I’d have to think the demand is lower due to kids returning to schools regarding family travel. I’d have to think most families want their kids in school physically this fall more than ever due to COVID’s impact the last year and the vaccine availability.