car rental costs are too high

Wow, I am looking for ideas on how to reduce the cost of
renting a car while on vacation...here's why.

I rented one on a weekly rate...$236.00. The 8th and ninth
days were charged at $43.00 per day
There was a $25.00 fee to add my son as a driver.
Tax of $44.00
Misc. Fee of $54.61
Loss Damage Waiver Insurance of $199.00 (my insurance guy
very strongly recommends this

since no private policy covers lost rental income)

My nine day rental cost $650.00 for a Mercury Sable

I'm going to keep renting cars but would appreciate some
tips on keeping the cost down a bit. John

Do you need the car every day? I have taken
advantage of Hertz weekend rates (Friday PM
through Monday at 11 PM) and Avis weekly
rates for business and personal rentals.

Are you picking up in one city and dropping off
in another?

Are you picking up at an airport? There are
extra charges versus originating your rental
in a city/suburban location.

If renting in the US, there are rapacious tourist
taxes (taxation without representation) on hotels
and auto rentals. The extra airport charges fall
under this umbrella.

Take out memberships in the Avis, Hertz, National,
Enterprise, etc. programs especially if you can
do so for free, via work. They are keys to the
sort of weekly/weekend deals that I mentioned.

gld

> But remember to ask whether it covers the cost of the rental

> company's "lost rental income".

What is that ?