What happened to Car Rental Rates?

[keelec]

Has something changed with Domestic car rental rates.

 

I used to always book economy (subcompact) cars in Portland for about $20 / day total ($100 for a week or so), including holidays.

 

I am trying to book one for Christmas, and can hardly find anything for less than $40 / day ($200 for 4 1/2 days).

 

What has happened?

 

----- Clifford -----

 

I miss my Renault Encore with 210K miles!!!!

[frank1538]

What has happened?

Christmas

[MarkLuvsShuPing]

Speaking of rental cars. Do they rent cars in China? If so do you need a Chinese license to drive?

[warpedbored]

Oh Mark you have not seen how they drive in

China? Believe me you don't want to try it. Driving in China is truly an art form. A well orchestrated ballet of dodge the bicycles, cars and pedestrians. The lines in the road mean nothing.

[MarkLuvsShuPing]

So it would be a challenge for even my wreckless lifestyle, huh? They probably wouldn't let me drive anyway.

[MarkLuvsShuPing]

HA! I laugh in the face of danger! I throw money away on the most expensive nonsense I can find! Why would I worry about a little fender bender. Give me the road or I'm takin' it!

 

(Remember, I'm living in a fantasy. My I-130 will be processed in one week because I'm that special). B)

[MoonCarolCafe]

Speaking of rental cars.  Do they rent cars in China?  If so do you need a Chinese license to drive?

Yes, they do rent cars in China. Yes, to get a rental from an agency you will need a Chinese drivers license. No, your international drivers license is no good in China.

 

I don't think traffic is all that bad. Most parts of GZ I would not want to drive in, more because they have a great public transit system than for fear of traffic. A car is spot-on for intercity travel. Not having to take buses everywhere is the donkeys' danglies, plus you get to actually EXPLORE!!

 

For instance, there is an outdoorsy roadside restaurant somewhere outside of HeiShan where the chickens that are to be served for dinner are pecking in the dirt around your feet at lunch, and the parking area faces the field of taro that will be served to you freshly yanked from the ground. Ordering fish? There is a large pond on the premises... This is the sort of stuff you will never see while taking the local equivalent of Greyhound.

 

Visiting the wife's home village becomes a trivial excercise.

 

Getting into a bang-up is a definite risk (Trauma room? Ha!), and the way they mark construction zones makes for exciting driving after dark.

[Mick]

Has something changed with Domestic car rental rates.

 

I used to always book economy (subcompact) cars in Portland for about $20 / day total ($100 for a week or so), including holidays.

 

I am trying to book one for Christmas, and can hardly find anything for less than $40 / day ($200 for 4 1/2 days).

 

What has happened?

 

----- Clifford -----

 

I miss my Renault Encore with 210K miles!!!!

Good grief, a Renault. I hope Eric doesn't see this.

 

Of course, he is a Citroen man according to my recollection.

[Mick]

Has something changed with Domestic car rental rates.

 

I used to always book economy (subcompact) cars in Portland for about $20 / day total ($100 for a week or so), including holidays.

 

I am trying to book one for Christmas, and can hardly find anything for less than $40 / day ($200 for 4 1/2 days).

 

What has happened?

 

----- Clifford -----

 

I miss my Renault Encore with 210K miles!!!!

What has happened?

 

Republican economics!

 

It's the old trickle down....all the way to car rental rates.

 

Just kidding folks....don't want to get any Bushite danders up.

[tonado]

The rental rate for a midsize sedan (from hotwire.com) was $68 during October (Boston). My friend got a minivan for the same price.

[keelec]

As far as transportation in China,

 

Are Taxis in China like those in Egypt. Once you get one, it is awfully hard to get rid of it. And, to rent a taxi for day costs about the same as renting a car for a day

[MarkLuvsShuPing]

Speaking of rental cars.  Do they rent cars in China?  If so do you need a Chinese license to drive?

Yes, they do rent cars in China. Yes, to get a rental from an agency you will need a Chinese drivers license. No, your international drivers license is no good in China.

 

I don't think traffic is all that bad. Most parts of GZ I would not want to drive in, more because they have a great public transit system than for fear of traffic. A car is spot-on for intercity travel. Not having to take buses everywhere is the donkeys' danglies, plus you get to actually EXPLORE!!

 

For instance, there is an outdoorsy roadside restaurant somewhere outside of HeiShan where the chickens that are to be served for dinner are pecking in the dirt around your feet at lunch, and the parking area faces the field of taro that will be served to you freshly yanked from the ground. Ordering fish? There is a large pond on the premises... This is the sort of stuff you will never see while taking the local equivalent of Greyhound.

 

Visiting the wife's home village becomes a trivial excercise.

 

Getting into a bang-up is a definite risk (Trauma room? Ha!), and the way they mark construction zones makes for exciting driving after dark.

Actually, I was only thinking about the trip from Beijing to Harbin to Qiqihar. A road trip along the Chinese countryside would be pretty neat. I'm also thinking that there would be more heat in an automobile than a railroad car.

 

Of course, then there's the whole, I don't have a Chinese driver's license thing. Do you think I'm learning to deal with the reality of things?

[keelec]

I miss my Renault Encore with 210K miles!!!!

Good grief, a Renault. I hope Eric doesn't see this.

 

Of course, he is a Citroen man according to my recollection.

Oh,

Does he drive a Citreon 2CV? Those are cool cars!!!!!

 

Since my Renault has been smushed, and made into new Hondas, I have left the French cars alone

 

Now, I am actually more of a Fiat Man than anything else.

 

http://computerdude.50megs.com/Cliff_Fiat_small.jpg

 

---- Clifford -----

[Mick]

I miss my Renault Encore with 210K miles!!!!

Good grief, a Renault. I hope Eric doesn't see this.

 

Of course, he is a Citroen man according to my recollection.

Oh,

Does he drive a Citreon 2CV? Those are cool cars!!!!!

 

Since my Renault has been smushed, and made into new Hondas, I have left the French cars alone

 

Now, I am actually more of a Fiat Man than anything else.

 

http://computerdude.50megs.com/Cliff_Fiat_small.jpg

 

---- Clifford -----

No, I think he has some sort of yuppie SUV but his dad may have had a Citroen. Seems I recall past post to that effect.

 

WTF with the forbidden links thing?

[Tom]

Mark, you can rent a car from a few of the major hotels in Harbin, but the car comes with a driver - they won't let you drive it yourself. The daily rental price is reasonable, but there's a steep deposit of the equivalent of 2 to 3 thousand dollars US required (the deposit is returned upon the return of the car).