Can't find a rental car and forced to Uber?

[Baitball Blogger]

Last edited Thu Oct 6, 2022, 05:13 PM - Edit history (1)

Guess what? It’s all part of the downside of capitalism. So you decide to travel to another state for a family emergency and decide to rent a car. But guess what? They tell you that none is available. Kayak finds one for you from an obscure rental place. 2000 for four days. Then they tell you that none are available because people are holding on to them.

And you get your answer when you arrive and forced to uber. Driver is a likeable sort so you strike up a conversation. He says it’s cheaper for him to rent a car than it is to lease one. All he has to do is cover the rental fee and the rest is profit. There’s no maintenance to worry about because he can turn the car in whenever. Nor does he have to pay for a car that will require maintenance by the time he buys it outright.

And, unknown to him, so many like him are doing it that rental cars are so hard to find that it insures that people need a lift.

Not capitalism’s brightest moment for the consumer.

[MerryHolidays]

1. Something similar happened to me

In addition to the ride-share companies like Uber and Lyft, food delivery drivers are doing the same.

Also, companies like Hertz unloaded tons of cars during the height of the pandemic (and I believe Hertz declared) bankruptcy.

So, yes, there is a massive shortage of cars. In an emergency situation like yours, it's very difficult to find cars at short notice. For those who can book in advance, you should do so as far in advance as you can.

[genxlib]

2. 2000 for four days???

Damn, used car dealers should just start selling cars and agreeing to buy them back x days later. They could sell the same car over and over and over.

The shortage in cars has really screwed up that entire industry

[jmowreader]

8. That's sorta how Rent a Wreck got started

The guy who started the company owned a used car lot. A woman bought a car from him that broke down the next day. He being a nice person he refunded her money and offered to sell her another car, to which she refused: she didn't want to buy a car at all, but she was going to be in town for a month for business and it was cheaper to buy a used car than rent a new one. He suddenly got an idea: if it's cheaper to buy a used car than rent a new one, it'd be even cheaper to rent a used car and he had plenty.

[genxlib]

11. Cool

Thanks

[CurtEastPoint]

3. I wonder if it's just US. I rented a car in France for 2 weeks and had no problem doing so

and it was around $450 for 2 weeks so not that bad. I'm sorry you're having so much trouble.

[Zeitghost]

4. I've been using Turo

Which is basically Air b-N-B for cars. It worked perfectly in Honolulu where we only needed a car for 2/8 days and rental prices and parking at the hotel were very expensive. Cars were dropped off and picked at our hotel and we were able to select different vehicles that best suited our needs for the day. We went with a cheaper option for the day we just needed to get to the harbor for our snorkeling tour and splurged on a Porsche for the day we spent touring the Island.

[brooklynite]

5. The two have nothing to do with each other.

Rental agencies got rid of fleets when demand disappeared. Uber drivers could buy or rent a car. Takes the same car off the market.

How would a socialized car system handle matters differently?

[Baitball Blogger]

6. They all worked to create the problem.

The key: the rental companies say that the rentals are not being returned. Entrepreneurs are renting them and not returning them, based on the contract they sign. As long as the rental companies get paid, they don’t care that their inventory is not reliable for transient travelers.

[JI7]

7. I needed one just a couple days ago small cars were difficult to find

They mostly had pickup trucks and SUVs.

Uber would have been cheaper if I was just going to one place and back.

[brooklynite]

9. Just booked a car in Chcago to drop off in Milwaukee

(going to Wisconsin to work the election). No availability or cost problem).

[JI7]

10. That's nice