One Way Rental Cars

Say you’re stuck in San Francisco and you need to get to Reno ASAP. Flying isn’t an option and you are going to have to rent a car. The rental companies just LOVE to hold your wallet hostage in these situations, but alas, there is a secret to affordable one-way rentals. It requires some slick detective work, and a little luck, but the payoff could be hundreds of dollars.

First, you need to find a car in car in San Francisco that belongs in Reno. To do that you have to sweet talk the folks at the desk of each and every car rental place at the airport until you find one. Naturally it’s better if they don't know what you are up to when you are doing it. Once you find the car, you have your "Ace".

Second, you have to convince the manager at that station that it is to his/her advantage to have you drive the car to Reno at the regular daily rental rate; as opposed to him/her having to hire a contractor to do it, or just hope that someone will come along that wants to pay full price. They don’t pay contractors very much to move those cars around, but having you pay them is certainly more attractive than the alternatives. And waiting costs them money too.

Be patient. Time IS money. But the same is true for the station manager stuck with a car that needs to go back home. The worst thing that can happen is that you’ll have to pay full price anyway. But it’s always advisable to look for the discount first.