WXOW News 19 La Crosse, WI – News, Weather and Sports |Hidden Car Rental Fees

La Crosse, WI (WXOW)-- Frequent car renter Barry Maher says comparison shopping for the cheapest rental deal online can be frustrating.

"The prices are very often quite deceiving and it can be very difficult," said Maher.

That's because many major car rental web sites work like this:

Here's a small SUV, and by looking at the price here, it seems like you could rent these wheels for about $47 a day.

But when you go to "check out," and all the fees are added, that price jumps to more than $73.

"I gotta admit my blood boils, it gets me upset," said Maher.

The American Car Rental Association says those extra fees upset them too.

"This is one of the challenges we face as an industry, our consumers experience sticker shock," said Bob Barton of the American Car Rental Association.

Barton says many of the fees are out of the company's control.

Depending where you rent a car: the state, county or local community may be trying to make extra cash with car renter's fees to help pay for things like: sports stadiums, convention centers, road construction projects and budget shortfalls.

The association says across the country more than 100 car rental excise taxes have been passed costing renters more than $7.5 billion.

"We have no control over this," said Barton.

Consumer advocates say car rental companies may have no control over cities or states driving up fees, but they do have control over disclosing the real price of the car up front.

"Car rental companies tell you one price, get you all excited about it and then wind up charging you significantly more," said Edgar Dworsky of Consumerworld.org.

How can it happen? We found, unlike airlines, rental car companies aren't required to disclose extra fees up front.

And we found only one major US car rental company, Enterprise, is showing you the fees as you comparison shop.

The Car Rental Trade Association says so many communities have different surcharges it's tough to breakdown, and sometimes the fee is based on the value of the rental car.

"We disclose what we know as best as we can," said Barton.

Barry says not knowing what extras he'll have to pay for up front drive him crazy, and he has a message for car rental companies:

"Isn't it much better customer service to let them know exactly what that bottom line is on that car?" said Mahr.

The Car Rental Association says fees are now charged in 43 states and the District of Columbia.

There's a bill pending right now in Congress that would prohibit additional states or local governments from passing any new excise taxes on car rentals.