Two-tier weekly pricing for cars, single weekly rate for vans. Here's how to pick the right one for your trip.
"Should I rent daily or weekly?" is one of the most common questions we get. The honest answer is: it depends on three things — how many days you actually need the vehicle, how far you plan to drive, and whether you want to lock in a flat price up front or pay as you go.
Our pricing has a structure most rental companies don't offer: two weekly tiers for cars — a lower-priced local rate (capped at 100 miles per day) and an unlimited-mileage rate. That means if you're staying close to Black River Falls, you don't pay for road-trip mileage you won't use. And if you ARE going on a road trip, you pay one flat price with no surprises at return.
This post walks through the math with worked examples. By the end you'll know exactly which tier fits your trip.
For cars (intermediate and full-size), we offer two daily and two weekly rates:
Daily — Local. Lower per-day price. Capped at 100 miles per day; mileage above the cap is $0.10/mile. Good for short trips and stay-close use.
Daily — Unlimited. Higher per-day price, but no mileage cap. Good for one or two days of higher-mileage driving (Madison, Twin Cities, longer day trips).
Weekly — Local. Best flat price for week-long stay-close use. 100 mi/day cap still applies, with overage at $0.10/mile.
Weekly — Unlimited. Flat price, no mileage cap. Best for longer trips or any week with multiple long-driving days.
For vans (7-passenger minivan and 15-passenger), there's a single weekly rate that includes unlimited mileage at 7+ days. Daily van rates have a per-mile charge of $0.10/mile from mile one, so weekly is usually the better deal for any van rental over a few days.
Local-tier rates capped at 100 mi/day; overage at $0.10/mile. Van daily rates: $78/day (7-pass) or $135/day (15-pass), both plus $0.10/mile from mile one.
You need a car for 7 days — maybe your spouse is borrowing yours, your car is in the shop, or you're hosting out-of-town family. You'll mostly be running errands and driving around Black River Falls and Tomah, with one day-trip to Wausau (~150 miles round trip).
Here's how the four pricing options compare for the same 7-day window:
For this trip, Weekly Local wins at ~$335. You save $55 over daily local, $190 over daily unlimited, and $115 over weekly unlimited. The 100 mi/day cap rarely bites with normal local use.
Same intermediate car, same 7 days — but this time you're planning a Madison weekend (~250 mi round trip) plus daily commutes to a job site in La Crosse (~80 mi/day, 5 days).
Daily mileage estimate: 80 × 5 (commute) + 250 (Madison) + ~50 (general use) = roughly 700 miles total. That's ~100 mi/day on average — but the Madison weekend alone exceeds the daily cap on those two days.
This is where it gets interesting. Weekly Local still comes out cheapest at ~$360 even with the overage — but only by ~$90. If your trip ends up needing more miles than expected, weekly unlimited at $450 protects you from any further overage charges. For a high-mileage week with uncertain plans, paying $90 for peace of mind is reasonable.
Your extended family is gathering in northern Wisconsin for a long weekend. You need the van for 4 days, expect to drive about 150 miles per day. Daily on the van is $135 + $0.10/mile, weekly is $750 flat with unlimited mileage.
For a 4-day trip, daily wins at $600 vs. $750. But push that out to 6 days and the math flips: ($135 × 6) + (150 × 6 × $0.10) = $810 + $90 = $900 daily, vs. $750 weekly. Once you cross 5-6 days with normal mileage, the van's weekly rate is almost always the better play — and it's even better when mileage runs high.
Roughly when each weekly option becomes the better deal vs. its daily equivalent:
If you've already passed day 5 and you'll need the vehicle through day 7 or beyond, call us at 715-396-1466 and we'll convert your reservation to weekly pricing. It's not automatic — but we'll do it if you ask.
"I rented a 15-passenger van for a family trip taking my daughters to a volleyball tournament in Kansas City. The entire rental process was completely seamless. Staff is super friendly, quick paperwork, and no hassle at all. The van was a perfect fit for our needs."
"My car broke down late at night on my way to a business meeting in Eau Claire. I called Riverside Auto Rental and was able to reach Tas after hours. She immediately arranged a reliable rental for early the next morning. They truly go above and beyond."
Most insurance replacement claims default to daily pricing. If your repair will take more than 4-5 days — which is normal for collision work — ask the adjuster whether your policy will cover the weekly rate instead. Most policies will, and you'll often save the insurance company money on the overall claim.
If you'll have the vehicle 4 days or fewer, daily pricing usually wins. If you'll have it 6 days or more, weekly almost always beats daily. Day 5 is a tossup.
For cars: pick weekly local if you're staying close (under 100 mi/day), weekly unlimited if you're road-tripping. For vans: the weekly rate is the better deal for nearly every multi-day rental.
Not sure which fits your trip? Call us at 715-396-1466 and we'll do the math with you in two minutes.
Almost always, yes. For cars, the weekly rate beats daily by day 6 or 7. For vans, weekly often wins by day 5, especially when you factor in mileage charges.
Weekly local is the lower flat rate but caps you at 100 miles per day. Weekly unlimited has no mileage cap. Pick the one that matches how far you'll drive.
Overage miles are billed at $0.10/mile. So an extra 50 miles in a day costs $5. The unlimited tier is worth it once you expect to consistently exceed the cap.
Yes — call us before day 7 and we'll convert the reservation to weekly pricing if it saves you money.
The foundational comparison — daily and weekly tiers across all vehicle classes with the math.
Pick the vehicle class first, then pick the tier. Cars, minivans, and 15-passenger vans compared side-by-side.
When your repair runs over 4-5 days, the weekly rate often saves the insurance company money — here's how to ask.
Pick your tier, lock in the flat rate. We'll do the math with you on the phone.
Call 715-396-1466