Car Rental Question

[Huskerkelsey]

So I just found out a few days ago that I'm going to Disneyland in April with a friend. Which means I've been doing all sorts of Disney math! I've been looking at car rentals and I've never rented a car before so I'm not sure what the best way to go is so I've got a couple questions. Also we'll be flying into LAX if that makes any difference.

1. Who is the best car rental company? I've noticed some are significantly cheaper like Advantage so it makes me question the quality.

2. Is there anywhere that usually gives the best deals like Priceline, Kayak, etc?

I think that's it for now so thanks for any help!

 

[asc72]

If your dates are solid (ie you will not be cancelling), then Priceline bidding has always worked out extremely well for me at LAX. The last 3 times have been with Alamo (twice) and Hertz and all have been around $12-13 per day for either a compact or midsize.

 

[bcla]

I don't know about "best" in terms of price. Very often you'll find the best prices fluctuate like crazy. Often the best prices I've gotten are with the national companies like Dollar, Budget, Avis, or Enterprise. Sometimes it's the regionals like Payless, Fox (they've got a bad reputation), or Advantage.

What I do is check often on Priceline, using my iPhone app. Sometimes they have special iPhone deals, but I've also noticed that I can find a price and the corporate website offers the same price or even better.

I got $87 for one week direct from Enterprise at SNA. I found the price through Priceline, but Enterprise offered the same rate directly. I also have a rewards number (which you can enter through Priceline) as well as a 3rd party partner which got me additional points for travel. I'd also booked twice (Avis then Enterprise) through Priceline. Since they didn't take a credit card deposit, I could cancel without penalty. In fact I think I could have just walked away and they don't particularly care.

 

[Geemo]

To save money do a search here and read everything. It has paid off for me.

I started planning our trip next week, back in March 2012. I began looking at rental cars when I booked our airfare in July. This trip I'll need a Mini Van to seat 6 people and luggage. When I first looked, the rate for Monday to Saturday was high $400. In November through hotwire I came up with a rate of $250. I booked it ONLY because I didn't have to PAY anything and could cancel if need be and not loose any money.

I looked at all the rental sites daily and sometimes more than once a day.
Earlier this month through Costco I found a Mini Van for $126.11. Again I booked it since I didn't have to pay anything and could cancel if I found something better before we go.

The key I found is to check several websites, book when you find something you feel is right. And NEVER pay up front and have the ability to cancel if you find something better.

When you do a search you'll also see hints on how to use ebates and a few other saving methods. I didn't go that route, but others swear by it.

Good luck

 

[tanyaewa]

I always do Hotwire. Never been disappointed.

 

[snowy76]

The Mousesavers website has a great rental car section with all kinds of deals and discount codes - I check there for any trip, Disney or not.

There is an Alamo on Disney property (DTD across from the DLH) if you only need a car for part of the trip and plan on staying onsite.

 

[mel345]

Best Car Rental Company: The major rental agencies are all fine. Alamo, Avis, Budget, Dollar, Hertz, Enterprise, National, & Thrifty. I have also rented from Payless and Sixt without any problems. The "best" really depends on your preference. A lot of people prefer National and Hertz for the service they provide.
I would say Avis, Hertz & National are at the top end(usually most expensive), followed by Alamo, Budget & Enterprise (mid-tier) and Dollar/Thrifty at the bottom. Dollar/Thrifty usually have the lowest rates among the major rental agencies and I've always had nice new, clean cars whenever I've rented from them.

2. If you're booking through Kayak, you're paying the "most" that you possibly can for a rental car. Rental car companies have coupons/discounts no matter where/when you're renting. They also let you book without having to pay upfront. These coupons can save you anywhere from a few dollars to a few hundred dollars. With car rentals - never pay retail and never lock-in your rate. Priceline is good at times, but you can usually find a matching rate using coupons and not getting locked in. That being said, its worthwhile to book upfront using coupons and then check 1-2 weeks before you pickup to see if the rate has dropped. Finally, a day or two before the actual pickup try Priceline to see if you can get a better deal.

Check out Zalyn.com for coupons. You simply enter your details and it shows you the coupons that apply. Kinda like kayak.com for coupons. It lets you quickly figure out which one works the best for you.

 

[hlbtimes2]

If you have a costco card, I highly recomend using costco. YOu can book online, they have an option that will show you the best price ( a chart with all the companies and their prices). And check back often for better pricing. For our trip in Dec. I started out at $190 for our dates. I rebooked 4 times. By time we went I had it down to $75. They do not require any deposit or anything to book, so its easy to cancel when the rates change.