December 2016 Car Rental Watch

[chmasy]

This past Aug. we just traveled from Ft. Lauderdale to Orlando in a rental car from Dollar. After we got home a few weeks later we received a bill for $63 from Dollar for "Open road toll fees" and late fees. Every toll we drove through we paid cash, so was very confused why we had this bill. My husband called and she said unless you have a SunPass or chip in your car, you get charged for these Open Toll roads. How the heck were we suppose to know??? No signs, no tolls that we drove through. I think this is highway robbery!! Anyways, my question now is, we are driving this Dec. from WDW to Port Canaveral in rental car. Anyone know if we have to worry about hidden open toll roads?

We bought a Sun pass opened an account and it was so easy you go on app and add rental car to account for specific number of days. Works great I think you can buy online and they will send you one or stop at publix to buy if you go often it's worth it.

 

[Lisa F]

What I found so far for my Dec trip. Lowest was $184.16
Sandford Airport (SFB)
Alamo
December 8th to 18th Midsize
Coupon --AD3868JST
Contract ID -15000

this worked for me at MCO today - brought my $244 midsize SUV for 8 days down to $194! It DOES include the AP discount but my son has an AP so I have his pass I can show if I need to. I'm the one who bought it so hopefully that will be good enough (if they even look at it).

 

[Lisa F]

@areno79 try the codes posted back in July. They all seem to work still. compact was very cheap.

Honestly I think if you are going to universal and if you want to have dinner after arriving (i have read that after a certain time the value food courts go to a very limited menu) I would get the car. but you know my feelings on it.

 

[areno79]

@areno79 try the codes posted back in July. They all seem to work still. compact was very cheap.

Honestly I think if you are going to universal and if you want to have dinner after arriving (i have read that after a certain time the value food courts go to a very limited menu) I would get the car. but you know my feelings on it.

Thanks! I'll try the codes and see what I can find. Someone mentioned the ability to return the car at the Dolphin; is that still true with Alamo?

 

[Lisa F]

Thanks! I'll try the codes and see what I can find. Someone mentioned the ability to return the car at the Dolphin; is that still true with Alamo?

car care center for sure, not sure about dolphin at all since i am doing round trip from airport.

 

[areno79]

car care center for sure, not sure about dolphin at all since i am doing round trip from airport.

With the coupon codes, I came out to $145 for a Compact car through Alamo. That's for 12/2-12/9, dropping off at Dolphin (it was a drop-off option.) Not bad, but still a little more than I wanted to spend. I'll have to do a cost benefit analysis to see if it's worth it once I figure in Uber to/from US.

 

[Lisa F]

With the coupon codes, I came out to $145 for a Compact car through Alamo. That's for 12/2-12/9, dropping off at Dolphin (it was a drop-off option.) Not bad, but still a little more than I wanted to spend. I'll have to do a cost benefit analysis to see if it's worth it once I figure in Uber to/from US.

try it round trip to the airport. might be cheaper to just keep it all week. "one way" rentals are generally more.

 

[Fabooliss]

This past Aug. we just traveled from Ft. Lauderdale to Orlando in a rental car from Dollar. After we got home a few weeks later we received a bill for $63 from Dollar for "Open road toll fees" and late fees. Every toll we drove through we paid cash, so was very confused why we had this bill. My husband called and she said unless you have a SunPass or chip in your car, you get charged for these Open Toll roads. How the heck were we suppose to know??? No signs, no tolls that we drove through. I think this is highway robbery!! Anyways, my question now is, we are driving this Dec. from WDW to Port Canaveral in rental car. Anyone know if we have to worry about hidden open toll roads?

I haven't driven that route, but we drove south on the Tollroads from Miami. What we learned is different car rental companies have different policies. I can't remember which one we went with, but the car had a Sunpass in it already, and they just charged the toll (which we would have had to pay anyway) plus a minimal fee. Some car rental companies charge fees per rental day, some are per use. Most max out at $20, but if you are only driving there and back, you'd do better with a per use fee (around $5). Read the fine print!!!!

 

[Fabooliss]

Make sure you try without logging in as a Alamo Insider. I forgot to login and checked my dates, my rate went down $40.
Dec 10-18 compact using:

Coupon: AD3868JST
Contract ID: 7014926
Product Code: AS1

 

[areno79]

Make sure you try without logging in as a Alamo Insider. I forgot to login and checked my dates, my rate went down $40.
Dec 10-18 compact using:

Coupon: AD3868JST
Contract ID: 7014926
Product Code: AS1

That's weird, but I'll definitely try it. Thanks!

 

[sunlover13]

What is the AS1 code?

 

[rlduvall]

We are such a quiet little bunch.

Alamo [my preferred company] rental prices have slowly been going down the last couple of weeks. At this time my rate is $140. for full size 12/3- 12/10 [with an extra hour] using the $25. coupon AD3868JST and the AP code. I did have a slightly cheaper rental reserved [$6.00 less], but cancelled because it had the questionable AS1 product code attached and I don't want any surprises.

 

[Ma-to2]

I'm not having any luck with rentals for our trip 12/18-12/24 - I think being less then a week is making it more. We are at $413 through Costco with Alamo.

Advantage has deals for less than $250 but I haven't heard good things. Anyone have experience with them?

 

[ashleyrm]

My current December rental (reservation made 8/3/2016)

Alamo
12/7 -12/10
Full Size
$137.18

$25 off coupon (AD3868JST) and this contract #7014926

Just randomly checked today and got midsize for $78.20. Full size would be $96.01. Tempting but it's just a solo trip so I'll settle for the midsize and maybe try to get something better when I'm there.

 

[emilymad]

The AD3868JST isn't working for my dates 12/14-12/19. Are there any other codes out there other than the free upgrades ones?

 

[ashleyrm]

The AD3868JST isn't working for my dates 12/14-12/19. Are there any other codes out there other than the free upgrades ones?

Did you put it in the "coupon code" space? I just tried it for those dates and it worked. $145 for full size. $137 for mid-size. $144 for a compact (who knows why, lol).

Give it another try!

 

[emilymad]

Did you put it in the "coupon code" space? I just tried it for those dates and it worked. $145 for full size. $137 for mid-size. $144 for a compact (who knows why, lol).

Give it another try!

Thanks! I got it to work. Has anyone had issues with the $25 coupon? I know people in the summer had issues with a coupon but I am not sure if it is the same one. I will have to go back and look it up.

 

[rlduvall]

Thanks! I got it to work. Has anyone had issues with the $25 coupon? I know people in the summer had issues with a coupon but I am not sure if it is the same one. I will have to go back and look it up.

No problems with the AD3868JST $25 coupon. There were problems with a $50 and a $35 coupon from earlier in the year.

 

[ashleyrm]

Thanks! I got it to work. Has anyone had issues with the $25 coupon? I know people in the summer had issues with a coupon but I am not sure if it is the same one. I will have to go back and look it up.

I've used it twice with no issues.

 

[emilymad]

No problems with the AD3868JST $25 coupon. There were problems with a $50 and a $35 coupon from earlier in the year.

Wonderful! Thanks!