June 2014 Rental Car Deal Watch Thread

[richmo]

It is prepay. I know not something I usually do but BUDGET is on airport, unlike HERTZ which is a risk you take on priceline getting stuck with Hertz. My gut tells me I should have done 8.00 and it wouldn't have taken. I did 9 a day. I was in a hurry! I could have saved 16.00, I just know it!!!!!! I am way over obsessing car rental this year. But we have US/IOA as well and I have several ADRS that would be a pain to access from Yc etc...So I am done obsessing.. SOrt of....

I don't like prepay either, but at least its one less thing you have to check up on.

Just an fyi...Hertz is onsite at MCO now. (I think its been in the last year or so they moved)

 

[scottmel]

I don't like prepay either, but at least its one less thing you have to check up on.

Just an fyi...Hertz is onsite at MCO now. (I think its been in the last year or so they moved)

Great! THanks good to know. I would have been upset for nothing then if I got HERTZ! I used them in 2009 and didn't realize they weren't on airport....Not a HUGE deal but just one more shuttle in life!

 

[jlcd]

Late June rates down a bit at Alamo this morning.

 

[ktate82]

Did a prepay with Budget using my previous codes and got an intermediate for June 5-9 for $91 (early pick up on the 5 and late drop off on the 9). It's under $100, so I'm happy with it. Only 12 days left!

 

[shortie1023]

I have a full size with Thrifty from June 8-13, picking up at West Palm Airport and returning at MCO for an estimated total of $168. Is this good? i've never rented before.

 

[richmo]

I have a full size with Thrifty from June 8-13, picking up at West Palm Airport and returning at MCO for an estimated total of $168. Is this good? i've never rented before.

Not bad, especially with the one way rental. But keep looking...it could go down more.

 

[GoingtoWDWagain]

That seems high. Did you try the codes from earlier in this thread?

Yes, this rate was with code and coupon. I've been trying different codes and coupons for Budget, Alamo, Dollar, and National from MCO. This is the longest I've rented a car for, so I'm not familiar with what is a good rate for that time frame. Thanks a bunch for any information

 

[DisneyMom2008]

Did a prepay with Budget using my previous codes and got an intermediate for June 5-9 for $91 (early pick up on the 5 and late drop off on the 9). It's under $100, so I'm happy with it. Only 12 days left!

Would you be able to share your codes? Thanks!

 

[wfdiaff]

I have a minivan June 8-20, through Firefly for $329.56. No codes or coupons. That's $100 cheaper than the best deal I had previously with Thrifty.

 

[ktate82]

Would you be able to share your codes? Thanks!

The codes I used for the $91 was BCD Code W852875 and MUGZ061 (they are costco codes). We found it was cheaper to join costco since we rent cars a few times a year (and this rental almost makes up for the cost of the membership). Before that I was using codes BCD D464700 and MUWZ005 for the coupon (they were public codes) and was coming out with $130 prepay. Hope that helps!

 

[richmo]

I'm seeing a decent reduction in Alamo rates this morning for my dates (6/5-6/9) that wasn't there yesterday. If you have Alamo and are coming up soon, it might be worth a look...

 

[Canadian Disney Mom]

I'm seeing a decent reduction in Alamo rates this morning for my dates (6/5-6/9) that wasn't there yesterday. If you have Alamo and are coming up soon, it might be worth a look...

Thanks for the heads up. There was no such luck for me. I am still at $268 out of TPA from June 29-July 13 for a compact.

 

[puffkin]

I am 2 weeks out today and my rates have not moved at all for months now. They usually are all over the place by now. Weird! I guess at least the good news is they haven't gone up....I just wish they would start coming down.

 

[CaFeeney]

I have been booking and rebooking on Costco travel. This morning my intermediate car 6/11-6/16 just dropped to $120 with all taxes. Beat my best price by $10!
This is with Budget using the Costco codes and coupon.

 

[richmo]

Thanks for the heads up. There was no such luck for me. I am still at $268 out of TPA from June 29-July 13 for a compact.

I am 2 weeks out today and my rates have not moved at all for months now. They usually are all over the place by now. Weird! I guess at least the good news is they haven't gone up....I just wish they would start coming down.

I've been playing around a little and my observation is that the rates seem to be following the usual pattern that they stay high until quite close to the trip. Even 2 weeks out isn't that close. An interesting thing to try that might give you an idea is try simulating your trips on different dates, but keep the same times and days of the week. Canadian Disney Mom, in your case, I'd plug in June 8 (or even June 1) to June 22 (or June 15) and see what comes up. That'll hopefully give an idea of what *may* happen and how far out the drops are, if at all. Again, in your case, keep in mind your real rental spans the USA July 4 holiday weekend, where demand may be higher.

Also, as your trip approaches, it isn't unusual to see rate bouncing, where it may go high part of the day, then drop, or the reverse. I'm not sure what causes all this, but car rental rates are considerably more volatile than airlines.

I'm leaving next week, but plugging in a simulated rental with a pickup even later today had a decent drop from what I already have. Whether I see that next week, I don't know, but I'm hopeful. As I've said many times before, you have to keep looking as the trip approaches, and really stay on it the last couple of weeks before, even up to the time you're sitting in your departure airport waiting for your flight.

 

[ktate82]

We just rebooked our Budget rental for 6/5-6/9 for $75 which gets us an intermediate. We had to pay a $10 cancellation fee on our other reservation, but that still saved us $7.

 

[lori8481]

FINALLY saw a reduction in price just now. We leave on Thursday and have a 7 day rental, and I was finally able to get a price I am happy with at Alamo. (I know Budget and a few others have had some cheaper options, but I will pay more to be able to select my car and be on airport.)

Renting from MCO, 6/5 to 6/12, used free car class updgrade coupon and got a standard (fullsize!) for $160 out the door, and I'm satisfied with that.

 

[richmo]

FINALLY saw a reduction in price just now. We leave on Thursday and have a 7 day rental, and I was finally able to get a price I am happy with at Alamo. (I know Budget and a few others have had some cheaper options, but I will pay more to be able to select my car and be on airport.)

Renting from MCO, 6/5 to 6/12, used free car class updgrade coupon and got a standard (fullsize!) for $160 out the door, and I'm satisfied with that.

Great! Keep looking now and then, you might even lower it some more. My start day is the same as yours and I'm holding an Alamo and a Budget. Budget is lower, but I like the kiosk and get out quick too. Budget is at the terminal, like Alamo. I haven't used them in years, but I think there are ways to go straight to the garage if you sign up for RapidRez...not sure if you get to pick easily though.

 

[lori8481]

Great! Keep looking now and then, you might even lower it some more. My start day is the same as yours and I'm holding an Alamo and a Budget. Budget is lower, but I like the kiosk and get out quick too. Budget is at the terminal, like Alamo. I haven't used them in years, but I think there are ways to go straight to the garage if you sign up for RapidRez...not sure if you get to pick easily though.

Thanks! I thought I had read that your car is assigned to you at Budget (and I really love those choice aisles at Alamo!). Honestly, with the way prices have been high and holding over the past few months, I was thrilled to get this one with Alamo. They really are my first choice for personal rental - I use National for business travel.

6 days away and you better believe I'll keep checking until we leave for the airport.

 

[ktate82]

Thanks! I thought I had read that your car is assigned to you at Budget (and I really love those choice aisles at Alamo!). Honestly, with the way prices have been high and holding over the past few months, I was thrilled to get this one with Alamo. They really are my first choice for personal rental - I use National for business travel.

6 days away and you better believe I'll keep checking until we leave for the airport.

We will be there the same day too! The cheapest I could find Alamo was a standard (upgraded from a mid sized) for $160. I was able to get an intermediate through Budget for $85. I will miss not being able to pick our car, but our last experiences with both companies shed a very positive light on Budget. Both tried to charge for the toll pass. After talking to the customer service at the counter, multiple phone calls, Alamo refunded it. For Budget, it just took saying something at the counter. He couldn't refund it, but "lowered" our price to give us that credit back. It was quite refreshing to not have to be prepared to fight, lol.