June 2014 Rental Car Deal Watch Thread

[bluwater]

Hertz booked on their website.
AAA code for 25% off in June / 199710
June 24-July 2
Selected the "our choice" managers special
$150.82 includes all taxes and fees
I'm Gold with them and my confirmation says "gold canopy".

 

[rdsx28]

We have always used National/Alamo and I am kind of bummed that we won't be this year. I am just so use to their service and familiarity. The prices are both still quite high for our JUne 27th- July7 vacation. I was able to book Budget through Costco for 153.17. Which I feel is a good deal. National has been 277.53 and Alamo 258.00. I was always able to get a great deal from both of them especially being so close to my departure. Not this year . I am just hoping that we will be pleased with the Budget experience. I just couldn't justify spending the 100.00 more.

 

[richmo]

We have always used National/Alamo and I am kind of bummed that we won't be this year. I am just so use to their service and familiarity. The prices are both still quite high for our JUne 27th- July7 vacation. I was able to book Budget through Costco for 153.17. Which I feel is a good deal. National has been 277.53 and Alamo 258.00. I was always able to get a great deal from both of them especially being so close to my departure. Not this year . I am just hoping that we will be pleased with the Budget experience. I just couldn't justify spending the 100.00 more.

My thoughts were/are exactly the same as yours. I like Alamo in that I can just walk up to an almost always empty kiosk, then walk out to the garage and pick what I want. And Alamo was usually the least expensive of the major in-terminal agencies. When I went in March, Dollar had a deal that Alamo never came close to, so I went with them. I had to stop at a counter in the garage (not in the terminal), but I was able to pick from a row, so that was good. When I went two weeks ago, as I detailed earlier in this thread, the Budget deal I had was so far better than the best Alamo came up with that I couldn't justify sticking with Alamo.

I was pleasantly surprised with Budget. Sign up for Fastbreak/RapidRez and go straight to the garage. You do have to check in with an agent at a Fastbreak booth in the garage and they will assign you a car. In my case, they gave me a free upgrade (didn't ask for it) and gave me a choice of two cars. There were no hard sell tactics that I've heard about in the past from Budget. Only question was whether I wanted to prepay fuel, and nothing hard-sell about it. I was definitely a little anxious about renting with them, but feel much better about it now. Yes, Alamo would still be my first choice, but the Budget experience was fine.

The other thing with Budget that I mentioned, and will again, is that they have a Sunpass device attached to the windshield. You can supposedly opt out by flipping a big switch on it to 'Off', but I've heard that some still got charged. The entire device is attached to the windshield using strong velcro tape. If you have an EZPass device at home, it's the same method of affixing. I would recommend removing the device, switching it to 'Off' and stashing it in the console. Just remember to put it back after you pay your last toll on return to the airport.

Finally, you mention your trip is June 28. The hopefully good news for you is that you're still 10 days out. My experience this June, and that of some others, is that the good discounts were showing up 2 to 7 days prior to departure. I even got lucky in that 2 days out, I was still able to do a Budget prepay at the lowest rate I saw. Hang in there, you may do even better. (although you're getting into July 4 territory, which is as busy as things get down there in the summer)

 

[rdsx28]

Thank you so much Richmo! I feel better knowing that someone had a good experience with Budget. I will keep my fingers crossed that the price comes down a bit more. I checked today and Budget was up 100.00. Alamo and national staying steady where they have been for literally weeks. We did join the Rapid club and my husband was happy to hear he could go directly to the garage. Thanks also for the reminder about the sun pass we will be sure to take it off. Again I appreciate all your tips and information as it's so helpful.

 

[jlcd]

We usually book Alamo as well but can't justify the extra over our Enterprise rate. Does anyone have any experience with Enterprise??

 

[puffkin]

We usually book Alamo as well but can't justify the extra over our Enterprise rate. Does anyone have any experience with Enterprise??

We picked up an Enterprise rental last Thursday, but in Tampa. The kiosk was very similar to Alamo. However when you get to the garage an attendant went and brought a car over. I missed not picking our own car, but the manager told the attendant to bring us up something good. We had a full size rental but he gave us a SUV (Hyundai Santa Fe). The car itself is very nice, new, and spotless.

 

[jlcd]

We picked up an Enterprise rental last Thursday, but in Tampa. The kiosk was very similar to Alamo. However when you get to the garage an attendant went and brought a car over. I missed not picking our own car, but the manager told the attendant to bring us up something good. We had a full size rental but he gave us a SUV (Hyundai Santa Fe). The car itself is very nice, new, and spotless.

Thanks!! Hoping we can use kiosk with rental through carrentalsavers

 

[puffkin]

Thanks!! Hoping we can use kiosk with rental through carrentalsavers

I booked through carrentalsavers and it pulled up our reservation no problem when I swiped the license!

 

[Canadian Disney Mom]

I have changed my reservation and have gotten a geat rate from Alamo - but I am flying in & out of TPA. We decided not to keep the car while we are on the cruise and found a Alamo location that was same price as a TPA dropoff and had a free shuttle to cruise port.

June 28-July 3
Pickup: TPA
Drop Off: Alamo @ Westin Harbour View Hotel (free shuttle to port)
Midsize
$ 113.11
Used United $30 off coupon and SWA POINTS LAUNCH contract ID

July 7-13
Pickup: Alamo @ Westin Harbour View Hotel (free shuttle fromport)
Drop Off: TPA
Full-size
$36.09 (this rate was a fluke - it was gone soon after i booked it. I am not sure if it was a mistake but its still showing on my res so I will take it)
Used United $30 off coupon and Costco contract ID

 

[msmayor]

On a whim I decided to re-price my Dollar reservation last night...a reservation that starts on Saturday, so just two days away.

Much to my surprise, it dropped $150.

 

[MiaSRN62]

I have made and cancelled 11 reservations since early May. I now just booked my lowest to date.
Dollar mid-size Dodge Avenger (MCO to MCO) for June 27 to July 4 for all taxes & fees included= $187.51

I am HAPPY with this.

Used:

Use promo code 5MF01 at Dollar to get 15% off weekly rentals of a Compact through Premium car. Offer available for pickups through 7/31/14 at participating FLORIDA locations.

I started out around $260 for the week back in May......down to $187

 

[rdsx28]

Still holding steady..........

 

[richmo]

On a whim I decided to re-price my Dollar reservation last night...a reservation that starts on Saturday, so just two days away.

Much to my surprise, it dropped $150.

I have made and cancelled 11 reservations since early May. I now just booked my lowest to date.
Dollar mid-size Dodge Avenger (MCO to MCO) for June 27 to July 4 for all taxes & fees included= $187.51

I am HAPPY with this. ...

These shouldn't be surprising. If you dig thru this thread, it has been fairly consistent that the best rates are found 2 to 7 days before departure. My experience was that rates fluctuated fairly wildly the last week prior to leaving, finally settling in at the lowest 2 days out. For both of you, if you're still interested in further rate reductions, you should be checking at least a few times a day until Wednesday or Thursday. You might do even better. (Of course, 4th of July is in the mix, so I would expect demand to be higher)

Glad you're finding better rates though!

 

[LeslieG]

I just got a good rate with Dollar too for July 4th weekend. I don't think I've ever used Dollar at MCO. Do you go straight to the garage? I assume they have a little building like the other rental agencies?

 

[richmo]

I just got a good rate with Dollar too for July 4th weekend. I don't think I've ever used Dollar at MCO. Do you go straight to the garage? I assume they have a little building like the other rental agencies?

I believe you need to go to the counter in the terminal, unless you signup for Dollar Express. If you do that, and attach it to your existing reservation (or create a new one), then you can go out to the garage and they have a Dollar Express desk there.