Alamo or Budget?

[oceanscape]

Prices are coming out about the same. We are looking at getting a "premium" or "luxury" category vehicle.

- Do you get to pick your own car with both Alamo and Budget?
- Anyone know whether Alamo or Budget has the best cars for those categories?
- Do both Alamo and Budget offer an "express" members club we can join before our trip, to skip the line on arrival?

Thanks! Would be great to hear any experience with these two rental companies.

 

[wayneg]

Not rented from Budget for a while(2 years?) so might have changed but the 4 rentals I have done with them they allocated the cars.
None have been great rentals, 2 at MCO should have had free upgrades from intermediate to full size, both times had to go back to kiosk, 1 was intermediate, other economy, swapped to full size no problem but should have had to start with. Another at TPA, told me no free upgrade available, went to car DS being 6`3" didn't stand a chance in back seats, went back laid it on how many rentals a year we do and never had any trouble getting upgrades at MCO, she found a full size for us.
Last one the worst, collection of SUV at Port Canaveral, none available so got a 7 seater minibus which should have been scrapped, not been cleaned and warning lights on dash(sorted before I left garage but should have done before I got it) only had it for a couple of days, any longer I would have had it changed.
Alamo although a bad rental 11 years ago last year had no problem with them, picked from a line. chose Dodge Charger with delivery milage only.
Budget definitely worst rental company I have used but others have no problems with them.

 

[jtlover]

Havent rented with Budget but have with Alamo and the benefit of choosing your car and going straight out to get the car without having to see a customer service person wins us over everytime.

With Alamo you can check in before you leave UK and print the papers and just go out and get the car. We were out of the airport within 40 minutes of landing because of this

 

[oceanscape]

Thanks for the info, Wayne!

Havent rented with Budget but have with Alamo and the benefit of choosing your car and going straight out to get the car without having to see a customer service person wins us over everytime.

With Alamo you can check in before you leave UK and print the papers and just go out and get the car. We were out of the airport within 40 minutes of landing because of this

Wow, that sounds brilliant! Are US-Rent-A-Car bookings eligible for this? How does it work? Is there literally no staff interaction? - would be good to avoid their usual nasty hard-sell on upgrades/extra insurance!

 

[jtlover]

Thanks for the info, Wayne!


Wow, that sounds brilliant! Are US-Rent-A-Car bookings eligible for this? How does it work? Is there literally no staff interaction? - would be good to avoid their usual nasty hard-sell on upgrades/extra insurance!

Yep no interaction - which you dont want when you have had a long flight. You just want to get on with your journey to your hotel.

You should be able to get it from usrentacar. You would have to ring them after the booking and nearer the time to get the Alamo reference number. I book through Virgin Holidays and have to ring for the reference number.

 

[aaronandterri]

i think its an agreement bewteen dollar and virgin if you book elsewhere i dont think u can use this.
were booked virgin flydrive with them through t/a but cant access this, have done the save time thing but it doesnt eliminate queue.

ive used budget 3 times no problem and gone staight to lot with express each time too, much easier not to queue.