January 2014 Rental Car Deal Watch

[jlovesee]

Does anyone know if Budget has a bypass counter option like Alamo does? Thanks!

Might have to consider them if Alamo doesn't go down.

Jennifer

 

[SAT887]

So... I found an alamo coupon that works!!!

AD2845VAN

$25 off a weekly rental picked up by 1/26/14, use it while it still works!

So I have a rate of $223 total for 10 days in a full size from 1/11-1/20. Thank includes all taxes and fees... It's $11 more than dollar and thrifty but now I can drive the car if I so choose.... Worth the couple bucks....

 

[rbrainerd]

Ha, well that coupon was short-lived...doesn't work for me

 

[SAT887]

Ha, well that coupon was short-lived...doesn't work for me

Wow.... What are your dates? Also I've been going through carrentalsavers. Com and flyer talk trying out coupon codes manually....

 

[rbrainerd]

My dates are Jan 8-23. The best rate I have been able to get is $397 through Alamo (which is good compared to today's prices) and I reserved that about a month and a half ago. I don't know why I did, for I usually wait until about 3 weeks prior to leaving to make ressies for that's when I've noticed the prices usually start dropping a bit. We usually use Alamo or National. It seems that any coupon I put in for Alamo is coming up not valid :/ , kind of odd for I have never had that happen before. Thinking it may be time to check other companies out.

 

[n2mm]

I've been watching national and see there is finally a coupon on their website for later January dates. The rates are going up lately instead of down. U generally get a decent rate for my January trips. Hopefully it will start to drop after the holidays. We are about 5 weeks away now.

 

[gcarney]

I did ask this in a FB group, but Dollar vs Thrifty... Who would you go with for the same rate? I know they are the same company but looking for service, car selection, benefits etc Thanks in advance!

I going with Dollar right now. It's a few dollars cheaper and the same people work at both counters at MCO

I am down to $158 now.

 

[gcarney]

So... I found an alamo coupon that works!!! AD2845VAN $25 off a weekly rental picked up by 1/26/14, use it while it still works! So I have a rate of $223 total for 10 days in a full size from 1/11-1/20. Thank includes all taxes and fees... It's $11 more than dollar and thrifty but now I can drive the car if I so choose.... Worth the couple bucks....

I just tried it and BEFORE fees the price was $60 higher than what I have with Dollar.

 

[bumbershoot]

So... I found an alamo coupon that works!!!

AD2845VAN

$25 off a weekly rental picked up by 1/26/14, use it while it still works!

So I have a rate of $223 total for 10 days in a full size from 1/11-1/20. Thank includes all taxes and fees... It's $11 more than dollar and thrifty but now I can drive the car if I so choose.... Worth the couple bucks....

That's the one I used the other day. Worked then, too.

Then I was pricing things out again later, and it didn't.

I think that Alamo THINKS this is a normal thing and that "oh well MCO just doesn't accept coupons", but they are absolutely wrong. When something works and then it doesn't *and then it does again*, that's not normal.

National was doing this to me a year ago. I was entering in a coupon code (entertainment book), it would work, I wouldn't book, I would go in and try another combo of the rental I might need, it wouldn't work. Would go back to the original one, wouldn't work. When I HAD NOT used it. It's not normal. They are having problems and refuse to look at it right.

IMO.


Last night I had a standard down to 220+. I looked at a few combos, tried the VAN code, it went way up, took that off, couldn't get it back down to where it had been. Logged out, cleared cookies cache history multiple times, kept trying, never did it again. Let it sit overnight.


Today I went in and still couldn't get the Standard at the rate I saw (and took notes on!) last night. But then I noticed something, and I just booked a FULL sized for 224 with only the insiders info. Standard was 299 today. My reservation was 266. That reservation has now been cancelled since I got that Full for less.


I truly think they have a problem, but they aren't looking at it.

 

[gcarney]

That's the one I used the other day. Worked then, too. Then I was pricing things out again later, and it didn't. I think that Alamo THINKS this is a normal thing and that "oh well MCO just doesn't accept coupons", but they are absolutely wrong. When something works and then it doesn't *and then it does again*, that's not normal. National was doing this to me a year ago. I was entering in a coupon code (entertainment book), it would work, I wouldn't book, I would go in and try another combo of the rental I might need, it wouldn't work. Would go back to the original one, wouldn't work. When I HAD NOT used it. It's not normal. They are having problems and refuse to look at it right. IMO. Last night I had a standard down to 220+. I looked at a few combos, tried the VAN code, it went way up, took that off, couldn't get it back down to where it had been. Logged out, cleared cookies cache history multiple times, kept trying, never did it again. Let it sit overnight. Today I went in and still couldn't get the Standard at the rate I saw (and took notes on!) last night. But then I noticed something, and I just booked a FULL sized for 224 with only the insiders info. Standard was 299 today. My reservation was 266. That reservation has now been cancelled since I got that Full for less. I truly think they have a problem, but they aren't looking at it.

The Alamo Visa Coupon code, which worked in June, no longer works at MCO, at all. Last time I saved $30 with that above my insiders rates. I questioned Alamo, their answer was MCO is a franchise and can do what they want. No coupon code I tried worked till the VAN one but it was significantly more expensive than Dollar with the 5C11M.

I'm becoming less and less a fan of Alamo.

 

[SAT887]

I just tried it and BEFORE fees the price was $60 higher than what I have with Dollar.

I only compare total prices - and Alamo was $10+ more- maybe I lucked out really well and rented at precise moment on the wonky system

I've been using the dollar 5c11m or the city special and I did get it down lower but for me being able to be an added driver for free is a bonus - because I do often run out on my own to get odds and ends... So the ability to do that is a plus for me

Hopefully we all can get our rates down lower! Right now I'm happy with $223 but that's not going to stop me from checking daily!!

 

[SAT887]

That's the one I used the other day. Worked then, too. Then I was pricing things out again later, and it didn't. I think that Alamo THINKS this is a normal thing and that "oh well MCO just doesn't accept coupons", but they are absolutely wrong. When something works and then it doesn't *and then it does again*, that's not normal. National was doing this to me a year ago. I was entering in a coupon code (entertainment book), it would work, I wouldn't book, I would go in and try another combo of the rental I might need, it wouldn't work. Would go back to the original one, wouldn't work. When I HAD NOT used it. It's not normal. They are having problems and refuse to look at it right. IMO. Last night I had a standard down to 220+. I looked at a few combos, tried the VAN code, it went way up, took that off, couldn't get it back down to where it had been. Logged out, cleared cookies cache history multiple times, kept trying, never did it again. Let it sit overnight. Today I went in and still couldn't get the Standard at the rate I saw (and took notes on!) last night. But then I noticed something, and I just booked a FULL sized for 224 with only the insiders info. Standard was 299 today. My reservation was 266. That reservation has now been cancelled since I got that Full for less. I truly think they have a problem, but they aren't looking at it.

I noticed of the cars that the coupon was good for the full size was the cheapest (I normally go standard because of the shared aisle)

Their system is definitely wacky - the prices have been crazy compared to what I have gotten in the past - usually I used the insiders plus the upgrade and would get fabulous rates... Hoping they resolve this and it's not like this going forward!

 

[jlovesee]

Great Alamo code... still not ready to give up on Alamo, we had a HORRIBLE experience with Dollar several years ago, not ready to give them another try yet. Plus, I love going directly to the car and picking my car.

What I don't get is why picking up a car on tuesday is less then picking it up on wednesday, when its a longer time period (1+ day) its a $20 difference! Doesn't make any sense.

Jennifer

 

[Dizneydaz]

Our trip is now less than 3 weeks away. I checked Dollar and the rates have dropped, quite a lot. I had reserved a mid size from Jan. 3rd to Jan. 11th back on Dec. 4th and it was $185 with all fees-base rate $126/week.

Then I booked at Budget for same size for $150, inclusive ($88/week base rate)

Today I checked with Dollar again and using the code available right on their website I booked a mid-size for $141.82 ($88.03/base/week). At first it was $152 but then I tried a trick I've used before, I changed the pick up time to the 1/2 hour rather than on the hour and the rate dropped $10. This doesn't always work but it did this time. I could have gotten a compact for $134 but I decided to splurge on the extra 83 cents a day for the next size.

I used Dollar last year and I'm happy to use them again this year.

BTW code is 5C11M for 15% off.

I just checked the above rate again and it has fallen slightly....booked for $136.28. That was picking it up at 4:30. If I pick up at 5 p.m. the price was 146.79. I'm not kidding about picking up on the 1/2 hour. Sometimes the rate is less.

 

[andigomeep]

Alamo dropped $5 for me, down to $163, rebooked just using the free upgrade from midsize to standard. Jan 26-1.

 

[akl432]

Both Dollar and Thrifty dropped from $290 to $246 for me! Discount code 5C11M, Jan. 16-28, economy car.

 

[rbrainerd]

Just got the VAN coupon to work with my Insiders and price dropped $50! Oddly I received a better price using Insiders 10% off with a $25 coupon than my 20% off annual disney passholders code Hoping prices will continue to drop

 

[akl432]

I didn't realize there is an annual passholders' code. Is it available on the AP site?

Thanks!

 

[jlovesee]

The alamo contract ID for Disney AP holders is 860292, I just checked though it looks like its the same discount as insiders. Atleast as of right now.

Jennifer

 

[akl432]

Thanks!