Lousy National Rates

[RweTHEREyet]

I am trying to book for May 24 - May 30, would be 6 days total with the time we pick up and drop off.

The best rate I can get on an intermediate is $159.64. That is using the Am-ex contract rate and National's $15.00 off coupon.

Any other ideas?

We always use National, use the EA and have loved it, but I have heard so much about Dollars lower rates, I may have to switch for this trip. I am not used to paying more than around $100.00 for my stay, so this is hurting.

 

[RweTHEREyet]

I also went and checked Dollar and their rate was only $14.00 less and that was with booking a compact versus National's intermediate. So I am not sure if it is worth making a change from my familiar National.

I did sign up for Dollars "Express Lane". I read on mousesavers about Fast Lane, but evidently they changed the name to Express Lane.

 

[bicker]

Dollar's best rates are reserved for folks with discount codes. Check out the Budget Forum or Mousesavers.com.

 

[RweTHEREyet]

I did that. I used the WN115 code, and that was the rate it gave me. The other codes resulted in worse rates. I know my dates fall over Memorial weekend, but things don't usually pick up at WDW until the second week of June.

Is anyone have any luck getting better rates than I am for that timeframe?

 

[martinp13]

National often has Florida specials, but they're shorter notice. Early in Feb they announced some March and early April specials. I may book something now and keep my eyes open for a good special.

 

[TammyC]

Lately National has had better rates on midsize SUV than intermediate - you might give it a try. I've used 5007125 contract id which is for Emerald Club members.

 

[Dan Murphy]

Alamo

 

[VacationDad]

I am trying to book for May 24 - May 30, would be 6 days total with the time we pick up and drop off.

The best rate I can get on an intermediate is $159.64. That is using the Am-ex contract rate and National's $15.00 off coupon.

Any other ideas?

We always use National, use the EA and have loved it, but I have heard so much about Dollars lower rates, I may have to switch for this trip. I am not used to paying more than around $100.00 for my stay, so this is hurting.

I've never gotten an intermediate sized car for $100 for 7 days. I'd like to know your secret.

 

[RweTHEREyet]

My stays haven't always been for 7 days, sometimes less, but I always book the best rate I can find to start and then check back often, every couple of days, up to and including my departure day. One trip we reduced our rate by quite a bit on the day of departure. I always check mousesavers for the latest contract and coupon id's. Sometimes you can look at this so long and hard that you overlook some obvious options. I don't think I have ever had a National rental that I didn't get the rate down below $20.00 day. I'm willing to pay $20.00 a day to have transportation available when I want it.

 

[PatMcDuck]

I wish it was not so, but lately Alamo seems to be much less than National. I even booked 1 week in August, minivan, for $187 base rate. (then deducted $25 coupon, and added all the taxes)

Thats using Costco codes via their website.

 

[bicker]

Alamo and National are the same company. Alamo provide the cheap, poor quality service, while National provides the expensive, adequate quality service.

 

[wdwfan1]

$159 sounds good to me. I got $201 using a code and the $30 coupon at National. That is also for a mid size.

 

[n2mm]

Alamo and National are the same company. Alamo provide the cheap, poor quality service, while National provides the expensive, adequate quality service.

I just used Alamo 2 weeks ago (Feb.2-10) and had excellent service. We are National Executive Aisle members, but with the rates of National being so high, we decided it was time to save money and try someone else. We were a little scared after reading all of the bad things about Alamo. But that was not the case for us. We arrived at Alamo and the wait in line was 10 minutes. The reps was nice, professional and extremely quick. We were done in minutes. Went to the Alamo aisle (next to the national aisle) and choose our uplander/minivan (they had a huge selection so it took awhile to find the color that we wanted for this trip). Rode to the kiosk (the same one that National uses--it's shared with Alamo) and left. We paid $158 total for a minivan for 8 days. Dropping off was the same as National as you drop off Alamo and National cars together--this took less than 5 minutes. We will continue to use Alamo as long as the rates at National stay at the extremely high prices they are currently. My daughter has a mid-size SUV reserved for 1 week at Alamo and her TOTAL is $106. I have a mid-size SUV reserved for 2 weeks and my TOTAL is $228. These are for our April 23-May 5 trips. We have since signed up for Alamo's QS for our spring trip, so that should speed us up even faster.

 

[TwingleMum]

I just used Alamo 2 weeks ago (Feb.2-10) and had excellent service. We are National Executive Aisle members, but with the rates of National being so high, we decided it was time to save money and try someone else. We were a little scared after reading all of the bad things about Alamo. But that was not the case for us. We arrived at Alamo and the wait in line was 10 minutes. The reps was nice, professional and extremely quick. We were done in minutes. Went to the Alamo aisle (next to the national aisle) and choose our uplander/minivan (they had a huge selection so it took awhile to find the color that we wanted for this trip). Rode to the kiosk (the same one that National uses--it's shared with Alamo) and left. We paid $158 total for a minivan for 8 days. Dropping off was the same as National as you drop off Alamo and National cars together--this took less than 5 minutes. We will continue to use Alamo as long as the rates at National stay at the extremely high prices they are currently. My daughter has a mid-size SUV reserved for 1 week at Alamo and her TOTAL is $106. I have a mid-size SUV reserved for 2 weeks and my TOTAL is $228. These are for our April 23-May 5 trips. We have since signed up for Alamo's QS for our spring trip, so that should speed us up even faster.

Thanks for posting this. I am an Emerald Club member and always used National but their rates are ridiculous. I got a rate of over $400 for 6 days for a minivan at National and that was using all the codes I could. Alamo was $247 for the same car/same days. I joined QS so I'll use ALamo.

 

[Dan Murphy]

Alamo and National are the same company. Alamo provide the cheap, poor quality service, while National provides the expensive, adequate quality service.

I have used National since reading of the company here on the DIS back in early '99, probably over 30 times in that period, business and leisure both. I have found their prices to always be among the lowest (till recently), their convenience to be top notch, their service flawless. Alas, with rates now double those of sister company Alamo, and having read good reports as above, I will give said sister a try.

 

[bicker]

Good luck!

 

[ncbyrne]

http://www.rentalcodes.com/

 

[AllyBri]

I just used Alamo 2 weeks ago (Feb.2-10) and had excellent service. We are National Executive Aisle members, but with the rates of National being so high, we decided it was time to save money and try someone else. We were a little scared after reading all of the bad things about Alamo. But that was not the case for us.

Loving this post.

Being Executive also with National, did you let them (Alamo) know that? Someone had asked me if Alamo knew would it make a difference.

 

[goofy4tink]

Why the huge difference in pricing between the two? I booked a Pontiac G6 (or similar) from Sat May 20 at 1:30 at the CCC and then return it to Tampa Intl on Sun, the 21 around 8:30 am...cost $50. So, I looked at Alamo....decided to keep car for the whole of Sunday..returning it at 4:30 and then straight to the airport. I got a Chevy Uplander (or similar) for $93...the exact same thing was $206 with National. I used my Emerald member number with them and got a discount, but used my AP code with Alamo and got a discount also. Any idea why the huge difference?? I mean the difference between $93 and $206, for the exact same reservation is a bit much!!!

 

[bicker]

Someone asked about my experience with Alamo. One time, the car got a flat on the way back to the airport, rushing to meet my flight. They refused to provide any assistance, and threatened that if I didn't return the car personally, they'd charge some outrageous penalty. I also had one experience where it took a call to the national headquarters to get them to come help me when their car had a mechanical problem on the road.