March 2015 Car Rental Rate Watch

[dancin Disney style]

Has anyone ever used the "Puerto Rico Direct" contract ID (211220) with Alamo? I need three one day rentals and this is giving me the best rate. I have been unable to find what the requirements are for the contract ID.

I need a car from
1) MCO to FLL 2/27-2/28
2) FLL to Port Canaveral March 8-8
3) Port Canaveral to MCO March14-15

Using the Puerto Rico Direct ID and the double upgrade coupon, I am getting about $35USD for each of the three days.

Did you use the PR code with success on the 27th?

 

[richmo]

In October I booked a standard with Dollar for 10 days, $192 all in. I had hoped I might find something with a better price or free additional driver...

That's $19/day all in. I wouldn't be too unhappy with that! (Keep looking though...)

I'm really surprised that rates have stayed high. I've never paid more than $100 for a 1 week rental and that was even during March. I'm at $145 all in for a compact with Alamo but I'm not thrilled at all because I've got to add another 30% for the exchange on the dollar. I've got a week left to hunt around so hopefully I find something.....I'd even take a $20 reduction at this point.

It seems like there are no codes or coupons out there either. I always have a long list of codes and coupons to play with but right now I've only got a couple and they don't change the rates much. Some don't work at all.

The drops don't appear to be as deep as in the past, but they still usually happen. There's been a pretty big increase across the board the past couple of days. Haven't seen the occasional one day price wars that sometimes happen, but we'll see. I'm about where you are with a compact with Alamo. Hoping for something better, but still a lot better than what we're seeing now.

Has anyone ever used the "Puerto Rico Direct" contract ID (211220) with Alamo? I need three one day rentals and this is giving me the best rate. I have been unable to find what the requirements are for the contract ID.

You can probably use it if you have a PR drivers license. If not, you're doing so at your own risk. This might be one that they check, since you do have to show your driver's license...even if its not until the exit gate. At a minimum, I'd have a backup reservation.

 

[mjf]

Has anyone used the 'Pay Now' option with Budget before? I've used the 'Pay Later' option in the past, but this looks like a way for me to save close to $50 (Canadian) on my rental. Just wondering if anyone has had any issues using 'Pay Now'?

Thanks.

 

[greenclan67]

I have and they needed a hold on my cc for $150 because I prepaid. But otherwise no problem.

 

[richmo]

Has anyone used the 'Pay Now' option with Budget before? I've used the 'Pay Later' option in the past, but this looks like a way for me to save close to $50 (Canadian) on my rental. Just wondering if anyone has had any issues using 'Pay Now'?

Thanks.

I have, but it was only two days before departure. If a better rate comes along, you're likely stuck.

 

[twiceblessedindeed]

I found a rate today of $185 for Standard SUV (also Mini Van) with Budget. Used BCD X474200 (Travelocity?) and Coupon MUPZ044 ($40 off). We're traveling 3/14/15 - 3/21/15 and flying into TPA. I did check Orlando. This discount is not available at MCO, but it works with the same rate at the city locations. According to MouseSavers the closest alternate location to the airport is "2125 Landstreet Road in Orlando. It is 9 miles from the airport on Orange Blossom Trail and Sand Lake Blvd. Taxi fare from the airport is reportedly about $20."

Worth a try!

 

[mjf]

I'm starting to think a better deal isn't going to happen. I've still got $395 for 12 days in an intermediate at Budget. I've been checking every day but... no improvement.

Well... it dropped a bit today. Down to $369. Every little bit counts.

I still might use the 'Pay Now' option which would bring it down to $333.

 

[Hemlock]

Ugh I'm hoping one of you kind car rental gurus can help me out. I have been following this thread for months and have been trying the various codes mentioned, but I can't seem to find anything close to the rates mentioned here
I am using carrentalsavers and also visiting the individual car rental websites. Is there something I'm missing/not doing right?

I'm looking to pick up near Disney on March 15 (early am) and drop off at MCO (5:30-6:00 am) on March 25. Can anyone help out a Disney lover on a budget find a decent rate on a minivan. Pretty please!

 

[dancin Disney style]

Ugh I'm hoping one of you kind car rental gurus can help me out. I have been following this thread for months and have been trying the various codes mentioned, but I can't seem to find anything close to the rates mentioned here
I am using carrentalsavers and also visiting the individual car rental websites. Is there something I'm missing/not doing right?

I'm looking to pick up near Disney on March 15 (early am) and drop off at MCO (5:30-6:00 am) on March 25. Can anyone help out a Disney lover on a budget find a decent rate on a minivan. Pretty please!

The March rates have been really high this year. It appears that the good deals we have all gotten used to finding just aren't available right now. All I can say is just keep trying the sites every day and at different times of day. A few years ago on a Friday night I realized that I had not checked rental rates that day....it was after 11pm but I checked and low and behold I got a mid size for 8 days for $92 all in. Really, the only way to snag a deal is to keep checking but at this point I hope you have something booked because it seems that rates are up this year and staying there.

Oh, try using a time on the half hour as your pick up...sometimes that gives a better rate.

 

[jkelly86]

Hemlock-

You can use the budget code listed above (x474200), pick up (mini-van) at the WDW Doubletree 3/15 at 8am drop MCO 3/25 at 6am for $360 plus tax. I would book that now and see if you can do better. You can also stack/add a coupon code for $25-$40 off depending on what you are eligible for.

 

[richmo]

Now that I'm inside a week, this is the first time in 10+ years I'll be using a car rate that I booked a couple months ago. I'm glad I did then. The usual rate drop just isn't happening. Guess there'll be a few people at Disney...

Anyway, one tidbit that may help some of you that are really stuck. I haven't done this, so I can't vouch for it.

Plug in your dates for a car at lastminutetravel.com. You'll notice some decent (not spectacular) rates for an 'Underground' company. If you click to the next screen, you'll see an address of '9201 Airport Blvd'. And who does that address belong to? Dollar.

 

[richmo]

As my trip is now two days away, I continue to look. Where I haven't seen drops in price during the last two weeks, now I finally am. A rental that was about $400 a day or two ago is now about $300. Still nowhere near the $180 or so I booked back in January. As I mentioned above, this is the first time I've seen this behavior. Not thrilled with what I have, but I'm glad I booked it when I did.

One other thing that I didn't know about that could very well be affecting rentals this week into next is a PGA golf tournament this weekend near Orlando. They draw huge crowds, and that's crowds that need rental cars.

I hope all of you have found something that works for you. If you're stuck with a really bad rental, try the link for last minute travel in my previous post and also keep looking at least up to two days away...there is a drop, but it isn't pretty.

 

[Shea&Van]

Thanks for the tip richmo! I noticed our rental for Thrifty went down about $25...but still crazy high! Even going at Thanksgiving I paid less (MUCH less) than I'm paying for our trip. We leave Sunday, I'll keep trying. Good luck to all of my fellow March travelers!

 

[fitmom3]

just got back from Florida. I used the Varoom Varoom code with no problems. I paid $282 for a mini van out of MCO.

 

[Ragman]

Well I waited as long as I could. We leave for Florida in 4 days. Prices NEVER went down. Ended up using some codes for BUDGET I had in a coupon book to get a Full Size car for 3/28 thru 4/4 for $335 total. Also applied coupon for free upgrade but it says "if available" so we will see how that goes. I have NEVER paid this much for a rental - I have been looking since January.

I found cheaper on Advantage but it didnt ask for a credit card and it said in the fine print of the online rental agreement that the ONLY way to GUARANTEE your reservation is to use a credit card. When I tried to contact them I got hung up on 3 times before I finally got thru and they told me the only way I could put my reservation on my credit card was to go thru the site again and "re-reserve". Problem with that is they are all out of cars for the dates I had chosen.
Customer service rep was rude and very short with me.

What a nightmare this has been - cant wait to have to deal with the sunpass crap.

- end rant

 

[SplashMom]

We just got back last night and I wanted to pass along some info. We had a full sized car rented from Alamo for $322 for 13 days (which was decent since I checked for months and that was the lowest price I saw). I really wanted a minivan since we drive one home but the prices were all over $1000. When we arrived, we were told to choose our vehicle from a particular row, including minivans. The row was almost entirely minivans...so we got our minivan for $322. We were very happy! I have heard that this happens frequently but I just want to confirm if anyone is wondering.

 

[richmo]

We just got back last night and I wanted to pass along some info. We had a full sized car rented from Alamo for $322 for 13 days (which was decent since I checked for months and that was the lowest price I saw). I really wanted a minivan since we drive one home but the prices were all over $1000. When we arrived, we were told to choose our vehicle from a particular row, including minivans. The row was almost entirely minivans...so we got our minivan for $322. We were very happy! I have heard that this happens frequently but I just want to confirm if anyone is wondering.

I just got back last night myself. I had a Compact (took a Corolla, had all of 5 miles on it). There was even a minivan or two in the Compact row. I'd never count on that if looking for a minivan, but you never know what will turn up.

 

[tguy47]

I just got back last night myself. I had a Compact (took a Corolla, had all of 5 miles on it). There was even a minivan or two in the Compact row. I'd never count on that if looking for a minivan, but you never know what will turn up.

Well I waited as long as I could. We leave for Florida in 4 days. Prices NEVER went down. Ended up using some codes for BUDGET I had in a coupon book to get a Full Size car for 3/28 thru 4/4 for $335 total. Also applied coupon for free upgrade but it says "if available" so we will see how that goes. I have NEVER paid this much for a rental - I have been looking since January.

I found cheaper on Advantage but it didnt ask for a credit card and it said in the fine print of the online rental agreement that the ONLY way to GUARANTEE your reservation is to use a credit card. When I tried to contact them I got hung up on 3 times before I finally got thru and they told me the only way I could put my reservation on my credit card was to go thru the site again and "re-reserve". Problem with that is they are all out of cars for the dates I had chosen.
Customer service rep was rude and very short with me.

What a nightmare this has been - cant wait to have to deal with the sunpass crap.

- end rant

Rates just went down for Easter week at Budget and Alamo. That full size should cost $302 for 3/28 to 4/4. Still not great, but better.