May 2013 Car Rental - Best deals?

[g8rben]

I just got a 7 day minivan for $199 with Alamo out of TPA so I think your odds might be pretty good!

I also have a Fullsize car with Budget for $115. Still trying to decide which to keep.

Here's to hoping! We're not over a Saturday though (Sun-Fri), so all the coupons typically don't help us. I have the SUV for $195 and the fullsize for $114 and have the same issue, which to keep? My goal is to keep it under $200 and have a bigger car, but that $114 price sure is nice. If I don't end up getting a minivan ressie for under $200 I'll probably decide between the two others when we arrive. The new Escape's look cool and I'd like to drive one though...

 

[Soon2B4]

Here's to hoping! We're not over a Saturday though (Sun-Fri), so all the coupons typically don't help us. I have the SUV for $195 and the fullsize for $114 and have the same issue, which to keep? My goal is to keep it under $200 and have a bigger car, but that $114 price sure is nice. If I don't end up getting a minivan ressie for under $200 I'll probably decide between the two others when we arrive. The new Escape's look cool and I'd like to drive one though...

Sooo, we kept the full size with Budget. They tried giving us a Ford Fusion saying it was an upgrade from the standard I booked! We questioned the guy in the parking garage and his list said the Fusion was a standard also. They called a customer service number and the said the NEW Fusions are full size.

We are about to drive away in our Fusion against my better judgement and the guy shows up and offers us the Ford Escape for the same money! ($115). Turns out he did some checking and the Fusion they were giving us was the older/smaller standard sized model.

Long story short, don't trust the rental car guys and the Ford Escape in pretty nice. Ours has about 8k miles and is like new.

 

[g8rben]

Sooo, we kept the full size with Budget. They tried giving us a Ford Fusion saying it was an upgrade from the standard I booked! We questioned the guy in the parking garage and his list said the Fusion was a standard also. They called a customer service number and the said the NEW Fusions are full size.

We are about to drive away in our Fusion against my better judgement and the guy shows up and offers us the Ford Escape for the same money! ($115). Turns out he did some checking and the Fusion they were giving us was the older/smaller standard sized model.

Long story short, don't trust the rental car guys and the Ford Escape in pretty nice. Ours has about 8k miles and is like new.

Nice! Now my problem is my SUV is with Budget but the fullsize with Alamo....Good to know the Escape is nice. I'm wondering if I show up to Alamo and offer to buy the full tank of gas or something that maybe they'll upgrade me to an SUV or minivan. Decisions! Glad you gamed the system, enjoy your trip.

 

[mzozzietj]

I ended up changing our flight last minute so now we'll be there from Friday 5/17 to Tuesday 5/21. I was able to modify my reservation for $20 more the extra night. Not quite as good as it was but still a great price... 62.24 inclusive for a rollerskate err I mean economy car lol! It's only my 4 yr old and I so I don't care about car size

 

[JERSEYGIRLINSI]

Hi JerseyGirl: Whenever you get back or have time, do you mind clarifying: did Car Care Center honor the rate you got at SOG, so you didn't even have to go to SOG? If so, that's great but seems like they undercut SOG - especially if each facility has a monthly quota to meet. I currently have a Grand Cherokee booked for early June at SOG and trying to see how to handle the shuttle issue.

Thanks and hope you have a great trip!

Just back, still tired!
Car Care Center DID honor the rate I was quoted with my SOG reservation. I thought for sure it would be some issue (jaded New Yorker), but once inside, they looked up my reservation, and completed the paper work. We had a new Mazda5, only 2000 miles! I prepaid for the gas at $3.30 a gallon, my total was $146 from May 3- May 12, dropping off at MCO. Just as a FYI for anyone that might be renting a ECV, it fit inside the trunk with no issue. We had the ECV that can accommodate up to 300lbs, and rented through Walker.

 

[rlduvall]

Just back, still tired!
Car Care Center DID honor the rate I was quoted with my SOG reservation.

Thanks for the response. Glad you had a good time. [I mean, I assume you had a good time]

 

[EPCOT is a verb]

Beware! Just returned our Budget car at MCO. The rate was a lot higher than I expected. Turns out the I accidentally entered 4 am as the return time instead of 4 pm. I can't imagine how I did that. Major bummer.

 

[JERSEYGIRLINSI]

Thanks for the response. Glad you had a good time. [I mean, I assume you had a good time]

Goes without saying, its a Disney vacation! First early May visit that has had extreme heat (92 some days), and extreme rain(I mean the sky opened up and emptied out...and did that for hours at a time)! We did experience cranky cast members at the resort, as well as at the parks, and that did take away some of the "Magic". But it's Disney, how do you not have a good time.

 

[MDsMomma]

Sooo, we kept the full size with Budget. They tried giving us a Ford Fusion saying it was an upgrade from the standard I booked! We questioned the guy in the parking garage and his list said the Fusion was a standard also. They called a customer service number and the said the NEW Fusions are full size.

We are about to drive away in our Fusion against my better judgement and the guy shows up and offers us the Ford Escape for the same money! ($115). Turns out he did some checking and the Fusion they were giving us was the older/smaller standard sized model.

Long story short, don't trust the rental car guys and the Ford Escape in pretty nice. Ours has about 8k miles and is like new.

So Budget doesn't allow you to pick your car. Does Dollar??

 

[nascargirl]

Alamo is down again today but not by much. My rate dropped by $3 but it is now under 230 for a 10 day rental with a full size car.

 

[chocovrdmicears]

Alamo is down again today but not by much. My rate dropped by $3 but it is now under 230 for a 10 day rental with a full size car.

We are still at $225 for our rental - the rates for Alamo had gone up recently - but they are down again today - still a few $$ more than what we have - will be curious to see if it goes down a bit more over the next few days.


I can't believe after months and months of watching (I know my codes for Alamo by heart!) - my car rental planning will be over in 4 days!

 

[chocovrdmicears]

Alamo went down about $20 overnight.
5/20 - 5/30 - STD car
AD2335fdc
7016105

$207.

 

[nascargirl]

Our rate dropped $24.00 overnight. I still have a week to go so hopefully it will go down more.