OMG Where's my rental car deal!

[guarn3md]

I just booked a car rental with Priceline (12 days out). I bid $10 a day for a midsize. You find out in 60 secs if your bid was accepted and they tell you then what rental company took the bid. We got our rental with Alamo. I had already had a rental agreement with alamo for a compact at the rate of $164. My new rate is $113 for a midsize! I am pleased with my new rate and it was really easy to book.
Good Luck!
Debbie

 

[katallo]

katallo - thanks for the advice, is it okay to wait that long? whats the best price you have gotten doing that. i will probably wait a bit closer to january

We recently paid 10.00 a day for a Nissan Sentra. I always fine that waiting until 2 weeks before your trip is best. Then you can check out any last minute deals.

 

[dis2cruise]

Thanks , I used the kiss2 code and saved about $40 on our mini van rental!!

 

[tebookie]

Alamo should reveal the next round of last minute specials tomorrow as the current round has to be booked by September 14.

I will check those out, otherwise I am heading for Priceline as well. I already have a hotel for each night before and after Disney. I've used Priceline a lot for hotels, but never a car. YET. I will not hesitate to try though.

(Actually I tried for a mini van for 11 days. They gave me a counter offer of $23/day. With taxes it was going to be around $385ish. I am hoping to do a little better than that, but in comparison to regular rates it is a steal.)

 

[BigDaddy1]

a minivan from Alamo Sept. 18 - 28 for $405 with the IG code. best i have seen

 

[lovesmurfs]

Ouch! I know what you mean!

Naive I was -- I got a $173 rate for a full size using the Orlando MagicSaver code from Thrifty for a week (12/18-12/24) and keep trying to do better. No way! Now the same code is $728 for the same size car!

I'll try after Thanksgiving again, but I just don't understand the huge fluctuation in prices

 

[MapleGirl]

I got a compact (just DH and I) for 9/25-10/2 for $113 at Payless. It's a great deal, but I've heard that Payless is a little slimy in their dealings. I'm going to try to get a similar rate at a rental agency inside the airport.

 

[pskelly]

I used priceline for the first time last week to get a rental for our trip from Sept. 26th to Oct. 3rd, got a minivan with a taxes and fees for about $226. Which was just $20 more than the midsize res I had with them. What is even better is that it is with Alamo.

 

[bgdiznee]

Dear Debbie from Chicago....
I echo your every sentiment. I used to boast about the deals I found! We're flying into MCO 9/18 for 12 days....I ended up using Priceline for the first time ever and am happy (I think) with $228 for a midsize auto/Alamo/pick-up MCO drop off TPA. I've seen a couple of references to deals at about $180 dollars but I wasn't able to find them. I bid $10 a day and $228 is my total cost....I'm going to recommend you look at Priceline. The site does disclose what your final price would be before you enter any credit card info....and they only use the top companies....Alamo, Budget, National, etc. Good luck.
Roxane from Rhode Island

Sounds like you got a great deal. Just FYI, if you've never flown in/out of TPA before, the Alamo facilities are off airport property and require a shuttle. So don't forget to factor that in for time planning.

We often fly into MCO/ out of TPA or vs. versa as our DS lives in Clearwater. I usually rent from Dollar or Avis as they both have their facilities in the terminal at MCO and TPA. Makes pickup and drop off a lot easier.

 

[MEK]

I definately think you should try the Dollar OOAG rate. I think that code is good until almost the end of the year,. I can vouch that I used that code in June and a 1 week minivan rental was $254 with taxes. I would check it now, but its restricted on the computer I am using.

 

[madge]

Alamo/National have released hot deals .. through September 29.

I need September 30... so I guess I wait another week. LOL

 

[BigTigger]

We really had to work to get a good deal on our trip from 8/18 to 8/25. The Alamo Hot Deals had no MCO or TPA deals for the time we were there. I kept trying various codes from MS and eventually got an all-in rate for 8 days of $251 for a mid-size car. Last year in June we paid $148 for the same type and length of rental with Alamo.

With two of the three US automakers in bankruptcy this year, only Toyota and Hyundai/Kia have been giving cheap fleet prices to the rental car companies and only on certain models (Sienna's, RAV4's, Camry's, Sedona's, Entourage's, Sonata's). Mitsubishi has been giving away Galants to rental fleets, but the volume is not high enough to matter. Until the car companies have excess capacity and use rental fleets as a way to offload the extra, don't expect any great deals except in lower seasons of demand in vacation areas. You'll also notice that the vehicles you rent have higher mileage. Our August rental Pontiac G6 had been in service since November 2008 and had 26K miles. Our Grand Caravan in June was brand new, but was the only Chrysler/Dodge van in the line unlike in past years when at least half of the minivans were from Chrysler/Dodge.

Good luck in your search!!

 

[robinb]

The best rates I have found on smaller cars (not minivans) is from Avis using code K199060 (from Mousesavers). I get a Compact for $141 plus taxes.

Coupon "muwa003" from Avis's website takes off another $35.

 

[shoes99]

I just got an email from National. I booked a 3 day weekend, picking up at the Care Car Center on 12/11, returning 3 days later at 12/14 for a midsize for $72.75 using the free weekend day coupon in the email.
Code 6100120 (AARP), coupon nf4861adm..

 

[mdinme]

I'd become a member at alamo.com and check their last minute deals. I;m seeing $139 a week if you're willing to wait until 5 days prior or so to book.

 

[viluvsdisney]

Can you tell us what your "great" rate is. January is a ways off but I want to rent a car; not buy one!

sure - it's a premium level rental at Dollar for $550 for 2 weeks out of MCO

 

[dioxide45]

I find that Alamo Hot Deals have about the same rate as the WalMart codes. So there really isn't much of a deal with the HotDeals. Just looks like at the last minute they open up the good WalMart, Entertainment, and Costco rates up to everyone.

 

[tebookie]

I finally got a rate with Alamo for 11 days for $377 inclusive of taxes. This was for a Mini Van. Not too shabby
September 24 to October 5th

 

[brios86]

I just found an Intermediate car for 10/22 to 11/01 for $258. Its through enterprise and I really feel like its too good to be true! I searched www.mobissimo.com and a rate for "Op Travel" came up. I've never heard of them but it was cheap! You didnt have to give a credit card and the confirmation number I got looks like an Enterprise confirmation number so I hope it works out.

 

[rlahsin]

I just used Priceline to book a Standard size car from 10/4-10/12. I used the Name Your Own Price feature, and got a rate (all inclusive) of $204 with Alamo. I'm happy with that.