Rental Car for March

[horselover]

Anyone found any coupons yet that are good after Feb. '11 into March? I have a car booked with National, but no coupon attached to it. Hoping to bring the price down some more.

 

[Rekenna]

Hi! On my next trip 3/27 or 3/28 thru 4/2 I found an economy/compact car for $24-$29 a day, depending on which day I arrive. This comes out to $167-$194 a week. Of course I just need a little car, no kids this time so I don't need a mini van. I have no experience with car rentals, maybe Payless isn't a good place to rent a car from? I know some places are better than others b/c of where the rental desk is at the airport.

Good luck!

 

[PSUGuy]

Hi! On my next trip 3/27 or 3/28 thru 4/2 I found an economy/compact car for $24-$29 a day, depending on which day I arrive. This comes out to $167-$194 a week. Of course I just need a little car, no kids this time so I don't need a mini van. I have no experience with car rentals, maybe Payless isn't a good place to rent a car from? I know some places are better than others b/c of where the rental desk is at the airport.

Good luck!

While I have no experience with Payless, your rate is either pretty good or very good, depending on whether your figures are before taxes and all the other crap, or after. Our Dollar ressie from 3/3 - 3/10 is $180 total, or $22.50 a day, after all the 'extras', for an Economy. You're not going to do much better, so if you haven't locked this down yet, do it! My $180 deal now fulctuates between the mid $300s and the low $500s. Rates can change while you're making the ressie online.

Bill From PA

 

[KENNYBOT]

I just rented from Thrifty in South Florida. Always rented from Avis in the past. Thrifty was great. If you belong to any organizations they probably have predetermined prices without blackout dates. That what I experienced with my membership in the AICPA.

 

[greenclan67]

Anybody finding anything better for March yet? All coupons seem to be expiring on or about Feb 6th. Hoping we will see some movement then! I am still holding my ressie that I had for 11 days, March 7th to March 18th~!! Like I said up a few posts, I changed my flight, and am now getting in 9 hours earlier, and my rate was $273.00 all taxes and fees for a mid-size with dollar. I was actually playing with a few flights, so my car rentals were reflecting that. I was playing with a flight that got in at 3:00 also, so got looking through my emails, and actually had a car booked for pick up at 3:30, so now I am wondering the flight I am actually going on gets in at 11:15 am, when I went through the ressie for the car rental to change it by 4 hours, it bumps my total price to over $400.00. How many problems do you think I will have picking up the car approx 4 hours earlier? Again, I will cancel my car rental if better prices come out! I think if by mid-feb they haven't came down I will call Budget and see what they will do.
Also, can anyone give me any tips on bidding on Priceline for car rentals? I have done motels, but never car rentals. Any help would be appreciated!

 

[Halle]

Anybody finding anything better for March yet? All coupons seem to be expiring on or about Feb 6th. Hoping we will see some movement then! I am still holding my ressie that I had for 11 days, March 7th to March 18th~!! Like I said up a few posts, I changed my flight, and am now getting in 9 hours earlier, and my rate was $273.00 all taxes and fees for a mid-size with dollar. I was actually playing with a few flights, so my car rentals were reflecting that. I was playing with a flight that got in at 3:00 also, so got looking through my emails, and actually had a car booked for pick up at 3:30, so now I am wondering the flight I am actually going on gets in at 11:15 am, when I went through the ressie for the car rental to change it by 4 hours, it bumps my total price to over $400.00. How many problems do you think I will have picking up the car approx 4 hours earlier? Again, I will cancel my car rental if better prices come out! I think if by mid-feb they haven't came down I will call Budget and see what they will do.
Also, can anyone give me any tips on bidding on Priceline for car rentals? I have done motels, but never car rentals. Any help would be appreciated!

Same thing happened to me in December when my flights were changed. I called Dollar and they changed the pickup time and honored the original price quote.

 

[TinkOhio]

I booked a mid-sized through Thrifty a couple of weeks ago for 228, including all tax and fees, for Mar. 26-April 3. This is a 9+ day rental because of the time of our flights. I just checked the prices of all major rental companies for our dates with Priceline, then booked directly with Thrifty. I thought this was a nice rate for a reservation only a couple of months out. Our rate was 125/week.

 

[mtblujeans]

I booked a mid-sized through Thrifty a couple of weeks ago for 228, including all tax and fees, for Mar. 26-April 3. This is a 9+ day rental because of the time of our flights. I just checked the prices of all major rental companies for our dates with Priceline, then booked directly with Thrifty. I thought this was a nice rate for a reservation only a couple of months out. Our rate was 125/week.

Right now, I show a mid-size rate of $363.00 for 3/23 - 3/29 at Thrifty.

 

[RainbowsMist]

We need an 8 passenger Mini Van or an 8 passenger SUV due to my parents recently deciding they were going to join us for part of our stay..I"m almost sick with the prices. We had a 7 passenger van booked at a really good price. Hopefully prices will come down

Does anyone know which car rental companies let you walk through an pick your vehicle? I have a Tahoe reserved with Alamo but it says it's only 7 passenger..I thought for sure they were 8...hoping maybe they'll have an 8 hid in there somewhere

 

[TinkOhio]

Right now, I show a mid-size rate of $363.00 for 3/23 - 3/29 at Thrifty.

Yikes! Guess I was very lucky. Best bet would be to keep checking and see if prices temporarily drop, like mine must have.

 

[TinkOhio]

I just had to double-check. Yep, my rate must have been very lucky. I booked at 8am on a Sunday. Any chance that prices are lower on certain days/times?

 

[TinkOhio]

Mtblujeans~

Maybe it's a Sunday thing, but I just checked your dates, Mar.23-29, from noon to noon, and the price with taxes and fees came to $205.70 for an intermediate thru Budget. This was obtained at carrentals.com.

Hope this helps!

 

[mtblujeans]

I just checked at carrentals.com and I am getting a rate of $527.68 for an intermediate with Budget. I am wondering if the rate is different for people that live closer to the destination.

Last summer, I was making reservations to meet another DISer at DL and she was directing me to make hotel reservations via hotwire.com. She would quote me a rate that was coming up for her (she lives in CA) and I could not get the same low rate now matter what I did!

Via my DLS provider, I see my location is picked up by web pages. I can't help but wonder if every site on the web can tell where I am and giving me quotes for services dictated by where I am coming from. I could be wrong but I live at the very top of the country and it just seems like travel is so much more expensive for us!

 

[webworm]

I just checked at carrentals.com and I am getting a rate of $527.68 for an intermediate with Budget. I am wondering if the rate is different for people that live closer to the destination.

Last summer, I was making reservations to meet another DISer at DL and she was directing me to make hotel reservations via hotwire.com. She would quote me a rate that was coming up for her (she lives in CA) and I could not get the same low rate now matter what I did!

Via my DLS provider, I see my location is picked up by web pages. I can't help but wonder if every site on the web can tell where I am and giving me quotes for services dictated by where I am coming from. I could be wrong but I live at the very top of the country and it just seems like travel is so much more expensive for us!

With Budget an intermediate or midsize is $201.59 using Costco BCD W852802 and E-Coupon MUGZ029 for $30.00 off from March 23 - 29th. Note coupon is applied after you return vehicle.

 

[mtblujeans]

I went to Costco and checked on prices and was going to post what I found and I see your post, Webworm. I tried a few combinations:

Alamo Compact
ID 7014627
Coupon AF4499SDY
$170.09 + $59.62 fees = $229.71

Avis Compact
AWD A108326
Coupon TUGA008
$228.95 + $74.93 fees = $303.92

Budget Compact
BCD W852802
Coupon MUGZ018
$160.05 + $63.10 fees = $223.15

Budget Intermediate
BCD W852849
$157.22 + $62.62 fees = $219.84

Budget Intermediate
BCD W852802
Coupon UUPZ011
$167.26 + $64.33 fees = $231.59

Budget Intermediate
BCD W852849
Coupon MUGZ029
$157.22 + 62.62 fees = $219.84

To make sure I understand, will the $30 coupon come off of the $219.84 after we return the car? Making the rental $189.84??

 

[webworm]

I went to Costco and checked on prices and was going to post what I found and I see your post, Webworm. I tried a few combinations:

Alamo Compact
ID 7014627
Coupon AF4499SDY
$170.09 + $59.62 fees = $229.71

Avis Compact
AWD A108326
Coupon TUGA008
$228.95 + $74.93 fees = $303.92

Budget Compact
BCD W852802
Coupon MUGZ018
$160.05 + $63.10 fees = $223.15

Budget Intermediate
BCD W852849
$157.22 + $62.62 fees = $219.84

Budget Intermediate
BCD W852802
Coupon UUPZ011
$167.26 + $64.33 fees = $231.59

Budget Intermediate
BCD W852849
Coupon MUGZ029
$157.22 + 62.62 fees = $219.84

To make sure I understand, will the $30 coupon come off of the $219.84 after we return the car? Making the rental $189.84??

Yes coupon is applied after you return vehicle and checkout!

 

[mtblujeans]

Thank you all for your help!!

 

[RainbowsMist]

Does anyone have any magic they can work for our upcoming March 13-25th trip?

I've tried everything and am having the wose luck. We need a Mini Van or Full SUV.

I even subscribed to the entertainment book online and none of the coupons are "applicable" it tells me when I get to the vehicle selection part

 

[mtblujeans]

On the Budget Board, someone has posted a thread about minivan rental bargains. I'm not sure if they are finding the best deals....

Also on the Budget Board, someone has offered car rental coupons but I have yet to find out what the discount is with those coupons.

Something else to watch, I guess....


ETA: If you try the BCD X474200 (from the other thread) and the coupon code provided above (MUGZ029), what do you come up with? I show $450.00 for a minivan. Give it a try.

ETA: But the taxes and fees are $133.85!

 

[taliategan]

Obtained this via Priceline - 5 day rental with Avis for a mid-size, 3/10 to 3/15$ 22 a day, $165.00 total including tax/fees. My previous best rate was $ 233 through Budget. Hotwire was showing a rate of $ 222 total for rental for a mid-size.