Renting a car/SUV

[wdwmom0f3]

I am playing with the idea of renting a larger SUV than mine to take to Disney in May. Right now, I will have to bring two cars down because we have one extra person going. If I rent a larger SUV we would have more room and save the millage on my two cars. Has anyone every done this & what company is the best to go with? What should I look for in a rental and are there any warnings that I need to know about? I do not want surprises when I turn the car in.

 

[FireDancer]

Just go with the company that offers the cheapest rate and make sure the rate they quote includes all the fees. The one thing to confirm is that there is no mileage restriction and no travel restriction. Some rental companies, at least in the past, used to limit the distance you can drive the car (meaning your state and maybe those directly bordering yours) without paying an additional fee.

 

[carebee21]

We've rented several rental cars and have never had any problems. I agree to ask about distance or state restrictions. Walk around the vehicle and note any damage (scratches, dents, dings) just to protect yourself. Check with your car insurance to see if your insurance extends to a rental car. Ours does, but not sure if that's common or not, but if it doesn't, be sure to get coverage from the rental company. And lastly, if you're not renting with a credit card (some people use debit cards...) be sure to read the restrictions regarding that process. Some require you to bring in proof of address, others require a credit check and/or additional deposit.

I like to use hotwire or kayak to price out the costs of the rental car with various companies at once. From there, I google discount codes and see if anything applies to my rental. Good Luck!

 

[formill]

If you rent from dollar watch out for a $4.99 per day charge for emergency roadside assistance......we have auto club and did not need to pay for that yet it was there on the bill- I initialed and declined all extra insurance as we have coverage but was never asked and never noticed that one then read many threads people have same issue with Dollar. We rented a Ford Explorer and if all the seats used there was zero room behind last seat for luggage. It would seat 7 people- 3rd row seats a nuisance to access.

 

[manhattan]

We are in the same boat, have to take two cars since we have 6 people traveling. Last time I was lucky enough to get a SUV through our local dealership and got an unbelievable deal, unfortunately, they have closed and now I will have to go through a regular rental place. Looking forward to seeing responses.

 

[MyDizneyBoyz]

You could also consider renting a minivan which generally costs the same as a larger SUV. I know, the minivan mentality takes some getting used to...

The reason I suggest it is that when you need to use the third row on a regular basis, it's a whole lot easier to get in and out of a minivan with the middle aisle open than always having to flip down one of the middle row seats in an SUV.

If you've got any carseats in the middle row you can't easily flip the seats down. But if you've got all adults or older kids, it's not as much of an issue.

Just figured I'd toss that out there!

Depending on when you're going, Budget has a deal right now that I believe applies to both minivans and larger SUV's and is worth trying out - I got these codes from a thread in the transportation board and used them to rent a minivan for next week in Disney for $360 for 8 days (incl all taxes and fees) and unlimited mileage - plug in your dates and see if it works for you:

Use BCD X474200 (travelocity public code) and E-Coupon MUWZ023

 

[LISMYLIFE]

It is also much cheaper to rent a car anywhere but the airport! They always have additional fees ranging up to 30%

 

[wdwmom0f3]

You could also consider renting a minivan which generally costs the same as a larger SUV. I know, the minivan mentality takes some getting used to...

The reason I suggest it is that when you need to use the third row on a regular basis, it's a whole lot easier to get in and out of a minivan with the middle aisle open than always having to flip down one of the middle row seats in an SUV.

If you've got any carseats in the middle row you can't easily flip the seats down. But if you've got all adults or older kids, it's not as much of an issue.

Just figured I'd toss that out there!

Depending on when you're going, Budget has a deal right now that I believe applies to both minivans and larger SUV's and is worth trying out - I got these codes from a thread in the transportation board and used them to rent a minivan for next week in Disney for $360 for 8 days (incl all taxes and fees) and unlimited mileage - plug in your dates and see if it works for you:

Use BCD X474200 (travelocity public code) and E-Coupon MUWZ023

I never knew that there was dicount codes for this. Thank you all for the advice. I had no idea what to ask for so this has helped a lot. If I can get something for under 500.00 it may be worth it to make things easier going down.

I am going to need something with lots of room because we will have six people, but luggage for eight because my parents are flyng down, yet are to cheap to pay for their luggage. Not really, they didn't want to deal with checking it and all of that. I need something bigger than a van. I am thinking suburban, with a luggage rack! I need room.

 

[JENOS]

It is also much cheaper to rent a car anywhere but the airport! They always have additional fees ranging up to 30%

Renting from the airport in Chicago (O-Hare) is a lot cheaper than renting in Chicago. I always have rented from there. Plus they have more of a selection.

We will be renting a suburban we go in June; our Tahoe doesn’t have much interior room after all the car seats are installed (6 people total)

 

[polkadotminnie]

I always check big discount clubs for any specials on rental cars. When I get the car, I take pictures and record all dings or problems before we leave the agency. I also check the gas gauge. The last time I rented in Orlando, the car was almost empty. I made them credit me gas so I could return it empty and I did.