The Official October 2012 Car Rental Thread

[GrnMtnMan]

There's an odd special on Avis' premium cars right-now through Costco's travel website.

For noon-ish pickup 10/13 returning noon-ish 10/21, they have 'Premium' cars available for $283.10 (all taxes included)...that's the lowest price available for any type of car by more than $110.

 

[Schachteles]

I just booked using the KLM code that there is a huge thread about in this section. Got a convertible for $405.xx from the 12th to the 22nd!!

 

[disneysherrym]

I booked yesterday with Alamo 9/28 to 10/4. I reserved compact using Alamo Insider and American Airlines code from Mousesavers. Total including taxdifferent thread that was $114.29. Base rate was $104 + tax and fees - $35.00 coupon. I just checked and base rate now with Alamo insiders is coming up $118 = tax and fees. Need to check every chance you get since the go up and down all the time.

 

[ppony]

You guys are getting such great deals! I can't seem to get anything less than $400 for 6 days. Granted, I've been looking at a mid-size but even the economy rates have been within $40 of that size. I'm bummed that if we were game for a full size truck, we could get one for less than $280. Yeah, no truck.

 

[keishashadow]

I rebooked using old continental airlines onepass code 443824.

I belong to their free program, suggest anybody that's going to use it join and print out the membership card jik.

8 nights beginning 9/29 for full size with the $35 coupon and i'm down to $148
for those checking dollar don't forgot to price it out without any codes 1st to try and trigger a city special - where i found the best rate this May. Was nervous using them but car was just fine and easy to check in thru the desk in terminal vs last go-around.

 

[mieuxmew]

There's an odd special on Avis' premium cars right-now through Costco's travel website.

For noon-ish pickup 10/13 returning noon-ish 10/21, they have 'Premium' cars available for $283.10 (all taxes included)...that's the lowest price available for any type of car by more than $110.

Thank you for posting!!

We are going the same dates dates as you. We need an extra day, as we arrive early Sat am and leave afternoon the following Sunday. Costco Avis rate is $329 for premium. Great rate compared to the other prices listed. Weird how a premium is the cheapest rental. With Avis does spouse drive free?

I have a reservation with National for a minivan for $38 more with KLM discount and I get to pick the minivan off the minivan isle. Think I will go with that for now. We are staying offsite, but I was am toying with the idea of staying 1st night at Art of Animation resort, take Magic Express and pick up car later at Car Care center thinking it would be fun to try the new resort for one night. Minivan rental is $326 (got rid of the extra day). I am holding that reservation. Rechecked it a couple of weeks ago. There is now an extra $250 drop off charge for returning car to airport!

If I find anything better I will let you know! Hopefully, the rates will come down soon.

 

[n2mm]

I rebooked using old continental airlines onepass code 443824.

I belong to their free program, suggest anybody that's going to use it join and print out the membership card jik.

8 nights beginning 9/29 for full size with the $35 coupon and i'm down to $148
for those checking dollar don't forgot to price it out without any codes 1st to try and trigger a city special - where i found the best rate this May. Was nervous using them but car was just fine and easy to check in thru the desk in terminal vs last go-around.

That's a great price this far out. I'm watching and only vroom code gives me a good price. I like to stick to Alamo or National. Oct. 12 @ 3P to Oct. 27 @ 3P. I can get around $400ish using the $35 code/w vroom for Alamo. I always find my rentals in October to be the hardest to get a decent price and if a hurricane comes in, it gets even harder because their fleet gets impacted by one way renters trying to get home. I try to get something I can live with and hope for a better price later.

 

[wdwfanatic316]

There's an odd special on Avis' premium cars right-now through Costco's travel website.

For noon-ish pickup 10/13 returning noon-ish 10/21, they have 'Premium' cars available for $283.10 (all taxes included)...that's the lowest price available for any type of car by more than $110.

Just wanted to say thanks for posting this! I just booked this for 10/13 - 10/20 for $237.38 including taxes and fees. I'm going to cancel my Payless reservation now. I feel so much better about renting from Alamo than Payless, actually being in the terminal and from a more reputable company. And a bigger vehicle, though I wouldn't mind something other than a Crown Vic

 

[andijean]

I need your help! We are going to Legoland for the day, so we need to rent a car. It needs to hold 6 people and we would like to rent at Car Care Center, but the rates are crazy for 24 hours...like $100 for minivan. I have even considered renting it for the week b/c the one day rate is so high. Does any one have any assistance or thoughts? We really did not want to pick up/drop off at MCO b/c it is nice not to have to worry about navigating, but maybe if it was worth it we can consider it. Our travel date are 10/5-10/11. What do you think or what would you do?

 

[Karlzmom]

I need your help! We are going to Legoland for the day, so we need to rent a car. It needs to hold 6 people and we would like to rent at Car Care Center, but the rates are crazy for 24 hours...like $100 for minivan. I have even considered renting it for the week b/c the one day rate is so high. Does any one have any assistance or thoughts? We really did not want to pick up/drop off at MCO b/c it is nice not to have to worry about navigating, but maybe if it was worth it we can consider it. Our travel date are 10/5-10/11. What do you think or what would you do?

FWIW, navigting from MCO to WDW and back is a piece of cake! At that price, I'd either rent for the week or I understand that there is a shuttle to Legoland from the Prime Outlet and maybe a taxi or two to the Outlet would be better?

 

[GrnMtnMan]

With Avis does spouse drive free?

Don't know the general answer, but the 'terms & conditions' for this Avis deal say this:

Additional driver fee will be waived at participating locations in the U.S. only.

 

[AndreaDM]

I just reserved a convertible from Oct. 12-16 (4 days total) for a total of $251 with taxes & fees. This is Dollar with no code, i clicked on city specials. It was only a few bucks more than a compact! We've never rented a convertible before and I know DD will love it.

Is that probably the best price I'll get?

 

[keishashadow]

That's a great price this far out. I'm watching and only vroom code gives me a good price. I like to stick to Alamo or National. Oct. 12 @ 3P to Oct. 27 @ 3P. I can get around $400ish using the $35 code/w vroom for Alamo. I always find my rentals in October to be the hardest to get a decent price and if a hurricane comes in, it gets even harder because their fleet gets impacted by one way renters trying to get home. I try to get something I can live with and hope for a better price later.

just to clarify my above post: 443824 is an alamo code, a very old alamo code.

Hopefully you can beat $400 for a 2 week rental. It's always good to have something on the books.

October has been problematic for me to book for years too I assume because our trips involve Columbus day. As i recall there was a large convention the 3rd week of October last year, not sure what's on the calendar this year.

 

[Karlzmom]

I'm really ready for the car rental rates to drop. We are only 90 days out and still little to no movement. Normally, I've rebooked a 1/2 dozen times for a better rate by now. The only "good" rate I've found is a state of California rate, that I suspect is not for leisure use....I've got a call in to my travel office to see if I might be able to use it.

So, as it stands, I'm with Enterprise [National has lost their minds] and my "free day" that I've earned is stranded...While I'm happy that I was able to get a non-stop to LAX, the need to work around the "drop fee" for the FLL return is frustrating. Another lesson learned.

Anyone seeing any good rates?

 

[princesspiglet]

I just booked with Dollar- with no promo code, just their city special for MCO- and got a mid-size car for $190.11 for 10 days!!! I am stoked. We are picking it up at MCO on Friday 9/28 at 2:30pm and returning on Sunday, 10/7 at 8:00pm. It was only $84.55 for the week and then $12.17 for each additional day.

I was originally booked on National for the same time frame and the cheapest I was able to get was $356.

 

[ppony]

I want to thank those that recommended Dollar too because we were able to book a minivan for 10 days at $385! NEVER have gotten it that low. I'm sure it can be, but we've never paid so little. We were almost going to rent from Alamo or National for 6 days in a mid-size and that was $445. Thanks HEAVENS! Now we'll have the car the whole time and not have to worry about space.

 

[lindsmom]

Yay! I just got the dollar deal with the city special, 10/4 - 10/12 for $128 plus fees = $175, full size car. Much better than the KLM deal I had before (which I was still slightly nervous about using). Thanks!

 

[GrnMtnMan]

I just booked with Dollar

I want to thank those that recommended Dollar too

Yay! I just got the dollar deal with the city special

Does this deal (or Dollar at MCO) allow a spouse to be an additional driver for free?

I went through the booking process and the 'fine print' does not say spouses are free...

Additional drivers must qualify with a valid driver's license in their own name. There may be charges for additional drivers.

I also did some Google-in and found this article form earlier this yer where it looks like Dollar reserves the right to charge an additional driver fee for spouses.

In any case, it may not matter to some, but for me adding an additional ~$70 to the advertised rate puts it back in-line with all the other companies.

 

[ppony]

In any case, it may not matter to some, but for me adding an additional ~$70 to the advertised rate puts it back in-line with all the other companies.

If you want both to be able to drive then yeah. I've been so used to that additional driver fee I didn't know anyone didn't charge it. It use dto be that National, Alamo and a few others I've used that I'm forgetting right now charged it. So when we rent only one of us is a driver and that's that. I've never rented from Dollar before, so this will be a first.

 

[andijean]

HOLY COW!! That dollar deal is amazing! Thank you so much! I would never have seen that deal as it only comes up in the booking process and not under specials. I just booked a minivan for the week for $225 +tx($301 tot). It was going to cost me $125 for a 1 day rental through the car care center. Is Dollar on property of MCO? I made that mistake once and what a pain having to take the shuttle bus.