Upgrade car now or when I get there??

[ShirleyH]

I have booked a full size 4 door car however am now thinking that I would probably like a people carrier (I like sitting that little bit higher up - makes me feel safer - stupid I know). Would it be cheaper for me to do that now or wait until I get there and ask for the upgrade.

Thanks

 

[Steve and Sarah]

Hi ShirleyH

Everyone will have their own opinions however in our experince it has always been cheaper to book the upgrade before you go. I know excatly what you mean about wanting to be higher up in a people carrier, its not daft at all, all the cars and trucks in the US seem so much bigger than at home! It is usually only myself and DH who travel to Orlando and we tend to book a 4x4 or people carrier for the extra space.

Try www.uscarhire.co.uk or www.usrentacar.co.uk as we've always found them both to be really competative, particulalry on the gold insurance option which includes multiple drivers and a free tank of fuel so you drive back to the aiport with an empty tank!

 

[sandshal]

If you've booked virgin flydrive with Dollar car hire and decide not to upgrade until you get there - make sure you barter with them as their rates are definately flexible.

PS - also consider leaving the car element and booking direct, I booked a people carrier with gold insurance from www.usrentacar.co.uk for £530 which works out far cheaper then Dollar through Virgin!

 

[Pootle]

Recently I upgraded from the cheapest economy car (part of the fly-drive package I had with BA) to a people carrier with Alamo at Orlando.

There were only 2 of us and it was a 12 night stay, so before I left home I priced up the difference between the 2 with both Airline Network and yescarhire.com (around £120) and decided that my 'target price' for the upgrade should be $10 per day (plus tax) to make it a good deal for me - and I got it

A few things though: it was January so probably a slow time for them, I was pleasant at all times and was prepared to drive away in the economy car if I didn't get a good deal. The 'game' started off with an offer of $49 per day, to a 'special offer' just for me of $25 per day and only came down to what I wanted to pay when a supervisor was consulted.

Not sure it would work every time but I was happy with the result so I definitely second sandshal's advice about bartering with them.

 

[Obi Wan Kenobi]

I always book car hire direct with a company. For this December I have with Hertz a 4X4 for a total of £299.33 for 14 days and with Hertz No1 Club Gold, juts go and pick it up when I arrive at the airport

 

[alisonbestford]

I booked a people carrier through Alamo, last Easter, using a Walmart code from Mousesavers.

For 3 weeks it cost me £260 and I then paid £104 for annual insurance through www.Insurance4carhire.com

Dollar upgraded me to an MPV, at the airport, several years ago and I seem to remember it costing an arm and a leg for the upgrade and extra insurance that went with it

 

[Camac]

The last thing I said to DH as I went to get the cases and
he went to pick up the car was 'do not buy any extras or upgrades - we have booked the right car'. By the time I got down stairs he had taken an upgrade offer for a big 4x4 landcruiser type thing.

This was through BA and Alamo over three weeks at Christmas and New Year 06 and worked out at £120 for 21 days which was not bad at all.

I think we all enjoyed the bigger vehicle and it just swallowed the luggage with masses of room to spare.

Camac

 

[shazy03]

We have found cheaper to upgrade in this country, tried to strike a deal at car collection in orlando airport, only managed once to get it cheaper. However, different online sites these days with offers you can shop around. We are frequent flyers and silver club with Virgin, we ring them direct to fyling club. Depends on low/peak seasons, its insurance that tends to differ