Which is the best car reservation?

[hihohiho]

I have four (!) booked. For Oct 31 to Nov 7, Halloween seems to be causing a spike in the rates. I have Alamo Premium car for $163, Budget Int SUV for $213, Budget Full for $162 plus a coupon code for 25 or 30 back (MUGZ029 coupon), and finally Dollar Full for $131.
Any tips on which one to keep? I like the Alamo idea of picking the car, but I am worried a Premium car will be too big. But it could also be really nice! I have never rented a car before. Thanks!

 

[jlewisinsyr]

Four active reservations, wow, and people wonder why there are many who strongly are against double booking because it raises rates due to loss of perceived inventory.

 

[hihohiho]

Yes well if car rental companies didn't make us jump though code hoops and offered a decent rate to begin with I wouldn't have to make so many reservations. The Dollar rate is now $207, if I hadn't booked it when I saw it I wouldn't even have it as an option, and they are at least the only company I was able to just click a button to find their best rate. Like I said, I haven't rented a car before, the more I researched it the more I knew how to check codes, why would I cancel a reservation until I had weighed the pros and cons of each. I notice you had no advice to add, thanks anyway.

 

[jlewisinsyr]

Yes well if car rental companies didn't make us jump though code hoops and offered a decent rate to begin with I wouldn't have to make so many reservations. The Dollar rate is now $207, if I hadn't booked it when I saw it I wouldn't even have it as an option, and they are at least the only company I was able to just click a button to find their best rate. Like I said, I haven't rented a car before, the more I researched it the more I knew how to check codes, why would I cancel a reservation until I had weighed the pros and cons of each. I notice you had no advice to add, thanks anyway.

You are not going to get many people on the DIS Transportation forum that will even encourage the level of duplicate bookings you have created. I understand that often, seeking the best rate is a challenge, but it's best to find a rate you are comfortable with, and then just check and either modify your existing reservation or cancel and book a new one.

Unfortunately you do not see anything wrong with your method of booking, so I guess you should also see nothing wrong with rates going up because others book multiple reservations just like you. Car rental companies are a business and have a right to charge a rate that will support their business.

 

[Danibelle]

Four active reservations, wow, and people wonder why there are many who strongly are against double booking because it raises rates due to loss of perceived inventory.

Please make your decision and cancel the other three!

 

[vacationclub]

No-shows actually contribute to lower inventory thus higher prices. Problem is, it's the rental car companies own fault. The LET people do this.

A better way to take advantage of this is to just pick a reservation and make it, and if you find a better price from them or another, just make another reservation and cancel the other. There's really no advantage to you to keep all those reservations open. The "decent rates" of car companies have nothing to do with reserving four different cars, when you only plan on using one. You gained no price advantage by making four reservations.

 

[hihohiho]

Well I am not sure if there is any possible justification for my reckless overbooking, but in all honesty I just find the whole thing overwhelming. I booked the Budget SUV two months ago and didn't see any better rates until last Tuesday when I saw the Dollar rate. I have never heard of Dollar, but while researching them, read many positive posts about Alamo. The Alamo rate became available last Friday, but the catch was it was a Premium car, and when I went to check one more time today the Budget rate came up for the full size car. So I thought maybe someone could share how they decide - what takes precedence, price, company or car for them. Once again, if anyone actually has any advice I would appreciate it!

 

[vacationclub]

Personally, I only use Hertz and Enterprise. They are more expensive, especially hertz, but they usually have nice cars, quick checkout and transportation. Hertz stated getting too pricey in Orlando so we tried Enterprise and loved it, great car, very clean, great service.

On a business trip the person I was with booked an el-cheap car (budget, maybe, can't remember) got a good deal on the car, but service was horrible. Checkout was long, return was worse... took forever for one of the two busses....yes, just two, to take us back to the airport a few miles away in St. Louis. They couldn't care less about time. The lower-priced companies generally have reputations of bait and switch, heavy pressure to buy insurances, etc, and the classic suprises on your credit card bill that you are forced to fight later. But sometimes they are fine. Your mileage may vary.

 

[Dan Murphy]

I would first decide on a level of car needed/desired. I am a tall dude, 6'6" and need a full size. A premium is the essentially the same size, just a few better appointments. If premium is same or less price, I take that. I don;t like suv's/trucks.

Next, decide on company. I always rent National/Alamo. Essentially same company, National, generally, not always, more expensive. I book a car, one car, when I know I am going on a trip. I then follow this board, emails from the car rental company, a few searches here and there over the weeks or months before my trip. I am generally able to drive out for less than half of my original booking. And it gets to be a game sort of, a pursuit for the best price, on the car and car company I want to use.

What size do you need/want?

 

[gmeh1]

I would first decide on a level of car needed/desired. I am a tall dude, 6'6" and need a full size. A premium is the essentially the same size, just a few better appointments. If premium is same or less price, I take that. I don;t like suv's/trucks.

Next, decide on company. I always rent National/Alamo. Essentially same company, National, generally, not always, more expensive. I book a car, one car, when I know I am going on a trip. I then follow this board, emails from the car rental company, a few searches here and there over the weeks or months before my trip. I am generally able to drive out for less than half of my original booking. And it gets to be a game sort of, a pursuit for the best price, on the car and car company I want to use.

What size do you need/want?

Actually, Enterprise, National and Alamo are the same company. All share the same cars, all are serviced the same way. Personally, Dan, I am thrilled at your choice of rental cars.

 

[gmeh1]

Well I am not sure if there is any possible justification for my reckless overbooking, but in all honesty I just find the whole thing overwhelming. I booked the Budget SUV two months ago and didn't see any better rates until last Tuesday when I saw the Dollar rate. I have never heard of Dollar, but while researching them, read many positive posts about Alamo. The Alamo rate became available last Friday, but the catch was it was a Premium car, and when I went to check one more time today the Budget rate came up for the full size car. So I thought maybe someone could share how they decide - what takes precedence, price, company or car for them. Once again, if anyone actually has any advice I would appreciate it!

Dan was totally correct when he described the Premium Car. The Premiums we have are: Chrysler 300, Ford Taurus, Honda Accord, Maxima, just to name a few.
What takes precedence? Reputation, cost, condition of the vehicles, attitude of staff and price. I am very biased on my choices, so, I will keep quiet on that front. Basically, it is your decision to make. However, the other posters are correct in their opinions on what holding many reservations does to the cost factor and the availability for other renters. You alone probably do not make a difference, but, what if everyone thought as you did?
Most of the posters here, research, decide and then book ONE reservation. It takes time and effort.

 

[jlewisinsyr]

Actually, Enterprise, National and Alamo are the same company. All share the same cars, all are serviced the same way. Personally, Dan, I am thrilled at your choice of rental cars.

I will chime on this, although in airport locations, Enterprise, National and Alamo all may share the same fleet, because Enterprise has many off airport rental locations and cater a lot to neighborhood rentals, often their specific vehicles which are sometimes pulled into smaller airport locations often have higher mileage and are in slightly worst condition.

Now for true airport rentals, where the rentals pretty much stay in the airport location and are not mixed with a heavy volume of neighborhood rental cars, the condition between all three will be similar and of similar cars.

Personally, I only use Hertz and Enterprise. They are more expensive, especially hertz, but they usually have nice cars, quick checkout and transportation. Hertz stated getting too pricey in Orlando so we tried Enterprise and loved it, great car, very clean, great service.

My preference is mostly Hertz as well because of their Prestige/Adrenaline collection. Even their general cars tend to be better equipped than other rental agencies. Typically Hertz takes on mid level equipped cars, where other rental companies buy base models, or even customize them without features - ie. Enterprise with side airbags being specifically ordered custom to not be installed, although they were generally standard equipment on a specific model.

One thing to always note though is the class creep which continues to plague rental companies, where smaller/less cars are constantly moving up the rental classification ladder. An example would be Chrysler 300 in the Luxury collection for Dollar/Thrifty.

 

[sammielynn]

Keep the Dollar rental and cancel the others. Go with price, it's a rental it doesn't have to be grand. I have used Dollar in the past and had good service..

 

[seashoreCM]

I end up going by price alone. I would not even consider a car that was not suitable (e.g. doesn't seat the whole family and hold the baggage) so I don't have the dilemma of this car being better than that car.

So immediately after making the second reservation, I cancel the first.

 

[hihohiho]

The info on premium Alamo car models was very helpful, thanks, they all sound pretty good! With that, the premium rate went down to 118 today, the midsize rate went down to 158 I think. It doesn't make sense to me but I will take the cheaper premium rate. I don't land till 8pm Monday so I hope there are some decent cars available. Ideally I would like a 6 seater as we are meeting family, and would like to take their kids a couple times (we are two adults and two kids) but that doesn't seem likely. Thanks again!

 

[gmeh1]

The info on premium Alamo car models was very helpful, thanks, they all sound pretty good! With that, the premium rate went down to 118 today, the midsize rate went down to 158 I think. It doesn't make sense to me but I will take the cheaper premium rate. I don't land till 8pm Monday so I hope there are some decent cars available. Ideally I would like a 6 seater as we are meeting family, and would like to take their kids a couple times (we are two adults and two kids) but that doesn't seem likely. Thanks again!

The Premium cars are not 6 seaters, they are 5.
Rates are based on supply and demand, as I explained before. Might be a huge demand for midsize, hence the higher price.
Monday is usually a slow day. So, no telling what you will find. Today I saw mini vans on the midsize row, they seat 6 (we do have 7 seater mini vans too, but, they tend to run a bit higher than the 6 seaters.)

 

[gmeh1]

I will chime on this, although in airport locations, Enterprise, National and Alamo all may share the same fleet, because Enterprise has many off airport rental locations and cater a lot to neighborhood rentals, often their specific vehicles which are sometimes pulled into smaller airport locations often have higher mileage and are in slightly worst condition.

Now for true airport rentals, where the rentals pretty much stay in the airport location and are not mixed with a heavy volume of neighborhood rental cars, the condition between all three will be similar and of similar cars.



My preference is mostly Hertz as well because of their Prestige/Adrenaline collection. Even their general cars tend to be better equipped than other rental agencies. Typically Hertz takes on mid level equipped cars, where other rental companies buy base models, or even customize them without features - ie. Enterprise with side airbags being specifically ordered custom to not be installed, although they were generally standard equipment on a specific model.

One thing to always note though is the class creep which continues to plague rental companies, where smaller/less cars are constantly moving up the rental classification ladder. An example would be Chrysler 300 in the Luxury collection for Dollar/Thrifty.

I do have to take exception with the information you are giving out. IE: My preference is mostly Hertz as well because of their Prestige/Adrenaline collection. Even their general cars tend to be better equipped than other rental agencies. Typically Hertz takes on mid level equipped cars, where other rental companies buy base models, or even customize them without features - ie. Enterprise with side airbags being specifically ordered custom to not be installed, although they were generally standard equipment on a specific model.

I have yet to see a car without side airbags and many of our vehicles are more than standard issue. IE: Chrysler Vans with leather, satellite radio, back up camera. Just to name one brand.
I checked with my managers today re: your comment about side airbags and they stated emphatically that that was NOT true. To not have them when they are standard equipment would open us up to huge liability in the event of an accident (God forbid). We are really very careful about liability issues, IE: we cannot install a car seat for a customer and for obvious reasons.

 

[mmmgood]

CBS NEWS Report: Enterprise Sold Cars Minus Airbags

Not only did Enterprise order vehicles from GM without airbags, they re-sold them stating that they had the airbags.

 

[jlewisinsyr]

CBS NEWS Report: Enterprise Sold Cars Minus Airbags

Not only did Enterprise order vehicles from GM without airbags, they re-sold them stating that they had the airbags.

I was about to post this myself!

The ERAC group has been known to order vehicles without specific equipment, including safety equipment that would have been otherwise standard.

I do have to take exception with the information you are giving out.

I have yet to see a car without side airbags and many of our vehicles are more than standard issue. IE: Chrysler Vans with leather, satellite radio, back up camera. Just to name one brand.
I checked with my managers today re: your comment about side airbags and they stated emphatically that that was NOT true. To not have them when they are standard equipment would open us up to huge liability in the event of an accident (God forbid). We are really very careful about liability issues, IE: we cannot install a car seat for a customer and for obvious reasons.

So where do you stand on the specific article previously posted? Or do you fail to research your own company's actions?

 

[gmeh1]

I was about to post this myself!

The ERAC group has been known to order vehicles without specific equipment, including safety equipment that would have been otherwise standard.



So where do you stand on the specific article previously posted? Or do you fail to research your own company's actions?

Where do I stand? Ahhhh, that article is 2 years old and EHI obviously answered where they stood on the issue and what they did about it.

Your sarcasm is not necessary and not appreciated. I told you where I got my information and frankly, I do trust my managers and my own eyes that tell me that the safety equipment is there, or, are you going to imply that the side airbag tag is only there for decoration?

If you wish to rely on historical articles, go for it, I deal in the here and now.