AUGUST 2017 Car rental watch

[HaViet]

I got a Standard Elite SUV (Ford Explorer or Similar) for $346 total (taxes and fees included) for pick up at LAX for 1 week.

Is this a good price? Can I do better?

 

[TamaraQT]

I originally booked Alamo full size for Aug 26~Sep 2 for $224. Last night, I was able to book Budget for $111 for the full size. Today, I just checked Hertz with my AAA card and $30 coupon and was able to grab one for $91 for the full size. Pretty happy with the price!!!

Why can't I find these types of deals?? My dates are 8/18 - 9/2. I'd give anything for my quote just to be in the $300 range. I am still holding a $463 with Alamo. I haven't seen rate drops yet.

 

[mousegear]

wow...great prices with Budget.

what codes is everyone using?

Just used costcotravel site for the rate. However, that only happened briefly two days ago and prices shot up again.

 

[mousegear]

Why can't I find these types of deals?? My dates are 8/18 - 9/2. I'd give anything for my quote just to be in the $300 range. I am still holding a $463 with Alamo. I haven't seen rate drops yet.

Seriously, I think I lucked out. I've been really busy this summer and haven't been checking the prices much. Only once a week or so. However, since we are a month mark this past week, I thought maybe I should check. First, I checked with costco travel site and Budget was having $111 all across up to full size. So it was no brainer to book full size and cancel Alamo. Yesterday, it occurred to me that maybe I should check Hertz since it does give pretty good discount with AAA and $30 coupon and that's what I used locally as we don't have Alamo near us. And $92 for full size for the 7 day rental was . I haven't seen this kind of price in many years. I've usually rented for $120~140 around this time of the year at Orlando past few years. So I checked both costco and hertz today but prices are really high again. But good luck!!!

 

[Belle's Librarian]

Did you use any discount codes? And is this at the airport or at a different location? What size car?

I just checked and most prices have shot back up, but for some reason Avis intermediate SUV is at $199. I didn't use any codes, just searched Costco travel.

 

[momtoARQ]

After the 2-day drop last week through Costco, the prices shot up. This morning I see Budget has come back down a little. I'm keeping a close eye on it as maybe we will have another drastic drop!

 

[pigletto]

Prices are much lower for me through Costco if I pick up at MCO and drop off at Disney car care center or the Dolphin. It's not really an option for us, as we are staying offsite. But I thought I would mention it for those of you who are onsite and could take ME back to the airport.

I'm still sitting at $444 for 11 days in a minivan. I really want to see lower. I do have the option of dropping the minivan off after one week as we are taking two people back to the airport and then going to Universal for the long weekend. We could Uber to Universal and back, but obviously only if that is the cheaper option. We definitely need the van for the first week as we are a party of 7.

 

[MIChessGuy]

Pricing seems to be getting more dynamic across the board. I just booked a midsize Alamo SUV for about $233 all-inclusive for one week at LAX; this was only a few dollars more than the small sedan that I just canceled. I've seen prices jumping up and down at Alamo and Dollar just about every day.

 

[TI double-GUH ER]

Southwest offered a discount code fwiw. We found it much cheaper to go through their website than Alamo on the phone. We got a mid size SUV for $35/day, including being able to drop it off at the car care center. Not sure if the deal has changed, but there was a link from their website.

 

[pigletto]

Still nothing. I think I'll see drops as it gets closer, but I am starting to wonder if I will see anything lower at all. The $444 for 11 days for a minivan isn't terrible but it's a lot more than I hoped to pay.

My biggest concern at this point is that I've noticed I booked the rental car for the wrong pick up time.

We land at 10 am and I've booked our rental to start at 2pm somehow. Now with searching I've found posts that say I can pick it up at 10:30 and I will just have to move my drop off time to 10:30 so that my rate stays the same. Ugh. Our flight doesn't leave until 3 .. so that's pretty early to be at the airport.
I know I could call, and I will if nothing cheaper turns up for me to rebook, but I am pretty sure trying to adjust over the phone will trigger a rate change and it's way higher now than when I booked, so showing up at the airport early and adjusting might be my best bet.

 

[MIChessGuy]

I noticed that some Costco-booked car rentals at LAX for late August now come with a Costco cash card, apparently as a promotion that just started up. Rental cars larger than "intermediate" with Avis, Budget and Enterprise were being offered with a $20 cash card. (Not Alamo, however; not sure why.) I do not know if this promo is being offered at rental locations other than LAX.

 

[donnaf516]

My price has doubled today. I'll be sticking with Budget for now but still hoping for Alamo to come down.

 

[zilp]

Still nothing. I think I'll see drops as it gets closer, but I am starting to wonder if I will see anything lower at all. The $444 for 11 days for a minivan isn't terrible but it's a lot more than I hoped to pay.

My biggest concern at this point is that I've noticed I booked the rental car for the wrong pick up time.

We land at 10 am and I've booked our rental to start at 2pm somehow. Now with searching I've found posts that say I can pick it up at 10:30 and I will just have to move my drop off time to 10:30 so that my rate stays the same. Ugh. Our flight doesn't leave until 3 .. so that's pretty early to be at the airport.
I know I could call, and I will if nothing cheaper turns up for me to rebook, but I am pretty sure trying to adjust over the phone will trigger a rate change and it's way higher now than when I booked, so showing up at the airport early and adjusting might be my best bet.

I would take my time getting off the plane and getting my luggage. Take bathroom breaks and maybe get a coffee at the airport? You could easily pick up your car by 11-12, especially if there are 7 people in your group. Usually car companies won't mind that you're picking up slightly early/late than what's stated on your rental agreement.

 

[pigletto]

I would take my time getting off the plane and getting my luggage. Take bathroom breaks and maybe get a coffee at the airport? You could easily pick up your car by 11-12, especially if there are 7 people in your group. Usually car companies won't mind that you're picking up slightly early/late than what's stated on your rental agreement.

Thank you, that is what I am thinking too. In fact we will be having breakfast before we leave the hotel at 4:30 am , so it might even be an ok idea to grab something to eat before we leave too. That could easily push us to about 11:30. Our flight home doesn't leave until 3 but getting back at 11:30 sounds about right. It will give us a chance to not be rushed and have some lunch on departure day as well.

In other news, Fox rental car is down to $404 for my 11 day minivan rental but I think I will sit tight. I am hesitant to use one of the second tier companies and don't want to use a shuttle. For $40 I will stick with Enterprise for now.

 

[lilluv117]

Thank you, that is what I am thinking too. In fact we will be having breakfast before we leave the hotel at 4:30 am , so it might even be an ok idea to grab something to eat before we leave too. That could easily push us to about 11:30. Our flight home doesn't leave until 3 but getting back at 11:30 sounds about right. It will give us a chance to not be rushed and have some lunch on departure day as well.

In other news, Fox rental car is down to $404 for my 11 day minivan rental but I think I will sit tight. I am hesitant to use one of the second tier companies and don't want to use a shuttle. For $40 I will stick with Enterprise for now.

I don't know about all companies but I've called Alamo before to adjust my time and they've honored the same rate that I booked with. I'd say it's worth a try to call and see if they'll change the time for you.

I've even added an extra day and the difference was negligible. We decided to keep the rental for an extra day and it was $16 for an entire extra day. I was stunned and had to clarify 1-6. Lol. When I had been looking online the prices were $90 for the one day rental. So I guess they used the daily rate that I had booked with.

 

[pigletto]

I don't know about all companies but I've called Alamo before to adjust my time and they've honored the same rate that I booked with. I'd say it's worth a try to call and see if they'll change the time for you.

I've even added an extra day and the difference was negligible. We decided to keep the rental for an extra day and it was $16 for an entire extra day. I was stunned and had to clarify 1-6. Lol. When I had been looking online the prices were $90 for the one day rental. So I guess they used the daily rate that I had booked with.

You're right, I should probably just call and see what they can do for me. I won't know if I don't try, and I have a decent back up plan if they can't change it for me without increasing the price too much. Thank you.

 

[TikiGoddess07]

Just booked an intermediate SUV through Budget (carrentalsavers). $331 for 8 days.

Does Budget assign a car, or do we get to walk out to the garage and choose?

Also: I have another reservation for a premium through Alamo. The only problem is I am the assigned driver. Is there any way I can switch the driver to be my husband?

Thanks,
Kathy

 

[TamaraQT]

I can't believe I am 2 weeks away and still holding at $463!!! I have NEVER paid these types of prices!!!

 

[RedskinFan]

I just checked my dates on the Costco Travel website and Budget prices have dropped again. Not as low as my $175 but it's in the low $200's when its been in the mid to upper $300s for the last week.

 

[zoo2tycoon]

I just checked my dates on the Costco Travel website and Budget prices have dropped again. Not as low as my $175 but it's in the low $200's when its been in the mid to upper $300s for the last week.

I've been checking today too
Several times! We arrive Sunday and I have. $141 with Dollar. Was hoping they'd go down but not complaining.