AUGUST 2017 Car rental watch

[HaViet]

I don't get it.

A 7-day reservation is $300, but an 8-day reservation is $700?

 

[richmo]

Does anyone know if you return the car late with Alamo?

Do they charge you an extra day?

Depends. If you're a little late and still within a day boundary, probably not. An example of that is I had a rental that started 9 AM and ended say 3 PM about 5 days later, so I probably had a weekly rate. I get notified at Disney that my flight is delayed 4 hours, so I return the car at MCO about 7 PM. No extra charge.

But, say you have a rental that starts 2 PM on one day and ends at noon a few days later. If you choose to return the car beyond 2 PM, there may be a very small grace period, but they will likely charge you for another day or additional hour(s).

If you're intentionally planning on returning the car late to avoid crossing into another day or weekly rate, don't. They'll likely catch that.

 

[TamaraQT]

Are you going to try bidding with Priceline?

I think I will at about 4 days out.

If I use priceline, will I still be able to get my free additional driver that I get with Costco and BJ's ?? I need the free additional driver and I didn't know if priceline would still have it included.

 

[TamaraQT]

Just picked up a Budget rental for $306 for 2 wks Aug 19 to Sept 2 for a fullsize car through Costco......the winner!!! I could have snagged it for $280 if I paid up front but I am still keeping my options open just in case.

Yay!!!! You seem to get some of the best deals !!!! When I run them thru, I don't get those prices.....and we are going for the same time frame (Aug 18 - Sept-2). Wow...I would love to see $306...sure beats my $463 which I am still holding onto. I just ran it thru Alamo and Costco and I am still getting prices between $600- $800.

 

[TamaraQT]

I know this has been asked before but does Budget allow you to choose your own vehicle or do they choose it for you?

 

[anorman]

I know this has been asked before but does Budget allow you to choose your own vehicle or do they choose it for you?

Ive been told they pick it for you....according to tripadvisor.

 

[TamaraQT]

Ive been told they pick it for you....according to tripadvisor.

Thanks.....I would much rather choose my own car...but if it will save me $100 or more then I shouldn't care who chooses it

 

[anorman]

Thanks.....I would much rather choose my own car...but if it will save me $100 or more then I shouldn't care who chooses it

That's where I am with it......

 

[HaViet]

Depends. If you're a little late and still within a day boundary, probably not. An example of that is I had a rental that started 9 AM and ended say 3 PM about 5 days later, so I probably had a weekly rate. I get notified at Disney that my flight is delayed 4 hours, so I return the car at MCO about 7 PM. No extra charge.

But, say you have a rental that starts 2 PM on one day and ends at noon a few days later. If you choose to return the car beyond 2 PM, there may be a very small grace period, but they will likely charge you for another day or additional hour(s).

If you're intentionally planning on returning the car late to avoid crossing into another day or weekly rate, don't. They'll likely catch that.

Thanks!

We'll be picking up at 11AM and likely return at 7PM since our flight got delayed.

Just updated the reservation, and pay that extra day just to be safe.

 

[TamaraQT]

Well only 1 week and 1 day away and still holding at $463....doesn't seem like its going to get any better

 

[pigletto]

Well only 1 week and 1 day away and still holding at $463....doesn't seem like its going to get any better

I know. We are 12 days out and I'm sitting at $444. I can't believe it really. I've never seen prices this high. A van for my dates is above $700 everywhere. I guess I should consider myself lucky that I got it for $444 a few months ago. I don't though.. that's almost $600 when you convert it to Canadian and that is just a stupid amount to pay for a car rental.

 

[TikiGoddess07]

We are in Florida! We ended up with a $320 rental (using codes from Mousesavers) for 8 days through Alamo. We got to the Alamo Premium aisle in Orlando and had 4 cars to choose from: 3 Chevy Impalas, and one bright yellow Chevy Camaro.

We debated over the Camaro but in the end got a white Impala, due to the fact that my teen daughter would have LOTS more leg room in the Impala.

The only downside to the car we picked is that you can tell a smoker had been in the car. Otherwise it's very comfortable!

Kathy

 

[Amanda999]

Well only 1 week and 1 day away and still holding at $463....doesn't seem like its going to get any better

Tamara: not sure this will work for you logistically, but have you tried pricing out returning the car to Dolphin? I noticed (starting in late June) or so that for 8/15 to 8/29 (and I priced out 8/15-8/30, and 8/15-9/2), its far less expensive this trip - not in the past - to pick up at MCO but drop off at Dolphin. I'm staying near Dolphin, and the savings are far more than the cost of Uber to MCO (not to mention Magical Express is free). Oh - this is for Alamo. Costco's pricing was same (far cheaper for Dolphin drop off). I used Disney AP corp. code 15000, and single upgrade offer coupon code AU5235ASJ. $388 for 2 weeks + 2 hours for standard size ($40 or so more for small suv). IIRC $412 for 15 days standard (8/15-8/30). All pick up MCO, drop off Dolphin.

 

[TamaraQT]

Tamara: not sure this will work for you logistically, but have you tried pricing out returning the car to Dolphin? I noticed (starting in late June) or so that for 8/15 to 8/29 (and I priced out 8/15-8/30, and 8/15-9/2), its far less expensive this trip - not in the past - to pick up at MCO but drop off at Dolphin. I'm staying near Dolphin, and the savings are far more than the cost of Uber to MCO (not to mention Magical Express is free). Oh - this is for Alamo. Costco's pricing was same (far cheaper for Dolphin drop off). I used Disney AP corp. code 15000, and single upgrade offer coupon code AU5235ASJ. $388 for 2 weeks + 2 hours for standard size ($40 or so more for small suv). IIRC $412 for 15 days standard (8/15-8/30). All pick up MCO, drop off Dolphin.

Thanks....i will consider it.

 

[TamaraQT]

Thanks....i will consider it.

Well that didn't go over well with DH !!!

 

[Amanda999]

Well that didn't go over well with DH !!!

Well, if I weren't staying walking distance to Dolphin, I can see how its a logistical pain (that you don't want to add to a vacation). If I wasn't, I'd probably just Uber/Lyft for the entire vacation (b/c the cost to rent to/from MCO is just way too high for me - about triple the cost of just doing Uber/Lyft every time I need a ride.)

 

[TamaraQT]

Well, if I weren't staying walking distance to Dolphin, I can see how its a logistical pain (that you don't want to add to a vacation). If I wasn't, I'd probably just Uber/Lyft for the entire vacation (b/c the cost to rent to/from MCO is just way too high for me - about triple the cost of just doing Uber/Lyft every time I need a ride.)

I agree and if we were going to Disney then it would be alot easier. However we are not going to Disney at all this year so he wouldn't even consider it. I'm just going to hope for a last minute price drop. If not, then $463 it is. Then I can hope for a NICE upgrade to an SUV to make it feel worthwhile.

 

[pigletto]

Well I changed our rental around today. We were booked for 11 days with Enterprise in a minivan for $444. My brother and his girlfriend are joining us for the first 8 days and were going to pay a portion of the rental . My brother is under 25 and would pay a lot more to rent his own car. We were going to keep the van after we dropped them at the airport. We don't really need it though because we don't touch the car at Universal and it was forcing us to pay for parking for a vehicle we aren't using.
So long story short we found a good rate for an 8 day van rental with Alamo ($340), and we will drop it off after we take my brother and his girlfriend back to the airport . We will just use UberXL to get back to mco . Saves us about $150 overall .
I'll keep checking but at least this plan shaves some more off the total.

 

[TamaraQT]

Well I changed our rental around today. We were booked for 11 days with Enterprise in a minivan for $444. My brother and his girlfriend are joining us for the first 8 days and were going to pay a portion of the rental . My brother is under 25 and would pay a lot more to rent his own car. We were going to keep the van after we dropped them at the airport. We don't really need it though because we don't touch the car at Universal and it was forcing us to pay for parking for a vehicle we aren't using.
So long story short we found a good rate for an 8 day van rental with Alamo ($340), and we will drop it off after we take my brother and his girlfriend back to the airport . We will just use UberXL to get back to mco . Saves us about $150 overall .
I'll keep checking but at least this plan shaves some more off the total.

I wish I had an option as well. We are holding a standard at $463.85 and it looks like that is what it is going to be. The rates are well over $600 again. So I have to resolve to accept it and move on. At this point all I can hope for is an upgrade to something that will make me feel better about the price. If we can get an upgrade to a premium or SUV that would be GREAT and will help me feel a lot better for paying $463!!

 

[amw]

Just a warning...

After booking and rebooking many times over the last year, I settled on a reservation through Costco for $364 mid-size SUV at Tampa at the end of June. Prices didn't go down with Costco after that. My vacay starts on Monday. Today they sent an "upcoming" email confirmation. Since I am a details person - I recognized right away that they increased the fees $15. I still have the original email confirmation. Contacted via online conversation, and they basically said "it happens" and they won't honour original booking. Not impressed - wonder how many people that happens too.

SO ... I started looking around and found $362 at dollar for the same car size - no codes - just city special. Cancelled Costco. Worth checking one more time.