June 2013 Car Rental When Best Deals

[lori8481]

I'm heading to the other coast (DLR 1st timers!) and have been stalking Alamo religiously for the past two months. Started out at $200+ for five day rental from LAX, slowly dropping 5-10 bucks every so often, then this past Tuesday morning the rate dropped to $134 out the door. Booked it as fast as I could and now it's already back up to $150 for the exact same rental period and vehicle. I've found the best rates are the insiders discount plus Alamo's promotion for 1 free day with Saturday stay (AFD5426JAK).

Budget seems to have some great prices once you plug in all the codes, but not enough savings to make me switch (heard terrible things about Budget and I like the choice aisle with Alamo). 7 days until we leave and you better believe I'm still checking!

 

[jadejazzkayla]

Except that's at the airport, so you'd have to get back to MCO somehow...and back to WDW after you give the car back.

car 42.74

options 0.00

fees & taxes 10.50

$ 53.24 TOTAL (USD)
EL rate terms
1 day, 0 hour rental unlimited free miles



location change

pick-up DOUBLETREE @ WALT DISNEY WORLD - M03

 

[richmo]

car 42.74

options 0.00

fees & taxes 10.50

$ 53.24 TOTAL (USD)
EL rate terms
1 day, 0 hour rental unlimited free miles



location change

pick-up DOUBLETREE @ WALT DISNEY WORLD - M03

That's better! Not the $15-20, but not bad for a single day.

 

[Kitkat6595]

Anyone use the Dollar Express feature? How does it work at MCO?

 

[S'sMom]

Hi the cost of my car that I had reserved with Budget (through Costco) for $149 has now dropped to $127 I have it reserved from 6/12-6/21.

As soon as I saw it, I jumped on it and began cancelling the others that I had reserved for higher prices. When the drop happened at $149, I deleted a few, but deleted the rest (minus 2) today.

Just wanted to share. I got the same compact car, because the economy was the same price, so I just chose the bigger of those two.

Now, let's see how much farther it will drop before the 12th.

 

[keishashadow]

budget rates have dropped, seeing intermediates in range of $105 for a week for my dates.

does anybody know the policy for a 2nd driver with them?

 

[S'sMom]

budget rates have dropped, seeing intermediates in range of $105 for a week for my dates.

does anybody know the policy for a 2nd driver with them?

Not sure about the 2nd driver without Costco. With Costco the 2nd driver is free. The prices went down a lot. I'm glad.

 

[disneygal55]

Anyone use the Dollar Express feature? How does it work at MCO?

After you have signed up with Dollar Express and then used the Dollar Express number when booking your car (if you have already booked your car, you can go online and still add the number into your reservation), you are all set. When you get to MCO, just go and get your luggage and bring it down (using the escalator) to the lowest level of the airport. There should be signs for rental car pick-up. Go towards the garage which houses the car rental agencies...across the street from the airport and follow signs for Dollar. Once you are at the kiosk, inside the garage, just give them a copy of your contract (may ask for the credit card you used to open up Dollar Express account...they don't charge anything until you bring the car back) and they direct you to your car. It's quick and easy. It usually takes us 2 minutes where in past we waited at the counters inside the airport for a very long time.

 

[gcarney]

If its Budget, be careful. They screw you by MAKING YOU take the insurance, NO MATTER WHAT.

 

[gcarney]

Not sure about the 2nd driver without Costco. With Costco the 2nd driver is free. The prices went down a lot. I'm glad.

I can't say this enough. BE CAREFUL OF BUDGET. They MADE us take the insurance or we couldn't take the car and it DOUBLED our price

 

[S'sMom]

I can't say this enough. BE CAREFUL OF BUDGET. They MADE us take the insurance or we couldn't take the car and it DOUBLED our price

Wow! That's not cool. I'll contact them now. Thanks
I've used Budget locally and in Fl, and never had that issue. But maybe things have changed.

 

[gcarney]

Wow! That's not cool. I'll contact them now. Thanks

You're welcome. This happened March 2012. It was not the right way to start our honeymoon

 

[KSDisneyDad]

I've rented from Budget numerous times and have never taken their insurance.

 

[gcarney]

I've rented from Budget numerous times and have never taken their insurance.

I promise you, this is the truth. They wouldn't let me have the car without the insurance after telling them I was completely covered. I was sooooooo mad.

 

[jadejazzkayla]

I've rented from Budget numerous times and have never taken their insurance.

me too. never an issue.

 

[gcarney]

me too. never an issue.

How do I lodge a complaint after all this time?

 

[S'sMom]

How do I lodge a complaint after all this time?

I understand, I would have been upset as well. I did make a call to Budget and the customer service person said while they are instructed to sell the insurance, the customer is under no obligation to take it.

I'm not sure to to lodge a complaint, but I would have been angry as well.

Thanks for the heads up, it's always good to check.

 

[ash-n-brensmom]

We got our rental down to $112 all taxes and fees included. This was just this afternoon. Our rental is from June 3 - 10 (6 days 16 hours according to their calculations). I used the code MUWZ020 and it gave me an additional discount for being a repeat renter? Don't know how that happened, but I'll take it! Anyways, this is at Sanford Airport for a Ford Focus. I am very happy with this price...I will continue to check until Monday afternoon, though...you just never know!

I also wanted to comment on the Budget situation...I can't explain what they did about the insurance on your honeymoon. I don't know if it was due to the type of car you rented, or were you very young when you rented? But, I would never take the insurance, we will be using my DH's credit card that has supplemental insurance to cover rentals. I plan to have a copy with us to show them just in case. That was a HORRIBLE way to start your honeymoon...I can only hope the rest of it was wonderful!!

 

[momtojandj]

Just booked thru costco, for June 23-30, was able to get a intermediate car for total of 119!!!!

 

[jadejazzkayla]

Just booked thru costco, for June 23-30, was able to get a intermediate car for total of 119!!!!

what car rental company did you use?