October 2013 - Car Rental

[jenjersnap]

Hey, knowledgable October renters, can you give me an opinion?

I have two National reservations right now, one midsize and one fullsize. 13 days. There is only a $24 difference between the two. Usually we choose fullsize automatically but the price is so relatively high that I made the alternate emerald aisle reservation hoping to get lucky with something, anything a bit bigger. We are a family of five and will have two checked bags, two carryons and a couple backpacks. Our plane arrives after 11 pm.

I am not a good candidate for chancing Emerald Aisle with that set of facts, am I? Should stick with Emerald Reserve? We aren't picky about car at all, just need for our luggage to fit and children to be relatively comfortable on a several hour road trip. Do you think there is a midsize that would fit the bill? Thanks.

 

[gmeh1]

I certainly don't expect the rates to be the same, but if I went with Alamo this time then the rate is almost 4 times as much as I paid two years ago, so I really don't think I'm being silly about complaining about their rates this year. Then again, maybe it's that extra day that is doing me in. LOL!!! I've given up on using her Enterprise friends and family rate, too. When you use that discount they make you take all of the extra insurance, so that usually ends up negating any savings and often ends up being much more expensive than what I can do on my own since I don't need the insurance.

I guess I'll just stick with my Dollar reservation and be happy that I booked that one when I did.

Last time I looked into the Enterprise/Alamo/National family/friends rate, they don't make you take all the insurance. They do for employees, but, not others.
Nope you are not being silly about complaining. Comparing is sort of silly. And it might be that extra day zapping you.

 

[1tufgt]

Still trying to find a good deal for Oct. 28 - Nov. 7. Currently have a Full-Size with national for $299 for the 10 day trip using the KLM code along with a free upgrade coupon I got from my workplace.

 

[MickeyFan1981]

Priceline Name Your Own price is great for Orlando rentals!

 

[gmeh1]

Hey, knowledgable October renters, can you give me an opinion?

I have two National reservations right now, one midsize and one fullsize. 13 days. There is only a $24 difference between the two. Usually we choose fullsize automatically but the price is so relatively high that I made the alternate emerald aisle reservation hoping to get lucky with something, anything a bit bigger. We are a family of five and will have two checked bags, two carryons and a couple backpacks. Our plane arrives after 11 pm.

I am not a good candidate for chancing Emerald Aisle with that set of facts, am I? Should stick with Emerald Reserve? We aren't picky about car at all, just need for our luggage to fit and children to be relatively comfortable on a several hour road trip. Do you think there is a midsize that would fit the bill? Thanks.

Print them both and bring them with you. If the EA has something you like, then use that reservation and cancel the other. If the Full Size row has something you like, use that one and cancel the other one. There is no penalty for a no show or last min. cancellation. You are a good candidate for finding something on the EA that will accomodate you and yours. Just a FYI, the Impala has a HUGE trunk and they always seem to be on the EA, or, at least they were when I worked there.

 

[Hisgirl]

I am utterly frozen with overwheming too much data/discount/codes and high prices and as of now don't have a reservation for our 10/20 trip.

I've compared AAA, AARP, etc and it is looking like 247 for 10/20 - 10/25 is the best rate. I'm shocked at how high the prices are!

I see all the AWN numbers but where does one get an additional coupon code?

 

[nacho113]

I am utterly frozen with overwheming too much data/discount/codes and high prices and as of now don't have a reservation for our 10/20 trip.

I've compared AAA, AARP, etc and it is looking like 247 for 10/20 - 10/25 is the best rate. I'm shocked at how high the prices are!

I see all the AWN numbers but where does one get an additional coupon code?

Try Budget, using there "Wendies" code (link is on the main page of www.budget.com ) The "Wendies" rate for your dates @ MCO show $183 taxes included for a midsize, intermediate SUV for $195. Some have been able to add discount coupons to "wendies" code to get an even better rate (myself included).Just google for budget discount coupons, there are lots available if you want to try to add one of these.

Even better if you are a Costco member, Costco code and $40 off coupon bring rental to $130 taxes incl. for a midsize (full size about $10 more, compact about $10 less)

Hope this helps

 

[Hisgirl]

Try Budget, using there "Wendies" code (link is on the main page of www.budget.com ) Just google for budget discount coupons, there are lots available. The "Wendies" rate for your dates show $188 taxes included for a midsize, add a $30-$40 off coupon and you'll be in the $150 range.

Even better if you are a Costco member, Costco code and $40 off coupon bring rental to $130 taxes incl. for a midsize (full size about $10 more, compact about $10 less)

Hope this helps

This sounds great....but...I"m not seeing a wendies link. What does it look like? Is it that lady in orange holding up a tag? It looks like since I"m not keeping it over a Saturday night, this special won't work for us. With tax, it's still 307. I guess I'll stick with the AARP and keep my eyes open. Thanks!

 

[nacho113]

This sounds great....but...I"m not seeing a wendies link. What does it look like? Is it that lady in orange holding up a tag?

On the main page there is a picture of a woman holding a $17 price tag and the add reads "$17 for a compact or $22 for an intermediate SUV for a weekend day". The code works on both weekends and weekdays despite what it reads.
The picture is a link, go through here to add the discount code. If you want to add it directly, the offer code (BCD) D454300

 

[Hisgirl]

Ok, after spending no less than 3 straight hours on this, joining all sorts of programs, checking codes out the wazoo and googling till my brains are falling out of my head, the best rate I can find (since we aren't staying over a Sat.) is $239 which includes tax for a full sized car with AARP discount.

Next....comes the brand new dehumidifier that keeps shutting off and not turning back on and the dog's ear that was just bit off during rough housing play.

It just never ends, does it?

 

[Samoyed25]

Just got a great deal with Dollar for October. The deal is:

Rent an Economy through Full-size car from $14.99 to $17.99 per day, Thursday through Sunday. The Offer expires October 31, 2013.

Thrifty has the same deal. Just check under "Specials" or "Deals" on the Dollar and Thrifty websites.

 

[jenjersnap]

Print them both and bring them with you. If the EA has something you like, then use that reservation and cancel the other. If the Full Size row has something you like, use that one and cancel the other one. There is no penalty for a no show or last min. cancellation. You are a good candidate for finding something on the EA that will accomodate you and yours. Just a FYI, the Impala has a HUGE trunk and they always seem to be on the EA, or, at least they were when I worked there.

Thank you so much for posting this! I thought I should cancel one before we leave but this sounds like a great plan. The Impala is our favorite fullsize, for sure, lots of space in that thing!

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

Just got a great deal with Dollar for October. The deal is:

Rent an Economy through Full-size car from $14.99 to $17.99 per day, Thursday through Sunday. The Offer expires October 31, 2013.

Thrifty has the same deal. Just check under "Specials" or "Deals" on the Dollar and Thrifty websites.

I saw this deal with Dollar but the Dollar city special is cheaper by a $1.50 a day. Check it out. Just do a normal reservation with no discount codes. When the screen listing the price of each car class appears click the yellow "city special" icon.

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

So here is my drama for the day - I booked back in Sept with Dollar and did not have an Express ID at the time. No problem, the site says you can send them an email once you sign up and they will add it in for you.

So I booked a full size for $134 all in for 5 and 1/2 days which I thought was a pretty good rate. I sign up for a Dollar Express ID and once it's processed, I email it to them with my reservation. I receive an email back saying it's all good. Log on, check it and it looks fine. Fast forward to yesterday where I log in again on a whim just to check it (since I have been obsessively looking at car rentals rates for my Oct dates) and now the reservation says $211! I think not! I do nothing and it goes from $134 to $211?

I immediately send them an email and they apologize and fix it promptly (which I appreciated, I must admit. Good customer service on that end.). However, since I have worked with computer systems for so long, I can just imagine showing up down there and having the dreaded $211 price show up again because system X did not talk to system Y to fix my rate (and who knows why my rate mysteriously changed in the first place). Now I have to print out all this documentation and carry it with me just in case. Ug.

These prices need to come down ASAP. I just want to cancel this one and go with another company as I am not trusting them right now. I did see slight movement downward in the Costco rates this morning for Budget but nothing that touches the $134 rate I got in Sept from Dollar.

A cautionary tale just to check your reservation before you go. I just wish these rates would come down already!

I had this happen with Budget a few years ago. The Fast Break price quote was higher than the non Fast Break quote. So I booked it without my Fast Break member id. Got to MCO and the line for Budget was SO long. While in line I called the 800 # for Budget to have my Fast Break ID to the reservation but first I confirmed with her what the price would be and it did not increase my rate. Just weird. I stayed in line while DH went out to the garage to confirm the rental price and process the rental. I did no want to loose my place in line because it was so long! He came back in to get me and said everything was fine. The folks behind us wanted to know what we did so they too could skip the long line.

 

[gmeh1]

Thank you so much for posting this! I thought I should cancel one before we leave but this sounds like a great plan. The Impala is our favorite fullsize, for sure, lots of space in that thing!

You are welcome. The 2014 Impalas are really nice cars.

 

[sympatico]

Can anyone with a KLM code run the numbers for me for a 12 passenger van with Budget for Oct 15 with 11pm pickup to Nov.1 with a 7am return.
A friend of mine needs to buy Budget's insurance and just wondering if it will benefit him to join KLM Flying Blue and have the insurance included.
Pretty please

 

[horselover]

Can anyone with a KLM code run the numbers for me for a 12 passenger van with Budget for Oct 15 with 11pm pickup to Nov.1 with a 7am return.
A friend of mine needs to buy Budget's insurance and just wondering if it will benefit him to join KLM Flying Blue and have the insurance included.
Pretty please

Pretty sure the KLM code is only for National not Budget.

 

[sympatico]

Pretty sure the KLM code is only for National not Budget.

On their site it says Avis, Hertz, National and Budget

 

[slbowman23991]

Try Budget, using there "Wendies" code (link is on the main page of www.budget.com ) The "Wendies" rate for your dates @ MCO show $183 taxes included for a midsize, intermediate SUV for $195. Some have been able to add discount coupons to "wendies" code to get an even better rate (myself included).Just google for budget discount coupons, there are lots available if you want to try to add one of these.

Even better if you are a Costco member, Costco code and $40 off coupon bring rental to $130 taxes incl. for a midsize (full size about $10 more, compact about $10 less)

Hope this helps

Hi! Thanks for this info. I was able to snag the Wendie's deal for our dates, but I was curious as to what other coupons you were able to get to work? Where is the $40 coupon and Costco code? We currently have a standard SUV for 7 days between 10/18-10/25 booked, but would love to find a better deal.

Thanks!

 

[gmeh1]

On their site it says Avis, Hertz, National and Budget

Do you have the numbers? Is their a reason you cannot do this?