October 2015 Car Rental Watch

[archdandy]

Awesome rate!! Wish I could snag a deal like that on an SUV for my dates!!



I am Oct. 10-17 inclusive. Is your trip before or after mine?

My dates are Oct. 18-28.

 

[garnet1240]

Haven't scrolled through the whole post, but I just booked Dollar for oct 3-8

Rental Time: 1 Week at $138.99 per week. Unlimited mileage.
Rate Code: FIXLO
Total Base Rate
$138.99
U.S. DOLLAR (USD)
Cust Facility Chrg
$12.50
Concession Fee Rec
$14.36
Florida Surcharge
$10.10
State Tax
$11.74
Energy Recovery Fee
$1.49
Vehicle License Fee
$3.13
Total Est. Mandatory Charges
$53.32
Est. Grand Total
$192.31

Code shows as FIX09

Mid size SUV, was listed under their specials at top of page. Hope to still get cheaper, but best I have found so far for us.

 

[hollypoast]

Haven't scrolled through the whole post, but I just booked Dollar for oct 3-8

Rental Time: 1 Week at $138.99 per week. Unlimited mileage.
Rate Code: FIXLO
Total Base Rate
$138.99
U.S. DOLLAR (USD)
Cust Facility Chrg
$12.50
Concession Fee Rec
$14.36
Florida Surcharge
$10.10
State Tax
$11.74
Energy Recovery Fee
$1.49
Vehicle License Fee
$3.13
Total Est. Mandatory Charges
$53.32
Est. Grand Total
$192.31


Mid size SUV, was listed under their specials at top of page. Hope to still get cheaper, but best I have found so far for us.

What type of car?

 

[garnet1240]

What type of car?

I don't see it listed anymore, but was for a mid size SUV

 

[migel]

Very happy now, I just booked a compact (solo trip) with Alamo for 6 days starting Oct 16, for $113 USD using the Costco and Visa codes mentioned By prior posters. Thanks!

 

[Cirlonde]

My rate just dropped slightly...

Pick up at MCO on Oct 23, drop off at MIA on Oct 28
Costco Code 7016427
Visa Code AD2338fdf
$207.83

I'm going to assume that you have to show a Costco membership card when you pick up your car if you use that discount. Anyone know for sure? I'd love to take advantage of it, but we don't have a Costco in my area so I couldn't really be a member even if I wanted to be!

 

[archdandy]

Where do you put in these codes for costco? I go to the costco rental site but there is no spot for me to enter codes.

 

[migel]

I booked directly through alamo.com and entered both the Costco code and the Visa codes, sorry I can't recall which was the coupon code, which the contract ID, but try both ways. I even acknowledged I'm Canadian, not US, and the great pricing still came up. The best price directly through the Costco site for me right now is $220 USD, so this worked out much better. And Like booking through Costco, no prepayment.

 

[migel]

I'm going to assume that you have to show a Costco membership card when you pick up your car if you use that discount. Anyone know for sure? I'd love to take advantage of it, but we don't have a Costco in my area so I couldn't really be a member even if I wanted to be!

Sorry, I'm not sure. I have booked directly through Costco in the past, and was never asked to present the card on pick up. This time I've booked directly through Alamo, so they may require my Costco card. Hopefully someone else can advise.

 

[Alesianunes]

My dates are 10/9-10/18 Just looking for a cheap car.
I booked through dollar for $207. I think they will shuttle me from the hotel but am not 100% sure

But I also booked through NU car rental for $147, they will definitely shuttle from my hotel.
Because of the bad reviews on-line I called NU and they said to bring my personal auto insurance declaration and a sun toll pass. Then my rate will stay the same. Does anyone have experience with this company?

 

[migel]

Some companies now want to see your personsal auto insurance plan, when you decline their insurance. They claim this is to inform you of the potential fine you may receive if stopped by police - but the intent is to push those unprepared travellers to buy their insurance.

The sun toll pass is another money maker for rental companies. Unless NU stipulates you must acquire one with their rentals, sun toll passes are another money maker for the rental companies. If you are doing a lot of travelling on toll roads, maybe worth it, saving you time, but if its mostly to and from Disney, I suggest pay as you go. We now own a sunpass, it is great if you want to avoid the I4, but definitely not something I think a rental place should demand you have. I've not heard much about NU, I'm sure they are a subsidiary of another major player. Go with your gut.... and have a great vacation!

 

[Alesianunes]

Sorry, the sun pass is not required but if I get it from the rental company it's $9 per day. If I don't get if from the rental company and don't have one and I accidentally go through a toll without paying, there is a $75 admin fee for each toll. We don't have toll roads where I live, so I'm afraid I may go through an unmanned booth and get screwed. I think I'll just stop somewhere and buy a stick on one for $5. We are staying on Disney property but we will probably leave Disney for shopping and maybe a few meals.

 

[migel]

Sorry, the sun pass is not required but if I get it from the rental company it's $9 per day. If I don't get if from the rental company and don't have one and I accidentally go through a toll without paying, there is a $75 admin fee for each toll. We don't have toll roads where I live, so I'm afraid I may go through an unmanned booth and get screwed. I think I'll just stop somewhere and buy a stick on one for $5. We are staying on Disney property but we will probably leave Disney for shopping and maybe a few meals.

We have the sunpass as I'd mentioned. Twice this year we drove to Disney, this past August we flew and rented a car. I added the rental car to my sunpass, and I checked online during our trip, to confirm the pass was identified at the tolls... It was

A few days ago, I received an invoice from Thifty Rental stating we missed a toll. I checked online, and all our tolls we're paid, this one did not register for whatever reason. Long story short, Thriftys admin fee is $15, plus the $1 toll, $16 total. I had the option to send them my sunpass printout, and follow up by phone, but I opted to let them charge my card. I've previously been billed once by another company for missing a toll, my fault, that was about $16 also. $75 admin fee sounds like a scare tactic.

 

[archdandy]

I booked directly through alamo.com and entered both the Costco code and the Visa codes, sorry I can't recall which was the coupon code, which the contract ID, but try both ways. I even acknowledged I'm Canadian, not US, and the great pricing still came up. The best price directly through the Costco site for me right now is $220 USD, so this worked out much better. And Like booking through Costco, no prepayment.

Thanks!

 

[Vivianne]

I meticulously pay the tolls, I'm the passenger counting the money & handing it over as we approach the toll booths. However, last year, a month later, I noticed a charge with late fees added on my credit card which, after a few phone calls, found out there's this phantom, elusive, unmanned toll, not to be found which is supposed to be in the airport when I returned the car. The charge strangely said NYC with a phone number something or other, I called. It was some collection agency located at behold.... NYC. Typical, they said their duty is only to charge the fee. Me oh my..... I haven't seen anywhere with people complain about this.

I disputed this with my cc company and the fee was waived. This year I'll go with the sunpass. Yes, its a money maker for these people.

 

[migel]

I meticulously pay the tolls, I'm the passenger counting the money & handing it over as we approach the toll booths. However, last year, a month later, I noticed a charge with late fees added on my credit card which, after a few phone calls, found out there's this phantom, elusive, unmanned toll, not to be found which is supposed to be in the airport when I returned the car. The charge strangely said NYC with a phone number something or other, I called. It was some collection agency located at behold.... NYC. Typical, they said their duty is only to charge the fee. Me oh my..... I haven't seen anywhere with people complain about this.

I disputed this with my cc company and the fee was waived. This year I'll go with the sunpass. Yes, its a money maker for these people.

Curious you said the toll was at the airport. By the letter we received from Thrify, the 'missed toll' was called an 'airport toll' and would have occurred around the time were leaving the airport (MCO). My Sunpass record shows a toll 4 minutes after the 'alleged' infraction, on the 528 which went though. Hmmm.

 

[Vivianne]

Curious you said the toll was at the airport. By the letter we received from Thrify, the 'missed toll' was called an 'airport toll' and would have occurred around the time were leaving the airport (MCO). My Sunpass record shows a toll 4 minutes after the 'alleged' infraction, on the 528 which went though. Hmmm.

I check my statements carefully. Especially after a trip. At first, I thought, ha I wasn't anywhere near NY at the tiime and spoke to 2 people but got no help other than 'we just collect this money'. Only the credit card company helped me resolve this. My husband is looking into getting the sunpass this time around but I'm going to check there are no discrepancies. The fee was double because it wasn't paid at the time of the occurrence but if there's no toll station how are people to know? Add it to the contract? But the said one thing has nothing to do with the other. I'm going to ask about this at the airport. Oh we rented from National last year. This year its Alamo.

 

[Yellowjj]

This is truly where a GPS shines...or even a map based app on a smartphone. Avoid Tolls and no worries or problems later on. With so many states now adding new unmanned electronic tolls, it's going to get worse with visitors not even realizing they passed through a toll.

 

[Mommy2aPrince]

What type of car?

If you enter FIX09 in the promo code box (ensure no spaces after), it will take you to a page where you can select a Mid-Size SUV for 138.99/wk or Standard SUV for 149.99/wk. There is a disclaimer at the top "The Promotion code you have entered has changed. For this reservation the promotion will apply going forward, as long as your rental meets the rules of the promotion. (Comments Validation1282)".

If you select the cheaper option of Mid Size SUV, the Est. Grand Total ends up being $196.19 after taxes/fees.

 

[SAT887]

I am on carrentalsavers.com and looking at prices for Oct 4-9th... They are finally dropping... Midsize with alamo is about $175. This morning it was $235