Rental Car Deals Scarce

[Marti Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Marti]

Rental Car Deals

RE: So, we need a minivan or midsize SUV for
1/2-15/2010 at Clearwater/St. Pete airport.

Maybe the reason the car rentals rates are so high
is the type of vehicle and the location. Have you
checked rates for Tampa Florida. You could always
get a one day rental on the front/end of your trip.

[lawren2 Malibu Beach Barbie & A Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close lawren2]

$78 /day
select


$1090 total
w/tax
Minivan – Minivan
Enterprise
PIE – 14700 Terminal Blvd (map)
Clearwater




Enterprise.com


If you rent it for the 14 days (return the 16th) your daily price drops from $84 to $78. You can return it a day early without penalty.

This is off kayak.com which will shoot you over to Enterprise to book. $545/week all in isn't horrid.

Hotwire/Priceline is still a better deal.

ETA The SUV isn't horrid either!

$76 /day
select


$990 total
w/tax
SUV – Standard SUV
Enterprise
PIE – 14700 Terminal Blvd (map)
Clearwater

coming in at $445/week

[Marti Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Marti]

Nartional Car Rental PIET01


Base Rate - 7-Passenger Minivan (USD)


(1) Time & Distance ($699.95/Week) $699.95
(6) Extra - Time & Distance ($99.99/Day) $599.94

Inclusive Rate Items
Guaranteed Base Rate Included
Unlimited Miles Included

Weekly Rate of $699.95 plus
Six (6) extra days 99.99 day

Subtotal $1,299.89


Taxes, Surcharges and Fees

Concession Recovery Fee 11.10 Pct $144.97
Florida Surcharge 2.00/day $26.00
Tire/battery Fee .02/day $0.26
License Recoupment Fee .45/day $5.85
Sales Tax (7.0%) $103.39

Subtotal $280.47

Estimated Total
$1,580.36


Do you have any discount codes that you can use?

[Marti Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Marti]

National Discount Codes

Open to Anyone

Contract ID 5000304 is for Wal-Mart customers (in other words,
anyone) and provides up to 20% off and unlimited mileage at National.

Contract ID 5504966 appears on the Wal-Mart edition of the Rand-McNally
Atlas and provides discounts with National. No proof of purchase needed.

[Marti Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Marti]

National Discount Codes


Requires Membership

AAA members can use Contract ID 6100253 for discounts with National.
Bring your AAA membership card with you when you pick up the car.

AARP has a discount with National "AARP members only"
(must be 50 or older). See AARP web site for ID number.

[Marti Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Marti]

National


The 2010 Entertainment Book offers many coupons for National

including $40 off (compact or larger, 10 day minimum rental),
$20 off weekly rental (compact or larger, 5 day minimum rental with Saturday night required),
$20 off weekend rental (compact or larger, 3 day minimum rental with Saturday night required),
one free weekend day (compact or larger, 3-5 day rental with Saturday rnight required),
one free day (compact or larger, 5 day minimum rental with Saturday night required
this coupon is particularly valuable for minivans, which have a high per-day cost)
and free double upgrade (compact or midsize rental gets double upgrade).

National coupons in the 2010 Entertainment Books expire 6/30/11.

Warehouse Clubs like Sam's Club and BJ's Wholesale Club may have National
contract IDs if you belong to one of these, check with your local store.

[JLB Please excuse me, I'm a Dick. Not a moron just a Dick Find all posts View Profile Close JLB]

The 2010 Entertainment Book offers many coupons for National

including $40 off (compact or larger, 10 day minimum rental),
$20 off weekly rental (compact or larger, 5 day minimum rental with Saturday night required),
$20 off weekend rental (compact or larger, 3 day minimum rental with Saturday night required),
one free weekend day (compact or larger, 3-5 day rental with Saturday rnight required),
one free day (compact or larger, 5 day minimum rental with Saturday night required
this coupon is particularly valuable for minivans, which have a high per-day cost)
and free double upgrade (compact or midsize rental gets double upgrade).

National coupons in the 2010 Entertainment Books expire 6/30/11.

Warehouse Clubs like Sam's Club and BJ's Wholesale Club may have National
contract IDs if you belong to one of these, check with your local store.

Feel free to post the Contact IDs and Coupon #s.

Like I've been trying to say, I've tried all I can find, which isn't many, and none of them seem to be worth a hoot.

[JLB Please excuse me, I'm a Dick. Not a moron just a Dick Find all posts View Profile Close JLB]

Here's the results for each suggested contract ID, also using Emerald Club:

5000304>>>Estimated Total $1,425.83

5504966>>> Estimated Total $1,425.83

6100253>>>Estimated Total $1,425.83

I tried adding a day, as L suggested, to make it a 2 week rental rather than 13 days, and it came up:

Discount ($399.88) Subtotal $1,199.64

Strange. Not a good deal. Just strange.

It's sad when rates three times higher than last year are not horrid. Get rid of that $600 extra charge and it would only be twice as high as last year, m/l

[JLB Please excuse me, I'm a Dick. Not a moron just a Dick Find all posts View Profile Close JLB]

Where have you gotten the best price for rental cars on or off airport in the Orlando area? We are going to need one around Thanksgiving and can do a 4 day or week rental. We staying near Disney World and will have one car, but will need a second one.

To answer, in previous years I have always gotten the best prices at the Orlando airport with priceline. We had never been able to use it because we fly into Sanford. I believe this year priceline is offered at Sanford, as it is for the first time at PIE, St. Pete/Clearwater also.

[JLB Please excuse me, I'm a Dick. Not a moron just a Dick Find all posts View Profile Close JLB]

I checked flying through Sanford rather than St. Pete/Clearwater. It would mean two motel rooms, inconvenient departure times, $80 more plane fare, but an SUV would be $754. That was with Emerald Club but no coupons or contract IDs.

There is no extra $600 fee like at St. Pete/Clearwater.

I think I'll call National. . .

I did. $1425 for St. Pete. No explanation. Told her I got it for $452 last year and Sanford is $754.

She said to try Enterprise, National's sister company.

We're screwed.

[JLB Please excuse me, I'm a Dick. Not a moron just a Dick Find all posts View Profile Close JLB]

Things on hotwire are lower for 2 weeks than for 13 days.

A standard SUV is $613, not much more than a full size car.

[Marti Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Marti]

Avis

Intermediate SUV Dodge Nitro or similar Estimated Total 991.06 USD

[JLB Please excuse me, I'm a Dick. Not a moron just a Dick Find all posts View Profile Close JLB]

There is nothing but discouraging talk on flytertalk, confirmed by my call to National, so I think it's time to bite the bullet and up my Priceline bid.

There is no way to change our flight itinerary to try match a better rental car rate. The lights are best suited to our resort reservations . . . a late-night check-in and a day-early departure.

[Tfish Member Find all posts View Profile Close Tfish]

Orlando Oct 30-November 6-Full Size

Been checking daily for 2 months.

Last nite, Priceline got full size from Alamo for $19/day (7 days 7 hours)

Total inc fees $229.90.

Higher than I'm used to paying on Pricleine for Florida but happy because of what I'm reading.

Fish

[JLB Please excuse me, I'm a Dick. Not a moron just a Dick Find all posts View Profile Close JLB]

The couple we go with has approved getting something smaller than a minivan or SUV, in case I run across a good deal.

We only need the larger vehicle for the trip from and to the airport, when we have all our stuff to haul.