Car Rental Advice needed for Lake Tahoe Mar 1-6

[dwmantz Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close dwmantz]

My brother and I will be skiing at Heavenly, and based at the Lake Tahoe Vacation Resort, Mar 1-6 of next year. We're flying in and out of Sacramento (better deal then Reno).

My brother is Emerald with National and the best deal he find with anyone was with them - $479 with taxes for an SUV for the 6 days.

1) Do we really need an SUV?

2) Anyone know of any better rates from anyone else?

Thanks!!

[starlifter Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close starlifter]

You do not necessarily need an SUV. If the weather is good, you definitely do not need one. If it is snowing in the mountains they may setup chain control and you will need to have chains with you.

Here is the California Dept of Transportation website for Chain Control information. Chain Requirements

Sacramento shows up regularly on Alamo's Last Minute Specials.

[Glitter Brunello Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Glitter Brunello]

It is hard to find good deals on SUVs. That rate is better than Budget with a discount code ($546 for intermediate SUV). I rented one for my guys last year. They still ended up getting chains (even 4WD vehicles are required to carry them in certain conditions, see link above), but I like the height and maneuverability of the SUV for snow. Depending on the forecast, try to get chains before you get to Tahoe, they will be cheaper.

To get from the resort to Heavenly, there should be transportation available if I recall correctly, but getting in and out of Tahoe might get interesting.

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

My brother and I will be skiing at Heavenly, and based at the Lake Tahoe Vacation Resort, Mar 1-6 of next year. We're flying in and out of Sacramento (better deal then Reno).

My brother is Emerald with National and the best deal he find with anyone was with them - $479 with taxes for an SUV for the 6 days.

1) Do we really need an SUV?

2) Anyone know of any better rates from anyone else?

Thanks!!

Hotwire

Car rental details
Location: Sacramento, CA (SMF)
Car type: Standard SUV
Pick-up: Mon, Mar 1, 10:00AM
Drop-off: Sat, Mar 6, 10:00AM

Price summary
Car daily rate: $61.95
Rental days: 5
Subtotal: $309.75
Tax recovery charges
and fees:
$83.17
Total price: $392.92


Prices are in U.S. dollars.

Which means you could probably do even a bit better with Priceline.

[dwmantz Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close dwmantz]

My brother just booked a full size SUV through Priceline and saved just under $100 from his originally found best deal.

This can be directly attributed to the great advice and help found on this forum!!!!!!

THANK YOU!

[PHILL12 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close PHILL12]

My brother and I will be skiing at Heavenly, and based at the Lake Tahoe Vacation Resort, Mar 1-6 of next year. We're flying in and out of Sacramento (better deal then Reno).

My brother is Emerald with National and the best deal he find with anyone was with them - $479 with taxes for an SUV for the 6 days.

1) Do we really need an SUV?

2) Anyone know of any better rates from anyone else?

Thanks!!

Cheaper not alway the best deal !

We had friends fly into Sacramento instead of Reno to spend a week with us at our Lake Tahoe Timeshare few years ago and spent all that money and had to book the SUV(four wheel drive) six days in advance. They landed and jumped into their Suv and spent next nine hours on the freeway mostly sitting. During winter the snow gets you but every year they have truck wrecks on the hwy which has closed them for 10-12 hours some times.

When you fly into Reno your talking 11/4 hours to Tahoe or longer if roads get closed but those roads get opened very quickly during winter.

The good part of flying into or out of Sacramento is you don't need to worry about snow on the runways but forty five minutes up the highway is different story.

Our friends used their heads the last time and flew into Reno and we drove there and picked them up and dropped them off on our way home.

PHILL12