Car rental rates in Florida and alternative IDEAS

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

OK Florida car rental rates and taxes are always one of my pet peeves. To the point that I am considering "creative" ideas for our upcoming visit to the Miami area in April.

We are flying into FLL.

If we pick up a car at the airport for the week a compact car will cost nearly $370 including $100 in bogus taxes and charges.

If I rent a car from Thrifty, located less than 3 blocks from HGVC S Beach the same compact is $35/day including taxes.

That's a BIG SAVINGS of over 50%!

I won't have to deal with parking charges and we can get a car as we need it. Maybe they will even let me park the car there each night and keep it for the full 5 days.

My question:

What would a car service from FLL to the HGVC 1430 Ocean Drive, miami beach, FL cost? Can anyone recommend a car service?

[bigfrank Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close bigfrank]

When I went to see the Yankees play in the World Series. I booked a convertiable for like peanuts using Priceline.com picking up at FLL. Shop around using the search engines that are listed in the links directory, Then go on PL and try to get it at about 25% less.

[zdxlc9p6 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close zdxlc9p6]

I usually find coupons for upgrades and/or discounted rates by going through the links from airline sites, or AARP if you're as old as me.

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

A couple weeks ago I googled this subject and it took me to flyertalk, where this kind of stuff is talked about ad nauseum.

They give you all the codes to get discounts. There were maybe 50 codes for National and three of them produced the same lowest rate.

But I know you are talking about renting off-site and not having to pay the airport premiums.

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

A couple weeks ago I googled this subject and it took me to flyertalk, where this kind of stuff is talked about ad nauseum.

They give you all the codes to get discounts. There were maybe 50 codes for National and three of them produced the same lowest rate.

But I know you are talking about renting off-site and not having to pay the airport premiums.

Flyer Talk intimidates me a bit. Yeah me the loud mouth NYC blonde. I guess I could lurk and try to find some cost cutting information but they do speak their own lingo and I haven't found them very kind to newbies.

and YES I am talking off-site. Those airport surcharges are just TOO obnoxious in Florida.

There's a state that gouges visitors.

So I'm looking for a loophole. So to speak.

[KenK Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close KenK]

FLL is in three cities, Fort Laud, Hollywood by the Sea, and Dania Beach.

Hollywood zip code by airport is 30019, and Dania is 33004.

ENTERPRISE has several offices off the airport. I searched a week in April at the above sites (zips) and came up with an economy rate of $148, after fees, $175 total.

An Impala total for the week was $254. Thats from 12 noon to 12 noon. The website says they will pick you up free. But I think you need to check if they will do this at the airport.

Cab prices here are not like in NYC. (They charge a lot more) But the Dania address is just a few miles away from the airport on US Route 1.

I'd call & see what they can do, if they can't p/u at airport, take a cab to their offices. One Enterprise is in the Hollywood Lincoln Mercury dealer on Sheraton and US Rt One....they usually have Lincoln Town Cars & Mercury Grand Mar if you need big.....the Dania site said they were out of Caddies already


A car from FLL to SoBe area would probably be between $80 to $100 from the sites I checked (one way)

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

lawren2,

One thing I discovered by chance with Budget in FLL is that if I put residence as Canada, the weekly rate was about $100 cheaper than if I had US as residence. It was crazy that if I rented for 6 days, it is $40 per day ++ or 240++ but if I rented for a week, the discounted rate was coming up $393 rather than $280 Finally got a reservation to price okay at $288++

There is shared car servide that will drop you off in Miami for about $20-25 per person depending on location but they don't run late at night and probably not early morning either. The last time I took a cab, it was about $60 but probably more these days...

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

My daughter is in west Palm beach this week and wasn't going to rent a car since prices were about $475 for a compact. I contacted II and got ger a car for $199 including all airport fees for the week.

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

Lawren, I don't know what the car service will cost, but a car at HGVC is more of a liability than an asset, except for the days you will be leaving Miami. We used the busses there with no problem, though our activity schedule wasn't quite as busy as yours will be...