Car rental help needed.....

[Car Guy]

This February from the 12th ==> 23rd I will be down in AZ :devil visiting family and would like to rent a car so we can get around. I'm usually good with rentals because I know someone that works for Budget at the airport, but in another state he can't cut me a deal like here in Milwaukee so he’s of no help this time around.....

However, as a result of my 'connection' I've never had to deal with anyone else when renting a car, so I'm ‘in the dark’ on the best way to go about it. The cheaper the better is my goal for this trip, and I know you can get stuck with an Aveo but if that's all I can get for ‘cheap’ then I’ll take it.....


Any input (as always) is much appreciated...!!! :thumbsup






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[theavenger333]

doing it online, or in person?

[Car Guy]

doing it online, or in person?

Good question, it doesn't matter to me how I make the reservation. I'm willing to do whatever it takes to get it for cheap.....






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[Karps TA]

THe pricelines, and expedia type places have all worked for me in the past.

[Crawlin]

When I went to AZ for my golf trip, my dad had everything all lined up. Just a regular midsize Impala and with his discount, was like $24/day. After we got to the airport, they have a HUGE bus take you to this enormous parking garage that's filled with ALL rental cars/trucks. I mean it's larger than the parking garage at Mitchell International. So you go to the counter of the place you had the reservation lined up. We used Enterprise. After we get checked in, we took it downstairs to their floor, and had a girl take us to the car. What we didn't realize, was if you asked for an upgrade, if it's available, it was like $5/day more for the upgrade. Don't know if it was a "today's special" thing or what, but we could have gotten into an DTS Caddy or what we ended up choosing, an Infiniti G35x sedan. Badass car!!! So in total it only cost us $29/day.

It's weird they can't hook you up, seeing as I knew people at Enterprise, and their was a national hotline you could call for "family discounts". Either way I'd ahve it set up through the computer and then go from there when you arrive. See what specials they may have after atleast lining up a vehicle.

If it's $100/day for something simple, you may as well check to see what "high line" places are around you. When I was going into Boston, all the places wanted like $80-90 per day. Amazingly, I found a place right in my hotel area, that would do a C320 Mercedes for $95-100 per day. I sure as hell woulda done that, haha. Unlimited mileage too. Now I ended up not needing a car, but it's fun to check out "alternatives"

[lasttimearound]

AAA members get a discount, airline employees get discounts, military gets discounts. when i went to dallas last time, sweet talking the chick at the counter got my military and AAA discounts together

[SSDude]

Went to Arizona and San Diego in October. Reserved them both on Yahoo travel. The further ahead you do it the better the rate as long as there isn't a big event in the city the same time your going. Yahoo had the same rates as Travelocity and Priceline. Check for discount and upgrade coupons in the Entertainment book:thumbsup

[nismodave]

Dollar.com best prices

[Car Guy]

Well I found a local (to AZ) company online that is $323 for 11 days [all taxes/fees included] which is by far the cheapest, but that's at the 'economy' rate. I'm amazed at how much the taxes/fees are, it's almost like doubling the cost of rental itself.....






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[03CVLX]

I used the entertainment book when I was planning a trip to Florida. I ended up not being able to go, but I had a Cadillac DTS booked for 12 days for around $490.00. I tried looking up the same deal through my sign on on entertainments website for you and in Arizona the same deal was almost 800.00 bucks. I can see what you mean about the taxes.

[Crawlin]

if your parents can get a discount through using their AARP stuff, it's HUGE discounts. That's how we got that Impala and Infiniti for so cheap

[lordairgtar]

AARP FTW. It pays being an old fart sometimes.

[Car Guy]

Does anybody know what the percentage of discount is with the AARP card...???






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[05caddyext]

AZ has one of the easiest airport/rental car areas to deal with that I have ever used. It was awesome. Shuttle you to the place, and they are all together in a huge building, no running all over the place to find what you want. I would say for that reason that I would wait until you get there to find the best deals. There are like 20 different places that are all together in 1 location so you could do some quick shopping right there. It would suck to do something online and then see a better price when you get there to pick up your car. I used hertz and had a economy car, can't remember what it was off-hand. I had it for 14 days and it was $199 total. And DO NOT use their insurance.

[lordairgtar]

http://www.aarp.org/aarp_benefits/offer_travel/car_rentals/
From 5% to 30% depending on who you use.

[88Nightmare]

enterprise doesnt want to rent to me anymore after an incident with one of their cars :D

[lordairgtar]

So yer just gonna leave us hangin'?

[88Nightmare]

it was a early 2000's monte carlo. snowy wet conditions the whole trip, so off of just about EVERY stop light the car would ping off the rev limiter constantly. reverse donuts in a mall parking lot.... bouncing off the rev limiter. on my way to returning it, taking a left hand turn too fast and the car being fwd, it just slid in the snow and started "pushing" right up into the curb. right side wheel bounced off the curb, and I just kept on goin. Made it to the place to drop it off and as I was getting my baggage to walk away, I heard the right front tire leaking air. Upon further inspection I noticed the aluminum wheel had a flat spot :D I GTFO of there right away :D :D :rolf

[Deggy]

it was a early 2000's monte carlo. snowy wet conditions the whole trip, so off of just about EVERY stop light the car would ping off the rev limiter constantly. reverse donuts in a mall parking lot.... bouncing off the rev limiter. on my way to returning it, taking a left hand turn too fast and the car being fwd, it just slid in the snow and started "pushing" right up into the curb. right side wheel bounced off the curb, and I just kept on goin. Made it to the place to drop it off and as I was getting my baggage to walk away, I heard the right front tire leaking air. Upon further inspection I noticed the aluminum wheel had a flat spot :D I GTFO of there right away :D :D :rolf

haha, that is awesome.....

[lordairgtar]

Yup, that's what I want to hear, great story.

[wikked]

it was a early 2000's monte carlo. snowy wet conditions the whole trip, so off of just about EVERY stop light the car would ping off the rev limiter constantly. reverse donuts in a mall parking lot.... bouncing off the rev limiter. on my way to returning it, taking a left hand turn too fast and the car being fwd, it just slid in the snow and started "pushing" right up into the curb. right side wheel bounced off the curb, and I just kept on goin. Made it to the place to drop it off and as I was getting my baggage to walk away, I heard the right front tire leaking air. Upon further inspection I noticed the aluminum wheel had a flat spot :D I GTFO of there right away :D :D :rolf


http://img.qj.net/uploads/articles_module/97128/1183574200026_qjgenth.jpg

Yea, I woulda done it too *shrug* :thumbsup

[88Nightmare]

dude i had some coupon, for the whole weekend the car was like 22 bucks plus tax, so i was like eh lets beat on a cheap car

[Car Guy]

What he did was nothing to sneeze at but I used to work for a rental car company and what we used to do to them was a lot worse than that.....

Which is why I tell people DO NOT but an ex-rental car...!!! And a 'program' car is the same thing, just sneaky wording on the dealership's part..... :rolleyes:






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[88Nightmare]

oh yeah id never buy a used rental car.... ever. for all you know some guys used it to pick up some hookers to knock their junk around and there is spunk and std's all over the backseat