How to find a rental car deal in the US?

[Klaus]

@mik said in How to find a rental car deal in the US?:

off-brand rental company

What is an off-brand rental company?

[Klaus]

@lufins-dad said in How to find a rental car deal in the US?:

I would deal directly with Enterprise.

You mean book directly via the Enterprise website?

[George K]

@lufins-dad said in How to find a rental car deal in the US?:

I get a better rate from the company directly. I’ve checked the hotels, too. Same thing.

This.

[Mik]

Fox for starters. Stay with the big nationals. The ones offering such attractive rates are usually off brand.

[Mik]

@klaus said in How to find a rental car deal in the US?:

@lufins-dad said in How to find a rental car deal in the US?:

I would deal directly with Enterprise.

You mean book directly via the Enterprise website?

Yep.

[LuFins Dad]

Stick with Avis, Enterprise, Alamo, and Budget. I’d stay away from Dollar and Hertz.

Enterprise has consistently given me the best value vs service/convenience. Hertz used to be right there too, but there have been too many horror stories lately.

[Klaus]

One thing I just found out: I don't want to book via the local Enterprise.com website. Check this out. This is for exactly the same car, same dates, same locations.

US website:

Local website:

[Mik]

Quite a variation there. On the Enterprise site you make your reservation on the site you will pick up.

[LuFins Dad]

$443 per week is great! I was expecting to see $700…

[Klaus]

I've found an offer that looks suspiciously cheap on the budget.com website.

Can you spot anything that is obviously wrong with this offer? It's far cheaper than what I found elsewhere for a similar car.

[LuFins Dad]

@klaus Budget is a legitimate company that I frankly forgot about. I believe their specialty is long term rentals which is ideal for your situation.

[LuFins Dad]

@george-k said in How to find a rental car deal in the US?:

@lufins-dad said in How to find a rental car deal in the US?:

I get a better rate from the company directly. I’ve checked the hotels, too. Same thing.

This.

And today’s little life hack…Look up the closest college/university to the hotel and ask if they offer a _____________ rate…

[Copper]

The best car rental deals I have found were at Costco

https://www.costcotravel.com/

And it is nice to see several options all together


[Jolly]

I'm a Emerald Club guy ..

[Mik]

Me too.

[LuFins Dad]

Something tells me @Mik has rented A LOT of cars in his time…

[Copper]

@jolly said in How to find a rental car deal in the US?:

Emerald Club

We first built that system in London for Europcar in the early 90s.

Then we brought it here with a bunch of changes for National and Alamo.

[Mik]

@lufins-dad said in How to find a rental car deal in the US?:

Something tells me @Mik has rented A LOT of cars in his time…

Hundreds.

[Axtremus]

@lufins-dad said in How to find a rental car deal in the US?:

Hertz used to be right there too, but there have been too many horror stories lately.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/hertz-claims-false-arrests/

Article on Hertz being sued by multiple customers for filing false vehicle theft reports leading to customers being wrongfully arrested. Hertz is also currently going through bankruptcy proceedings.