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Cheap Rental Cars We are going to Phoenix. The best price we received for car rental was $300 for the week. This is for a mid-size car. We are only paying $288 for two for the flight. Does anyone know how we can get a cheap rental car? We have checked with four different companies and this is the best price. Several Ways to Save There are several ways to get a cheap rental car. First, check into any associations you may belong to, such as a union, AAA, or a wholesale buyer's club. Take note of the discounts offered through these associations. Also, sign up for memberships with the various auto rental companies. There are often 'member-only' upgrades and discounts. And membership is free. Check online for a map of the city that you will be visiting. Check to verify the distance that the car rental office is from the airport. Often, the rates drop because there is less demand away from the airport. Finally, call the rental places in the city. Tell them what the best rate you've gotten is and ask if they can match it. Using these tips, I saved $126 (I had to pay a $23 cab fee, and I deducted that) when I flew into Florida Hotwire a Deal Regarding the couple in Phoenix who is looking to find a cheap rental car, I live on the outskirts of Phoenix and recently had to rent a car due to our car being unavailable. If you are familiar with computers, you can try an Internet site that I used www.hotwire.com. I was able to rent a mid-size car for 12 days for $450 and that price included taxes and fees. Try the Local Guy I live in Phoenix and have no affiliation with any rental car company, but my sister and her family are here now visiting from CT. After several phone calls and some Internet surfing prior to their arrival, I was able to find a local company who rents vehicles for $129 per week with 1000 free miles per week included. These are not brand new vehicles, but they are mechanically sound. The company is called Saban's Rent-a-Car. Their local phone number is 602-269-9316. My sister and her husband are very pleased with the people they've dealt with there and I was pleased with those I spoke to on the phone while gathering information. Check on Priceline.com Have you checked Priceline.com? I always use them to find cheap rental cars for my trips. They have never turned my offer down, even though I've offered at least $15 a day less than the lowest price the "companies" offered. Internet Connections You can try Priceline. Go to biddingfortravel.com , which is a forum where people post winning Priceline bids and strategies. Scroll down to Rental Cars, Arizona. Read the FAQ to understand exactly what commitment you're making. Have you tried Orbitz and/or Travelocity? Often, their rates are cheaper than calling on the phone. Also, try the Entertainment book. Check out entertainment.com to see if they have coupons for the agency that you're calling. Rent-a-wreck might also have some deals on cheap rental cars. You've Got to Go Online Unless there's a huge convention in town that week, $300 seems pretty outrageous for a mid-size car. To get the best rates, you've got to go online.
The best way to bid on Priceline is by going to biddingfortravel.com, where there is a ton of information on bidding strategy, so you find that perfect balance between a low price and an acceptable bid. If you bid through Priceline and your bid is rejected, you still have time to commit to Hotwire. Here's a Thrifty Solution Whenever we travel my husband and I always use Thrifty car rental. They have always provided the lowest rates no matter what city we are traveling to, not to mention great service. Many car rental companies also have "Internet specials." If you reserve your car in advance over the Internet, you receive up to 20% off the weekly rate. B.J. should also check with her own insurance company to see if they cover rental car damage, purchasing insurance through the rental company will add a lot to the final bill. Great Rates at Fox Check out Fox Rent-A-Car foxrentacar.com. They have great rates, such as $159.90 for a standard car like a Dodge Stratus. Do you have a time or money saving idea that wasn't included in this article? Please send it to tips@stretcher.com. We get the best ideas from our readers!
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