alambrose

Been watching this trip to Tampa for a couple of months now and already have a couple of decent backup reservations through primary rental agencies sites (mid-size suv $1080 total 28 days, minivan $1160 28 days)... Was really hoping for a minivan but I can make do with much smaller... Saw on HOTWIRE today full-size for $11.95/day for 28 days in June (6/2-6/30 sat-sat) total cost is $575.22 with enterprise, and I booked it and confirmed. Economy was only $9.95/day... but that is a bit too small for my needs. Haven't seen it this cheap in a long time, and don't know how long it will last. Remember to click through to hotwire from links here

I had posted on 2/16 about a rental I won through Priceline for $14/day with Hertz, at TPA for 5/21-5/28. Well my wife decided she wanted to stay a bit longer, but these winning bids cannot be changed once they are accepted... so my only option was to go back in and bid again for the extra time. Anyway, it worked (deal was still available), so I added an extra two weeks at the same price. $14/day for a full size car, again with Hertz, for 5/28-6/11 (sat-sat, 2 wks). Total cost $269.58

Just won a bid for a full size in Tampa with Hertz, through PRICELINE. Tried minivan $15, full-size suv $20, mid-size suv $18, all declined. Full size car can be had on HOTWIRE for $15.95/day so thought I'd try PRICELINE for full-size at $14/day, got accepted with a total cost for the week of $149.79, Sat to Sat 5/21-5/28.

Got Alamo for a compact for $12 day... 6 days, total with taxes was around ~$130

I've been bidding on Priceline every day for the past 30 days, hitting EVERY class of vehicle with bids ranging as high as $23/day for a minivan, to a high of about $14/day for an economy. Back in Sept I got a minivan through Priceline for $16/day, so I guess I was a little spoiled and hoping for a repeat... wasn't happening. Saw $26.95/day on Hotwire for a minivan in TPA 11/2-11/17 (which I've also been checking several times daily for the past month), and decided to pull the trigger, total cost with all fees about $529 through Alamo. I didn't want to wait until the absolute last second and end up empty handed. My backup plan was a reservation with Advantage for a compact, that came to $390 total for the same period... I could make do with the compact, but I will be staying at the Tampa beaches, and then taking a day trip to Orlando with wife and 2 young children, so I really wanted the minivan.

I saw that Hotwire rates had dropped substantially for all vehicles for 9/1-9/11 in TPA. Minivan was listed at 18.95/day... Decided to try Priceline at $16/day and got accepted first time for minivan. 10 days, total $232.70 includes all taxes/fees. Pretty good price in my experience. Reservation is with Alamo at TPA, so that means I have to take the shuttle from the baggage area, but it is only a 5-minute drive and the shuttle runs continuously so not a big deal.

Also... Southwest air recently started flights into Panama City; with the threat of oil on the shoreline looming, I'm sure recreational travel is taking a hit, and car rentals may be cheaper there. I haven't checked, its just a thought.

This is a follow up to my recent rental from Hertz (via priceline) for a midsize vehicle at TPA, May 10-18th. As far as the rental experience goes, quick and easy, no hassles. What surprised me was that Hertz considers a Toyota Corolla to be a mid-size car... most of the times (in recent memory) that I've rented a mid-size I've been given a Chevy HHR or Chrysler Pt Cruiser. Exactly what are they offering up as compact or economy models nowadays?; I mean really, a Corolla is mid-size? That's BS!

Alamo and National are both located in the same location on Service Road, which is in the airport grounds; the shuttle runs every few minutes between the terminal and the rental counter, so it is not that big a deal, and the ride is less than 5 minutes. The other rental agencies (Hertz, Enterprise, etc) are located within 50 meters or so of the terminal, so you just walk up, check in, grab your car and go. I have used both the walk up, and shuttle at TPA... and given the choice I would just take the walk up (no loading and unloading on the shuttle, tipping the driver, waiting for other passengers, etc)... But the shuttle is not that big a deal. If I could save $20 on a rental using the shuttle, I'd do it.

Been trying for quite awhile to get a deal through PRICELINE for TPA, 5/10-5/18. Finally went through tonight. Got accepted on an offer for an economy for $14/day, total $164 for the 8-days; Priceline gave me the option to upgrade to compact (+$2/day), mid-size (+$3/day), or full size (+$5/day). Because I have two kids in car seats I decided to splurge and spend the extra $24 ($27 w/tax) for the mid-size, so my total is $191.84 for a mid-size with Hertz at TPA via Priceline for 8 days. I like Hertz at TPA because I can walk right to the rental car lot, jump in and go... NO SHUTTLE (like Alamo & National at TPA). The shuttle runs every few minutes, so it isn't that big a deal... but having to trek onto and off of the shuttle with bags and kids, and the extra 10 minutes or so it incurs, is only worth it if I can get a pretty good deal with Alamo or National.

You might do better directly from the company website, check out Rental Car Codes for current discount codes (some for up to 25% off) from most of the major car rental sites. -al

I have been continuing my bidding for a May 10th through May 18th rental for TPA. Up to now, I have been excluding economy and compact, although I could make do with these. There are 2 adults and 2 toddlers in car seats, so we do not need a lot of rear seat room, and we travel fairly light so we don't need a lot of cargo space. Still, for convenience I do prefer a minivan or at least a mid-size. I have been bidding now for about a couple of weeks, hitting the mid-size, standard, full-size, minivan and SUV categories with bids ranging from $10/day to $16/day, with no success. I finally tried for a compact at around $14/day, and that was denied too. Considering my trip isn't until May 10th, am I too early to be looking for a deal?

I have been trying for a few days now to get a rental in TPA for May 10th (monday) through May 18th (tuesday) through Priceline & Hotwire. I saw a post here where someone mentioned getting a mid-size for $12/day through Priceline (for February), but I did not get accepted at that bid. I've tried just about every class of vehicle from economy to full-size, minivan, suv, etc... with bids starting from $10/day, and then increasing up to as high as $15/day (for the minivan/suv). Just got shot down again this morning with a $14/day bid for the midsize... all of this has been through Priceline. Howire is not showing any decent rates, lowest is around $19/day for a subcompact. Just posting here to let others know what I am finding so far.