rental car rates (Tampa, Tamiami: renter, credit card, luxury)

[loves2read]

mr/mrs sunshine--if you have bought a home in the area would it would be worth the money to buy a good older used car to keep parked when you are not here?

there are rental companies where you can walk out of the terminal to your car
there are a few--budget/enterprise-where you ride a shuttle bus a mile or so away to their lot to pick up your car...

going back to see my daughter middle of Sept with good friend who has been through a mastectomy and reconstruction lately--
will be checking for car rates again
short term rates are just the pits if you are not a frequent user/business traveler
on our last trip--the price our daughter got was great--but it was not really the times we needed for our flight return--trying to change it would have cost $300 more--so we would up coming into TPA several hours earlier and eating lunch with our daughter at PF Changs in the mall close to airport--she had to come in her car so she had a way back--think she went by Ikea afterwards to make her trip worthwhile

[WAwannabe]

The trick I found is to check the codes.. I've had gret luck booking through Alamo and mixing codes for weekend rates, weekly specials, last minute specials etc.. I've also notdone bad at National since I'm an emerald isle member but they do tend to be a little higher in price. Something to check also is that some insurance companies will cover you in a rental so you can decline their insurance - I know American Express Gold do.. When you coming in September -I'll see what rates I can find..

Originally Posted by loves2read

mr/mrs sunshine--if you have bought a home in the area would it would be worth the money to buy a good older used car to keep parked when you are not here?

there are rental companies where you can walk out of the terminal to your car
there are a few--budget/enterprise-where you ride a shuttle bus a mile or so away to their lot to pick up your car...

going back to see my daughter middle of Sept with good friend who has been through a mastectomy and reconstruction lately--
will be checking for car rates again
short term rates are just the pits if you are not a frequent user/business traveler
on our last trip--the price our daughter got was great--but it was not really the times we needed for our flight return--trying to change it would have cost $300 more--so we would up coming into TPA several hours earlier and eating lunch with our daughter at PF Changs in the mall close to airport--she had to come in her car so she had a way back--think she went by Ikea afterwards to make her trip worthwhile

[TamiamiTrailBlues]

I found a ton of discounts and codes just by searching car rental codes in Google. Up to 25% off weekly rentals.

[mr&mrssunshine]

Originally Posted by Big House

Stop it! You are about to make me cry! If you could fight worth a crap we wouldn't have kicked your butts out, and you would still be here!

Just teasing! Hurry back! I miss ya buddy!

huh we lose one road trip and you crow on!!!

we cant wait either amigo- just 25 days now

[mr&mrssunshine]

Originally Posted by loves2read

mr/mrs sunshine--if you have bought a home in the area would it would be worth the money to buy a good older used car to keep parked when you are not here?

there are rental companies where you can walk out of the terminal to your car
there are a few--budget/enterprise-where you ride a shuttle bus a mile or so away to their lot to pick up your car...

going back to see my daughter middle of Sept with good friend who has been through a mastectomy and reconstruction lately--
will be checking for car rates again
short term rates are just the pits if you are not a frequent user/business traveler
on our last trip--the price our daughter got was great--but it was not really the times we needed for our flight return--trying to change it would have cost $300 more--so we would up coming into TPA several hours earlier and eating lunch with our daughter at PF Changs in the mall close to airport--she had to come in her car so she had a way back--think she went by Ikea afterwards to make her trip worthwhile

it might eb however we always fly with Virgin and have to go into Orlando, so we would still have to get the 170 odd miles each way which would end up costing a load. Besides which an old car wont work - Mrs S wants a Viper (and I quite fancy a Cayman) so thats the auto budget blown !!

we invariably end up using hertz who are best and cheapest and are only a short shuttle trip from Orlando int

[JH6]

You can bid what you want to with priceline.

We snagged a full sized car for $25 per day out of tampa airport with Budget.

They ran out of full sized cars, and gave us a mid size We ended up with a malibu 4 cylinder.

[CraftLadyKim]

You can also get in touch with Jack's Car Rental in Sarasota. If you can get a shuttle ride from Tampa to Sarasota he's usually very reasonable. If you fly into Sarasota-Bradenton Airport he'll pick you upfrom and deliver you back to the airport.

[Scots]

We regularly see $21/day out of TPA using Hotwire. Check often; prices change daily.

[mr&mrssunshine]

i love flying into sarasota airport because its so relaxed. orlando is a nightmare -not as bad a s Miami though, but we have to go into MCO as Virgin dont fly into Tampa. I have done Virgin to NY and then hopped down to sarasota which is great but Mrs S doesnt like stopovers (extra takeoffs and landings !)

[SRQ_Sioux]

I just heard that the rental car companies will not rent to anyone over 75 yrs of age? My Great Aunt wants to visit and this is what she was told. She is 76 yrs old and has a Great driving record etc. Is this true?? Does anyone know??