Car Hire Florida

Vanquish-Storm · 30 Jan 2020 at 22:14

Anyone to avoid or anyone to look for?

Need to hire a car for 4 adults and 4 case from Sanford for 14 days.

Edit: Looking at something along the lines of a Ford Edge

mattyy · 31 Jan 2020 at 08:37

I've recently booked with Alamo.

https://www.alamo.co.uk/deals/
They have their current deals listed there.

Fourstar · 31 Jan 2020 at 09:02

A thread pops up on Motors every few years asking the same question. I think this is the most recent one.

The most recommended thing that gets mentioned is to book through a UK company as you get the damage waiver included as standard with 0 excess.

kinobestew123 · 31 Jan 2020 at 09:12

For Florida, we booked through Virgin Holidays, we rented a “Toyota RAV 4 or similar (Intermediate SUV)” class from Alamo and got a Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross. It was £509.13 for 17 days so £29.95 per day. This was 2019.

For California, we booked through Netflights, we rented a “S : STAR Ford Mustang Convertible or Similar 2 Door Auto A/C (or Similar)” class from Alamo and got a Mustang. It was £217.87 for 8 days so £27.23 per day. This was 2015.

I think I used a couple of comparison websites to find ours, namely:

www.skyscanner.net

https://www.carrentals.co.uk/

There is a huge amount of knowledge on this forum thread:

https://forums.overclockers.co.uk/threads/road-tripping-in-the-usa.18227057/page-32

I’ve read a fair amount of it in the past. Some people have good tricks and tips. Key ones being:

1) It seems to be considerably more expensive to choose a specific car (i.e. Mustang) rather than going for a certain class (i.e. Mustang or similar). They must be cashing in on you wanting a certain car.

2) Watch the times that you pick up and drop off if you can. If you say that you’re picking up a car up at 3pm and return at 4pm, you’ll get charged for a whole extra day. Therefore better to say 3pm to 2pm and not incur the extra day charge. I believe there is some allowance if you’re late anyway.

3) I always make sure to fill the car up myself before returning it rather than paying for the privilege of being allowed to return it empty. Otherwise if you return it with some petrol in, you’ve wasted that money.

4) Make sure you buy from a UK agent, not a US agent, otherwise you can end up with only third party insurance which is a massive issue if you have an accident. The UK agents have to give you fully comprehensive insurance.

gonda · 31 Jan 2020 at 13:48

Yeah I second using Alamo, I've always flown into Orlando Int where I know their cars can be collected from the multi storey connected, but Alamo are all over the place.

A2Z · 31 Jan 2020 at 17:00

Alamo x100. They do special rates when booking from UK just search it.

Used them last month in Miami, everything went very smoothly. We were able to pick our own car from about 8-10 that were parked up, first time that's ever happened to me when renting a car, normally they choose it for you.

sanaxe1 · 31 Jan 2020 at 17:15

We used alamo. Was good service and price.

mrkev · 31 Jan 2020 at 18:28

I've only had experience of Alamo (booked through Virgin) and have been mostly ok. However, the last time we used them they tried to add 'extras' that we didn't need. Just say no to it all and check the paperwork before you leave the desk. We said no and they still added the extra on.

byeo · 31 Jan 2020 at 19:00

Discount Florida Car Hire - https://www.discountfloridacarhire.co.uk/

Used them last year when we went for three weeks, they offer rentals off all the regulars such as Alamo, Dollar, Hertz, Budget, National etc.. they’re based in the UK, no deposit required and if you see a price drop on the same car elsewhere or on their own website, drop them an email and they’ll amend it to reflect the lower price up until payment is required. I ended up emailing them 6 times within about 5 months as the price dropped closer to the date of travel.

Vanquish-Storm · 31 Jan 2020 at 19:03

Thanks chaps, Alamo seems highly rated.

I thought there was a big thread and couldn't find it because it's the sticky thread sorry!

A2Z · 31 Jan 2020 at 19:10

Vanquish-Storm said:
Thanks chaps, Alamo seems highly rated.

I thought there was a big thread and couldn't find it because it's the sticky thread sorry!

Do not use the link provided in the previous post though, why go via a 3rd party when you can get a better deal direct.

www.alamo.co.uk/car-hire-savings-usa is the link you want

Vanquish-Storm · 31 Jan 2020 at 20:51

A2Z said:
Do not use the link provided in the previous post though, why go via a 3rd party when you can get a better deal direct.

www.alamo.co.uk/car-hire-savings-usa is the link you want

Spot on that sir! Amazing how companies have loads of URLs to the same end product with different prices.

Works out at £375 for the two weeks for the Ford Edge (or Similar)

Reading about Alamo you get to choose your car from your category.

stigggeh · 31 Jan 2020 at 22:40

I got back from Miami yesterday. Booked through 'E-Bookers' with 24 hours notice before pickup and was an AVIS rental for a softop (mustang or similar) and ended up with a Camaro. Came as standard with a zero excess damage waver, which was useful seeing how they drove because i'd been there a few days already. All was fine, parking was a pain in Miami Beach though with next to zero street parking and public lots costing $20 for 24hrs. With the Super Bowl build up, traffic was a bit heavier than usual too.

Pick up and return was fine - worked out about £220 for 8 days, with 40 quid on top for the nav, the nav i thought was a bit steep given it was a standard unit. They offered us a $59 dollar toll package which we didnt need. $3.50 a gallon fuel in Miami, filled up in Homestead for $2.50 on the way back from Key West made it a bit cheaper.

Jean-F · 1 Feb 2020 at 01:13

A2Z said:
Alamo x100. They do special rates when booking from UK just search it.

Used them last month in Miami, everything went very smoothly. We were able to pick our own car from about 8-10 that were parked up, first time that's ever happened to me when renting a car, normally they choose it for you.

I liked that option with Alamo, one trip a few years ago, I opted for a Ford Escape at Tampa International, because it looked comfortable, and I was sure that my wife could handle it, when I’m on holiday I don’t even want to touch a steering wheel.
She vetoed it, “It’s got Texas plates, everyone will think that I’ve got a gun!”
I said, “Well, no one will cut you up.”
“Nah, gimme a crack at that Lincoln Town Car, with Missouri plates.”

gronf · 1 Feb 2020 at 19:03

While you're at it, care to hire a book? Or maybe hire a video game? No, you wouldn't, because you don't hire things :mad:

. You hire people; you rent things

. Also, have you brought anything recently from a shop?

Get off my territory :mad:

Okay..."color", irony deficiency (iron deficiency too in some spots e.g. rural south..), me living in a sheltered overpriced suburb...all that sucks, yeah... but I gotta take a stand somewhere, dammit. However, I got some super important stuff to take care of now, but give me 3-4 months and I'll be there to defend this land against your type of wrong'un.

Vanquish-Storm · 1 Feb 2020 at 19:45

viathinair said:
While you're at it, care to hire a book? Or maybe hire a video game? No, you wouldn't, because you don't hire things . You hire people; you rent things . Also, have you brought anything recently from a shop?

Get off my territory

Okay..."color", irony deficiency (iron deficiency too in some spots e.g. rural south..), me living in a sheltered overpriced suburb...all that sucks, yeah... but I gotta take a stand somewhere, dammit. However, I got some super important stuff to take care of now, but give me 3-4 months and I'll be there to defend this land against your type of wrong'un.

Have you been drinking kind sir!

I stick by hire!

To pay to use something for a short period!

Brought however I am with you on that one! Heavans!

Vanquish-Storm · 2 Feb 2020 at 17:43

Lowest I can get for an intermediate SUV with 3 drivers is £440 for the 2 weeks with Alamo

kinobestew123 · 3 Feb 2020 at 16:33

Vanquish-Storm said:
Brought however I am with you on that one! Heavans!

How did you get it home from the shop? Presumably you "brought" it. Therefore, if somebody says they brought a can of coke from the shop, they're technically correct. They probably (hopefully) also bought it first.

Vanquish-Storm · 3 Feb 2020 at 16:43

kinobestew123 said:
How did you get it home from the shop? Presumably you "brought" it. Therefore, if somebody says they brought a can of coke from the shop, they're technically correct. They probably (hopefully) also bought it first.

Oooo controversial but I guess your logic is correct!

Back on track booked with Alamo (Max?) Which was a free upgrade to the next level, so standard SUV.

3 drivers and a full tank of fuel £414

acemastr · 3 Feb 2020 at 18:45

SixT are good if you're <25, otherwise there's a fee from other places.