Car Rental Tips

Renting a car in Vegas

It has been fairly easy getting a car in Vegas. We can hope it stays easy. At the airport they are building a new car pickup location served by a single shuttle bus. Regardless of which company you rent from, you will take the same shuttle to your car. This should make finding the shuttle bus easier, but it may remove the advantage that some customers had who joined a car VIP program. For example, at Dollar you can send in your information and be on file with them. That means when you rent a car all the paperwork is done and previously you could by pass the office and just go to get the car in the lot. During busy times this saved a lot of hassle. How it will work in the new lot, no one knows for sure. For more information: http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2004/May-07-Fri-2004/business/23821833.html

However, it is still a good idea to sign up for this service because it may save you time or get you a deal. For example, Dollar Express also sends free upgrade coupons for new members so that could be handy.

Speaking of Dollar, a good time to book a good fare is right no. They have Compact cars for $98 a week which is about the cheapest price. This compares with $130 in the other usual places. I booked for the three weeks. It locks in that price and I can always cancel. They do not take a charge card when you book. If you fly Southwest Dollar also will add some rapid rewards points to your frequent flier card, but you must remember to tell them.

Also, many of the car rentals offer discounts to certain groups who enter a Promo code. These codes change but can be used by anyone. For example, by using an FF05 code I got a 5% reduction in my rate today. I got the code from a bulletin board note. Other companies have codes. Sometimes they work, sometimes not. Here is one source of such codes:

http://rentalcodes.com/
o use a code at Dollar you need first to go to the Specials section of the menu and then you will see the promo code box.

Two things to be careful about:

1. Be certain that your own insurance or the insurance on the credit card you use (or both) covers you for the rental. If you have to buy insurance from Dollar, it will be pricey.

2. If you choose the option of coming back with a full tank, it is easy to get gas on the way in to the airport at a good price. For the empty tank return option, Dollar will quote you a price lower than what is around, but remember that any gas left in the car when you return it, it theirs to keep for free. What you need to be careful to do is get a receipt when you fill up the car. In the recent past Dollar has required those receipts or even added a $10 refill automatically if the car was run under a certain mileage. None of this ever happened to me, but to some other posters on the informational boards.

All of the standard car companies are about the same. Some of the smaller ones will not let you travel out of the state, or will rank cars so that you think you are getting a compact, but you are getting what other places would be an economy. Some too charge you for a ride from the airport. I’d avoid those. If you are going to rent, it is to your advantage to rent at the airport and return there to save your cost of transportation between airport to hotel.

If you are going to stay a long time, and want the car for just part of that time, remember that Dollar will shuttle you from their airport drop off location to your hotel. You just have to ask. And also remember that El Cortez (real low scale frugal place downtown) has a free shuttle to the airport up until 2PM for guests staying there who sign up the day before.

Here is a post from one site. I don't know how accurate it is:

SAMS is a good discount. Typing in SAMS for the discount
code at Thrifty will get you 10% off. At Alamo, if you are a member of
their Quicksilver program, you sometimes get 10% automatically on line.
Couple that with an entertainment book coupon and you have a good deal.
My next LV trip is for 6 days. I got a compact for $117.05 out the
door. $76.75 for the car, $40.30 in taxes and fees.

Here are some ueful rental sites:

http://www.dollar.com/

Vegas Locations for Dollar cars


http://www.travelnow.com/cars/index.jsp?cid=504

http://www.a2zlasvegas.com/transportation/rentals.html

http://www.destinationcoupons.com/Nevada/Las_Vegas/car_budget/rental.asp

http://www.bnm.com/index.html