Hi everyone. Sorry if this is in the wrong section but it's my first post and i'm new to the forum. We're going to Florida / Disney this september and are trying to work out what would be the cheaper option with hire cars. I've read a lot from people saying not to take the " free " car that comes as part of the package but to completely forget about it and hire your own once there. The reason for not taking the free car being the extra charges. I was hoping someone would be able to tell me what the extra charges are likely to amount to as i've been pricing up a seperate car and it's looking like it will be in excess of £200 anyway.
Any advice gratefully received. Thanks a lot, Jim.
ps, also any info on the springhill suites. lake buena vista, good or bad, thanks
Hi Jim and welcome to HT!
We haven't beeen to Florida for 9 years, but even then we were either £300 or £400 for the "free" car hire.
I'm sure members who have been more recently will offer advice, but I have seen http://www.airline-network.co.uk recommended as being reasonable for car hire.
luci
We haven't beeen to Florida for 9 years, but even then we were either £300 or £400 for the "free" car hire.
I'm sure members who have been more recently will offer advice, but I have seen http://www.airline-network.co.uk recommended as being reasonable for car hire.
luci
I would not fall into the "free car" trap if you can help it !!
Try Usrentacar; they have some excellent deals and offer fully comp. packages.
Try Usrentacar; they have some excellent deals and offer fully comp. packages.
Whatever you do do not rent a car when you arrive, book it before you go with either Airline Network or Florida Car Hire, the standard hire package includes ALL the insurance you need for 2 drivers, the Gold/Platinum package includes a full tank (return empty) and cover for all drivers over 25. If your the only driver the standard package is fine, when you collect the car ask to take it away with a full tank and bring it back the same way, make sure you fill up before the airport or the rental companies charge $6.99 a gallon if they have to fill it up!.
http://www.airline-network.co.uk/Carhire/?
http://www.floridahire.com/
http://www.airline-network.co.uk/Carhire/?
http://www.floridahire.com/
thanks for that guys, jeff, is there a problem hiring when you arrive then ? or is it just something that is too much hasle on top of everything else ?
I would not fall into the "free car" trap if you can help it !!
Just wondered if you could explain why as i have never had any problems with free car hire.
TheFisherMan wrote:Just wondered if you could explain why as i have never had any problems with free car hire.
See link in my previous post.
Just wondered if you could explain why as i have never had any problems with free car hire.
Basically its not a problem...its just that its not free because they get you to pay through the nose for insurance, and in some cases upgrades
....and actually you can normally hire a car independently for substancially less.
Hope this helps
I have just booked a fly drive and will upgrade the car when I get there, I also chose not to take the insurance as it was £280 less, I'm sure i'll be able to find a seperate policy that will cover me, but can anyone recommend anywhere online ?
Thanks
Danny
Thanks
Danny
I have just booked a fly drive and will upgrade the car when I get there, I also chose not to take the insurance as it was £280 less, I'm sure i'll be able to find a seperate policy that will cover me, but can anyone recommend anywhere online ?
You'll probably be able to get an upgraded car & comprehensive cover for the same money, if not less booking car hire separately...try Usrentacar, Airline Network or similar........
You may well find some hire companies will not accept your own insurance arrangements, so be careful.
Thanks for getting back to me, so what you're saying is that I may be better to call and cancel my free Holiday car and just book one myself independantly ? the rental company of the free car is Alamo, but i'll get some quotes from the others,
Thanks
Danny
Thanks
Danny
I think you will find you wont save that much by doing it independently.
so what you're saying is that I may be better to call and cancel my free Holiday car and just book one myself independantly ? the rental company of the free car is Alamo, but i'll get some quotes from the others,
No need to call - just don't bother picking it up (presuming you haven't paid for the insurance yet).
For some reason you tend to get better deals going through brokers than direct than with say Almo or Hertz.............go have a look at Usrentacar - they seem to be doing some of the best deals at the moment -use the discount code 'summer06', (unless they are advertising a new one) for another £5 off.
http://www.usrentacar.co.uk/
Dependng of the company there are often significant savings to be made booking hire care independently even with flydrive packages
Thanks for the info and advice JDYBNSN, I had explored the avenue of renting a car myself when looking at a flight only package, but found the exact same flight came in cheaper with a Flydrive package for some reason, They wanted to charge me £280 for the insurance for 2 weeks so I said I would try and find my own.
Looks like I will just pick on myself as you say and forget about the "freebie"
Thanks again
Danny
Looks like I will just pick on myself as you say and forget about the "freebie"
Thanks again
Danny
Yes, ironic isn't it ? ....the best deal always seems to be the fly drive WITHOUT the car
...me thinks it is a clever little trap that the industry uses to lure unsuspecting holiday makers into what usually turns out to be quite an expensive option.
As far as I know, its only Travel City Direct that insist that you take their car on a flydrive (and often their prices don't work out too bad anyway).
...me thinks it is a clever little trap that the industry uses to lure unsuspecting holiday makers into what usually turns out to be quite an expensive option.
As far as I know, its only Travel City Direct that insist that you take their car on a flydrive (and often their prices don't work out too bad anyway).
jim38curl - Sorry for not replying earlier, lifes very hectic here now I'm a single parent with 3 kids (well young adults!).
Follow the good advice given above, hiring when you get there always works out much more expensive as they love to stick you for all sorts of insurance cover and taxes that are included in the bookings you make with Airline Network, UScarhire etc. You can get a worldwide insurance cover but a lot of the rental companies will not accept it.
If you're not tied to specific dates you can usually get some good prices booking within a week or two of the flight date, we got First Choice Star Class Premiere last April/May for just over £300, at the moment they have flights from Gatwick for Feb 21st at £319 or £218 in standard economy.
Follow the good advice given above, hiring when you get there always works out much more expensive as they love to stick you for all sorts of insurance cover and taxes that are included in the bookings you make with Airline Network, UScarhire etc. You can get a worldwide insurance cover but a lot of the rental companies will not accept it.
If you're not tied to specific dates you can usually get some good prices booking within a week or two of the flight date, we got First Choice Star Class Premiere last April/May for just over £300, at the moment they have flights from Gatwick for Feb 21st at £319 or £218 in standard economy.
my family went when i was a teenager with my older brother and we were promised a jeep as our free car as we were practically four adults and they wheeled out a tiny suzuki beach car! it was far too small so we had to hire a jeep from a dealership anyway!! id just wait till your there so you can choose your car yourself
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