Question for those who frequent LV

[EyeHeartHalves]

What are the cheapest rental cars in LV? About how much are they per day? Is renting a car at the airport a rip-off or not (when subtracting the cost of two taxi rides from the strip)? About how much do casinos charge for parking?

In case you can't tell, I never rented a car before but I spent way too much for taxies the last time I was out there. I spent an average of $50 per day because I was frequenting some of those "Greater LV DD games." After four full days of playing blackjack, I flew home, up only $175 after all expenses. It's not the taxi drivers' fault but still... Was wondering if an "airport rental car" is less than $40 per day?

Also, do I need reservations if I'm going to arrive on a Saturday morning?

I appreciate it if you guys could help me decide,

--Halves

 

[21forme]

I don't frequent LV, but I have rented cars before.

Yes, airports are more expensive, but IMO the convenience makes up for it, unless you're renting for a long time (> 1 week.)

I've gotten the best rental deals from Priceline or Hotwire. Rarely is the company's own site going to give you a better rate, even with discount coupons.

 

[shadroch]

I'm going to disagree. I get the best deals from the companies themselves. I have a Cobalt rented Sept 15th-22nd. It came to $94 including all the fees.I got it thru Alamo using a promo code I got by googling discount codes for Alamo. Thats $13.50 a day including all fees and taxes. I found a Corp. ID that gave me 20% off base,and a internet coupon for $25 off.
The disadvantage in renting at the airport is you pay slightly more. The advantage is you save the taxi fares, have a much larger selection,and have an excellant chance of "getting an upgrade" from the lot attendant for a small bribe.
Priceline works great in Florida,not so well in Vegas.I hear you can't get "upgrades" when you go thru Priceline.

 

[bjcounter]

I joined Dollar's club. It's free and it saves you from waiting in line, several hours sometimes. Also, I rent cars enough throughout the year I get a few free days a year. Google different pages, or go to http://www.retailmenot.com They have promo codes for up to 25% off. Then go directly to rental's website and book through them.

Hope this helps.:joker:

 

[EyeHeartHalves]

Hope this helps.:joker:

It all just might help, bjcounter. However, I just had a horrible thought. If I have three ploppies in tow, don't I run the risk of "becoming one of those taxi drivers that I'm so desperately trying to avoid?" Oh, no. Instead of rolling up to one of those hot DD games with 75% penetration, I may find myself rolling up to Barry Manilow at the LV Hilton.

This is something I haven't considered

 

[callipygian]

I only rented a car in Vegas once, but I went with online booking at an airport shop. The airport rental was actually the cheapest option I could find, including having to cab BACK to the airport to pick up my rental car.

I was out there for a few days with friends, and then tacked on a day with my wife in Vegas and then a few days in Zion/Bryce National Parks. I could have rented from any number of places on or just off the Strip (and taken a shuttle back to the airport at the end) but the airport was actually the best deal.

I'm pretty sure I went through priceline or expedia or whatever was the newest search engine in 2003.

 

[ColorMeUp]

What are the cheapest rental cars in LV? About how much are they per day? Is renting a car at the airport a rip-off or not (when subtracting the cost of two taxi rides from the strip)? About how much do casinos charge for parking?

In case you can't tell, I never rented a car before but I spent way too much for taxies the last time I was out there. I spent an average of $50 per day because I was frequenting some of those "Greater LV DD games." After four full days of playing blackjack, I flew home, up only $175 after all expenses. It's not the taxi drivers' fault but still... Was wondering if an "airport rental car" is less than $40 per day?

Also, do I need reservations if I'm going to arrive on a Saturday morning?

I appreciate it if you guys could help me decide,

--Halves

I've found that payless is usually the cheapest. What I do when I book rental cars is first do a search on expedia to see who's general base rates are cheapest, then look at that company's site. The company direct site is sometimes cheaper than expedia. You can also check sites like fatwallet.com for promo/coupon ID codes.

My last trip for 9days/8nights the car was $168 and change for the second step up from economy. Ended up in a Ford Focus. Not a bad deal.

 

[shadroch]

You could always stay in one of those casinos,you know.
Vegas has a surprisingly efficent bus system that is less than $5 a day for a pass.Learn to exploit the free shuttle services many casinos provide.
A cab from Harrahs to Downtown cost $20+. A bus cost $2. Or you can take a free shuttle to Samstown and then catch a different free shuttle to Downtown. The last two options take roughly the same amount of time.
From the strip,you can catch a free shuttle to The Rio and walk over to the Gold Coast. The free Hard Rock shuttle gets you pretty close to Terribles.
The easiest way is to rent a car,but there are other options to cabbing it everywhere.

 

[ChefJJ]

I agree with the popular sentiment here...just get the rental from the airport. Believe it or not, rental rates are pretty cheap at LV's airport when you compare them to some other airports. The convenience is well worth it, although Vegas has recently gone to a car rental center arrangement where they truck you down the street to an off-site center...whereas it used to be just down at the north end of the airport (if I can remember correctly).

I rent cars from various airports periodically, but only from Vegas every so often (usually just cab it up). Sites like Expedia work just fine...but you can always compare the rates there with the company's.

good luck

 

[EyeHeartHalves]

Wow,

thanks a lot guys. You gave me a lot to consider but it's all quality advice. I'm leaning towards the airport but maybe not. I'm sure I will now be able to stumble on the most cost-effective way to travel. This will help me on future trips as well.

Thanks again.

--Halves

 

[ColorMeUp]

Forgot to mention above, another reason I book directly with the companies instead of a third party is that it's easier to cancel a reservation if need be, and you can always get the lower rates if prices come down by calling and having them adjust the reservation or just cancelling and rebooking. Travel discount sites often charge the balance up front and have poor cancellation policies.

 

[shadroch]

To reenforce the above comments- let me detail my upcoming trip.
In late July,I booked a car for 9/15 thru 9/22. Best rate was $134 with Advantage. A few weeks later,while checking Alamo,I found a $119 rate.
Last week,I found a $94 rate. With a 3rd party booking,I'm not sure what would happen, but all I had to do with Alamo is book it and cancel the previous one.

 

[Crunchmeister]

shadroch....I like the way you operate.....you nailed those shuttles down cold! Sam's Town...Coast....Harrah's and others...work 'em!

 

[Jeff Dubya]

Shadroch, I totally agree. Know where the free shuttles and trams are and use them. The deuce is a great way to get back and forth to fremont on the cheap. Depending on where you are heading/staying the monorail can work for you as well.

I used to look for the cheapest deals (e.g. Strat/Sahara/Tropicana) and rent a car or do the taxi thing, but it's ALL a waste of time. And time is money.

When I go to vegas, I have an itinerary planned out for every day I am there. Each day I try and stay in a 3 block radius (easy to do) and I list out my dining and entertainment options in advance. Shows and nice dinners are booked WAY far in advance so I never get shut out.

And... I stay more center strip now. First, if you get to know a casino host, you can get rates equivalent to the strip fringe. Second, if you want to do less moving around, get closer to the action.

But if you rent a car you spend a lot on valets and rental fees, not to mention parking every where you drive takes a lot of time. I'd rather spend that time enjoying vegas, personally.

Just my 2 cents.

 

[Buzzer]

LV Car Rental

I'm in LV at the moment. Got a car through rentalcars.com. I don't know if they're the cheapest, but I paid $65.00 (including taxes) for four days. Free shuttle runs between car rentals and airport. Ended up with a Sabre, no complaints.

Probably cheaper ones out there but not sure it's worth the effort to find them.

 

[baseball21]

I also always rent a car when in Vegas. I book through priceline or hotwire and usually get a rate of about $15 a day after fees and everything. They run shuttles constantly from the airport to the rental center and back. I longest I have ever waited in line at the rental center is like 10 minutes at the actual car companies line.

 

[aslan]

I joined Dollar's club. It's free and it saves you from waiting in line, several hours sometimes. Also, I rent cars enough throughout the year I get a few free days a year. Google different pages, or go to http://www.retailmenot.com They have promo codes for up to 25% off. Then go directly to rental's website and book through them.

Hope this helps.:joker:

No one finds better bargains than my wife. She has used Alamo in the past, among others, but in the past two years she has dealt exclusively with Dollar, although she does check out the others as well. If someone will be accompanying you and also renting a car, both of you must be members of the Dollar Express, so that both of you can avoid waiting in line.

Last trip only my wife was a Dollar Express member so she had to wait for me in line. I signed up online last night as a matter of fact.

You can get discounts through BJ's, AAA, the various airlines rewards programs (like Southwest Rapid Rewards), and others. My wife checks them all out each trip for the best discount.

She couldn't remember the exact per day amount, but it was the best of all the agencies, and it does vary from year to year.

Ask for an economy car and they will automatically upgrade you to a compact, since Dollar doesn't have the economy models in Vegas.

We always rent at the airport. They shuttle you to a large off-airport facility that handles all the rental companies. It's a very quick process in my opinion.

 

[aslan]

With a car, there are great places to eat and gamble off the strip. We have many friends and a few relatives in Vegas as well. One Casino off the strip that is worth visiting is Red Rock, as first class place built by the Station Casino group. The Fiesta Rancho Casino has its own ice rink (my wife ice skates). Over the years we have found a number of nice restaurants; Italian; Chinese (West Charleston--Chinatown); low priced and good like Arizona Charlie's west on Decatur; great breakfast places like Omelet House and Blueberry Hill; Bagelmania (E Twain); a great Mediterranean Cafe at Flalmingo and Maryland; the Bagel Cafe in Summerlin (first class breakfast and lunch restaurant); etc. With a car we can visit Freed's bakery, Frye's Electronics (South LV Blvd); outlet stores (Belz Factory Outlet Stores (South LV Blvd.); Primm outlet stores; the downtown casinos such as El Cortez; Roma's on W Charleston where they make great Italian bread; the swap meet in N LV; The gambler's bookstore (a must visit);

 

[HockeXpert]

Rental Car a must in LV

Advantage and Payless are usually cheapest but take the longest in line when renting ( maybe 1/2 hour max). A rental car is a must for getting to all the casinos outside the strip and downtown area. Station Casino's games are worth the rental costs alone. Time is money, so shuttles aren't as cost effective as a rental car and as you said cabs add up quick when hopping around.

Don't know about Sat mornings at the Rental Car Center. I have never been there at that time.

 

[aslan]

Advantage and Payless are usually cheapest but take the longest in line when renting ( maybe 1/2 hour max). A rental car is a must for getting to all the casinos outside the strip and downtown area. Station Casino's games are worth the rental costs alone. Time is money, so shuttles aren't as cost effective as a rental car and as you said cabs add up quick when hopping around.

Don't know about Sat mornings at the Rental Car Center. I have never been there at that time.

What do you like about the Station Casinos? I didn't find their games worth playing.