Travel Tools - New multiple search car rental site that automatically applies coupons [Autoslash]

Autoslash looks like a winner so far:

http://www.autoslash.com/

Click on coupons and see an array of coupons for all the companies in one place. The site will then search using your coupon

Thanks for the kudos. We are working hard to make the site as useful as possible, not only for the average consumer looking to rent, but to the FT community as well. We have some really interesting features planned for the power user, so stay tuned.

The cool thing about the coupons page, which may not be immediately apparent, is that if you enter in your actual rental dates, and whether you are renting on or off airport, it will filter the coupons to show you only the ones that are applicable to your specific rental. If you're renting for a weekend, you don't want to see a whole slew of weekly coupons right? Just one small example of how we're trying to do it better than the "other guys".

Rental cars have been like the red headed step child of the online travel space. The sites that are out there today are pretty ho-hum. We're looking to create some innovation in this space and spice things up a bit. Certainly the segment could use a bit of sex appeal. ;-)

We're hard at work on our blog now, so you'll see that next. We've got some great ideas for interesting articles, but would love suggestions from the FT community as well.

Aggressive pricing through a number of different innovative approaches will continue to be our focus, so if you're looking for a rental, do yourself a favor and price shop us along with your usual booking sites. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised. :)

Autoslash looks like a winner so far:

http://www.autoslash.com/

Click on coupons and see an array of coupons for all the companies in one place. The site will then search using your coupon

Jonathan

Any sense of when the problems on Autoslash will be fixed? I just tried to put in a request for CLT for later this month... and being told no cars available.

Looks like they have "gone out of business" for awhile. What a shame!

Updated on their website earlier today:

To our loyal customers:

We regret to inform you that Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group, Inc. – the corporate parent of Dollar and Thrifty, and Hertz Corporation which also owns Advantage – took action to prevent our customers from booking rentals from these brands through AutoSlash.

This action came on the heels of this February 18, 2012 New York Times article, which encouraged the renting public to "make a statement" by "booking through AutoSlash and patronizing Hertz, Thrifty and the other companies that play along." We're disappointed that these companies have now chosen to reverse course and adopt this anti-consumer position, after having participated in this site since its launch in mid-2010. Apparently, with more customers booking reservations through our service, they felt they could no longer support our consumer-friendly model of automatically finding the best discount codes and re-booking when rates drop.


Any sense of when the problems on Autoslash will be fixed? I just tried to put in a request for CLT for later this month... and being told no cars available.

Looks like they have "gone out of business" for awhile. What a shame!

Updated on their website earlier today:

To our loyal customers:

We regret to inform you that Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group, Inc. – the corporate parent of Dollar and Thrifty, and Hertz Corporation which also owns Advantage – took action to prevent our customers from booking rentals from these brands through AutoSlash.

This action came on the heels of this February 18, 2012 New York Times article, which encouraged the renting public to "make a statement" by "booking through AutoSlash and patronizing Hertz, Thrifty and the other companies that play along." We're disappointed that these companies have now chosen to reverse course and adopt this anti-consumer position, after having participated in this site since its launch in mid-2010. Apparently, with more customers booking reservations through our service, they felt they could no longer support our consumer-friendly model of automatically finding the best discount codes and re-booking when rates drop.

Well we haven't "gone out of business" but we're clearly facing some challenges. It's a shame that the rental companies have taken this position, which is so clearly anti-consumer.

We are working on some new stuff, and will likely seek input from the FT community as things develop. In the meantime, you can click on the "Track a rental you've booked elsewhere" tab on our homepage and let us know about any existing rentals. We'll be in touch if we find a better deal.

We appreciate everyone's support during this time.

That is why I put it in quotes... hope it is only for a short time.

So, if I need a rental for CLT, I can book one... and put the info on your website, and you will try to "beat" it? Should I be looking at the companies you mentioned in your announcement? or any company?

Thanks again, love your service!

That is why I put it in quotes... hope it is only for a short time.

So, if I need a rental for CLT, I can book one... and put the info on your website, and you will try to "beat" it? Should I be looking at the companies you mentioned in your announcement? or any company?

Thanks again, love your service!

Yes that's correct, and you can book with any company. We're are in a bit of a rebuilding phase right now, so please bear with us if things are not perfect for a while. While the rental companies are no longer committed to working with AutoSlash, AutoSlash is committed to doing right by it's customers. We're working on a new improved service that we hope will be even more useful to people. Stay tuned...

Appreciate the info.

Disappointed that you are not operating in normal mode right now.

I needed a CLT airport rental for April 20 - 24 and prices are sky high.

I have booked a non airport location at half price and will have to taxi it back and forth.

I have placed it on your website... if you can find an airport rate at about the same price, I would take it! And book through you if you can get credit!

Appreciate the info.

Disappointed that you are not operating in normal mode right now.

I needed a CLT airport rental for April 20 - 24 and prices are sky high.

I have booked a non airport location at half price and will have to taxi it back and forth.

I have placed it on your website... if you can find an airport rate at about the same price, I would take it! And book through you if you can get credit!

Rental rates are very high that week due to the spring furniture mart (http://www.highpointmarket.org/default.aspx) in the area. Best we can find at the airport is $256.88. Will PM with details.

Appreciate the info.

Disappointed that you are not operating in normal mode right now.

I needed a CLT airport rental for April 20 - 24 and prices are sky high.

I have booked a non airport location at half price and will have to taxi it back and forth.



Go to this page for rental discounts for the show (just swing by to make it legit if you want)

http://www.highpointmarket.org/04_pdf/HPMAPlanningGuide.pdf

National can get you a car for $253.45, budget $220, Enterprise $234

Which are all still double the cost at the off airport locations

If it helps, if you use Hertz you can pick it up at the HLE and drop it off at the airport for $117, then it's only a hassle at one end.

Appreciate the info.

Disappointed that you are not operating in normal mode right now.

I needed a CLT airport rental for April 20 - 24 and prices are sky high.

I have booked a non airport location at half price and will have to taxi it back and forth.

I have placed it on your website... if you can find an airport rate at about the same price, I would take it! And book through you if you can get credit!
I would use the Flying Blue/KLM code(8572130) for national, with a $20 off coupon(ND3156ZDW) which puts the rental at $125.39 for a Midsize, which will give you aisle access.

This sucks. I can honestly say that out of the many online travel services I used in the past year, AutoSlash was the one that consistently saved me the most money.

I have a few open reservations in the Autoslash system. Will those continue to be monitored, and will I continue to get notifications about price decreases and/or new coupons?

This sucks. I can honestly say that out of the many online travel services I used in the past year, AutoSlash was the one that consistently saved me the most money.

I have a few open reservations in the Autoslash system. Will those continue to be monitored, and will I continue to get notifications about price decreases and/or new coupons?

Yes, all existing reservations will continue to be monitored, and we'll be in touch if we find further savings.

If you'd like to reach out to the rental companies to give them feedback on this decision, there contact info can be found here on our website (http://www.autoslash.com/?showletter=1).

We appreciate everyone's support.

Can I ask where you are getting this price?

I go to www.nationalcar.com and put in CLT pickup on April 20 at 8:30 am with a return on April 24 at 6:00 pm and I am getting a much higher price.

I would use the Flying Blue/KLM code(8572130) for national, with a $20 off coupon(ND3156ZDW) which puts the rental at $125.39 for a Midsize, which will give you aisle access.

Can I ask where you are getting this price?

I go to www.nationalcar.com and put in CLT pickup on April 20 at 8:30 am with a return on April 24 at 6:00 pm and I am getting a much higher price.

I had entered a generic 12:00 to 12:00 for the 20th and 24th, as I didn't know your pickup times. For your exact times I am getting $206.12 for a Midsize, using the same CDP, but a $35 coupon(ND8578ADT) as this is now a 5 day rental, if you are wiling to live with a compact then it goes down to $180.28.

Unfortunately I get this message when trying to apply the coupon code:

•Your coupon cannot be applied to this reservation

Unfortunately I get this message when trying to apply the coupon code:

•Your coupon cannot be applied to this reservation

Works for me(just tested it again), only thing I can think of is that you are clicking on a economy car, or you have your profile set to that, as you need a Compact or above for the coupon to work.

Not sure of the problem... but works now....

Got rate of $206.12 for a midsize.... Now I will let my friends at Autoslash go to work!

Fail here

What is the concensus on Autoslash now? I have been looking forward to booking through them for a trip I have been planning, then found out about some major changes(rental companys pulling the plug etc). I am taking the family on a trip to Washington DC. I am flying in BWI and want to get a car that can hold me, wife, and 2 kids. will need two carseats for the kids ages <1 and 3. and will be driving down to DC, staying there and returning for a flight out of BWI.

-Should I just go elsewhere and try to find a decent rate?
-Should I book through autoslash? will they even do an initial booking at this point?
-should I book someplace then give it to autoslash to try to beat?

any gotchas I need to be aware of as things change at autoslash?


Thanks for any advice.

According to me, you don't need to do more search. If you think about prices, they fluctuates up and down which is reasonable.