Dollar - Lock Low & Go

I know Dollar/Thrifty are corporate cousins. The Thrifty board has an extensive listing of Wild Car rates, but there is no similar thread here for LL&G. I have a reservation at MCO starting on 4/3 and would like to hear of your experiences at any location, but especially at MCO. Thanks!

I know Disney is supposed to be hideously crowded; I'm hoping that bodes well for a larger vehicle.

I know Dollar/Thrifty are corporate cousins. The Thrifty board has an extensive listing of Wild Car rates, but there is no similar thread here for LL&G. I have a reservation at MCO starting on 4/3 and would like to hear of your experiences at any location, but especially at MCO. Thanks!

I know Disney is supposed to be hideously crowded; I'm hoping that bodes well for a larger vehicle.

As long as both brands are corporate (or owned by the same franchise) in a given market (they're not in SEA, PDX, or SLC; most other major airports they are), you can pretty much assume the Wild Card matches the LL&G. Both brands use the same fleet and rate structure and are pretty much otherwise identical.

As long as both brands are corporate (or owned by the same franchise) in a given market (they're not in SEA, PDX, or SLC; most other major airports they are), you can pretty much assume the Wild Card matches the LL&G. Both brands use the same fleet and rate structure and are pretty much otherwise identical.

This does appear to be the case at MCO, as the car fleets are co-located. FWIW, I was told to pick from the "Specialty" area, which had several SUVs and Mercury Grand Marquis. I ended up with a Ford Explorer with XM and about 5K miles. Outstanding!!!!

I was surprised at the choice, because the midsize area seemed completely full!

Recent experiences:

October, 2012 - Anchorage Airport (ANC) - Jeep Patriot 4x4
December, 2012 - Phoenix Airport (PHX) - Choice of compact (mentioned Aveo, Focus or Versa) or 2010 Ford Crown Vic with 53,000 miles. I took the Crown Vic :D

Recent experiences:

October, 2012 - Anchorage Airport (ANC) - Jeep Patriot 4x4
December, 2012 - Phoenix Airport (PHX) - Choice of compact (mentioned Aveo, Focus or Versa) or 2010 Ford Crown Vic with 53,000 miles. I took the Crown Vic :D

Interesting, because the Aveo and Versa are "Economy" and not compacts.

The one time I did that in MCO I ended up with a Crown Vic too, so that was the last time I did that there. Economy/Compact cars are much better in the area (tiny parking spots)

Interesting, because the Aveo and Versa are "Economy" and not compacts.

The one time I did that in MCO I ended up with a Crown Vic too, so that was the last time I did that there. Economy/Compact cars are much better in the area (tiny parking spots)

According to the National car class FAQ, the Aveo was recently reclassified as a compact. It's possible DTAG has reclassified them to compact as well.

I'm not sure if the new Aveo is actually bigger than the previous model ("model creep") or if the rental agencies are just reclassifying cars for their fun and profit ("class creep"); either one wouldn't surprise me.

According to the National car class FAQ, the Aveo was recently reclassified as a compact. It's possible DTAG has reclassified them to compact as well.

I'm not sure if the new Aveo is actually bigger than the previous model ("model creep") or if the rental agencies are just reclassifying cars for their fun and profit ("class creep"); either one wouldn't surprise me.


There is no such a thing as a new Aveo -in the US. The name was discontinued after the 2011 or 2010 model year. Chevy has an economy car (Sonic - still called Aveo outside of the US) and a mini car (Spark)

Rental companies class the Spark as economy, and the Sonic as compact.

My theory was, I wasn't going to be driving much (a mere 87 miles or so) and I'm a big guy so I'll always take the bigger car. Plus, I'd never driven a Crown Vic and this was going to possibly be my last chance.

As it was, driving my big white cop looking car around West Phoenix was a gas. I got so many stares!

Rental companies class the Spark as economy, and the Sonic as compact.

So what are the Cruze/Malibu/Impala?

Malibus are med and Impala full. (Cruze is the compact) but wonder how they sell it. Focuses/Souls are usually in the compact pile, so I suspect that Cruze is there too...

So what are the Cruze/Malibu/Impala?

Malibus are med and Impala full. (Cruze is the compact) but wonder how they sell it. Focuses/Souls are usually in the compact pile, so I suspect that Cruze is there too...

IIRC, they classify the Cruze as a midsize and both the Malibu and Impala as fullsize. (They used to classify the Malibu as a standard, but IME, it got upgraded to a fullsize sometime last year.) Odd, I know, since the Impala is clearly bigger than the Malibu, but that's the rental industry for you.

Cruze & Focus are classed midsize. Soul is classed standard. Impala & Malibu are fullsize.

I've been renting Dollar for many years but I quit 6 months ago because of Dollar in PDX's LLG policy. They kept giving me minivans and when I asked for something else, they refused. So I declined to patronize their business.

I've been renting Dollar for many years but I quit 6 months ago because of Dollar in PDX's LLG policy. They kept giving me minivans and when I asked for something else, they refused. So I declined to patronize their business.

That happened to my brother in IND, though they offered to put him in a sedan for an extra $10/day. He declined and took the minivan.

I've been renting Dollar for many years but I quit 6 months ago because of Dollar in PDX's LLG policy. They kept giving me minivans and when I asked for something else, they refused. So I declined to patronize their business.

Dollar in PDX is a franchise. (Same owner as Dollar in SEA. Thrifty in both cities is corporate.)