SIXT car rental at Orlando MCO [merged]
#2
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: New York suburbs
Posts: 4,206
This appears to be a new station. Sixt previously had US locations in Miami and Ft. Lauderdale, with partners elsewhere. They're big in Europe, but obviously much less so in the US.
One of the friendly Sixt representatives once posted here that the idea is that European tourists in FL will want to try American cars, and hopefully American locals will be curious to try European cars.
In general, it seems that whenever a new business opens, arrives in a new town, or an established business expands their offerings, they offer prices lower than the existing competition, to tempt more potential customers, at least initially.
One of the friendly Sixt representatives once posted here that the idea is that European tourists in FL will want to try American cars, and hopefully American locals will be curious to try European cars.
In general, it seems that whenever a new business opens, arrives in a new town, or an established business expands their offerings, they offer prices lower than the existing competition, to tempt more potential customers, at least initially.
#5
Join Date: Jun 2011
Programs: Hhonors Diamond; Marriott Gold; IHG Platinum
Posts: 87
Looked at a quote on Thurs. night for a 1-week rental at MCO in late March. The price was $129. Unfortunately, didn't book it - now it is well over $300! Looks like the good deals are gone.
#6
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 8
tampelly, I am curious to hear how your experience was. I am currently booked with them from 3/11 to 3/18 at MCO for $135 TOTAL. Can't beat that price! I am a bit nervous though to book with a company I really know nothing about, so I will be watching for deals at the "main" companies too.
#7
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: DFW
Posts: 22
Just booked for 2/19-2/22. It was $34 ai for a Toyota Camry with my UA 1k status match to platinum discount. Without the discount it was only a few dollars more. I'll report back on my experience.
Just an added data point: The prices for my 3 day, full size rental seem to be $100-$200+ cheaper as compared to other discount rental agencies/ the major players.
Just an added data point: The prices for my 3 day, full size rental seem to be $100-$200+ cheaper as compared to other discount rental agencies/ the major players.
#8
Join Date: Feb 2012
Posts: 1
#9
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 8
I am just posting again to note that I was able to get an even better deal on the Sixt website today for MCO. I got a Rav 4/Ford Escape for 7 days in March for $63.97 TOTAL!! A ridiculously good price! If you put in your search parameters, it will prompt a box at the bottom of the screen for an MCO 25% off code, so make sure you click that. I am not sure if that is what gave me the magic cheap price, but WOW!! No other company would ever come close to that price.
#10
Join Date: May 2009
Location: SAT
Programs: Marriott Titanium, Hilton and Wyndham Diamond, Hyatt Globalist, Delta Plat, United Silver, Hertz PC
Posts: 714
Rented at MCO last month. The service was ok for me, but I guess I had good timing. I arrived around midnight and went to shuttle stop and waited about 15 minutes. However, there were people who waited between an hour and an hour and a half for the shuttle!! I found out that after 10 p.m. there is only one running. It is a 10 passenger van, so doesn't hold that many people to start with. Luckily, I was on the A-side. I believe the B-side people were the ones that waited forever, because the driver would never make it over there. Also, the driver was very nice, meaning that after dropping people off, he would help people with their cars, etc. before heading back to the terminals, knowing that people were waiting.
As for the car, I had reserved a full-size, but they didn't have any. I was offered a convertible or a Traverse. I took the Traverse (let me have it now, turning down a convertible in Florida in February) because I had to take my 80 year old mother around and she wouldn't make it in and out of a convertible. The vehicle only had seven miles on it. For four days, my total, with taxes, was $47!!
They are still learning. There are three counters, but at the time that I arrived, only one was open. The agent was doing great. A group of 8, 4 adults and 4 kids, were some of the ones who complained and demanded 2 convertibles for their trouble. He said that he would give them 2, but there probably wouldn't be enough room for their luggage. They didn't listen, and, as I was leaving, were trying to figure out how to get the luggage to fit. I wished I would have stayed around to see what happened.
I returned in the afternoon and waited about 15 minutes for a shuttle.
Would I rent again? Absolutely, but I would make sure that I had a phone number that rang directly to there MCO location. I could have easily been one who had to wait an hour and a half and I would have been fuming. I am an Emerald Exec with National, but could not pass up a deal where my whole rental charge for four days was only a few dollars more than the daily charge at National. My car was $7/day, and when I made the res, I could have had a Mercedes for $15/day.
I am sure with time they will be fine. It appeared that all of their cars were very new.
As for the car, I had reserved a full-size, but they didn't have any. I was offered a convertible or a Traverse. I took the Traverse (let me have it now, turning down a convertible in Florida in February) because I had to take my 80 year old mother around and she wouldn't make it in and out of a convertible. The vehicle only had seven miles on it. For four days, my total, with taxes, was $47!!
They are still learning. There are three counters, but at the time that I arrived, only one was open. The agent was doing great. A group of 8, 4 adults and 4 kids, were some of the ones who complained and demanded 2 convertibles for their trouble. He said that he would give them 2, but there probably wouldn't be enough room for their luggage. They didn't listen, and, as I was leaving, were trying to figure out how to get the luggage to fit. I wished I would have stayed around to see what happened.
I returned in the afternoon and waited about 15 minutes for a shuttle.
Would I rent again? Absolutely, but I would make sure that I had a phone number that rang directly to there MCO location. I could have easily been one who had to wait an hour and a half and I would have been fuming. I am an Emerald Exec with National, but could not pass up a deal where my whole rental charge for four days was only a few dollars more than the daily charge at National. My car was $7/day, and when I made the res, I could have had a Mercedes for $15/day.
I am sure with time they will be fine. It appeared that all of their cars were very new.
#12
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Yiron, Israel
Programs: Bates Motel Plat
Posts: 68,901
At 7:55 I called Miami back. They called MCO again. At 8:05 the shuttle arrived. It is about a 10 minute drive to their office and during the ride, the office called the shuttle to tell the driver to pick me up.
(Incidentally, while I was waiting the Payless bus came three times.)
The driver told me that the problem was that they had a lot of drop offs and that a customer had forgotten his phone in the shuttle. The drop offs should not impact anything as after dropping off a customer they are already at the airport and can pick up incoming customers.
The phone, indeed, was forgotten -- and was still in the shuttle when I got in, so it could not have caused any delay at all.
Incidentally, they told me that they do not upgrade Platinum members -- that is done only in Europe.
As much as I like Sixt in Germany -- and had fantastic service there -- I can guarantee that I will not rent from them in MCO again.
#13
Join Date: May 2009
Location: SAT
Programs: Marriott Titanium, Hilton and Wyndham Diamond, Hyatt Globalist, Delta Plat, United Silver, Hertz PC
Posts: 714
It is about a 10 minute ride, roughly 5 miles. When I was there in Jan they were using a Ford van; unless nobody else needs picked up, chances are you won't be together. I am not sure you will anyway, as I don't think that it will hold 10 people and luggage even if no one else is on. It might also be a 30-45 minute wait for the rest of the group if you do have to split-up, see some other posts in this thread about that.
#14
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Toronto, Canada
Programs: HH Diamond, Marriott Gold
Posts: 1,362
I booked a full size car and was offer a decent VW Passat with leather interior and about 2000 miles on it. I asked if upgrades were available for Platinum members. They said they upgrade Platinum members one level and offered a Toyota Corolla or Chevy Malibu??? I stuck with the Passat and was happy with it.
There were no BMWs at this location but they did have some Mercedes-Benz cars and SUVs.
I didn't take the shuttle so I have no comments on that
There were no BMWs at this location but they did have some Mercedes-Benz cars and SUVs.
I didn't take the shuttle so I have no comments on that
#15
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Tulsa OK USA
Posts: 2
Sixt car rentals Orlando Florida
After 55 years of work, my first dream vacation marred by sixt. Instead of what should have been $25/day it cost over $1000 for 10 or 11 days. We booked a VW EOS convertible with 4,000 miles in Orlando as part of a A Airlines booking. The garfish orange and black neon lights should have been a warning. We caught the female agents charging $231 extra for duplicate liability insurance. When I questiond them about comp and collision the agent said she didn't really understand it. Even tho shocked at the inept and slow shuffle around service we made ourselves be positive and drove 61 miles to Daytona Beach. We stopped by Walmart for provisions for wife's bosses opulent beach house next to the white sands. Wife came back and the German marvel of precision engineering wouldn't work. We twisted the wheel with foot on break while turning on ignition. The elec system was frozen. AAA sent mechanic who found battery OK but stated the master race's car was kaput and he gave up. We called VW USA and VW in Vegas with no help. Called SixT who said they would send replacement car on tow truck, for 700$. We were stunned. There was a Hertz branch a block or so from the stalled car with 4,000 miles on it. At 1am tired with and diabetes sick from stress we towed the car and rode with the kind tow operator who liked to never got magnetic stop lifts attached to the plastic marvel of engineering. At 3am we got a SUV after asking them to pay the $331 tow bill. They refused and the dimwit agent who 3 hrs earlier said no one knew how to fix it stated "all you had to do was twist wheel, foot on brake while turning ignition", when we told her several people tried she tried to blame the tow truck operator. If that wasn't enough she charged us to top up with 3 gals gas for $28. We argued for a receipt which she finally gave us. I guess we were supposed to push their car to a gas station and top it off. When we argued incessantly 10 days later for a bill, it clearly shows a charge for any kind of incurred charges. I have a barrel of ink and I am sending BBB Florida, Atty Gen Florida and the worlds traveling public on the Internet the $22/day auto turned out to be about $100 per day nightmare and a day of our vacation recovering. I hope VISA charges them back. They should pay the $331 tow bil and forgive 1/2 the rent charge and the asinine $28 gas top off bill. If they make it right, I will contact this forum and Trip Advisor forum. People are already dropping them in favor of major rental car companies responding to my posts. A Airlines said they never heard of customers towing broken rentals. Thx for hearing me out and look at their other online complaints. Being a novice traveler I had no idea this could happen. Doug Embrey, Atty, Tulsa OK USA