Please help with advice on the best deal for a long LA visit!
 

Guys, I know I don't post a lot, but this forum has been a wonderful source of information to me and I really appreciate all the hard work and contributions of the Mods and many members who make it such a wealth of information.

In the past when I needed advice, I searched and found what I needed and didn't intrude or bother anybody, but this time I really need some help.

I fly out of Philly and visit my daughter, who is ill, in LA as often as I can.

This time I have to leave unexpectedly in just a few days, and I'll be staying much longer than usual while she has some tests and possible procedures done. I'm not a wealthy guy by any standard, but I do thank God for what I have, a loving and supportive family.

The reason I am posting is that I desperately need to control my expenses and have to rent a car for three weeks while there. As long as it has an automatic transmission it works for me. I may need to be able to have a usable back seat since her grandmother might also arrive and if so I need to be able to transport her around too, but that's not definite.

I have been using Avis in the past but will use whatever company will give me the best deal, of course. But I need a great AWD code or whatever will hammer the price down to where I can better manage this nightmare.

PLEASE, please help!!!! I would be forever in your debt!

I apologize if this is posted in the wrong place, BTW! It's just that i have used Avis before, so I thought why not here? But if it should be somewhere else, I'll be happy to move it, Thanks so much!

Would you consider Rent a Wreck? The website says the LA location does not offer prices and reservations online, so you have to contact them by phone or e-mail:

12333 W. PICO BLVD.
LOS ANGELES, CA 90064
(800)995-0994
(310)826-7555
Fax: (310)207-0681
[email protected]

Wirelessly posted (BlackBerry8530/5.0.0.601 Profile/MIDP-2.1 Configuration/CLDC-1.1 VendorID/417)

Two possibilities to consider:

1. Place a bid for the rental car on Priceline. Check out www.biddingfortravel.com, and www.betterbidding.com before you bid, to get an idea of what bids have been successful for LAX car rentals. But be aware that once your bid is accepted, your credit card will be immediately charged for the entire rental by Priceline, and there are no refunds.

2. If you do not want to use Priceline, rent from an off-airport rental location. Hertz, Avis, and perhaps Budget as well should have neighborhood rental locations within a few miles of LAX which will often offer lower prices than the airport offices. The savings should more than offset the cost of getting from the airport to the neighborhood location. And of course, you can get to downtown L.A. (Union Station), Van Nuys, or Westwood via the inexpensive LAX Fly Away bus service.

In addition to the other suggestions, did you look at this thread? http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/avis/...unt-codes.html

Off-airport would definitely save you some $ as LAX-based locations charge their silly convenience fees and taxes and what not.

Priceline is a good option IMO