ElmhurstNick

MDW is one of my favorite locations... which is odd as it's my home airport! But there are many times where renting a car for a weekend is cheaper than two taxis, and times when I need to take a longer driving trip and don't feel like driving my own 9-year-old gas guzzling 7-seater.

That being said, the sedan line up at MDW can be a little light. I like them because they have the best ES crossover/SUV selection of any location I know other than BOS. MDW is usually more expensive than the 203 N La Salle downtown location because of the taxes, but the upgrade beyond a full-size makes it worth it.

My rentals at MDW over the last year have yielded:
- Traverse SLT2 (May)
- Acadia with 80 miles and a full entertainment package including rear DVD
- Chevy Captiva (I was curious and took that over the Dodge Journey or a 300)
- Grand Cherokee

PA42

9/16 Around 5pm. NASCAR was in town and the lot was full of returned cars. In fact there was no EA as dirty cars were stacked on it.

ES:
-Maxima x 1
-300 x 2 (8 speed no sunroofs)
-Impalabus
-Avalon x 1
-Venza x 1
-CX-7 x 1
-Yukon x 1

There was a Lacrosse for upgrade but I got it for free when asked...lot guy said it was over the max mileage National allows to rent (20k) so he just gave me he keys.

PA42

Update from this weekend:

ES - Avalon, Malibus, Grand Caravan, New Accord and some other boring stuff, when I came back there was a Wrangler Unlimited in it.
EA - I spotted a Traverse in it

Upgrade - A very beat up Maxima and an Avalon.

I actually took a brand new Passat SE out of the fullsize aisle with a touchscreen and leather.

Earthlings

My friend got a rent a car for our trip a few years ago at National MDW, but that National was the tiny spot on Cicero, did they move to a new location? Because I am renting with them soon, but the National rent a car shows up in another location on Google Maps (I see the rental cars on the lot).

ElmhurstNick

It's a half-block east of Cicero just south of 55th. There is a shuttle bus on the center island of arrivals if you go our door 2 (baggage claim #4)

Earthlings

Is their guest parking or how does one drop off a car, and have someone pick me up at National?

ElmhurstNick

The National shuttle picks up and drops off at Door 2 of the middle island downstairs on the arrivals level. If you're being dropped off there, just have them drive you down to Arrivals and bail out of the car about 1/3 of the way down the lane. If you're being picked up, have them wait about 10 minutes behind you (there's a couple of gas stations on either side of the airport, and then call them once you get off the shuttle and have them come get you.

InkUnderNails

The consolidated rental car facility is open at MDW. I generally hate CRCF's, but in the case of National, old open lot behind the parking garage is gone and inclement weather (often the case in Chicago) is no longer a problem. Pick up the big rental car shuttle at the curb and it is a five minute ride over to the 55th Street center.

For the other companies it is a pain. MDW was one of the last larger airports in which I could rent my car, walk to the garage and drive off. Not any more. Add 15 minutes coming and going for the shuttle ride.

InkUnderNails

Pretty much standard fare in the Executive section yesterday, so I grabbed a Chevy Captiva. It looked like a good small SUV. Off I went.

Well was I surprised by a couple of things. While this is supposed to have keyless entry, I did not get the fobs. I am stuck locking and unlocking with the key. Not a huge deal, but the only place for the key is the driver side door. Need to open the rear hatch? Unlock the driver side door. Passenger door? Ditto.

Second surprise, no power outlet in the front seating area that I have been able to find. I am plugging my accessories into the back of the console in the rear seating area.

Everything else is as expected. It's a small SUV. Rides like one and drives like one. Sort of cheap interior, but it's a rental car and I get to take it back. I do not have to live with it.

Oh, and it is lavender. Looked light blue in the garage. I think I can stand that for a few more days. I might have to leave my masculinity at the hotel.

GW McLintock

Take a photo please? That's something I want to see

-J.

Earthlings

I had a Captiva from Hertz last year. It had a fob, sirius, leather, moonroof.

InkUnderNails

Obviously mine is a below base model. I checked and remote entry is standard on the 2013 at all levels. The fobs are not with my keys. Everything else was optional. Don't take me wrong, it is a good driver and similar to most small SUV's a class I like. I was mostly surprised to find such a base model on the Executive Aisle.

trainman74

If I recall correctly from a National Captiva last November, it's inside the center console storage compartment, but it requires some feeling around to discover exactly where.

Earthlings

Yeah, I liked it. It was fun to drive for a couple of days on the road. Thought it looked weird at first, but it looked better after riding in it.

Edit:
Forgot it also had a back up camera in the rear view mirror.

InkUnderNails

I looked, several times. It was just an empty bin.