ArlingtonTraveler

Folks, I went car free last December. I live near DCA and actually have to go to the office M-TH so it works for me as I can actually drop off on Sunday. I'm elite with AA, so my first instinct was to rent with Avis/Budget. Alas, they are expensive and National well I'd need to win the lottery to rent with them. So I was for a while able to get reasonable prices from the company that jails its renters (Hertz) but now they are getting expensive. It's time for me to go bottom of the barrel which are Thrifty and Dollar @ DCA. Anyone have experience with either company, and if you've used both which would you pick? The prices for both are very similar, and I'll pay more (within reason) for better quality/serviced vehicles.

AutoSlash

Thrifty and Dollar are generally fine, but you'll miss the ability to skip the counter and choose your own vehicle. Technically they both offer loyalty programs (Dollar Express and Thrifty Blue Chip) that help get you on your way faster, but they're not nearly as good as the majors.

All of that said, have you tried requesting quotes from AutoSlash to see what we can do for you on the price? You may find that without discounting, it puts the majors in the same league as the value brands. Even if not, you can always track your reservations with us and we'll let you know if we find a better deal (which may turn out to be with one of the major brands).

Auto Enthusiast

Dollar/Thrifty is part of Hertz. Don't expect much.

ArlingtonTraveler

Thanks for letting me know.

ArlingtonTraveler

Good to know. I do use Autoslash and in Winter/early Spring I was able to use your service to rebook some Hertz rentals for a cheaper price. Now the issue is with warmer temperatures and increased tourism to the Washington DC area, all rental rates are high.