Any suggestions for not too expensive rental cars in Seattle? I've checked all the obvious sites but haven't turned up anything inexpensive off-airport. We'd like to rent off-airport since we are going to be picking up and returning while we're in town rather than when we're flying in or out.

We used Avis and got a good rate for a single day use. Didn't need more, but also parking overnight with rental is $$. Consider doing just a single day rental at a time - pick up at 8 am and return by 6 and no overnight, expensive hotel parking IF it works for you.

I would try Enterprise, Dollar, or Thrifty.

Just started looking for September and I have noticed on a 10 day rental we can save up to $200 by renting downtown rather than airport. So far Costco and BJs are the best rates.

It's impossible to know whether one car rental agency will be less expensive than another unless you check each and every one with the exact dates, times, locations, and car class you're looking for. Avis might be cheaper one day, and then Hertz the next day; but only for convertibles the day after.

That's why I always start with Kayak.com, which allows one to look at multiple sites; and then specify what's necessary and what's optional. You can search by map, and decide if the deal you think you've found is anywhere near where you'd want to rent. If nothing else, you'll be able to focus on which companies are most likely to have the best prices for the days and car classes you're looking for.

I usually recommend Hotwire for car rentals, but I'm reluctant to do so if you don't want to use agencies at the airport. Hotwire might give you a great price, but then you find out you have to go 20 miles from where you're staying to get that deal -- AFTER you've handed over your money on a non-refundable deal.

10 days car rental - are you planning on heading out of Seattle for the majority of time? You don't need a car for an in town visit; we used a car only to go to Mt. Ranier for the day. Rest of time, we used public transit.

We used Priceline last year and got a Prius for $10/day from Hertz.

www.avis.com/sears
www.budget.com/sears
Hertz sometimes has the best downtown rates.

Remember that Thursday noon returning by Monday night usually brings weekend rate discounts, and that 4 weekdays is usually more pricey than 5 days which qualifies for a "weekly rate".

Debit, yes our trip will take us to some wineries on the way to Vancouver, then ferry to Victoria, before heading back to the Olympic peninsula. We fly into Seattle then drive to Vancouver (free flight, so flying into Vancouver was not an option) -- but it looks like taking a shuttle or taxi into town to pick up our car will be worth the savings. And yes, we'll probably return the car upon our final return to Seattle, unless it remains cheaper to keep it than get a one day rental to go out of the city.

Sounds like a grand trip! We took the rail from SEA-TAC into the city. Very easy.

You can take a rental car into Canada there!?
Not so in the east.

> You can take a rental car into Canada there!?

I had not the slightest amount of trouble doing so in 2009. Even took it on the ferry to Vancouver Island.

Hertz and Avis cars can generally be driven into Canada. Also Alamo, National and Budget. You just have to advise them that you are going to do so when picking up your car.

I guess it's so that they give you a GPS that says "eh"?

Thanks for the suggestions. We are only going to be renting a car for part of our trip--the out-of-Seattle part. Guess I didn't clarify that in my question.

Just booked an intermediate car for 8 days with Budget for a total of $ 212 using a Costco code. That's downtown pick up and return (and over Labor Day). It was double that at the airport.

Keep checking, Patrick, they sometime get better rates as the time gets near although you got a great rate.

Yes. I can cancel anytime, but I thought for Seattle it was a pretty good rate. Of course not as good as the 17 day total for South Florida on an intermediate car in Naples (Ft. Myers) in a couple weeks --$ 227. That's less than $14 a day INCLUDING all taxes and fees!

LOL, DebitNM speaking of checking back. I just did that this morning for that amazing Budget rate I got in Ft. Myers. But this morning used the exact same codes, times, and dates, the same car is now $546, not $227. Perhaps it was a glitch, but I have my printed confirmation for the lower price.

Now to keep checking for a similar glitch on the Seattle cars!