its, not it's above--yikes!

A limit to the SW car rental process is that it only works for airports that SW serves, even though you don't have to be flying SW to rent a car through the site.
Informative sites in my (exhaustive) search were fatwallet.com and neotravel.com

Try running your dates through AutoEurope. Twice now I've gotten great deals through them for the US. One was in Orlando.

My only complaint with AutoEurope is their usual requiring you to buy a full tank of gas in advance. They say return it empty, as if that can ever work out. My prepaid reservation with them in LA was with Dollar and I found out Dollar charges $7 plus a gallon -- over $100 for a tank of gas (and I only ended up using half a tank for the whole week -- about $24 worth instead). I ended up canceling the reservation (they cheerfully refund the total amount to the credit card) and doing much better with a Priceline bid that was with National -- and no prepaid gas deal.

That is weird about the gas. We've never had to do that.

With AutoEurope? I checked a lot of California and Hawaii with them and they ALL required the prepurchase tank of gas. It was the same here in Florida. I was looking at a one way, one day rental from Naples to Ft. Myers. Their price was good, but I'd only use about 2 gallons of gas, and they wanted me to buy a $100 tank of gas! No way!

You all are so informed! i've never heard of autoeurope. i tried my dates and i can get a jeep liberty for 260. Even with a 100 fuel surcharge, 360 would be a deal. I have to think the 260 is before taxes and other charges though. What bothers me is that i got to the point up to where i had to give my credit card and it doesnt tell you where your car will come from. I assume they tell you after you give your cc? not sure what we will do. Sounds like a good deal for an suv.

kelliebellie, tell me more about Autoeurope. They definitely charge for gas up front, but for our dates, teh rates are so good that an extra 100 still makes it cheaper than the going rate. according to the website, the rate is 260 and that includes all taxes and fees. Even if they charge us 100 for gas, at 360 that's better than i can get otherwise.

Maybe i'm being paranoid, but i'm nervous booking through a site based in europe. I assume that once you pay, you are contracting directly with the american company that leases the vehicle to you, right? i don't want to be hauled into court in europe !

kelliebellie, can you tell me more about your experience with this company?

AutoEurope is NOT based in Europe. It's in the US. I believe their home office is in Portland, Maine. There is no reason to be wary of it. emcash, the reason I had booked and paid for an AutoEurope car in LA last month was because it WAS way lower than any other rate I could get -- even counting the gas, as you say. But when I was able to get an even better rate through Priceline at the last minute, I canceled AutoEurope.

I think you're right that they tell you which agency your car comes from after you book. But you should get the final rate including the extras before you give the credit card details or agree to take it. And you're also right. Some of their best deals are for specialty cars -- like SUVs.

AutoEurope is a very respected world-wide company. You will have no problems with them. You are e-mailed a voucher for the car after you give your credit card and that will tell you which company the car is from. The best part is that you CAN cancel for a FULL refund any time up until your rental date. And getting the taxes included is huge!

AutoEurope rents in the US? Who knew? We've used them several times in Europe, with absolutely no problem. I'm renting for one way, one day in the US in October. AE's quote is $15 less than the current booking (all in) through SW with Avis. The AE site indicates that the tank is full upon rental and advises to return the car empty. What a racket--like who would coast into the return site on fumes? Think it will work better to stick with Avis' rate (plus paying for the gas I actually will use), since the tank of gas cost more than the $15 difference. I'll watch both the SW site and AE to monitor any changes that may make renting with AE more favorable. Thanks for the heads up, kelliebellie, and for the gas situation, NeoP.

OOPS! October rental is through Avis directly; SW doesn't serve my originating city. The Avis rate is about half that of the other "majors", so I'm guessing there's no drop charge between my two cities.

Thank you everyone- I will probably rent through Autoeruope then and then see what rate i can get on PL as we get closer.

again, this is the stuff that makes this site so helpful. I would never had heard of this great website, or even the code joesorce offerred up. Thanks so much.

If anyone knows of an "autoeurope" type site for hotels, pass it on!

I read the fine print about the fuel. Sounds weird. It must be that the people at the counter we rented from didn't know about this fuel situation and just treated us as regular renters. We brought the car back full and were never charged for anything additional.

I see in the fine print it says that their "gold rate" includes the first tank of gas. Does this mean that you can bring it back empty and you won't be charged to fill it up? Their gold rate also includes an additional driver, so depending on how much more the gold rate is, is it better to go with that?

Glad you found a deal!!!

whats nicer a chrysler pacifica or a jeep liberty? same price

Chrysler pacifica. Keep in mind through that vehicle is merely representative of the class of car - you could get a car from any manufacturer.

FYI, I've found the best 1-way rates in Florida using Avis & a corp AWD code.

Thanks- in my case, autoeurope's rate is better than the awd code. even with a fuel surcharge.

I think Jeep Liberty would be cooler, but Pacifica would have more room.

i was telling DH about the Autoeurope deal and he said he thinks the rental place will charge upwards of 150 for a full tank of gas, making the deal a little less so. Can you find out up front what they will charge for gas, or does that fluctuate with the price of gas?

I would call the 800 number for autoeurope and ask them what the heck this fuel deal is all about.

I called autoeurope and they said the price for the tank depends on whichever company you get. They said they thought it was what going rate is plus 30%. I called avis to see (random pick on my part) and the sales agent said that when someone chooses the gas option, they charge whatever the going rate is- no premium. but if someone doesn't choose the gas option, and returns the car empty, that is when they add a premium. so, if i'm to believe the avis agent (and i get avis), my add on on top of the 260 would be about $75. This seems to good to be true!