Chicago Car Rental ... Need Advice

weirdjim

weirdjim

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weirdjim
Anybody that has information regarding reasonable car rental rates out of Midway I'd appreciate some advice. Yes, car rental rates are relatively cheap ... $25 a day or so. For six days this is $150 ... PLUS another $150 in "taxes and fees". That's just ridiculous. I can hoof it over to ORD but the same thing. Rental rates are a BIT lower, but the "taxes and fees" are just as onerous.

Suggestions appreciated. Leaving a week from tomorrow (Saturday) and driving (ugh) to OSH from MDW.

Jim
 
Use a contract / discount code at a 'neighborhood' location, Uber there, reduce the airport and concession recovery fees. Usually works in your favor if renting for four or more days.
 
The People's Republik of Illinois never misses an opportunity to tax something.
 
weirdjim said:
Anybody that has information regarding reasonable car rental rates out of Midway I'd appreciate some advice. Yes, car rental rates are relatively cheap ... $25 a day or so. For six days this is $150 ... PLUS another $150 in "taxes and fees". That's just ridiculous. I can hoof it over to ORD but the same thing. Rental rates are a BIT lower, but the "taxes and fees" are just as onerous.

Suggestions appreciated. Leaving a week from tomorrow (Saturday) and driving (ugh) to OSH from MDW.

Jim
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Near DPA in St. Charles IL, I can get one for $191 all in from Enterprise Saturday thru Thursday for a compact. As mentioned above, try the neighborhood locations nearby.
 
Avi8or2012 said:
Near DPA in St. Charles IL, I can get one for $191 all in from Enterprise Saturday thru Thursday for a compact. As mentioned above, try the neighborhood locations nearby.
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Somehow I suspect DuPage is a bit pricey to Uber to, as it looks to be about 30 miles away from Midway.

As to the "local" idea, I have no idea how to find a local operation near MDW. Out of ORD a couple of dozen times, but even there, finding a "local" when you don't know the area would be difficult. First time into MDW. Got any suggestions on how to find a "local"?

Jim
 
weirdjim said:
First time into MDW. Got any suggestions on how to find a "local"?

Jim
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maps.google.com -> Midway Airport -> Nearby-> rental car -> Zoom out. Looks like Enterprise will be your only option, click on a couple of the map pins to get the location's address and then go to Enterprise.com and enter that address in the search. I think.
 
If I recall, there's a car rental place at Union Station so you could possibly catch the Metra to there from MDW. I doubt though that the extra effort would be worth any cost savings.
 
Wish I could offer more help than above, but I am pretty far from there and no one i know is coming to mind. I’ll give a check with some of my office folks on Monday to see if they’ve got some hints.
 
My daughter does Uber around Rock Island and quad cities, no idea her rates, buy could inquire?
 
You could also get on the ‘Coach USA’ bus & make your way up to at least the MKE airport with that, or even a car rental at a stop going North.
 
Enterprise Rent-a-car, Berwyn. Cheap enough cab ride (ride share, etc). Normal enough Chicago neighborhood. As opposed to the one in Back of Yards which tends to be in the news more often and not for their civic mindedness.
 
I agree. Getting away from the airport will save you at a large chunk-o-change for a week long rental. This is not unique to Chicago, either -- it seems like all major airports are running 20%+ taxes on rental cars these days. Looking at my last receipt, ATL is 20% taxes + $5/day for 'customer facility fee' -- how do they charge a daily 'facility fee' when the car isn't at the 'facility' when I have it!?
 
The reason Airports (and hotels) have these wacky "fees and taxes" is most of the people renting a car at an airport or staying in hotels are from out of state and therefore don't vote. When you go to an off-airport rental place, they mostly, magically disappear.

Airport in this context meaning airports with significant airline activity, not podunk field.
 
All car rental locations in Chicago, especially the airports have a $18(?) a day additional we-can-tax-dem-dat-dont-vote-here tax. You have to go to a suburban location like Skokie (not close) to avoid it.

Try rental locations in burbs near Midway, like Cicero, Berwyn,... where it is prolly cheaper to take Lyft to get there for the car.

Try using a site like Kayak to get the cheapest rates and see how far from Midway it is

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk
 
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