Rental cars in the U.S.

We're planning on going over to California in September and would like to know if anybody has any suggestions on getting the best deal on a hire car?
Any voucher codes going?
Picking up and dropping in San Francisco (3 weeks).

Hope somebody may have some good news.

When we go to the US we always use www.carhire3000.com. It gives you the various rates/options for a bunch of car hire companies and you pick the one that suits you best.

When we go to the US we always use www.carhire3000.com. It gives you the various rates/options for a bunch of car hire companies and you pick the one that suits you best.

This is a good one (we're using it for our trip to Spain next month and a good friend has used them in the US in the past and been very satisfied) - as is holidayautos.co.uk .

When we go to the US we always use www.carhire3000.com. It gives you the various rates/options for a bunch of car hire companies and you pick the one that suits you best.

My crew and I are heading over to Naples in Florida for about three weeks in Sept. , were still checking but I just had a quick browse and these guys do seem to have reasonable rates ...

When I did travel I used holiday autos and also airline network..both really good......

I think ENTERPRISE RENT A CAR are hard to beat if booked on the net. Only thing is the agents scare the heck out of you to make you buy the insurance. They are on commission I think. I would check with your insurance company and credit card company to see if they will cover you. See if they will give you evidence that you are covered.
I have rented lots of times at SFO so let me know if you have anymore questions.

I don't know if you are visiting friends or family in San Francisco or just going there for a holiday but it often pays to look at rental locations away from the airport.  Obviously, if friends or family are picking you up you could get to a rental branch in the local town or city where you'll be going.

The reason I say this is because I booked a trip to Baltimore for next month and the airport rental prices for a 7 seater minivan for a week were close to $500.  Enterprise was about $380.  But there is a Thrifty in Baltimore City that is renting it for $250!  Why the Thrifty in the city is nearly half the airport rate, I don't know, perhaps the demand is so high at the airport or there are more taxes?  Maybe this type of car is in lower demand in the city?

Was going to ask in my previous post, what are you planning to do for insurance?
I phoned both of my insurance companies (we have different ones for our 2 UK cars) and both said that they don't do any coverage outside Europe, we couldn't even purchase any for the USA.  So we may have to go for the comprehensive coverage that Thrifty offers which will cost a fair bit but at least the rental is so cheap to start with.

I suppose I could call my credit card company, maybe they have some kind of offer?

Was going to ask in my previous post, what are you planning to do for insurance?
I phoned both of my insurance companies (we have different ones for our 2 UK cars) and both said that they don't do any coverage outside Europe, we couldn't even purchase any for the USA.  So we may have to go for the comprehensive coverage that Thrifty offers which will cost a fair bit but at least the rental is so cheap to start with.

I suppose I could call my credit card company, maybe they have some kind of offer?

The reason that I book with holidayautos when I visit the US is that by doing so, I get full insurance for no additional cost.  For example, a two-week rental with National might cost around $400 for the rental plus another $250 for the insurance if I rented from them with my American license - but the same rental (with National) costs $400 for the rental PLUS full insurance cover if I use my British license to hire the car through holidayautos.  Most of the US rental companies seem to have a policy that makes including full coverage at no additional cost mandatory when renting to British residents - I've also managed to swing the free insurance deal with Alamo in Atlanta, using my UK address but my US license.

Thanks for all of your great replies!
We're sort of visiting as well as looking for property.
Nobody to pick us up so that part is void.
I've rented via Alamo for the majority of our visits in the past. - Ended up buying their extra insurence.. 

I've rented via Alamo for the majority of our visits in the past. - Ended up buying their extra insurence.. 

Do you have a British license?

I have booked with holidayautos several times myself and when I checked in I still used my US/OKLA license and no one ever said anything against it. I told them I lived in the UK but kept my US license..

It is better to book with a auto consolidator as they include the insurance. holiday autos also changes their prices with the exchange rate as well. When I was a travel agent they were the ones I used the most....I also always got the MAX upgrade that included the tank of gas and an additional driver.

I have booked with holidayautos several times myself and when I checked in I still used my US/OKLA license and no one ever said anything against it. I told them I lived in the UK but kept my US license..

The first time I booked with them I showed my US license instead when I picked up the car - the people at National didn't care.  However, the second time I booked with them I read the fine print, which basically says that the insurance is invalidated if you use anything but a UK license - and considering that the whole reason I'm booking through them instead of with the rental car company directly is to get that insurance, I didn't want to take any chances.  A good thing, too, since I backed into a fire hydrant and actually had to claim on the rental insurance! 

Do you have a British license?

Yes.