# I pit Thrifty Car Rental!

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-thrifty-car-rental/433284>\
**Category:** The BBQ Pit\
**Created:** [January 12, 2008, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-thrifty-car-rental/433284 "2008-01-12T15:17:52Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 3

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**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\
**Post date:** [January 16, 2008, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-thrifty-car-rental/433284/41 "2008-01-16T21:46:21Z")

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[QUOTE=RTFirefly]  
My wife and I usually rent from Budget - different name, but same idea - and their fleet is hardly no-frills.  
[/QUOTE]

Understood, but getting the cheapest rental at any car place – especially ones named Thrifty, Budget, Pennypincher, Cheapskate, etc… – I would not expect automatic anything on their basest models. (Which is fine with me, because I almost never use cruise control and the savings are passed along to me.) If Budget does happen to have cruise control and automatic windows/doors on their lowest line, bonus. But I sure as hell wouldn’t expect it. About the only thing you can expect is automatic transmission, because none of the rental places I know have manual here in the US (and I have asked, only to be laughed at.)

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**Author:** ![Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/96bed5/32.png) [@Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patty_O_Furniture)\
**Post date:** [January 17, 2008, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-thrifty-car-rental/433284/42 "2008-01-17T01:28:52Z")

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Next time get the Mercury Messenger.

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**Author:** ![Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/96bed5/32.png) [@Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patty_O_Furniture)\
**Post date:** [January 17, 2008, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-thrifty-car-rental/433284/43 "2008-01-17T01:35:07Z")

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Also I’d like to say that I’ve finally seen the light and become a Zip Car member.

Avis’ cheapest subcompact is $37.99 which jumps up to $86 after I add insurance options. Then you have to gas it up when you return it, there’s another $30. Wait in line to pick up, wait in line again to return… never again.

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