Just ... don't.

Lol yeah....I might look into a few others. We love our Chrysler Pacifica at home, but might see if we can get away with an suv to save a bit (as we really are only driving to each resort and spending time there.)

Stay with a name brand AND an agency located at the airport. The off-site ones increase your odds greatly for getting a sketchy outfit. Plus the shuttles for them can add another hour or more time going to/from.

There is thread after thread in the forum here of people regretting they went with a discount agency. Hidden fees, imaginary terms being broken, etc.

Huge red flag there!!!

The first question you should ask anyone saying not to use a company is what their experience with the company is. I have actually used Fox. Fox isn't as horrible as those that say to stay away is. The prices are lower, there service isn't exactly the most customer focused, but the cars are as good as anything you will rent from any other company. If you do your homework and understand the T&Cs, the savings is real.

There is a reason they are cheaper. The way it works with airport concessions, they charge more for prime locations. You will see Hertz, Avis, Budget all before you see Fox. At MCO the big names are at the airport. Fox is off airport property. It once was Alamo in the 90s and hasn't really been remolded since.

The rental process at Fox is not the most efficient. The people are not always friendly. They will pressure you in to buying options. All you have to do is say no. Just make sure you are aware of the proof of insurance requirements and you understand tolls. All of the rental companies subscribe to the high pressure add on sales. This isn't exclusive to the off brands.

I'm not familiar with the Tampa location, but it looks like it is with all the other companies . The only advantage the majors would have is that you can skip the counter. You are really paying for convenience with the majors at that point and for hundreds of dollars, I'll stand in a line for a few minutes and deal with a shuttle at Orlando. If the price was the same, I would go with a major.

I would suggest signing up for the loyalty program regardless of who you rent from. Fox has a program. This helps soften the hard sale because they see you as a repeat customer and not treating you as a one time renter where they will try to get every cent out of you.

I don't love the off brand companies, but I like money. When it comes to car rental, I am renting a car, not an experience. If I can save money and get the same product, for me it makes sense. I'll deal with a shuttle bus and the hard sale. Some people would rather spend more for convenience. Nothing wrong with that. The off brands are not perfect, but if you are educated in your decision, you can save a lot of money.

I'm not sure why you posted on Orlando and Tampa forums but here is the response I sent on the Tampa forum with a link to a long thread about Fox car rentals. https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g1-i12290-k5818252-Fox_rent_a_car-Bargain_Travel.html

You can decide for yourself if the savings are worth the risk, but if you read some of the posts on that link at least you will be better prepared for problems that may arise. Of course not every customer has a problem and not every customer who uses a major brand has a smooth transaction.

Thanks. I posted on both Orlando and Tampa because we would pick up at one and drop off at the other so just wanted to hear from experiences at either location.

I am looking into the bigger brands more now just in case, but trying to decide if an SUV would be big enough for us (would save a few hundred that way instead....we have 3 in car seats, plus 2 checked bags and a stroller...so a van is what we would normally use but with being at Legoland and Disney for the week (and not needing the vehicle much), it might be worth craming in possibly.

What I do is book the best deal I can find where I don't pay upfront and can cancel without penalty. Then I keep looking for better deals. When are you traveling?

June 6-14 so a bit out, but literally as I booked flights (2 one ways since differentairports), the second flight jumped $20 each after use having double checked (still need to book the return....might just have to so I don't miss out on spots). Frustrating...lol.

But with 3 kids and a packed itinerary, having a reliable vehicle is key. Not looking forward to having 2 suitcases, a big car seat, and 2 booster seats to lug through the airport to get to a car...lol.