AutoSlash: Why You Will Love It for Rental Cars
- Updated: 04/03/2024
- Janice
If you plan to rent a car on your next vacation, you likely want the best, safest vehicle for the lowest price, with the least hassle.
To make this happen, you can do several things. Like compare rates on a rental car broker site like rentalcars.com, book directly with a rental car agency, a membership travel site like CostcoTravel, or find rental car coupons from sites like RetailMeNot that meet your needs.
Or you can outsource all this work and have AutoSlash find the best deals on car rentals for you.
In this article, I take a closer look at AutoSlash, including the pros and cons, to help you decide if it is the right choice for your next rental.
Table Of Contents
What is AutoSlash?
AutoSlash is an online comparison platform that will help you do the heavy lifting of finding the best deals across car rental brokers and agencies. Unique to its quoting system, AutoSlash will ask you to input the specific credit card, insurance, or eligible member discounts. Then, it also applies publicly available and active coupons so that you no longer need to search for them, helping you save even more money and time on your rental.
Is AutoSlash Legit?
Unlike other car rental brokers and booking sites, AutoSlash will ask you to input what feels like more personal information—such as the type of credit cards that you use, the name of your auto insurance company, or membership sites that you belong to, like Costco or BJ’s. Then, AutoSlash will require that you enter your email address to receive your rate quotes. This info and data grab feels like a big ask.
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However, I have been a user of AutoSlash for two years and can attest that nothing fishy is going on. Autoslash asks for this information because it allows them to collate and apply the most discounts possible to your rental quotes. So, yes, 110% legit.
How Does AutoSlash Work?
5 Steps to Getting a Rental Car Quote from AutoSlash
1. Go to AutoSlash.com. Enter your pick-up and return destinations—airport or non-airport. You can select a different return location.
2. Enter your pick-up and return date and time.
3. Select your vehicle preference. Choose only one. Multiple options cannot be selected. I usually choose “least expensive option” unless I need a specific vehicle.
If you would like to view rates for other vehicle types, know you can do this from a link in your emailed quote.
4. Indicate which credit cards and memberships you have. Based on your selections AutoSlash will incorporate related discounts into your quote.
For example, if you select for Costco or AAA membership, your rental car quotes will reflect these special rates or discounts.
5. Enter your name and email address. Click submit and view a confirmation summarizing your preferences. Receive your emailed quote within a few minutes.
Booking a Rental Car from Your AutoSlash Quote & 3 Things to Know
Once you receive your quote email from AutoSlash, click the “Click here to see your rates” button to view the results.
Know your emailed quote expires after a set amount of time. For example, when trying to recheck rates from an older email, AutoSlash displayed a pop-up notification stating my “Quote was generated more than 6 hours ago,” asking if I would like another quote. I received an email with a link to my new rates within a few minutes.
AutoSlash will show the most affordable option first. Scroll down to view all results.
For all rates, AutoSlash will display the all-in-rental price—including taxes and fees, the designated vehicle type, the pick-up location, the rental car company with AutoSlash user ratings, and other rental details.
For my Phoenix rental example, the first and least expensive option is an economy vehicle from Fox Rent-a-Car. View the quick clip below for the full results of my search.
To book a rental car through your quote email link, choose “Express Checkout” from the drop-down button under your rental quote, or browse to see other vehicles if you would like to pay to upgrade your rental.
Know that you will book your vehicle directly through AutoSlash or one of its booking agent partners, like Priceline.
Complete your booking by providing your contact information and other details. You will receive an immediate itinerary email from AutoSlash confirming your booking. Save this email. You can modify or cancel your reservation from it.
3 Things to Know About Booking a Rental Car Through Autoslash
- AutoSlash is your booking agent only, not your rental car agency. Even though you will be reserving your rental deal through AutoSlash, or one of its online booking partner agents, like Priceline, you will rent your car directly from a rental car company, like Budget, Hertz, Fox, or others.
- You can reserve a rental car with no pre-payment and cancel with no penalty. AutoSlash only offers no-obligation rental bookings. The company does not require credit cards or pre-payments to book, meaning you can modify or cancel your rental reservation at any time with no penalties.
- You can earn loyalty program credit. If you are a member of a rental car loyalty program, like Avis Preferred or Hertz Gold Plus Rewards—you can enter your member number on the AutoSlash booking form.
How do you know you got a good deal? Run a quick comparative search on rentalcars.com or other sites to establish a baseline rate, a tip I share in “15 Tips on How to Raise the Bar on Car Rentals.”
How to Track a Rental Car on AutoSlash
Once you have a confirmed rental car reserved through AutoSlash, you can request AutoSlash to track changes in price for you, alerting you when there is a lower rate. To track a rental, go to the AutoSlash homepage and click “Track a Rental” from the main menu.
Enter your rental car company name and confirmation number found in your itinerary email. Know this is not your AutoSlash Trip Number displayed at the top of your email. Scroll down to see the confirmation number provided by your specific rental car company.
Then, re-enter your pick-up date, all-in rental car rate, and specific credit cards and memberships you have, as well as your email. You will receive an immediate confirmation email stating AutoSlash is now tracking your rental.
If you get an alert for a lower rate, you can book the new affordable rental and then cancel your old one with no penalty.
How to Cancel an AutoSlash Car Rental
Easily cancel your AutoSlash rental with no penalty directly from your AutoSlash itinerary email. Click the “Cancel reservation” button, which takes you to your AutoSlash confirmation booking page.
Scroll down this page and click the “Cancel” button, then click “Yes, Cancel car.”
Does AutoSlash Work for International Destinations?
Yes. Although the company is in New York, you can use AutoSlash to book a rental cars internationally, not just in the U.S.
Though, be sure to learn before you travel if you need an international driver’s permit or other special licensing for the specific country you plan to visit. AutoSlash offers this helpful information page detailing the regions that require permits and where you can get them.
Additionally—and to avoid surprises at the rental car counter, discover if there are any other fees or requirements for rental car drivers, like purchasing mandatory third liability insurance, as is required in countries like Mexico, Costa Rica, Ireland, and others. Search a term like “rental car requirements in [country]” on Google or Bing and scroll through the results.
When it comes to rental car insurance, learn how to protect yourself in the article “Rental Car Insurance: When You Need It and When You Don’t.”
The Pros of Using AutoSlash for Car Rentals
- Significant cost savings. By continuously searching for lower rates and applying additional discounts and coupons, AutoSlash helps you find the best deal on your car rental.
- AutoSlash does the work for you. AutoSlash does all the heavy lifting of finding car rental discounts based on your specific credit cards and memberships through their quote request process—helpful time-savings for anyone.
- A user-friendly platform and accessible customer service. AutoSlash offers an easy-to-find message form and email address (thank you for not hiding this AutoSlash!) on its website.
- Rental car rate tracking. AutoSlash will track your confirmed rental car booking, alerting you to lower rates for your specific travel dates and destination.
- No risk reservations. AutoSlash does not require users to prepay or submit a credit card to reserve a rental and makes it easy and penalty-free to cancel at any time.
- Earn credit toward rental car loyalty programs. Enter your frequent rental or loyalty program membership information when you book. You will still get all the perks of membership and earn full credit for your rental.
- Valuable rental car information. Discover money-saving and hassle-reducing rental car tips on AutoSlash’s website or in its email newsletter, such as this gem about setting your pick-up time two hours after your plane arrives to avoid losing your reservation at overbooked pick-up locations.
The Cons of Using AutoSlash for Car Rentals
- Limited access to exclusive deals and discounts. One of the drawbacks to using AutoSlash is that it may not always find the absolute lowest price available, as it relies on publicly available information and may not have access to exclusive deals or discounts.
- You may need to recheck your rental car rates at the counter. Some users have reported issues with the accuracy of their rental rate quoted by AutoSlash versus the rate charged at the rental car counter. Bring a copy of your price quote and always cross-check this against the rates in your rental car contract.
- You may be surprised by local and mandatory charges for international rentals. When using AutoSlash internationally, know that it may not reflect mandatory fees users must pay at the rental car counter. For example, all renters in Mexico must pay for daily liability insurance—bought in Mexico. AutoSlash quotes, depending on the vehicle provider, may not reflect this charge, and renters could be surprised at the extra expense. To avoid stumbling upon these types of unknowns, take time to learn about local rental car requirements.
- Your rate may not include a second driver. AutoSlash’s rate quotes are sometimes lower because they do not necessarily include a second driver. Be sure to check the details of your rental quote to see what it covers, as adding another driver could cost an extra $10 to 15 per day.
Know that rental car companies often include a complimentary second driver as a perk to loyalty program members, making for an excellent reason to join these programs—also a tip in my “15 Tips on How to Raise the Bar on Car Rentals” article.
How AutoSlash Compares to Other Car Rental Booking Sites
When it comes to booking car rentals, there are many options available online. I share several of them in my article, “15 Tips on How to Raise the Bar on Car Rentals.”
While AutoSlash is known for its ability to find and apply discounts and coupons automatically—you will want to compare it to other booking sites to ensure the deal you are getting is good.
Some popular alternatives include Rentalcars.com, Costco Travel—if you are a member, Expedia, Kayak, and Priceline.
Final Verdict: Is AutoSlash Worth It?
Yes. Absolutely. Autoslash provides a hassle-free way to save money on car rentals, especially if you do not mind inputting extra information and getting an email for the best deal. Consider it one more valuable resource in your kit of rental car time and money-saving tools.
Related Reading
For travelers hitting the road, check out my related articles below that will help smooth your travel and get out the door with less hassle.
- Rental Car Insurance: When You Need It & When You Don’t
- 15 Tips on How to Raise the Bar on Car Rentals
- Enjoy the Ride: 12 Tips for Better Family Road Trips
- 49 Things You Need to Do to Plan Your Best Trip (Free Travel Research & Planning Checklist)
- Pack Faster & Better With This Universal Printable Packing List
- 25 Expert Packing Tips to Help You Travel Better
- Pre-Trip: A Practical Checklist to Close the House & Pack
Additional Trip Planning Resources
To further help you with travel planning, I share my go-to resources for every trip below.
Google Flights. My first research stop for affordable flights for every trip. Learn why here.
Google Hotels. Use its “Where to stay” button to discover the best neighborhoods to base your visit.
Booking.com. For hotel and rental bookings, I appreciate its flexible cancellation, candid user reviews, discounts, loyalty program, and easy-to-use interface.
Viator, Get Your Guide, & Airbnb Experiences. Quickly find and book highly-rated tours and activities on these sites.
Google Travel Things to Do & Google Maps. Find more things to do in your destination on Google Travel, then record where you want to visit on a custom Google Maps list.
AllTrails. Love to hike? Me too. I religiously use AllTrails to discover hiking and biking trails and download its offline maps to manage my hikes.
Guide Along. 5-star self-guided audio tours that are GPS-compatible for US road trips and national parks. We loved the Glacier National Park tour.
Insure My Trip. I never travel internationally without trip insurance. Learn why here. My preferred place to shop and compare policies is InsureMyTrip.com.
Plus, check out the 15 travel apps I use on trips, my preferred guidebooks, and my free customizable travel itinerary template, downloadable in four file formats.
About the author: Janice Moskoff is a travel writer and blogger who loves hiking, exploring the world, and reading. She writes to inspire travel-loving families, adult friends, and couples on her blog, Gather and Go Travel. Check out her bio, learn how she became a blogger, and discover how to work with her. Sign up for her monthly Discovery Newsletter to get her latest travel recommendations and how-to’s.
Love to travel? Sign up for my monthly Gather & Go Travel Discovery Newsletter and get a free trip budget calculator.
Affiliate Disclosure: Some of the links on this page may be affiliate links, and at no additional cost to you, I earn a commission if you make a purchase. I only recommend products and companies I use. And the income goes to keeping the site community-supported and ads minimal.
Welcome to Gather and Go Travel, a blog inspiring families, adult friends, and couples to explore US and international destinations and to get outdoors. I am Janice, an experienced traveler to over 50 countries and a travel writer, book lover, and blogger. Learn more about me, read our story, and how to work with me.
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