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Budget Saves the Summer Driving Vacation With Cost-Saving Fuel Tips

21 June 2000

Budget Saves the Summer Driving Vacation With Cost-Saving Fuel Tips

    LISLE, Ill. - Rising gas prices don't have to mean an end to the family car 
vacation of old.  Whether consumers are driving cross-country this summer or 
using rental cars during destination vacations, a few good cost-saving tips from 
Budget Rent a Car can make all the difference.

    Cost-Saving Tips for Summer Driving
    * Rent an environmentally-friendly vehicle from Budget Rent a Car in
      California.  Budget EV Rental Cars offers electric, gasoline-electric
      hybrid, and compressed natural gas vehicles, all designed for maximum
      energy efficiency.  These cars can help you cut fueling costs in half --
      or avoid them altogether!
    * Pool your resources:  For large events -- family reunions or church
      picnics -- organize a carpool by renting a 15-passenger van from Budget
      Rent a Car.
    * Escape the Midwest!  If you live in the Chicago or Milwaukee
      metropolitan area, you've been hit hardest by the increase in fuel
      prices.  Why not explore quiet backroads in a region of the country
      where gas costs less, such as the Arkansas Ozarks, Savannah, Georgia or
      Phoenix, Arizona?
    * Rent a Ford Ranger at http://www.budget.com -- it's the ultimate rental for the
      cost-conscious vacationer this summer.  The online booking price is only
      $19.99 per day with unlimited mileage.  With its locking security trunk,
      the Ranger holds four times more luggage than most midsize cars.  Plus,
      many Rangers are flexible fuel vehicles that allow them to run on
      cost-efficient ethanol, unleaded gasoline, or a combination of the two
      fuels.
    * Don't get lost.  Renting a cellular phone (only $5.99 daily, with ten
      minutes free airtime in most major markets) or using Budget's online
      map-making program at http://www.budget.com before departing can help you stay
      on track and eliminate fuel waste.
    * Roll down the window and enjoy the fresh air.  Use air conditioning
      sparingly and pack your vehicle lightly to cut down on refueling costs.
    * Recreate the old-fashioned family vacation by leaving your large minivan
      or SUV at home and renting a smaller vehicle such as the gas-friendly
      intermediate-size Mercury Mystique or full-size Ford Taurus.  Bond
      together by playing games that predate Nintendo like "Counting State
      License Plates."  Many Taurus', like the Ranger, are flexible fuel
      vehicles that can be rented at no additional charge.
    * Refill the tank yourself.  Although Budget has three different fuel
      options for renter convenience, the least expensive choice during gas
      price spikes is to refuel the vehicle yourself before returning it.
    * O Canada!  Explore our neighbor to the north -- Budget cars may be
      driven into or rented in Canada, where some fuel prices are actually
      lower than in certain parts of the United States.

    Budget Rent a Car Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of Budget Group,
Inc. , is one of the world's top three car and truck rental systems.
The Budget system, which operates under the same name worldwide, has more than
3,200 airport and local market locations in over 120 countries and
territories.  Budget has nearly 1,000 corporate-owned and franchised locations
in the United States.  Budget's WorldClass Fleet is comprised of more than
30 percent specialty vehicles, ranging from sport utility vehicles,
convertibles and luxury cars to minivans, pickups and environmentally friendly
vehicles.