** Vehicle Hire queries **

LiamaDelta

I usually find arguscarhire.ie best. They're the original cartrawler, most other companies use their software.

Last time in Faro I used Sixt (via Argus) worked out fine. If booking well in advance you tend to get the best deals. The usual 'get what you pay for' tends to apply.

k123456

BlazingSaddler wrote: »

How clean does a rental car have to be when you give it back?, currently have a focus in Nice that I've had for 10 days and need to take back tomorrow. It's covered in sand on the outside, do I need to wash it?

I would wash it, its in the TCS that car hire co can impose a washing fee

BlazingSaddler

irbx wrote: »

I used to rent most weekends off enterprise their "weekend special" around €35 for 2 days as I had use of a work car the weekdays.

I found them to brilliant at customer service as american company. The guys on the counter don get any commission so not pushing services you dont need. But do get awards if your rental is selected for 3 question survey a couple days after the rental.

Alamo rent a car is enterprise cheaper brand. In Euro it still managed by the enterprise staff. so same service for cheaper cost. In US it is different branches and never rented a car their.

To get the best rates I always compare the alamo.com (and change to Irish resident not US as US does not include CDW) and enterprise.ie site. Alamo is cheaper normally and included the basic CDW in the quotes. Their website seam to quote hight months before you go. So I book with out paying option. Around 6 weeks to 2 weeks before rental date they mostly slash the price down. I presume it better to have car out getting something then parked in their lot. I make a fresh booking and once I secure the cheaper rate cancel down the older higher cost booking.

I have found at any of their airport locations their Desk is not busy compared to all the company. So paper done and gone in less then 5 mins. In hundred of rentals only had one bad experience abroad. The person might be having a bad day and said the rates I got on the website were wrong/ Vat was also not included etc... and needed to charge me more. Under pressure with kids I paid the extra around €180. Could only find a premium number for customer service in that country so had to go on Facebook to contact their Head office. who raise a case to area manager of the problem branch with in 24 hours I gotten 2 calls and 3 emails updating on issue and the reslove that the person was wrong. I was refunded back €180 and then extra as goodwill. ( they must have me flagged on their system as any time I go to the branch since they upgrade me for free and I get a call the next day to check in is everything okay.

Re carseats
Because I fly to France quite a bit with ryanair to beauvais paris airport. They dont have Luggage Trolleys. With to very active young kids under 3 not practical to bring car seats with us as not enough hands with baggage. Alamo in France charge €15 per seat for the whole rental which takes the press off as well.

I cover my excess for the car rental is use a company called Questor insurance . I bought my policy trough http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/ as their an extra discount €44 for the year. Proof in the pudding 2 years ago had to make a claim for €800 excess.This was reduced by enterprise when my insurance and enterprise loss assessor started to talk to €150. Somebody hit what looked like a shopping trolley (square scratches in paintwork) into the back of brand new car. Took 6 weeks to pay out (4 weeks of that was delay by my credit card company in getting a statement)

They claims process is all done online and make sure you read the policy to see what your covered for. Below is whats covered in my policy. they sell other bolt on's and can name more drivers for extra costs of course.

Example of the price drop is this April going to south of France on Easter Sunday. ( Peak holidays in France for the south) 2 weeks including the 2 car seats for Compact car was €690 in Dec. Checked again Friday last week and same car and seats was now €320 which I re-booked ( i know firefly/sixt is Cheaper slightly. But anytime I see their counters their up the walls normally plus I believe the staff are on commission/ Targets for extras

Sorry for the Very long Post but hope it helps someone based on my experiences.

What's Covered in my excess policy.

Description Cover Excess
Excess Reimbursement, Loss Damage Waiver and Towing Up to £6,000 £0
Personal Accident £10,000 £0
Personal Effects Cover Up to £300 £50
Key Cover Up to £500 £0
Curtailment Up to £300 £0
Drop Off Charges Up to £300 £0
Locked Out Cover Up to £100 £0
Miss-Fuelling Up to £500 £0
Road Rage Cover £1,000 £0
Car Jacking £1,000 £0
Important Information

Thank you for purchasing your Car Hire Insurance Car Hire - Annual from Questor Insurance Services Limited. With our Partners we are committed to ensuring that you have great experience and we are here to help you.

Please read the following: -

Please check that all the details on this certificate are correct if there are any errors email us and we will correct and reissue the certificate
Check that the Policy Limits are adequate and cover your liability to the car hire company.
Only vehicle rentals starting and finishing during the period of insurance are covered - all other rentals are excluded.
You should not need to purchase any other excess insurance from the car hire company once you have purchased this policy.
If this policy does not meet your needs you have the right to cancel this policy and receive a full refund up to 27/07/2016 subject to this policy having not commenced.
Kindly note, we are unable to provide insurance if you are renting from Green Motion Leicester, Green Motion Luton or Noleggiare.

It was mainly due to this post that I used Alamo when renting last week from Nice Airport and I have to say I was over the moon with them. I booked a Focus or similar and got a lovely nearly new top of the range Focus that I was delighted with. I arrived into Nice at 10am so expected a queue only to walk straight to the desk. Good service here with no pushy extra insurance sales pitch (I went with my own excess cover with carhireexcess.ie) as it was when I went to collect the car, a very thorough walk around with the assistant to check for damage but car perfect. My only issue was the toddler seat which was not ideal (not particularly clean and quite old), only to be told it was the last one. The Rep also had no idea how to fit it so that was quite a stressful 20 mins in 30 degree heat! The return process was a doddle with somebody to greet me with no delay, her English was excellent, she was very friendly, checked the car and was happy (even though I hadn't left it particularly clean after a family of 5 spending 11 days in it!) and processed the return of my deposit on an IPad there and then. She also asked for any feedback so I told her about the car seat and she has promised me a full refund on this (€60). So all in all a very good experience with Alamo! Thanks irbx!

Fred Swanson

This post has been deleted.

kujaultima

LiamaDelta wrote: »

I usually find arguscarhire.ie best. They're the original cartrawler, most other companies use their software.

Last time in Faro I used Sixt (via Argus) worked out fine. If booking well in advance you tend to get the best deals. The usual 'get what you pay for' tends to apply.

Argus is also usually my pick, they have cheaper prices most of the time

Birdsong

Going to the UK for 5 days in August and looking at hiring a car. First time doing this, are we better off having it sorted before we go, and if so does anyone have any recommendations for websites or companies.

Thanks

Charles Babbage

http://www.independent.ie/life/travel/travel-talk/car-hire-checklist-8-expert-tips-for-dodging-rental-ripoffs-35961221.html

http://www.autoeurope.ie will give you a good overview of prices.

Best advice is to read the small print, then read it again, the devil is in the detail.

Yamanoto

Found Hertz at Porto airport excellent to deal with.

Was over on business twice this week and though last-minute bookings meant it was pricey enough, the level of customer service was terrific - a very thorough inspection of the car was done before and after the rental on each occasion & the staff were friendly & efficient.

k123456

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4747878/Car-hire-sharks-caught-red-handed.html

Mancomb Seepgood

We're heading to Italy at the end of the month, 2 nights in Verona followed by a week in Riva del Garda.I was wondering if it would be worth hiring a car when leaving Verona and driving to Riva (I understand that there are 2 separate buses required to get from Verona to Riva).Would having access to a car be useful while in Riva - the hotel seems to have plenty of parking. I was thinking that a good few of the trips we'll want to do can be done by public transport as well. Thanks!

dennyk

It all depends on what you want to do in the region, really. A car would give you the best opportunity to explore at your own pace, see spots that aren't served by transit, and have more flexibility in terms of your schedule. On the other hand, a car is more expensive, parking can be a hassle in many places, and you have to be aware of and avoid ZTLs (or be prepared to receive a large bill from your rental company in six months or so from your traffic violation fines plus their extortionate administration fees). If all of the spots you want to see are well-served by bus, you might be better off without the car. If you want to go exploring little towns and winding roads up in the mountains or other more remote areas around Lake Garda, then you'll want a car, though.

I rented a car for my time around Lake Como and did not regret it, as it allowed me to make some unscheduled stops when I found a particularly pretty spot along the way, and allowed me to drive up to Sighignola to take in the views, and later to drive up into the pre-Alps above Varenna and then through the Orrido della Val Taleggio on the way back to Bergamo, which was a beautiful drive. Parking the damn thing in Bellagio was an enormous pain, though; had to drive around the outskirts three or four times before finally finding a spot about 2km from my hotel.

wintear

I did the trip the other way round, lake Garda then Verona. A car is really useful around the lake and the drive from Verona is quite straightforward. There are some nice drives around the lake and into the surrounding mountains.

It is possible to use ferries to get around the lake as well. Sermione and malcesine are well worth a visit.

rob w

rob w wrote: »

Hi,

A question re car hire excess reimbursement insurance. Maybe someone has some experience with claiming for the reimbursement on it (through AXA) can answer?

Does anyone know if this covers the loss of the excess through damage to the car which was caused by yourself i.e reversing into something rather than a collision with a third party? The policy wording is always a a bit tricky on insurance policies but as far as I can see it covers any damage as long as the car is being used in an appropriate manner, as laid out in t&c`s!!

Has anyone on here ever dinged a rental car themselves and then claimed the excess back through the policy?

Thanks!

Just thought I would come back and post on my experience here with using the AXA excess reimbursement insurance after my incident with the rental car recently. It might help ease somebody elses mind in the future when submitting a claim. Although I have always had this policy when renting a car, I have never had to claim on it (until now) – and I was a bit unsure of how successful it would be!

I had rented a car in Sicily through Goldcar while on holidays recently (took my chances even though I had heard some horror stories about them). Got the usual spiel from the guy at the counter when collecting the car after I refused their excess insurance. The deposit was only €1,200, as per my T&C’s but the guy said in Sicily (and some other Italian regions) the excess is €3,500 – and I would be fully liable for this if I got so much as a scratch on the car. I didn’t have an issue with that as the AXA policy stated it covered €3,500 for a single incident and €5,000 for multiple incidents. Anyway, long story short I managed to reverse the car into a rock protruding from a wall while parking on the street. Very minor, but obvious, cosmetic damage to the rear bumper.

When returning the car, the damage was recorded and a price put on it according to their table of charges. It turned out it was only €240 – rather than the €3,500 I was threatened with at pickup! I paid up, got a receipt and all documentation from the rental company and that was it. I have since claimed the money back successfully from AXA this week. The policy has paid itself off in one go and I didn't need to pay the extortionate fee to the rental company for insurance!

My advice to anyone else in the same situation would be just a couple of pointers to ensure compliance with the terms and conditions of the policy. Don’t give the insurance company a reason not to pay out your claim!

• Report the incident to the rental company asap (My rental contract said it must be notified within 48hrs of any incident)
• Take plenty of pics of the incident and any damage
• Do not leave the car rental office without all the documentation that is required to support your claim as it will be difficult to get at a later date (Breakdown of charges, damage report etc)
• If returning to an airport, get there early because it may take more time than usual to drop it off when going through the damage reports etc

aabarnes1

Hi everyone,

Looking for some info on the above for this September.
I have in the past,used Record go in the canaries and Auto Europe in Malaga without issue, however due to the late arrival of the flight, 22.40 in Alicante, the options for hiring a car are limited. Most of the offices are closed.
Firefly, Centauro and thrifty seem to be my only options, and if memory serves me well, all of these are a nightmare on hidden extras.
Any assistance would be welcome.

SusanC10

i am looking to hire a car in Greece next year. Just having a look now to gauge Prices so we have an idea etc.

Bit confused on the Insurance Options. We have an annual Car Excess Policy with Axa. So which other Insurance do we need ? CDW is included and there are then options for FDW, WUG and Ferry Insurance. We will get the Ferry Insurance but do we need FDW or WUG or both ??

Thanks in advance.

PS - we have hired cars in Greece before but I don't remember this many options.

SusanC10

Just realised that there is a dedicated Car Hire Thread:o

Mods - Can this thread be moved in there ? Thanks a mill.

dahamster

aabarnes1 wrote: »

Hi everyone,

Looking for some info on the above for this September.
I have in the past,used Record go in the canaries and Auto Europe in Malaga without issue, however due to the late arrival of the flight, 22.40 in Alicante, the options for hiring a car are limited. Most of the offices are closed.
Firefly, Centauro and thrifty seem to be my only options, and if memory serves me well, all of these are a nightmare on hidden extras.
Any assistance would be welcome.

I used http://www.skippyrentacar.com/index_eng.html in Jul. No complaints. Its a family run firm. They meet you in arrivals do the paperwork, you get the car in the set down area and off you go 10 mins tops. Arrive back to setdown they collect the car from you, and ur away.

The Black Oil

I've never rented a car before, considering doing so in Cardiff in October, to potter around Wales for a week. Single traveller. Hertz seem to be coming up at £94.73 (if you book online), for a little Kia Picanto or similar.

Included in the rates

Tax
Vehicle Licence Fee (VLF)
Theft Protection (Excess Applies)
Collision Damage Waiver (Excess Applies)
Location Service Charge (LSC)

Not included in the rates*

Fuel
Premium Emergency Roadside Service*
Personal Insurance*
Super Cover (Excess Waiver)*
Additional Driver Fee

Don't need to book today as I've not booked flights yet. I might go up to a Corsa for air con too.

I've read the whole thread. If I'm understanding correctly, getting your own excess cover is advisable. Even so, the car hire company might still take insist on something? My credit card limit is pretty low, €1,000. Is there anything else I should be aware of? I'd only be on third party cover with my insurance driving another car.

redcup342

The Black Oil wrote: »

I've never rented a car before, considering doing so in Cardiff in October, to potter around Wales for a week. Single traveller. Hertz seem to be coming up at £94.73 (if you book online), for a little Kia Picanto or similar.

Included in the rates

Tax
Vehicle Licence Fee (VLF)
Theft Protection (Excess Applies)
Collision Damage Waiver (Excess Applies)
Location Service Charge (LSC)

Not included in the rates*

Fuel
Premium Emergency Roadside Service*
Personal Insurance*
Super Cover (Excess Waiver)*
Additional Driver Fee

Don't need to book today as I've not booked flights yet. I might go up to a Corsa for air con too.

I've read the whole thread. If I'm understanding correctly, getting your own excess cover is advisable. Even so, the car hire company might still take insist on something? My credit card limit is pretty low, €1,000. Is there anything else I should be aware of? I'd only be on third party cover with my insurance driving another car.

Get excess insurance from an excess company.

If your credit card doesn't have enough of a limit just temporarily increase it with the Bank or load credit onto it to cover the excess amount.

k123456

The Black Oil wrote: »

I've never rented a car before, considering doing so in Cardiff in October, to potter around Wales for a week. Single traveller. Hertz seem to be coming up at £94.73 (if you book online), for a little Kia Picanto or similar.

Included in the rates

   Tax
   Vehicle Licence Fee (VLF)
   Theft Protection (Excess Applies)
   Collision Damage Waiver (Excess Applies)
   Location Service Charge (LSC)

Not included in the rates*

   Fuel
   Premium Emergency Roadside Service*
   Personal Insurance*
   Super Cover (Excess Waiver)*
   Additional Driver Fee

Don't need to book today as I've not booked flights yet. I might go up to a Corsa for air con too.

I've read the whole thread. If I'm understanding correctly, getting your own excess cover is advisable. Even so, the car hire company might still take insist on something? My credit card limit is pretty low, €1,000. Is there anything else I should be aware of? I'd only be on third party cover with my insurance driving another car.

Get insurance excess approx 45 e a year, or can be arranged for one week if that suits you.  While Hertz are one of the more reputable cos, they too will charge excessively  for any mark ,damage  etc that wasnt on the car when you picked it up.  insurance excess approx  covers you for damage , lost keys etc

Fred Swanson

This post has been deleted.

Zico !

Anyone rent a car in sardinia -any good companies???

dave2014

So i'm planning to travel to the Netherlands sometime next year and i want to rent a car, but i'll meet a friend who will drive it as he knows the roads better, is there a problem with that or?

Atlantic Dawn

He will need to be listed as a driver on the car and insured to drive it when you rent it. If they crash it you will be liable for the excess and any other costs.

masterboy123

That is fine. Just make sure his name is on the policy.

coylemj

He may need to be with you when you collect the car. They will certainly need to see his driving licence and they may also ask to photocopy the photo page from his passport. Whether he needs to there in person may depend on the rental company.

Another possibility is that you let him rent the car and you pay him.

And you'll probably have to pay an 'administrative charge' to add an additional driver.

dave2014

When I add him to the insurance and stuff he has to be with me on the day right?

coylemj

dave2014 wrote: »

When I add him to the insurance and stuff he has to be with me on the day right?

We don't know who you're renting from but even if we did, a lot of them are franchises so the same company may have different rules in different countries.

Your best bet is to ask them.

k123456

In general both drivers need to be present at car pick up

Some rental cos charge for addtn drivers, some dont

If you are availing of an cdw excess car hire policy, this of course needs to cover both drivers

redcup342

From personal experience.

Renting from Schiphol Airport you'll both need to be present, they'll take driving license details from both drivers.

Some Agencies such as Enterprise have a cross border fee (for example if you plan to cross into Belgium / Germany)

You'll also need to submit a thumb print, apparently its due to cases of cars going missing with false details

A Credit Card from the main driver (the person who booked the car) will need to be given and have sufficient balance to cover the excess (usually between 850 and 1500 euros depending on the agency/class of car rented)

Make sure you drop the car back full if you take that option, if you don't take the prepaid fuel option then it can be up to 4 euros / liter for fuel to refill the car (you could be looking at up to 220 euros to fill the tank if you drop it back almost empty)

Try and take a rental car "on airport" the Shuttle ones are quite far away, you could be waiting 20 minutes for the shuttle bus and it's another 10-15 minute drive to the Rental Car location.