The car hire tips thread

[NorthernLass]

Thanks – I tried holidayautos but they were very expensive and had huge excesses and deposits. I’ll have another look nearer the time though. It’s 4 of us plus luggage so the smallest size cars aren’t really doable! I think all the rental companies are hoping that people have already booked their summer holidays and will have no option but to pay inflated prices in July and August.

[Man of Kent]

Hopefully a sign of things to come – had a booking with Avis for 11 days car hire in the US at £1,050 for September, was £1,050 now down to £865.

Perhaps some competition and normality returning here.

[NorthernLass]

Man of Kent wrote:

Hopefully a sign of things to come – had a booking with Avis for 11 days car hire in the US at £1,050 for September, was £1,050 now down to £865.

Perhaps some competition and normality returning here.

Thanks – was that direct with Avis or via BA? I need a car for 17 days over Xmas and New Year in Florida 🤦‍♀️

[Man of Kent]

NorthernLass wrote:

Man of Kent wrote:

Hopefully a sign of things to come – had a booking with Avis for 11 days car hire in the US at £1,050 for September, was £1,050 now down to £865.

Perhaps some competition and normality returning here.

Thanks – was that direct with Avis or via BA? I need a car for 17 days over Xmas and New Year in Florida 🤦‍♀️

It’s direct with Avis and for Florida too – pick-up and drop-off at MCO.

[NorthernLass]

Interesting _ I’ve just checked Avis’ website and ba.com and BA is coming out £200 cheaper!

[Man of Kent]

NorthernLass wrote:

Interesting _ I’ve just checked Avis’ website and ba.com and BA is coming out £200 cheaper!

Thanks, does BA.com quote for pay on collection rentals as it looks like there are cancellation fees involved? Avis direct pay now price is slightly higher than BA’s but I’d like to pay on collection to keep flexibility.

[yonasl]

Man of Kent wrote:

NorthernLass wrote:

Interesting _ I’ve just checked Avis’ website and ba.com and BA is coming out £200 cheaper!

Thanks, does BA.com quote for pay on collection rentals as it looks like there are cancellation fees involved? Avis direct pay now price is slightly higher than BA’s but I’d like to pay on collection to keep flexibility.

BA.com – Pay on the spot – no cancellation (well there are fees involved etc.)
Avis web/app – Pay on the spot – cancel for free 48 hrs before pick up
Avis web/app – Pay at pick up – Cancel up to pick up time
Expedia – Pay on the spot – cancel for free up to 6hrs before pickup

[Man of Kent]

yonasl wrote:

Man of Kent wrote:

NorthernLass wrote:

Interesting _ I’ve just checked Avis’ website and ba.com and BA is coming out £200 cheaper!

Thanks, does BA.com quote for pay on collection rentals as it looks like there are cancellation fees involved? Avis direct pay now price is slightly higher than BA’s but I’d like to pay on collection to keep flexibility.

BA.com – Pay on the spot – no cancellation (well there are fees involved etc.)
Avis web/app – Pay on the spot – cancel for free 48 hrs before pick up
Avis web/app – Pay at pick up – Cancel up to pick up time
Expedia – Pay on the spot – cancel for free up to 6hrs before pickup

Thanks very much. The price drop from £1,050 to £865 is for Avis pay at pick up and the reduction has occurred since 10 April when I looked last. Comparing Avis direct vs BA.com for pay now shows BA being marginally cheaper.

[NorthernLass]

I’ve just booked and paid via BA as I can’t see prices reducing much for Xmas/New Year. I know there are cancellation penalties, but the only reason we wouldn’t take the trip would be for one of the reasons covered by travel insurance, such as illness. I’ve already spent a huge amount of time planning it, I’ve no intention of cancelling!

[RTS]

There is an amex offer for discover cars. Spend £100+ and get 10% back

[sm]

Please can anyone tell me if I have plat card would the car insurance that comes with it, would possibly cover a budget rent-a-car in US ( CDW included ). On the Amex page detailing what is covered it says ‘Cover applies only when rental agency allows refusal of their insurance’. There doesn’t seem an option to refuse the insurance included in the price. I’m very confused! Thanks in advance for clarifying.

[JenT]

@sm – as long as you don’t add any more coverage, I think you’ll be fine. Are you booking this car through a UK website? Usually if you book through a US website, you should be able to opt for no insurance at all.

[sm]

Thanks JenT – yes booked through UK website. If I do manage to book through their US website and deselect insurance. What would I need to show them when we pick up the car? Are they happy being shown platinum card Amex card or do you need to show printed insurance policy. thanks again.

[SteveJ]

sm wrote:

Thanks JenT – yes booked through UK website. If I do manage to book through their US website and deselect insurance. What would I need to show them when we pick up the car? Are they happy being shown platinum card Amex card or do you need to show printed insurance policy. thanks again.

Never had to show anything. They may put a hold on your card to cover the full excess, that’s them covered. Any incident you pay them the excess then reclaim from Amex.

• This reply was modified 54 years, 4 months ago by .

[Mighty Hunter]

Don’t know if this has been mentioned before, but I find Travelocity (part of Expedia) significantly cheaper as their website is in the USA so you get local rates. Different insurance, I imagine, but we have an annual Questor policy so no big deal. Last December in Orlando they were just over half the price for an Avis car, compared with Avis direct or BA.

[JenT]

@sm – in the USA, it is common for employers, credit card providers or insurers to include car rental insurance so I have never been asked. I was once asked in Mexico, but was pre-warned and there was something I could print off from the Amex website.

[YC]

Any good tips for Europcar? So far I found the Accor partnership the best but returning it to a different location (within Italy) is causing a big price hike.

[sm]

Sorry to ask a silly question but say there’s damage, theft or accident whilst in US using a rental car ( after declining their insurance ) – with Platinum Amex insurance how does that work? You pay for the full cost whilst there and claim it back once home? New to all this. Thanks in advance

[sm]

@ mighty hunter – re: Travelocity -prices are amazing even with hertz but you have to prepay and says on t&cs ‘Your rental may have mandatory, local insurance requirements that result in additional charges at the time of hiring’. If have plat Amex insurance- nothing will be added right? anyone has had experience of this? Thanks so much.

[SteveJ]

sm wrote:

Sorry to ask a silly question but say there’s damage, theft or accident whilst in US using a rental car ( after declining their insurance ) – with Platinum Amex insurance how does that work? You pay for the full cost whilst there and claim it back once home? New to all this. Thanks in advance

You’ll be paying the excess to the car hire firm, not the full cost of the damage. And then yes, reclaim when you’re home.

[dougzz99]

SteveJ wrote:

sm wrote:

Sorry to ask a silly question but say there’s damage, theft or accident whilst in US using a rental car ( after declining their insurance ) – with Platinum Amex insurance how does that work? You pay for the full cost whilst there and claim it back once home? New to all this. Thanks in advance

You’ll be paying the excess to the car hire firm, not the full cost of the damage. And then yes, reclaim when you’re home.

If you decline rental car insurance, then excess to what. Having declined to rely on Amex aren’t you responsible for full cost? Are you saying there’s typically some minimal insurance regardless? Is state and rental company dependant?

[sm]

Yes I had that same thought as dougzz99! Anyone can help please? Thanks

[roger]

I am debating whether to hire a car in MUC for 2days and drop off in SZG
Or to hire and drop off car in MUC and then take a train from MUC to SZG.

I will have a lot of luggage and family with me, so car does offer convenience but costs too high for different drop off location (3-3.5x the same location MUC drop-off price). Does anyone have any recommendation?

• This reply was modified 54 years, 4 months ago by .

[JDB]

sm wrote:

Yes I had that same thought as dougzz99! Anyone can help please? Thanks

Car hire insurance in the US varies by state. There are usually three types of insurance – loss damage waiver, collision damage waiver and (Supplemental) Liability Insurance. I believe that the inclusion of SLI is mandatory although the level is very low in some states (such that you/your insurance have to cover the difference) and obviously in the US, these sort of third party claims could be huge. You need to check carefully what is included. You are required to have CDW/LDW but it usually isn’t included in US rentals so you need to have your own cover or take the car hire company’s insurance with or without an excess.

If you do elect not to take the insurance from the rental company, the excess insurers do work on a pay now, claim later basis so you will have to pay the rental company for any damage or third party costs and claim it back from your insurer. One thing to note is that for Amex Plat the SLI cover is very low outside the US vs other providers.

[jayjay]

Any recommendations on a 1 or 2 day rental in London? I’ve got a car with Enterprise Car Club booked for now since I’ve used them before. It’s easy, and I can pick up the car at any time since it’s just parked on the street (similar to ZipCar).

Just wondering if anyone has used similar companies before? CarClub has relatively basic cars hence the ask. (throw in your referral codes etc. if they’ll help!)