[Anonymous]

[NTarrant]

I have always found that the pricing of hire cars is not particularly transparent and a number of charges that are not quoted as part of the headline price.

For example a recent day hire, Avis quoted £31.58 for a Corsa group car. Hertz was £27.95. So I went with Hertz, but the bill came to £35.47 by the time insurances were added. I am then left wondering if that was the better deal. Would it have been cheaper with Avis? Are their insurances cheaper?

My view is that the extra insurances and fuel should be quoted as seperate items so one can compare prices and book as they feel fit.

[MartynSinclair]

why not ask for an all inclusive rate so you know exactly whats included (or not)?

[binabdulaziz]

Wow, £31.58 against £35.47, yes, this huge difference!

How much your time cost in checking this out?

[VintageKrug]

It is over 10%, which is generally accepted to be a “material” amount.

While in absolute terms, the amount is small, the point is that if the rental firms are doing this to all their customers, it is very misleading.

Not such an issue for business travellers on a one day compact car rental.

But try a two week people carrier rental in Florida over the summer and you could be talking about GBP600+. Adding an extra 10% would pay for supper for a family and with many on a tight budget (especially right now) this is a hidden cost they could do without.

There are often currency factors at play if you book abroad, but to be certain of your costs, best to book the prepaid rate and double check the small print about fuel etc.

Never leave your car at the airport without cross checking your final receipt with your original booking, and if there is a discrepancy, take it up with the car rental office before you leave the lot.

[binabdulaziz]

Ah Mr Vintage Krug

Yes, £600 worth checking, but £4?

Materiality normally set in money amount for big company? It is for mine.

Common sense required in this world, such as last line of your post.

Many busniess not transparent, try booking hotel through some online company, get message ‘taxes and other charges may or may not be included.’

Anyway, fuel and insurance are not mandatory payments to car hire company, as you can take out own insurance and also choose to fill car before returning – so why should be included in headline price?

[watersz]

I can understand my Gas bill easier than my Avis reciept (esp u.s)
and Gas bills are the most user unfriendly bills ever

[NTarrant]

Mr Binabdulaziz you miss the point, as does Martyn. When you book on avisba.co.uk or hertz.co.uk you are given a price. However, the extras such as reducing the amount of excess are not shown and can vary so much between companies and locations. It is these that need to be shown so that a fair comparison can be shown.

I have just booked another hire but for two days and this time Avis is cheaper by £6, so I’m going Avis. Like a number of other people if you are recharging your customer for that element you have to be seen to be looking after their interests.

What VK says is spot on, very good example on the leisure side.

[binabdulaziz]

Mr Tarrant

I do not use Avis, but Hertz I do and at ‘book and review’ step there is a ‘view optional extras’ link for to see these costs, e.g. supercover for extra insurances not in price.

Mr Martyn makes good post to get total price for all, then is obvious best deal.

This how we buy air ticket, get whole price and compare!

[NTarrant]

Mr Binabdulaziz – I am sorry but in the “view optional extras” there is no mention of insurance to waive the excess. That section is for child car seats and stat nav hire.

Under the requirements section it does tell you how much the excess is but it does not tell you how much it is to waive this excess. Even the airlines that show the headline price without taxes still show the taxes and all the extras.

The point is that you do not get the whole price, therefore you can not compare, except only on the headline price which may not be the true price. In my example I paid £35.47 in total on the day of hire. But had I hired from Avis at the higher headline price would the extras be more or less than the £35.47 I paid to Hertz?

[JonathanCohen09]

Hello everyone,

I agree with those contributors above who feel that either the all inclusive price should be quoted or that there should be a full breakdown of what you are paying for before you are committed to your booking.

Perhaps this is something that BT could look into for us. If they have done it before then I apologise but perhaps they could look at the whole thing again, particularly this aspect of it?

Best regards

Jonathan

[binabdulaziz]

Mr Tarrant

I start booking at Hertz, for London LHR airport, for 7 days from 23 to 30 August, for Corsa type car.

In step 4, I click on link ‘view optional items’ on right hand side, under ‘More Details About Your Quote.’

I see Supercover for £84 and PAI for £42.

If you try, can you see this?

[Travel-guru]

Of course if you use an agent you should be given an ‘inclusive’ price anyway.

[NTarrant]

Mr Binabdulaziz – thank you for pointing that out, but the question still remains why that information is not made clear. If I have missed that section I am sure many other will have as well. It also does not give an indication as to what the taxes are.

I also looked again on avisba.com and that does not show either. So even though it is on Hertz site, the pricing is not transparent or clear and even Hertz site does not compare with airline pricing.

Travel-guru, I notice you say “should”!

[Travel-guru]

NTarrant,
I say should because not all agents do as with anything. But there are those that will.

[Author]

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