Pricing of hire cars not transparent

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Viewing 13 posts - 16 through 28 (of 28 total)

  • binabdulaziz
    Participant

    Mr Tarrant, it was my pleasure.


    MartynSinclair
    Participant

    the supply chain will go full circle – it always does. NTarrant, you are comparing the relative ease of booking on line to the hassle factor of phoning around.

    As a side issue, Virgin holidays, without insurance, can not be beaten for Florida car hire, if you can get the seats on Virgin.

    With regards to generic car hire, especially longer term bookings, i have given up using the internet for the very reason quoted by NTarrant. I delegate Mrs S to phone around and negotiate the rate needed and the package required. This summer this stratergy saved us over $700 for a 5 week (4 week + 1 week) rental. We have seperate insurances for the CDW etc, but now realise these are pointless as car hire in the states is sold inclusive of this cover.


    VintageKrug
    Participant

    I have also had good experiences with http://www.netflights.com who have excellent prepaid rates, you get two options and I would suggest you avoid booking with thrifty and book with Dollar.

    They are now the same firm, but thrifty seem to have all the knackered cars and fewer people on the desk.


    travelwell
    Participant

    i recenly booked some car hire and their websites, hertz, avis were very clear about extra’s when you click further before actually booking.

    I also found sixt prices in some cases even better plus sixt offer one of the best prices but you dont even need to pre-pay to get their best price, pay when you rent. some of the others offered a lower, best price if you paid now in advance which might suit some people but sixt gave you their best price without having to pay now and it was totally cancellable without fee also.


    NTarrant
    Participant

    Travelwell, where are you finding prices for extras on Avis? I usually use avisba.com and other than the car seat and sat nav on the first page there is no reference to prices for excess waiver or in the online assistant.

    Indeed Martyn, I don’t really have time to phone around so the internet is time saving and I can do it when I think about it even if it is 0030! All I want to do is be able to compare like for like, surely that is not too much to ask?


    MartynSinclair
    Participant

    I agree with you NTarrant about the time invoilved in phoning round – it is very time consuming. It would be so helpful if vendors used a standard format to show prices and clearly show the extras. Its a bit like viewing some restaurents who show menus but no prices!


    LuganoPirate
    Participant

    Some credit cards offer full CDW insurance if paying with that card. Last year in S. Africa I drove into a hole (my fault entirely, was off-road) causing about €350 of damage (repair cost much less than here. There they repair, here they replace!). I had no CDW so my card was debited for the repair, and within a week of getting the claim paper from me, the card company reimbursed me in full.

    Consider also, if booking through an airline website in order to get extra miles (and a supposedly better deal) you will often be paying well over the odds. Check, not only direct with Hertz.com for example, but also the local website of the car hire company (eg. Hertz.co.za).

    Off airport is always cheaper than on-airport so that is also worth checking, though you do have to consider the convenience factor and obviously rental companies know this. I have even had the case where I booked with the downtown office and they bought the car to me at the airport on the condition I would take the driver back. I had to wait 20 minutes for the car after landing, but I did save over 35% which on a 15 day rental was a saving of well over € 600. You can usually drop off at the airport with no extra charge.

    Finally and this especially applies for a longer term booking of 10 days or more. Call the agency direct. They will often have local deals not shown on the websites. They are mostly franchises and would rather have the business than it going to the airport franchisee (unless they own both franchises that is!).


    watersz
    Participant

    I guess i’m more suprised how many of you are actually sorting out your own cars and flights and not your respective travel depts e.t.c doing it for you .


    BA319131
    Participant

    Quoting VintageKrug:-

    I have also had good experiences with http://www.netflights.com who have excellent prepaid rates, you get two options and I would suggest you avoid booking with thrifty and book with Dollar.

    They are now the same firm, but thrifty seem to have all the knackered cars and fewer people on the desk.

    – Not in the UK, Thrifty have the youngest cars out of all all of the companies, most are a better spec too.


    VintageKrug
    Participant

    Ah, I never hire a car in the UK, only in the US. Thanks for the correction.

    I just don’t find I get either best value or good service from my Corporate Travel Dept. and would much rather have direct control of things myself, while ensuring I cut the best deal for those paying the bill and also maximising my utility into the bargain.

    All shall have prizes!


    openfly
    Participant

    I book with AVIS every time. I check the price at BA.com, then phone them. Usually they are good and quote the BA.com price. If you are a member of the UK AA (cars not alcohol!) tell them and they reduce the quote by 15%. They send an email confirmation which states the price agreed.

    I can guarantee that the final statement price will be MORE than the agreed one. I was overcharged by over £50 in Cape Town recently. But it is not a problem.

    Their customer service is excellent. They understand the problem. Over the phone they request the confirmation email sent to them at that moment and they can see the quoted price. I have been refunded each time immediately, and several times have received an upgrade voucher!

    Even for £4 it is worth the effort. Look after the pennies etc…………and you can afford to fly First!


    VintageKrug
    Participant

    Despite slating their prices in the past, I have more recently found some good deals on

    http://www.avisba.com

    If you use the British Airways Gold AWD code N744400 you get 15% off, no one way fees and BA Miles into the bargain. Full benefits here:

    – Earn three BA Miles per £1 spent on Avis car rental. Minimum 500 BA Miles per rental, worldwide

    – Join Avis Preferred and receive 500 bonus BA Miles on your first Avis Preferred rental plus a complimentary car upgrade on your next rental

    – Rent with Avis four times or more in a calendar year and receive 750 bonus BA Miles

    – Pay for your Avis car rental using your British Airways American Express card and earn 250 bonus BA Miles on top of the BA Miles awarded on the card transaction.

    Well worth registering for Avis Preferred so your car is ready and waiting for you in the lot on arrival.


    NTarrant
    Participant

    I would agree with VK, although if hiring in the Channel Islands, forget it, you will have to claim missing miles, you don’t get the right amount of miles. I have rented five times from Avis in Jersey this year and received no bonus. I have paid with BA Amex and received nothing extra.

    See my letter to the editor in a BT magazine some months ago now.

Viewing 13 posts - 16 through 28 (of 28 total)
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