[Cwyfan]

Go to rentalcars.com through Quidco.co.uk and some extras are free

[SwissExPat]

@ KMCottrell

See the attached link for an excess policy for stg£49 per annum for 2 person WORLDWIDE Policy

https://www.questor-insurance.co.uk/buy-insurance/hire-car-hire-excess.aspx

I bough this 2 months ago and have saved 20 days * Euro 15 i.e Euro300 less the cost of the policy, since then.

The policy covers Damage including Glass, Tyres, fuel contamination and underside damage etc.

All car rental companies have applied great pressure on me when NOT buying their Super cover saying that ‘ are you sure your policy covers the above 4 items?!!!!)

Now, they block off all the excess from my credit card [usually Euro 1,200] when I don’t cough up the Euro15 per day for their cover.

I just rented a VW Golf for 7 days in Europe costing me Euro 206 and the super cover would have been another Euro 105!

The only downside is that I have to inspect the car with a “fine tooth comb” when starting the rental and take pictures. For 3 of the last 4 rentals in the last month, I had to have additional damage added to the damage sheet before exiting the car park lot.

I reckon this cover is where the real profit is in car rental now.

[Binman62]

Have just been researching car rental for a trip to the USA. It is a one way hire.

Avis BA qouted $2370… I kid you not. Do not know what the issues is but this is mad.

Avis.com quoted £573

Virgin holidays £493

Car hire 3000 £375 but do not guarantee 4WD

Money supermarket about th same as car hire 3000.

[HonestCrew]

Using the trusty old AMEX Platinum Card saves a few £££ when it comes to the insurance ‘extras’ that bump up the car hire price.

Being able to say “nope, I don’t need that…..or that….or that” when you pick up the motor keeps the actual price as close to the quoted price as possible, particularly in the US.

[MartynSinclair]

Binman – not sure how long you need the car for or from where (one way noted), but Mrs S uses Virgin holidays where just over 7 weeks car hire (mid size) came to all of $500 including taxes.

[VintageKrug]

Binman, it’s strange that your Avis BA quote was so high.

There can be country of residence issues which can cause problems, and of course if you’re renting in a place to which BA doesn’t fly, using a non-airport location, outside the 5,7, 10 or 14 day period for which the site is optimised, a one way hire, or a car type not covered by BA’s corporate deal, then avisba is not the right site to use in your particular circumstances. Not that any of this is particularly well-explained, and the site is appallingly badly laid out for searching.

Without knowing exactly what you were looking for it’s hard to see what data you input to get that quote, so it’ll have to be discarded as an aberration.

However, I’m sure I could get a more sensible quote from http://www.AvisBA.co.uk (which used to be a rip off, but has become considerably more competitive recently); make sure you use the AWD code N744400 or the sale AWD O0585000, valid until 11th October.

[Binman62]

The rental is for 15 days and I need a 4wd. Only VS guarantee this unless you book full size SVU in my experience.
Today the Avisba.com site is quoting $1690 but will only quote for Chevy Traverse as the Tahoe is not available for a 1 way hire between SFO and LAX.
Interestingly Avis sent an flyer out today about their Autumn sale and the price became £616 then £591 when the preferred data was input. This was on avis.co.uk and not avisba.com
Seems it is a problem with avisba.com site rather than anything else. Have booked the deal at £591 but is pay on collection. If I can find a better deal in the months ahead I can always cancel.

[MartynSinclair]

Hi Simon

Yesterdays weather was wet in central Florida, but Master S has now departed for his lesson at Orange CountyNational.

A friend in Coral Springs told me his kids were off school yesterday.

Martyn

[VintageKrug]

…and you can save 33% off a Hertz rental using CDP code 763170 for bookings until 30th September and rentals until 31st December.

[Cwyfan]

If you are hiring in Madrid, beware of using Argus, who use Pepecar, who are off airport, and require over an hour extra to be with car or after leaving it. The cars are great, but what a hassle to get

[Tim2soza]

Nice feature on the Avis iPhone app – your reservations can now be saved on Passbook, alongside your airline boarding cards. Hotel bookings next?

[BigDog.]

…”Why I’ll never buy car hire insurance again”…
saving over 50%.

Several posters already do this to avoid being being stung by car hire companies. Buy stand alone car hire insurance in advance (eg £25, standalone policy from icarhireinsurance.com.)

An interesting article in todays DT demonstrates how to save over £65 on a 6 day hire. Also the fairly easy process when a claim is necessary.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/personalfinance/insurance/motorinsurance/11026566/Why-Ill-never-buy-car-hire-insurance-again.html

[Gin&Tonic]

On the subject of car hire, does anyone have any experience of long term car hire in Spain, I will be there for a few consecutive months and having trawled the internet many claim long term car hire but will actually only quote a 30 day maximum which makes it hard to budget.

Thanks all

[openfly]

One tip….don’t book through the airline…particularly BA. You get charged £5 credit card fee.

Check the price on the airline website…then call the car rental company. If OK then book thru Avis, Hertz etc, giving them your FFP number. NO credit card charge!

[LuganoPirate]

G&T, book for 30 days then tell them when you collect the car you want to keep it longer. Should not be a problem. Otherwise make two back to back bookings and then join them on collection.

Openfly, good point, though I have yet to find booking a hire car via an airline website cheaper than going direct.

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