Sixt - X5 or similar

[Forrest1]

Hi all, just back from a road trip around New England and was after views / thoughts on whether or not I’ve been done by the rental car team at Sixt (Boston).

I rented a BMW X5 or similar from Sixt (via booking.com) and when it got to my turn at the rental desk at Logan I was told that I was going to get an X4. I queried this as I felt that it was a class lower! I was told that it wasn’t and unless I wanted to fork out another $650 for an Escalade then the X4 was what I was going to get. So off we traipsed down 2 levels with our cases to pick up our keys and literally next to the X4 were a couple of X5’s and an X6, then a couple of cars up a Genesis GV80. I thought it worth querying again and went back up to ask for one of those and was told ‘no can do, they’re already booked out’’ and the X4 was it.

Don’t get me wrong it was a good car for what we needed but I paid for an X5 or similar but I just can’t find anywhere what cars Sixt list in the ‘or similar’ range. Anyone any ideas and/or do you think I’d be wasting my time trying to get some form of refund (assuming an X4 isn’t in the same class as an X5)? Nb I think I probably already know the answer to the last bit

[limpsfield]

I think you are right to be miffed. X5 is bigger than an X4 - I would not have expected that to fit "as similar"

No idea what their ts & cs will say - good luck!

[JQ]

I had the same for many years with Europcar at Geneva. Every year I would order a bog standard manual Octavia estate and every year they’d try to give me a smaller car. Invariably the smaller car was a higher spec version with auto box and full leather. They argued they were the same level due to the smaller car being better spec’d.

I would always stand my ground and end up with a bigger car where I could fit our 3 huge cases in the boot at no extra cost. At one point I remember having to show them on Google boot capacities. I used to quite enjoy the experience and ended up in some really nice cars over the years.

It may different in the States and I suspect you’re too late for a discount, but I would have been upset at being offered an X4 when paying for an X5.

[ecs]

This is one of the most annoying things about car hire. They get to decide what the 'or similar' is. Seems that if it's got 4 wheels and a steering wheel then it's similar.

I've found the only way around it is to refuse the car and get them to find you something else. This isn't always practical though. They try this all the time in Dubai, no matter what you book (XC90, XC60, X5 e.t.c.), you get a Prado.

Edited by ecs on Tuesday 15th October 06:12

[ThunderSpook]

I had one a few years back in Portugal. I’d booked an Audi A3, which was described as basically being either an A3 or a 1 Series. They tried to give me a Seat Leon estate saying it was the next level up. I pointed out they’d missed the point of me booking a premium brand. Eventually they relented, had a look and found they had an A3 available. Not quite sure where the logic in not giving me that in the first place comes from.