Hire car advice - how to get a 'decent' one ?

[nckr55]

Just back from a week in the Algarve, where Hertz saddled us with a Renault Menage Scenic. The most hateful heap I've ever had to drive, it was an 'upgrade' from a Medium Family Car.

Was hoping for a Focus or Golf, and now have the fear re. our 2 week holiday in Toulouse this July.

Has anyone got any tips on securing a decent / specific car when hiring from an airport - without having to spend silly money on an 'Executive / Luxury' car, to get an A4 / 3 series etc ?

All I want is a diesel Focus, Golf, Guiletta or 1 Series...

Can I claim an allergy to French cars ?

[JackCarter]

I can only suggest that you ask the agent what type of car they have allocated you, and if it doesn't meet your approval ask them nicely if they have something else available. It can help to ask for a car with low miles on it (less chance of being abused).

I have just had to endure a hateful Toyota Corolla without a straight panel on it so I know how you feel...

[V8mate]

Whenever I'm France, I see French shopping trolley-type cars being driven at seemingly unattainable velocities. Maybe if we drove them like the French our perspective would be better?

When in Rome...

[Dapster]

My experience is that if you go with a big firm at a main airport location, the best option is to use your charm on the desk agent. The person at the call centre when booking would be next to useless - they see the Kia Sedona as an upgrade from the Mini Cooper Works as it is a larger car with a higher day rate. See what discounts they are doing, and offer to pay for an upgrade if you can as this may throw up an unusual option or 2 eg "we have a Scirocco that's normally £35/day more, but I could do it for £10 if you like?" kind of thing... Also, if you book a lowly car and pay extra for the sat nav, they may just give you a better car with the nav installed as standard.

Finally, call a few big companies up and say that you'll use them if they give you a complimentary gold card / high loyalty status which in these times they are inclined to do. Then leverage your status to get a tasty car.

My personal best is to be upgraded to a Merc S 350 Bluetec (list price, over £70k) at a total cost of £23 per day...

[Challo]

I think alot will depend what airport you fly into. The smaller ones only have a handful of cars, so more than likely get what your given, or what they have instock. The bigger aiports will probaly have more of a choice and therefore more likely to upgrade or change the car.

We went through Avis on a recent lads trip to France. When i spoke to the Agent in the UK outlined my requirement and said we need a Sharan / C8 type car, but she suggested dropping it down to Zafira size as it was alot cheaper and potentially get upgraded.

Turn up to the airport we get allocated a VW Tiguan, not great when we needed 6 seats.

Also note they always say 'Golf' or similar to cover themselves.

[Slaav]

From memory, teh desk agents are still on commission for upgrades.

If you are pleasant and 'charming' then if not happy, ask what the options would be to get something better.

Ask for options as to what is in stock and then haggle on the car that you want.

This works just as well in Vegas Hotels and most other places (ex NYC IMHO)

DOnt ask, will never get....

[Maxus]

Not guaranteed but I have found that when I rent a Golf or equivalent from Sixt I do get a Golf. A lot depends on the location. Last year I used a comparison website and ended up with a local Spanish company called Pepe car (you don't find out the company until the voucher comes through). As it happens they were really good and I got a 1 Series diesel as the Medium sized car.

However, my most fun rental was a Fiat Panda to blast around the Alps from Nice. Go with the flow and enjoy whatever you end up with.

[the_lone_wolf]

Isn't part of the fun of a rental ragging the tits off a tiny underpowered cretinous heap of a car for a couple of weeks for as little as possible?

Recently rented a Chrysler (Lancia branded over here) Yplison 1.2 in France, it was the most hateful little thing I've ever driven, second even to the Mazda Demio I learned to drive in and the scooter they gave me when I took my Daytona 675 for a service

But that's not the point, it was hilarious to drive a car where you must choose between passengers or luggage, where to do a weekly shop required dropping the back seats, parking it in spaces normal cars would overhang like the American in Economy class seating. Of course it was slower than walking, even at full throttle everywhere it barely kept up with town traffic and was usless on the A8, but it was hilarious downhill

Somewhere deep down inside it was reassuring to know that it had less than 10k on the clock and already rattled more than my 90k Volvo, that to buy it new it cost getting on for double what I paid for a six year old V70. When I eventually get back home in a year or so it'll make the experience of getting back in my own car much more rewarding, knowing that for two weeks, I drove a go-kart that would almost fit in the boot...

[SamPet]

My 2p is aligned with much that has been said thus far.

1. Be charming,
2. Look around the rental lot (if you can), spot something that takes your fancy and ask if it's been reserved,
3. Haggle.

[h0b0]

Slaav said:

From memory, the desk agents are still on commission for upgrades.

Ask for options as to what is in stock and then haggle on the car that you want.

This works just as well in Vegas Hotels and most other places (ex NYC IMHO)

My experience tells me the agents on the desk are on commision and you can haggle with them. Also, if renting a car in the UK specify as small as possible and auto. No one has been able to supply me the booked piece of auto crap so far and I have always got a passat or similar for the original price.

Finally, do not pick up a car from Vegas hotels with out checking the price at the airport. Vegas is the only place I have been to that it is cheaper to pick a car up from the airport than other locations. This is because the airports generally charge the rental companies extortionate fees to operate at the airpot but in Vegas the fees charged by the casinos are even more. Hop in a $5 cab to the airport and your rental is half price which is money you can spend on the upgrade.

[bennyboydurham]

My advice would be never to rent a car in Ireland, as I've never in many trips to see family there lucked out in hiring anything non-hateful.

Last year I was given a knackered 2007 model Saab 9-3 with a different brand of ditchfinder on every corner, and that was supposedly an 'upgrade'. It was terrible. When I went to Oman on my honeymoon I got the guy to take me round to the rental parking are and chose something that tickled my fancy. This being the Gulf with its 20p a litre fuel I hired a Hummer! In Malaysia I hired a BMW 325i and changed the trip computer to miles and gallons cos I couldn't get my head around kilometres. That confused them when I gave it back as it had done far fewer miles on it than it had kms when I picked it up! Eventually we figured out what the problem was and they brought the car back round so I could change it back in idrive.

In Germany Sixt gave me a nice E90 with nav except of course it was in German. A long interlude followed while I found the 'sprechen' page...

[VxDuncan]

Nearly all my car hire is corporate so usually get upgraded, by a lot of the time I wonder if this is because it's policy to get a car with sat-nav. On many of the Hertz cars it's built in as OEM or a "fitted" Neverlost (!) system. Ask for sat nav and you may get a better vehicle, but these days it's going over to tomtom type systems.

Agree that a loyaty card may help, and get something similar to the big company corporate specials.

[DMarks46]

I really think that you should go for a smaller company that can specify the car you are going to hire. I contacted these guys to rent BMW in marbella last year, and not only were they reasonable, i could specify exactly which car I wanted and they arranged for me to collect it on arrival at the airport. They may cover the luxury market, but if you want to get a good service and to make sure you don't end up with a terrible box on wheels, then these may be a good option for you.

[DMarks46]

Or you could just be demanding at the desk.. if you make it seem like you are going to cancel your booking, then they will probably bend over backwards to please you.

[nckr55]

Thanks for all the tips. Having been reminded of the true cost of holidays this week (7 less billable days in April, thanks to the Algarve jaunt), I've decided I may as well fork out a bit extra for a hire car.

So I think it'll be a 3 series, C Class is similar in France. Sod it.

[Leadfoot]

I use Avis or Sixt. Avis very rarely give me the car I've requested - Sixt do every time.

Company policy is to use Europcar in the UK. I've had mixed results & certainly wouldn't spend my own money with them.

Whenever I've used one of the Spanish voucher/cheapo outfits I've ended up with right old heaps. Not worth ruining the trip for the sake of a few quid IMHO.

[nckr55]

OK - just back from the Tarn et Garonne region of France.

Lovely weather - however...

I booked a BMW 1 Series ('or similar' - Golf, Volvo, Merc A Class, I think) from Sixt. They had none of the above, offered me a Peugeot 3008. Refused, asked for a Golf, 3 Series, C Class, anything. Nope. Went with the grudgingly offered Astra, in preference to another wobbly kiddibus barge (after my experience with a Megane Scenic in Portugal).

Not very impressed with Sixt, will be looking for some money back.
It's not lilke Toulouse Blagnac is a small airport - there are rows and rows of hire cars sitting there.