Car hire frustration
Discussion
I'm just having a little rant.
It's been a while since I last hire a car but I'd like to have one for a few days over the Christmas period. So when I search for cheap car hire, I see all these tempting offers of between £3.00 and £12.00 per day. When I take a closer look, those low prices end up at more like £50.00+ per day.
Now I know these low prices are designed to tempt me in. And I appreciate that Christmas is a busy period so prices are going to be inflated but come on...
Maybe someone has other suggestions about where I can hire a car on the cheap?
It's been a while since I last hire a car but I'd like to have one for a few days over the Christmas period. So when I search for cheap car hire, I see all these tempting offers of between £3.00 and £12.00 per day. When I take a closer look, those low prices end up at more like £50.00+ per day.
Now I know these low prices are designed to tempt me in. And I appreciate that Christmas is a busy period so prices are going to be inflated but come on...
Maybe someone has other suggestions about where I can hire a car on the cheap?
About 8 years ago now, but it might still be the case:
We needed to rent a car for a trip around Italy, and found they were all quite expensive. However looking on Hertz, go right to the bottom of the page and there, in tiny size 8 font was the text “show special collection vehicles” - a new group of them popped up and low and behold we were able to get a convertible Fiat 500 for £12 a day, when everything else was coming out at least double that!
Not sure what the business case was for having things so hidden on the website or if it’s still done but there we go.
We needed to rent a car for a trip around Italy, and found they were all quite expensive. However looking on Hertz, go right to the bottom of the page and there, in tiny size 8 font was the text “show special collection vehicles” - a new group of them popped up and low and behold we were able to get a convertible Fiat 500 for £12 a day, when everything else was coming out at least double that!
Not sure what the business case was for having things so hidden on the website or if it’s still done but there we go.
The usual car hire comparison sites should show you what's available. Is this UK or elsewhere?
Watch out for the very cheapest firms, there's an operating model where they do offer you a car for £3/day when Hertz want £30/day. That gets you get a car covered in dents/scratches that haven't been noted properly on the paperwork then suddenly they want £1k on return for a small scratch the chips away guy would do for £200. Check the Trustpilot for whichever firm you choose.
Watch out for the very cheapest firms, there's an operating model where they do offer you a car for £3/day when Hertz want £30/day. That gets you get a car covered in dents/scratches that haven't been noted properly on the paperwork then suddenly they want £1k on return for a small scratch the chips away guy would do for £200. Check the Trustpilot for whichever firm you choose.
griffsomething said:
About 8 years ago now, but it might still be the case:
We needed to rent a car for a trip around Italy, and found they were all quite expensive. However looking on Hertz, go right to the bottom of the page and there, in tiny size 8 font was the text show special collection vehicles - a new group of them popped up and low and behold we were able to get a convertible Fiat 500 for £12 a day, when everything else was coming out at least double that!
Not sure what the business case was for having things so hidden on the website or if it s still done but there we go.
Thanks for this. I had a quick look on the Hertz website but couldn't find anything so I guess that offer ended.We needed to rent a car for a trip around Italy, and found they were all quite expensive. However looking on Hertz, go right to the bottom of the page and there, in tiny size 8 font was the text show special collection vehicles - a new group of them popped up and low and behold we were able to get a convertible Fiat 500 for £12 a day, when everything else was coming out at least double that!
Not sure what the business case was for having things so hidden on the website or if it s still done but there we go.
grumbas said:
21TonyK said:
These guys have form for exactly what I just mentioned!I never take extra insurance as I have that covered on my CC but they do ask for a grand or so CC deposit.
grumbas said:
The usual car hire comparison sites should show you what's available. Is this UK or elsewhere?
Watch out for the very cheapest firms, there's an operating model where they do offer you a car for £3/day when Hertz want £30/day. That gets you get a car covered in dents/scratches that haven't been noted properly on the paperwork then suddenly they want £1k on return for a small scratch the chips away guy would do for £200. Check the Trustpilot for whichever firm you choose.
Exactly. It's all very misleading, if not an absolute con.Watch out for the very cheapest firms, there's an operating model where they do offer you a car for £3/day when Hertz want £30/day. That gets you get a car covered in dents/scratches that haven't been noted properly on the paperwork then suddenly they want £1k on return for a small scratch the chips away guy would do for £200. Check the Trustpilot for whichever firm you choose.
Assuming in the UK, you'll probably find its cheaper to hire a van than a car over Christmas as there's very little demand for vans over that period compared to cars.
An added benefit is that you can carry a lot more luggage and also take all that rubbish to the tip you didn't want in the boot of your own car.
The only problem is higher fuel consumption and fewer seats, but provided you don't go mad and hire a Luton van to travel from Penzance to Inverness it's not too bad.
An added benefit is that you can carry a lot more luggage and also take all that rubbish to the tip you didn't want in the boot of your own car.
The only problem is higher fuel consumption and fewer seats, but provided you don't go mad and hire a Luton van to travel from Penzance to Inverness it's not too bad.
vikingaero said:
Are some of these uber cheap car hire places affiliates of Greenmotion? If so run, burn your testicles and run some more.
I have fully comp and excess cover on any rental car as part of my credit card benefits but the small print excludes anything hired from Greenmotion - I wondered why so looked at the reviews and customer experiences on line.....21TonyK said:
Last year I paid <50 euros for a Jaecoo for 7 days, all in. Just depends on dates and demand.
I never take extra insurance as I have that covered on my CC but they do ask for a grand or so CC deposit.
I appreciate the dates I'm looking at over the Christmas period are enough to hike the price.I never take extra insurance as I have that covered on my CC but they do ask for a grand or so CC deposit.
Interesting point about the extra insurance. That easily doubles the cost. I hadn't thought about being covered by my CC.
Dapster said:
vikingaero said:
Are some of these uber cheap car hire places affiliates of Greenmotion? If so run, burn your testicles and run some more.
I have fully comp and excess cover on any rental car as part of my credit card benefits but the small print excludes anything hired from Greenmotion - I wondered why so looked at the reviews and customer experiences on line.....Greenmotion are like saints compared to some, these are the worst I've come across recently:
https://uk.trustpilot.com/review/wheego.com
https://uk.trustpilot.com/review/www.surpricecars.... (they're definitely managing that profile, the 5*s are weird)
https://uk.trustpilot.com/review/www.panek.eu (note the trustpilot warning!)
Ian_SW said:
Assuming in the UK, you'll probably find its cheaper to hire a van than a car over Christmas as there's very little demand for vans over that period compared to cars.
An added benefit is that you can carry a lot more luggage and also take all that rubbish to the tip you didn't want in the boot of your own car.
The only problem is higher fuel consumption and fewer seats, but provided you don't go mad and hire a Luton van to travel from Penzance to Inverness it's not too bad.
The added bonus being that an unladen van accelerates like a 488 Pista. (Though live axles and no weight makes handling is a little hairy)An added benefit is that you can carry a lot more luggage and also take all that rubbish to the tip you didn't want in the boot of your own car.
The only problem is higher fuel consumption and fewer seats, but provided you don't go mad and hire a Luton van to travel from Penzance to Inverness it's not too bad.
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