Comments on: Happy St. Patrick’s Day — here’s your cleaning bill! http://www.elliott.org/blog/happy-st-patricks-day-heres-your-cleaning-bill/ Consumer advocate Christopher Elliott's site. Fri, 10 Feb 2012 05:25:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Jasper http://www.elliott.org/blog/happy-st-patricks-day-heres-your-cleaning-bill/comment-page-1/#comment-10137 Jasper Wed, 19 Mar 2008 01:43:33 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/blog/happy-st-patricks-day-heres-your-cleaning-bill/#comment-10137 Here's another thing. $174 for cleaning a car? Are you kidding me? I can have my car vacuumed, washed and waxed by hot chicks in a bikini on a rainy day for less than that. Is Alamo really gonna tell it's customers they need $174 to clean a car? No wonder the rental companies are not doing well. Here’s another thing. $174 for cleaning a car? Are you kidding me? I can have my car vacuumed, washed and waxed by hot chicks in a bikini on a rainy day for less than that. Is Alamo really gonna tell it’s customers they need $174 to clean a car? No wonder the rental companies are not doing well.

]]> By: Ken http://www.elliott.org/blog/happy-st-patricks-day-heres-your-cleaning-bill/comment-page-1/#comment-10115 Ken Tue, 18 Mar 2008 18:36:58 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/blog/happy-st-patricks-day-heres-your-cleaning-bill/#comment-10115 I had a similar problem with Alamo at Heathrow Airport. Returned the car with a full tank, pulled into the return lane, and walked into the office. The receipt showed a fuel charge for almost an entire tank. I pointed out the "error" and they insisted they were correct. So I suggested we go outside and check; they siaid it was too late, it had already been filled! That was sure strange, since this was less than 5 minutes after I pulled into their lot. I signed a receipt after they removed the fuel charge. You can guess what happened next- the original amount appeared on my next credit card statement. I sent a letter and documentation to Alamo's US headquarters. A few weeks later they removed the fuel charge and sent me a highly apolgetic letter with a voucher. Agree with Kevin, caveat max with UK rental cars!! I had a similar problem with Alamo at Heathrow Airport. Returned the car with a full tank, pulled into the return lane, and walked into the office. The receipt showed a fuel charge for almost an entire tank. I pointed out the “error” and they insisted they were correct. So I suggested we go outside and check; they siaid it was too late, it had already been filled! That was sure strange, since this was less than 5 minutes after I pulled into their lot. I signed a receipt after they removed the fuel charge.

You can guess what happened next- the original amount appeared on my next credit card statement. I sent a letter and documentation to Alamo’s US headquarters. A few weeks later they removed the fuel charge and sent me a highly apolgetic letter with a voucher.

Agree with Kevin, caveat max with UK rental cars!!

]]> By: Tom http://www.elliott.org/blog/happy-st-patricks-day-heres-your-cleaning-bill/comment-page-1/#comment-10087 Tom Tue, 18 Mar 2008 02:06:51 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/blog/happy-st-patricks-day-heres-your-cleaning-bill/#comment-10087 What does an unhappy trip to Ireland have to do with being resident in the UK? What does an unhappy trip to Ireland have to do with being resident in the UK?

]]> By: Kevin http://www.elliott.org/blog/happy-st-patricks-day-heres-your-cleaning-bill/comment-page-1/#comment-10061 Kevin Mon, 17 Mar 2008 13:52:34 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/blog/happy-st-patricks-day-heres-your-cleaning-bill/#comment-10061 I have traveled frequently in Ireland and enjoy it tremendously. Its a friendly comfortable place. That said - the car rental experience is always challenging and its the one area where I always feel I must watch out for myself. Not sure how car rental has ended up this way, but Irish car companies - even those owned by American companies - should be looked at with suspicion and you should document everything with them. I have traveled frequently in Ireland and enjoy it tremendously. Its a friendly comfortable place.

That said – the car rental experience is always challenging and its the one area where I always feel I must watch out for myself. Not sure how car rental has ended up this way, but Irish car companies – even those owned by American companies – should be looked at with suspicion and you should document everything with them.

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