Comments on: Half the car, twice the price http://www.elliott.org/the-troubleshooter/half-the-car-twice-the-price/ Consumer advocate Christopher Elliott's site. Fri, 10 Feb 2012 05:25:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Vin http://www.elliott.org/the-troubleshooter/half-the-car-twice-the-price/comment-page-1/#comment-11848 Vin Wed, 07 May 2008 19:01:01 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/the-troubleshooter/half-the-car-twice-the-price/#comment-11848 Ok lesson learned here, don't rent cars in Naples. Ok lesson learned here, don’t rent cars in Naples.

]]> By: Gianluca Manzo http://www.elliott.org/the-troubleshooter/half-the-car-twice-the-price/comment-page-1/#comment-10928 Gianluca Manzo Sat, 12 Apr 2008 05:38:16 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/the-troubleshooter/half-the-car-twice-the-price/#comment-10928 I'm an Italian national, I rented a car from Avis Naples and the same thing happened. My contract was made from Avis.com; at the Naples airport, because of long lines, as an Avis Preferred Member, I was rewarded with an upgrade to a bigger car. But when I returned the car 3 days later, they tried to bill me a higher price. They eventually said that maybe there had been a misunderstanding about the upgrade so I was finally billed at checkout the original price. It never happened to me in Milan, but in Naples the same thing happened at the 5star hotel....and the reservation had been made from the hotel directly! Sad but it only happens in Naples.... I’m an Italian national, I rented a car from Avis Naples and the same thing happened. My contract was made from Avis.com; at the Naples airport, because of long lines, as an Avis Preferred Member, I was rewarded with an upgrade to a bigger car. But when I returned the car 3 days later, they tried to bill me a higher price. They eventually said that maybe there had been a misunderstanding about the upgrade so I was finally billed at checkout the original price. It never happened to me in Milan, but in Naples the same thing happened at the 5star hotel….and the reservation had been made from the hotel directly! Sad but it only happens in Naples….

]]> By: Jasper http://www.elliott.org/the-troubleshooter/half-the-car-twice-the-price/comment-page-1/#comment-10743 Jasper Mon, 07 Apr 2008 03:56:24 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/the-troubleshooter/half-the-car-twice-the-price/#comment-10743 Even though foreign sites might be out to cheat people out of money, I would strongly suggest to try and get a quote in the local currency. The dollar is in a free fall compared to the euro, and quite frankly I'd be upset as a European branch of a company if someone send me a customer with a price in dollars based on an exchange-rate that is three months old: Goodbye profit margin. Even though it would be fair to honor it, they might have a bad experience trying to get their money from the parent company and refuse. Furthermore, no American company would even think about honoring a quote in euros, Mexican pesos, or Indian rupees, so why would you expect a foreign company to do the same? Also, if you did have a guaranteed rate in dollars and you'd know the local currency was in a free fall compared to the dollar, wouldn't you expect a discount? Even though foreign sites might be out to cheat people out of money, I would strongly suggest to try and get a quote in the local currency.

The dollar is in a free fall compared to the euro, and quite frankly I’d be upset as a European branch of a company if someone send me a customer with a price in dollars based on an exchange-rate that is three months old: Goodbye profit margin. Even though it would be fair to honor it, they might have a bad experience trying to get their money from the parent company and refuse.

Furthermore, no American company would even think about honoring a quote in euros, Mexican pesos, or Indian rupees, so why would you expect a foreign company to do the same? Also, if you did have a guaranteed rate in dollars and you’d know the local currency was in a free fall compared to the dollar, wouldn’t you expect a discount?

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