Comments on: We’re out of cars — and you’re out of luck http://www.elliott.org/the-troubleshooter/were-out-of-cars-and-youre-out-of-luck/ Consumer advocate Christopher Elliott's site. Fri, 10 Feb 2012 05:25:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Chicky http://www.elliott.org/the-troubleshooter/were-out-of-cars-and-youre-out-of-luck/comment-page-1/#comment-14587 Chicky Wed, 17 Sep 2008 14:25:07 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/?p=5215#comment-14587 That's why I often use Priceline for car rentals. It's all paid upfront and the rental agency can't weasel out of the contract. O.K., so I'm out the money if I have to cancel, but I usually don't use Priceline unless I'm positive I'm going on the trip. I know it doesn't always work out, but it's worth a $5 kickback to Priceline to have everything paid in advance. That way, the only option the rental company has is to sigh and hand me the keys. That’s why I often use Priceline for car rentals. It’s all paid upfront and the rental agency can’t weasel out of the contract. O.K., so I’m out the money if I have to cancel, but I usually don’t use Priceline unless I’m positive I’m going on the trip. I know it doesn’t always work out, but it’s worth a $5 kickback to Priceline to have everything paid in advance. That way, the only option the rental company has is to sigh and hand me the keys.

]]> By: Ed http://www.elliott.org/the-troubleshooter/were-out-of-cars-and-youre-out-of-luck/comment-page-1/#comment-14571 Ed Tue, 16 Sep 2008 20:01:33 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/?p=5215#comment-14571 I've rented from several companies in several countries...All the big ones...and have to say I've been lucky...But I found out early that when you find one car rental company that does good, you stick with it! I found this out with Avis and never even looked at other companies. I only hope that my future rentals with them go as smoothly as all my past ones. Ed I’ve rented from several companies in several countries…All the big ones…and have to say I’ve been lucky…But I found out early that when you find one car rental company that does good, you stick with it! I found this out with Avis and never even looked at other companies. I only hope that my future rentals with them go as smoothly as all my past ones.
Ed

]]> By: Jennfier http://www.elliott.org/the-troubleshooter/were-out-of-cars-and-youre-out-of-luck/comment-page-1/#comment-14566 Jennfier Tue, 16 Sep 2008 17:22:42 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/?p=5215#comment-14566 I know I'll probably hear "what is she thinking" over this suggestion - but if the problem is largely created by people who make reservations who don't show up, putting the car rental companies in the position of engaging in a guessing game, wouldn't it make more sense to change the system? I don't think the suggestion from my fellow poster of getting back by making multiple reservations with different rental companies is going to solve anything, and only exacerbate an already bad and frustrating situation. Wouldn't it make more sense to make the reservation more solid. If you cancel an airline reservation, you pay a hefty penalty - I'm not tyring to suggest that we make traveling any more penaly-laden than it already is, but just suggesting a change might be appropriate. I know I’ll probably hear “what is she thinking” over this suggestion – but if the problem is largely created by people who make reservations who don’t show up, putting the car rental companies in the position of engaging in a guessing game, wouldn’t it make more sense to change the system?

I don’t think the suggestion from my fellow poster of getting back by making multiple reservations with different rental companies is going to solve anything, and only exacerbate an already bad and frustrating situation. Wouldn’t it make more sense to make the reservation more solid. If you cancel an airline reservation, you pay a hefty penalty – I’m not tyring to suggest that we make traveling any more penaly-laden than it already is, but just suggesting a change might be appropriate.

]]> By: Stoyko http://www.elliott.org/the-troubleshooter/were-out-of-cars-and-youre-out-of-luck/comment-page-1/#comment-14548 Stoyko Mon, 15 Sep 2008 15:34:23 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/?p=5215#comment-14548 If car rental companies are bad, customers can strike back the following way: Reserve cars from multiple rental companies at the same time. On a recent vacation in Cancun, we reserved a car from Hertz well in advance. About a month before our vacation, we decided to check if all reservations were OK, and I found out that Hertz had doubled our initial quote. Speaking to Customer Service or managers was in vain: They insisted that there were additional airport charges, and would not honor the initial quote. That was nonsense, of course, as in the initial quote we had the airport charges and taxes clearly listed; moreover, they did not nearly account to the increase that they imposed. We then reserved 2 more cars from National and Budget. National required us to pay additional insurance (at least it was clearly listed). The day before our departure we checked our reservations again and National had increased the required insurance by about 50%. So, we stuck with Budget. It was smooth. We didn't cancel our reservations with Hertz or National in order to have a backup plan just in case, and we don't feel bad about it. They deserved it with the policies they adopt. One additional note: Speaking to the reservation center doesn't hurt, but doesn't always help either. On several occasions I've been told that the on-site manager is the final authority and can override some of the company's policies. If car rental companies are bad, customers can strike back the following way: Reserve cars from multiple rental companies at the same time.

On a recent vacation in Cancun, we reserved a car from Hertz well in advance. About a month before our vacation, we decided to check if all reservations were OK, and I found out that Hertz had doubled our initial quote. Speaking to Customer Service or managers was in vain: They insisted that there were additional airport charges, and would not honor the initial quote. That was nonsense, of course, as in the initial quote we had the airport charges and taxes clearly listed; moreover, they did not nearly account to the increase that they imposed.

We then reserved 2 more cars from National and Budget. National required us to pay additional insurance (at least it was clearly listed). The day before our departure we checked our reservations again and National had increased the required insurance by about 50%. So, we stuck with Budget. It was smooth. We didn’t cancel our reservations with Hertz or National in order to have a backup plan just in case, and we don’t feel bad about it. They deserved it with the policies they adopt.

One additional note: Speaking to the reservation center doesn’t hurt, but doesn’t always help either. On several occasions I’ve been told that the on-site manager is the final authority and can override some of the company’s policies.

]]> By: Jane http://www.elliott.org/the-troubleshooter/were-out-of-cars-and-youre-out-of-luck/comment-page-1/#comment-14545 Jane Sun, 14 Sep 2008 17:21:13 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/?p=5215#comment-14545 We traveled from San Francisco to London, only to find we didn't have a rental car. It was horrendous after an 11 hour journey and no sleep. My husband rang Hertz customer service and kept politely asking for the person's manager or someone who could solve the problem and somehow (we are not sure how) got through to the CEO of Hertz UK. He clearly didn't know how we had been able to reach him either. BUT we had a car within an hour. It's a shame we had to go up that far in a company to get the issue sorted. The sad thing is, this isn't the only horrendous car rental company story I have. They really could do better. We traveled from San Francisco to London, only to find we didn’t have a rental car. It was horrendous after an 11 hour journey and no sleep. My husband rang Hertz customer service and kept politely asking for the person’s manager or someone who could solve the problem and somehow (we are not sure how) got through to the CEO of Hertz UK. He clearly didn’t know how we had been able to reach him either. BUT we had a car within an hour. It’s a shame we had to go up that far in a company to get the issue sorted. The sad thing is, this isn’t the only horrendous car rental company story I have. They really could do better.

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