A warning about Alamo

[manning]

My friend just got back from MCO yesterday. She had a reservation with Alamo for about $113. When she went to pick up the car, she was told her reservation was over $300. She was also told that she had to purchase insurance.

Fortunately, she had her confirmation and insurance card with her, so she was able to keep her lower rate and not pay the insurance.

I told her to bring these things because I have heard about this happening with Alamo. With National, I never had any of these issues. I always carry my confirmation, but have never been given a higher price. I haven't ever been asked for my insurance card.

Of course, I have a reservation for a SUV for 5 days for $90.88 with Alamo, so I'm not going to complain! Just want to warn everyone to make sure you have all that you need if you are renting with Alamo.

I see they are still running that scam. I ran into that when I rented once with them in the '70s. I had to walk with them around the car noting any damage. When I returned it I had to insist we walk around the car and sign off clean on it. Wanna bet if I didn't I would have been presented with a repair bill later. I even had to have them note that the tank was full. They sure don't miss a trick.

Sad that they now own National.

 

[seashoreCM]

. Our flight was delayed, so we got to Alamo late. They said they no longer had our car, and we would have to upgrade to get a car. :

You are now a walk up customer and they can set any price (rate) they want. They can still be expected to go by their printed policies which may or may not allow them to not rent to you if you do not buy their coverages.

Unless they provide for and you gave them your flight number in which case you can expect the original booking to still be valid.

Just because you don't like something in a contract doesn't mean that you are signing it "under duress." .

When the other party refuses to honor the terms of the contract as originally understood (by your examining the policies and terms on line and then making the deal or reservation on line all in advance) and the alternative is to get the goods or services at a higher price or greater inconvenience elsewhere (bus, taxi, another agency), then feel free to use the phrase "under duress".

I'll mention another alternative. Get the manager and if necessary after argument, recite to him you "will be renting elsewhere and will hold his company civilly liable for the difference in price".

No guarantees you will win but IMHO doing the first method and being prepared to let a court decide whether you get back the cost of the insurance is a better way of doing your part to mitigate the damages.

 

[loveysbydesign]

Our plane is due to arrive at MCo around 1:20 so I made the ressie to start at 1:30...should i change it to later ...like 2:00 to make sure they still have my ressie when I get there? BTW I am signed up for QS. TIA!

 

[Letsbgoofy]

I have never had a problem with National when our flights were delayed. I am using Alamo this year because I got a great rate. If our flight is delayed, (which it almost always is in the summer!) and they try to charge me more, I will never use them again.

 

[troy mcclure]

When the other party refuses to honor the terms of the contract as originally understood (by your examining the policies and terms on line and then making the deal or reservation on line all in advance) and the alternative is to get the goods or services at a higher price or greater inconvenience elsewhere (bus, taxi, another agency), then feel free to use the phrase "under duress".

I'll mention another alternative. Get the manager and if necessary after argument, recite to him you "will be renting elsewhere and will hold his company civilly liable for the difference in price".

No guarantees you will win but IMHO doing the first method and being prepared to let a court decide whether you get back the cost of the insurance is a better way of doing your part to mitigate the damages.

Again, using the phrase "under duress" when it does not truly exist will get you nowhere -- either with the rental company or in court. You are simply wasting your time. I doubt you will find a judge who would rule in your favor without clear, convincing evidence that the rental car company was literally threatening your safety, freedom or life or that of someone in your family. "Under duress" is a specific legal term with very clear meaning. Requiring you to purchase insurance does not rise to the level of threatening your safety, freedom or life. Annoying - yes. Threatening or under duress -- not hardly.

Duress: Restraint or danger, actually inflicted or impending, which is sufficient in severity or apprehension to deprive a person of free choice, destroy his volition, or obtain consent only in form.

Under the law, a person is not guilty of a crime if he participated only because he believed, and had good reason to believe, that he would be seriously harmed if he did not participate and had no other way of escaping serious harm. The burden is on the government to prove the defendant's guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. To find someone guilty, therefore, there must be proof beyond a reasonable doubt that when he participated in the offense, he did not have a reasonable belief that such participation was the only way he could save himself from serious harm.

An actual or a threatened violence or restraint of a man's person, contrary to law, to compel him to enter into a contract, or to discharge one.

 

[ATAfamily]

Thanks for the warning. I've heard so many mixed reviews about Alamo that I am hoping that we won't have any problems next week when we pick up our car in Orlando. I'll be sure to post about our Alamo experience when we get back.

Deanne
Single digit dance!

 

[jbdreamer]

. Our flight was delayed, so we got to Alamo late. They said they no longer had our car, and we would have to upgrade to get a car.

You are now a walk up customer and they can set any price (rate) they want. They can still be expected to go by their printed policies which may or may not allow them to not rent to you if you do not buy their coverages.

Unless they provide for and you gave them your flight number in which case you can expect the original booking to still be valid.

But like I said, when we talked to Alamo the next day they DID have our reservation and they were confused why we hadn't picked up our car. After talking to a manager we found out we were lied too, and scammed into the upgrade. Now that's wrong!

 

[NotUrsula]

As mentioned before, with ANY rental car agency, your protection against being considered a no-show for an airport location rental is to have your *correct* airline and flight number noted on your reservation. Make sure that it is there and that it is correct.

As always, to help protect yourself in delay situations, be sure to program in the phone numbers of all service/lodging vendors you will deal with on the trip into your cell phone, along with relevant account numbers. That way you can call them all ASAP to inform them of anticipated late arrivals or flight number changes.

On a flight to the Los Angeles area a while back, I got rerouted on a flight to Orange County instead of LAX at the last possible second. I was able to call National from my (middle) seat before the plane took off, to change the reservation to the other airport.

BTW, FWIW, I use Alamo fairly often for leisure rentals, but NOT in Florida if I can help it. Their volume is so high in Florida that it really adversely affects the level of service; something I don't see in non-resort locations.

 

[Lewisc]

The point of the phrase is to indicate the sole reason for purchasing the insurance was being told it was a legally enforceable requirement of Alamo.

Although "under duress" might not be the legally correct way to indicate it, that notice might be enough, assuming Alamo doesn't require insurance, to file a credit card dispute or even a small claims court action.

You've done some research. What should someone put on the contract to indicate the only reason they're purchasing the insurance is they were told it was required and they want to maintain their right to challenge that requirement at a later time?

Again, using the phrase "under duress" when it does not truly exist will get you nowhere -- either with the rental company or in court. You are simply wasting your time. I doubt you will find a judge who would rule in your favor without clear, convincing evidence that the rental car company was literally threatening your safety, freedom or life or that of someone in your family. "Under duress" is a specific legal term with very clear meaning. Requiring you to purchase insurance does not rise to the level of threatening your safety, freedom or life. Annoying - yes. Threatening or under duress -- not hardly.

 

[lynr]

I have a question for all of you Alamo users. I have never used Alamo before but got a great rate of $281.59 for 10 days for an SUV. I already checked in online but I just noticed this wording below on my reservation.

Base Rate - Standard SUV (USD)
(1) Week Rate ($144.90/week) $144.90
(4) Day Rate ($23.75/day) $95.00
Rate/Product Code 88WL
Contract I.D. 430710
Guaranteed Base Rate Included
(1) Additional Driver Included
Unlimited Miles Included

Does this mean I don't have to pay extra both my husband and I drive?

Thanks for your help.

 

[Disneyjosh229]

I have a question for all of you Alamo users. I have never used Alamo before but got a great rate of $281.59 for 10 days for an SUV. I already checked in online but I just noticed this wording below on my reservation.

Base Rate - Standard SUV (USD)
(1) Week Rate ($144.90/week) $144.90
(4) Day Rate ($23.75/day) $95.00
Rate/Product Code 88WL
Contract I.D. 430710
Guaranteed Base Rate Included
(1) Additional Driver Included
Unlimited Miles Included

Does this mean I don't have to pay extra both my husband and I drive?

Thanks for your help.

Correct, there is no extra charge. You (or your husband) would be listed as the primary driver, and the additional (1) is free. BTW, thats a pretty good deal at $144 a week!!

 

[Hockeymommy]

My friend just got back from MCO yesterday. She had a reservation with Alamo for about $113. When she went to pick up the car, she was told her reservation was over $300. She was also told that she had to purchase insurance.

Fortunately, she had her confirmation and insurance card with her, so she was able to keep her lower rate and not pay the insurance.

I told her to bring these things because I have heard about this happening with Alamo. With National, I never had any of these issues. I always carry my confirmation, but have never been given a higher price. I haven't ever been asked for my insurance card.

Of course, I have a reservation for a SUV for 5 days for $90.88 with Alamo, so I'm not going to complain! Just want to warn everyone to make sure you have all that you need if you are renting with Alamo.

O.k. so this is off the subject but what codes/coupons did you use to get that rate? I can't get it lower than $197.12 for the same car. It seems we may be going at the same time. We will be there Aug. 26. Help, please?