Easter 2010 Car Rental - possible great rates

[njcyclist]

I live in the US and I’ll be heading to Disney over Easter (April 2 – 11) and I just about choked when I checked the rental car rates for this period - $700+ for a compact car. Using a discount code from the normal sources reduced the cost a bit, but it was still higher than I was willing to pay.

I stumbled on to this accidentally – if a reservation is made through Hertz’s or Alamo’s UK site, the cost over this period is dramatically less. The total cost for a compact car is $320 including all taxes, surcharges, and INSURANCE.

I read the terms and conditions carefully and nowhere did it indicate that someone from the US could not create a reservation through the UK site.

Has anyone booked a US reservation, from the US, through one of these UK sites in the past? Did you have any problem when picking up the car?

 

[jlewisinsyr]

I can pretty much guarantee within the website terms and conditions and somewhere within the contract you will be asked for a government issued identification stating your country of origin that is associated with the rate code obtained on an international site.

 

[njcyclist]

I can pretty much guarantee within the website terms and conditions and somewhere within the contract you will be asked for a government issued identification stating your country of origin that is associated with the rate code obtained on an international site.

When I made the reservation I indicated my correct address, phone number, and country. I read everything on the site and the 5 page reservation confirmation, nowhere did it indicate that you must live in the UK.

 

[kenny]

I stumbled on to this accidentally – if a reservation is made through Hertz’s or Alamo’s UK site, the cost over this period is dramatically less. The total cost for a compact car is $320 including all taxes, surcharges, and INSURANCE.

QUOTE]
What is the link for alamo?

 

[jlewisinsyr]

When I made the reservation I indicated my correct address, phone number, and country. I read everything on the site and the 5 page reservation confirmation, nowhere did it indicate that you must live in the UK.

From the main Rental Policies (which apply to all rentals in conjunction with the reservation confirmation):

Identification required for rental

A full and valid Driver’s License from country of origin, Passport and credit card in renters name. If the driver's license is in a language other than English, an International Driver's Permit is required in conjunction with the country of residence driver's license.

Inclusive Rates
The rental rates for UK residents displayed in this site provide inclusive rates including various options based on country of rental and can include the following items:

Unlimited free mileage

Collision Damage Waiver (CDW)

Theft Protection (TP refered to as Theft Liability Waiver TLW for rentals in the UK)

Airport taxes and fees, state and local surcharges and sales tax

Premium Location Fee (PLF)

Vehicle Licence Fee (VLF)

Extended Protection (EP) ($1 million liability coverage)​

Specific inclusions will be displayed when your reservation is made.

This leaves some interpretation (there is more I can find if I search long enough), but in short, expect your country of origin be matched to the country you booked your reservation through.

Bavaria I am sure will chime in and express very similar, if you do not hold a license/passport from the country in which you booked website reservation through, they will not honor the rate and possible not even the reservation.

 

[Brian Noble]

I'll save her some time. Here is one of her more recent posts on the subject.

http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=33282264&postcount=7

In short---don't expect to get out of the garage with that rate unless you have a UK passport. You can argue with the garage attendant that it wasn't in the website terms, but that isn't going to get you very far.

 

[njcyclist]

What is the link for alamo?

I am unable to post a link, but do a search Google search for Alamo UK.

 

[njcyclist]

In short---don't expect to get out of the garage with that rate unless you have a UK passport. You can argue with the garage attendant that it wasn't in the website terms, but that isn't going to get you very far.

Bavaria I am sure will chime in and express very similar, if you do not hold a license/passport from the country in which you booked website reservation through, they will not honor the rate and possible not even the reservation.

I'm still not convinced that there is anything wrong booking this reservation. When I made the reservation, I indicated exactly where I live. My country of origin is the US - and I can produce the appropriate documentation. The "rental rates for UK residents" clause may be a problem, but that is not indicated while booking nor on the reservation confirmation.

 

[jlewisinsyr]

I'm still not convinced that there is anything wrong booking this reservation. When I made the reservation, I indicated exactly where I live. My country of origin is the US - and I can produce the appropriate documentation. The "rental rates for UK residents" clause may be a problem, but that is not indicated while booking nor on the reservation confirmation.

Terms and conditions supercede the reservation confirmation, just as the contract supercedes anything anyone "promises".

In the end, do what you want, you obviously have made up your mind and are going to do whatever you want. Just don't come back complaining when your rate and/or reservation is not honored.

 

[Funwith4kids]

My bet is with the car rental companies on this one. Hands down - OP does not leave garage with vehicle under a UK resident agreement.

 

[njcyclist]

I confirmed with Alamo USA, that my reservation is in their system and is valid. The person indicated that the reservation will be honored and I do have this in writing.

I certainly hope that the rates through the US come down, and if so, I will change my reservation. As it stands, the UK rate is $330 less than the best rate I can get in the US.

 

[Brian Noble]

I'll bet you a mickeybar that it won't work---we've heard this all before and some of us have been there and done that. Customer service rep says it's okay. Agent at the airport says it's not. Manager gets involved. Manager won't give you the rate you have on paper, but gets you "a deal" (which isn't).

So, good luck with that.

Might you get an agent at the airport who doesn't care? You might. But, you might not.

 

[Funwith4kids]

Agree with PP. Is this a risk you want to take? With Easter being one of the busiest weeks of the year, it's not like you have any leverage to walk away from the ressie and go to the car rental next door to get a better rate - if you can even get a car!

 

[renda460]

If you are indeed going to try this, I would also have a backup res that can be used if the UK one doesnt work. If they dont take the UK one and you are faced with a rate at the counter, expect it to be super high, especially over Easter.

 

[dennise]

I have used a UK site to book hotels on several occasions, if you give allof your correct info, there should be no problem.

 

[jlewisinsyr]

I have used a UK site to book hotels on several occasions, if you give allof your correct info, there should be no problem.

Hotels are very different, vehicles require licensing, insurance, etc. These are country specific, thus why rates are so varied between countries.