Floridavehiclehire.co.uk.....Anyone used them??

[mike230652]

After seeing the horror post about a company called floridacarhire.co.uk..........can anyone give me any comments or experiences ( good or bad ) about floridavehiclehire.co.uk??

They certainly seem OK and appear to use Alamo as their car rental partner.... but before I part with my cash I'd like some re-assurances !!


TIA

mike230652

 

[kazzie]

Mike,

I haven't heard of that particuilar company but as someone who lost money with a similar company in May,be 100% sure before you part with your money.

 

[tinksfriend]

I used them last year and am using them in November!
No problems last year at all!!
They deal exclusively 'online' and reply to e-mails quickly and professionally.

I've changed my booking 3 times and they have confirmed each time.

You get an e-voucher on receipt of full payment.

 

[Muppet]

As someone who would of been caught out with floridacarhire I would say this.

Just because they were good last year doesn't mean the same this year. I spoke to many people who used florida car hire even as late as easter this year and they raved about them. I booked and paid in full in April for our Christmas trip and they go belly up but not in a straight forward that you get your money back asap way. (too long a story).

Email Alamo if that who they use. Check with them.

I only book with the tour operators of with car hire company direct. Once bitten twice shy.

 

[Rain]

I was one of the ones that booked with Florida car hire over Easter, I would never of dreamed they would go bust!!

I have taken my chances with Airline network this time.

Lynda

 

[tinksfriend]

Originally posted by Muppet
As someone who would of been caught out with floridacarhire I would say this.

Just because they were good last year doesn't mean the same this year. I spoke to many people who used florida car hire even as late as easter this year and they raved about them. I booked and paid in full in April for our Christmas trip and they go belly up but not in a straight forward that you get your money back asap way. (too long a story).

Email Alamo if that who they use. Check with them.

I only book with the tour operators of with car hire company direct. Once bitten twice shy.

The post was about Floridavehiclehire NOT Floridacarhire, Muppet!
When the original warning was posted about FCH it listed the names of the 'also trading as'. Floridavehiclehire wasn't one of them!!!

 

[Muppet]

Don't you think I know this. I did read the thread. Unlike you and your response.



Companies go out of business all the time. IF YOU had read properly what I had wrote you will see many people raved about how fantastic FCH were and they went pop. FVH could easily go the same way if problems arise.

Personally IMHO (note this please!) I;d be wary of all companies now.

Oh and by the way I had a voucher, diddly squat it would of done for my come December. Only being able to communicate by email wouldn't fill me with much confidence either.

 

[martina857]

I agree with you Muppet, It's scary how these companies work, I was talking to an agent for Floridacarhire and it seems that some of these firms just act as brokers, they beat each other down on rates and end up making so little that they go bust! Beware florida vehicle hire or Airline Network could go next!! Who knows.

 

[kazzie]

The point Muppet is making is a very valid one.Last year I booked THREE seperate car hires with Hire4Lower/Autosabroad,twice in Spain and one with Dollar for Orlando,I had no inkling whatsoever after three succesful trouble free bookings with them last year that I would be conned this year.

It wasn't just that they went belly up just before the date of my car hire,I said OK I'll pay for my 9 -seater and it transpires they hadn't even made my booking.This should have been made many months before.When I went around to the car hire agencies in Alicante airport they laughed at me when I asked if they possibly had a 9-seater for hire that wasn't pre-booked That made me even more angry that they never had any intention of making my booking

 

[LJP]

Mike -

We're just back a couple of weeks ago and booked through Floridavehiclehire.com. No problem whatsoever. £137 for 1 week which included all taxes, xtra taxes, xtra drivers and tank of petrol. We collected at the Sheraton Studio and dropped off at the Dolphin. The only complaint about the car ( a buick ) was that there was no CD player!!

 

[Elle]

I worked as an agent for FCH, I put over 10k of bookings with them over a 3 month period. What I did not realise at the time was FCH did not source their cars directly with the rental company.

What happens with a lot of these car hire firms, is that they buy the rental off another company, who buys it off another company and so on up a chain, with FCH the money we gave them went through 4 maybe 5 different hands before it got to the likes of Dollar or Alamo! The problem then is that if any one company go's bust in that chain, all vouchers issued below them by other companies are not valid.

It's not good enough to say "we went with so and so and had no problems" You wouldn't have any problems, ever! so long as that company and all others above them pay their bills. If they don't pay their bills then you don't get a car, simple as that!

It is so easy to set a car agency with some of these "consolidators" as they just want to produce maximum bookings at low rates, the more bookings they create the lower the rates become for them, trouble is their competitors are doing exactly the same and each is trying to get lower than the other to produce the bookings hence the very low rates around right now. I know this as I fell into the same trap! I lost £3675 when FCH went bust as I had to rebook all my clients cars again.

How can you be sure of having a car when you arrive??
As Kazzie says you can go direct with the rental company or you can source yourself with a little homework an agency that deals direct with Dollar or Alamo as we now do, it is a much more stringent procedure to set an agency up with the likes of Dollar and Alamo and companies that do have to be bonded with them so that the consumer is protected.

The thing I have learnt from this is don't go into a car hire with your eyes closed, ASK where they get their cars from, if it's not Dollar, Alamo etc etc Direct then go elsewhere.

Elle

 

[mike230652]

Elle

Thanks for the info. Certainly opened my eyes!

I've ascertained from Alamo that they DO deal with FloridaVehicleHire in Tampa. Does this mean they're safe to deal with?

Any opinions on Airline Network?

Both of these have very good rates........but now I'm nervous about booking with anyone ! LOL !

mike230652

 

[BONZO]

Airline Network ?


1st class - no hassles at all - would thoroughly recommend them.

 

[floridalol]

Hi Mike

I have used Airline Network for business flights a dozen or so times in the past few years without problem. I have never needed car hire though so cannot comment.

As for family holidays I would never trust anyone accept for a major company such as Virgin.

Best wishes

FloridaLol

 

[tinksfriend]

Muppet!!! As usual another RUDE DIS-like reply!!!! (why am I surprised!!

I spoke to Alamo yesterday!! Not only did they confirm that they do deal with Floridavehiclehire they also confirmed my reservation!!!
I DO see your point about just WHO can we trust. So I checked!
The OP asked the question, we gave our experiences!

My only advice would be to CHECK thoroughly or go straight to the likes of Alamo, Dollar etc.

 

[WDWfan uk]

I have to step in here - I'm sorry to read 'rude' being equated with the DIS - the tone of the DIS boards is I think, and hope, welcoming and respectful of other posters. Another DISer told me recently that we set an extremely high standard compared to some boards on the Internet.

If you do feel there is a problem you are welcome to write to me or one of the other moderators, but I'm going to ask that this thread returns to dealing solely with the original poster's question.

 

[Elle]

Bonzo, Do you have first hand knowledge of Airline Networks finances?? What I said in my first post and others have also said is this.. Your car hire will be fine with whatever company you book with, so long as they have paid their bills. Hire for Lower and Florida Car Hire had tens of Thousands of satisfied customers before HFL went bust owing millions and FCH went bust owing nearly £400,000. You will never know unless you get to your destination and your voucher is refused!!

The Airline Network is probably (don't know for sure) ABTA bonded, this gives you some protection, however if they do not source their cars direct then all it would take is the broker above them to go under and all vouchers issued by them would be invalid. OK you will get your money back but what a hassle at the airport.

I am not saying don't use these companies, I am saying do your homework, don't be complacent it really is only a matter of time before the next one goes under. This is not scaremongering it is fact and if you take all precautions you may not be a victim of it like so many were this summer. The car hire industry is in turmoil right now and will change for the better, but rates will DEFINATELY go up as a result.

Elle

 

[Beejayjay]

Mike,

I've made enquiries about car hire with Airline network, and they seem very competitive price-wise.

They appear to use Dollar cars at Orlando airport. I couldn't see anything on the site to suggest they don't dealdirect with Dollar, and I'd have thought a fairly big concern such as AN would deal direct with the company rather than thru a 3rd party.

I got a very good rate direct from Alamo, 16 days all inclusive for a 4 door intermediate for £380 during the Christmas holiday period, the best rate I could find after much research. Give them a try.

 

[Enright78]

AN are fully bonded, we haver used them many times over the last few years.
I do however agree that any company is only as good as its last transaction.
We use a very small "one man band" in Fla on personal recommendation and have done so for many years quite happily.
I am well aware that he could go under, but then he does not ask for any money up front. I suppose the worst would be we would have to arrange car hire at the last minute and probably more expensively.

I think i would take advice on personal experiences.

 

[mike230652]

Many thanks to everyone for their help.

I've just booked my car direct with Alamo in the UK. They have a dedicated UK website which is offering some " Hot Deals " in the USA. It includes CDW,Sales tax, airport taxes/service charges/tire replacement fees etc. etc.........Oh, yes !! And a tank full of gas!!

The cost was £298 for a 4-door Intermediate ( Pontiac Grand Am ). I got a reservation number and pay on arrival at Tampa.

Beejayjay, I checked on AN, as you say they're 100% and deal direct with Dollar.

The Alamo deal just shaded them!!


Again thanks to all

mike230652