Virgin & Dollar Car Hire

[Scottishphil]

Hi

I'm new here and really love this site. I hope someone out there can help me.

I'm due to travel out on a Virgin fly-drive next week (June 28). I've booked with Virgin and paid for the fully inclusive package (ie all insurances pre-paid). In the literature I got through, it says I need to leave a major credit card as security - this is fine. BUT does anyone know how much they seek authorisation for?

I've called Virgin's Indian call centre twice and they can help. So I'm hoping one of you frequent virgins can advise...

Thanks

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

I have travelled with Virgin and used dollar many times and always deposited my card with them, I have not noticed them seaking and authorisation, they say without the car you must deposit something like $2.5k??.

Now I know Disney hotels and disney cruise line seeak about $50 per day or $500 DCL passes it to your acocunt at this level.

My guess is a nominal amount, however what i tend to do is havce one card for authorisations such as hotels and car hire, and use the other card day to day, and then never had a problem.

They most likly put through a small authorisation say $100 just to see its ok, if you have the full insurance there isnt much you can be liable for.

 

[UKDEB]

Hi Scottishphil, and welcome to the DIS!

None of the car hire companies seek authorisation these days - they just take an imprint - so it won't have any impact on your available credit.

Hotels, however, will. And as the actual amount never coincides with the amount of the authorisation, you will find your available credit reduced. Same with restaurants - they seek authorisation for the amount of the check pre-tip. The amount actually passed is post-tip, so again it won't match up. To avoid this, pay the tip in cash. From what I can gather, the servers prefer this anyway.

 

[alisonbestford]

The figure of $1500 seems to come to mind but, as Deb says, they just take an imprint but, at no time did they take any money from my credit card

 

[Night-train]

As far as I'm aware they only ask for a credit card imprint if they feel you don't have enough insurance cover. I have had either fully-inclusive or platinum package cover on my last 3 visits and have never been asked for a credit card.

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

Hi Scottishphil, and welcome to the DIS!

None of the car hire companies seek authorisation these days - they just take an imprint - so it won't have any impact on your available credit.

Hotels, however, will. And as the actual amount never coincides with the amount of the authorisation, you will find your available credit reduced. Same with restaurants - they seek authorisation for the amount of the check pre-tip. The amount actually passed is post-tip, so again it won't match up. To avoid this, pay the tip in cash. From what I can gather, the servers prefer this anyway.

Whilst the amount might differ a little on the meal with tip, actually its the same authorisation number and retailer so they will match up and the authorisation cancelled as the real debit hits the account. So there isnt a problem with adding a credit card tip, I do it all the time, the servers might prefer it in cash to avoid tax? computer records will show the correct tips being paid.

 

[UKDEB]

Whilst the amount might differ a little on the meal with tip, actually its the same authorisation number and retailer so they will match up and the authorisation cancelled as the real debit hits the account

This isn't what we've experienced, Andrew. Dh keeps a track via online banking and the authorisations remain outstanding unless there is an exact match. Maybe it varies with credit card supplier.

 

[UKDEB]

I've just spoken with dh and apparently the problem is that, when they process the actual transaction, they should quote the authorisation number, but often they don't bother.

 

[AndRu]

I know this might not be applicable for everyone but this whole topic is why I started taking more than one credit card to the USA. I take one for normal purchaes and one for imprints / security at hotels, car hire, villa rental and restaurants etc. I make sure the latter card has a limit of around £3000 so it's enough to cover anything that gets swiped / imprinted - but I don't use this card for my real spending. It's sole purpose is to cover me when it's needed and leaving my 'real' credit card free for anything I want to buy!

 

[alisonbestford]

I know this might not be applicable for everyone but this whole topic is why I started taking more than one credit card to the USA. I take one for normal purchaes and one for imprints / security at hotels, car hire, villa rental and restaurants etc. I make sure the latter card has a limit of around £3000 so it's enough to cover anything that gets swiped / imprinted - but I don't use this card for my real spending. It's sole purpose is to cover me when it's needed and leaving my 'real' credit card free for anything I want to buy!

That's what we do too

 

[wendye]

That's what we do too

That's a good idea Alison - I will be taking more then one anyway so I think that's what I will do. Thanks for that!

 

[Scottishphil]

Thanks for the help!

 

[fulles]

If you have taken out Virgin's (i.e. Dollar's) insurance policy, you will be asked for an imprint of your credit card to cover any petrol. The car will be full when you pick it up, and should be full when it is returned. If the petrol tank isn't full when you take it back, they will fill it up and charge your card (at a higher rate than the petrol stations).

If you don't take Virgin's insurance (and you take out your own insurance), they take authorisation of $1500 on your card. They don't actually take the money though, they only reduce the available credit.

Steve

 

[Julia Ann]

Once, we returned our car full of petrol and they charged us for petrol on the credit card that they had took details of. After complaining to Virgin i was re-funded.

 

[Andrew DEREK UK]

This isn't what we've experienced, Andrew. Dh keeps a track via online banking and the authorisations remain outstanding unless there is an exact match. Maybe it varies with credit card supplier.

Maybe a different bank to the one where I work.

 

[UKDEB]

Maybe a different bank to the one where I work.

I've worked for a High Street Bank for 26 years, but I'm out of touch with the nitty gritty. However, I've come to the conclusion that it's less to do with the policies of the credit card suppliers and more to do with what happens on the ground. As I said in a previous post, whilst the retailer is supposed to match up the authorisation codes, that doesn't always happen.

I had a problem this year in a store. Although we always inform the credit card companies that we will be in the States, we still fall foul of the security checks. At this particular outlet, the card swipe indicated that they should call for authorisation. The shop assistant told me they couldn't call because it was a UK card. That's absolute cobblers, but it wasn't worth getting into an argument. I just profferred another card.