Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!decvax!decwrl!pyramid!hplabs!well!micropro!edg From: edg@micropro.UUCP (Ed Greenberg) Newsgroups: net.consumers Subject: Re: Rental car ripoff Message-ID: <244@micropro.UUCP> Date: Thu, 20-Mar-86 20:15:41 EST Article-I.D.: micropro.244 Posted: Thu Mar 20 20:15:41 1986 Date-Received: Sat, 22-Mar-86 07:58:36 EST References: <1628@decwrl.DEC.COM> <1794@brl-smoke.ARPA> Reply-To: edg@micropro.UUCP (Ed Greenberg) Distribution: na Organization: MicroPro Int'l Corp., San Rafael, CA Lines: 105 Keywords: no joy in mudville There has been a discussion of rent-a-car experiences that prompts me to put in my $.02. 0. In august of 1984, my wife rented an AVIS car in New York. Shortly thereafter, we got a letter from the New York Parking Violations Bureau, dunning us for an unpaid ticket on an AVIS rental. The licence plate number on the dun did not match the plate on our rental agreement (which we had, thank g-d.) I can only assume that Avis fingered us in error. (There is a word for people who tell tales to the cops, isn't there :-) A lawyer friend in New York is still trying to resolve this. 1. I have heard horror stories about Dollar. The SF Chronicle (paragon of journalism :-) ran a story about a year ago in which they detailed Dollar's practice of weaseling out of both the collision damage waiver and the actual insurance (over and above the $2500 deductable) and SUING for (a) the value of the car, (b) the cost of repairs and (c) the loss of revenue while the car is out of service. It seems that the Dollar agreement indicates that you "agree to drive safely." They define unsafe driving to be anything from driving drunk (no flames, that _is_ unsafe) to having partial responsibility for an accident. The Chron stated that if you were hit anywhere but in the rear (and the car wasn't parked) that Dollar defined that as unsafe and claimed the right to void both CDW and actual insurance. My insurance agent assured me that my personal insurance would cover me up to the value of the car, should I damage it, and that I should decline the CDW and continue to rent from them as long as service and price dictated it. I won't rent from Dollar, except from the local dollar agency which gives me fantastic prices and very clean, well running cars, usually upgraded from the rate that they've quoted me. 2. I flew into LaGuardia Airport last week. I had a reservation from National, for a compact at $38/day _or_ $199/week. The reservationist stated that my contract would give me the right to keep the car and pay whichever rate was lower depending on how many days I used. I went over this with her several times, and she gave me a confirmation number. On arrival at the agency, the counter personnel (manager) refused to honor the rate. He stated that the rate would be $65 until the weekly rate of $199 kicked in and that _after a week_ the $38 rate would hold in the second week! He also told me that I had misunderstood the reservationist. He refused to compromise the rate or make any adjustment. He told me to take it or leave it. I called AVIS from the National lobby and, on being quoted an acceptable rate ($44/day) I left the national car. National drove me to AVIS!!!!! 3. On arrival at Avis, the counter personnel, and manager, refused to write the quoted rate on the rental agreement. They stated that their regulations did not allow any handwritten rates -- the computer has to fill it in, and the computer is down. "Don't worry, you'll get whatever rate the reservation is for, but we can't even look that up." I replied that we didn't need a computer, since we had a manager, but the manager disagreed. Finally, I suggested that they call the reservations center and verify the rate and write it on the contract. They grudgingly did. It's interesting to note one other thing. When I called Avis from home, they quoted me a rate in excess of $60 and a mileage charge as well. They had nothing cheaper -- not even on cars that they were out of. The reservationist swore that the rate she was quoting me was the cheapest that they had in NY. Yet, that night, they were able to rent me a car for a quote of $44, and when I actually paid for the car, the rate was only $40! The bottom line of all this is as follows: What the reservationist tells you is of no consequence. You don't see the computer screen, and cannot tell if the record of your reservation is as you imagine it to be. It doesn't matter which rent a car company you use, they all can give you a confirmation number and then ignore it. Three travelers in a room will have four opinions about RAC service. Follow your own heart, and be prepared for the worst. It may pay to call the same RAC company three or four times, asking the same question. You may get more than one answer. It pays to contact your insurance agent (if you own a car) and ask him what protection your policy affords on Rental Cars. You may be needlessly taking CDW. Also, an Air Travel Card (the airline issued credit card) affords $3000 in protection on rental cars booked while flying on a trip charged to that card. If you have access to such a card, it can save you a dollar or two. (Everyone should write to American Express (assuming you have one) and suggest that a good benefit would be coverage of this kind. I might pay so much per year for the coverage, just like one can buy automatic flight insurance or baggage insurance. No flames, I don't do this, but it might pay to book three or four rental cars in your destination city so that when one lets you down you will have an ace in the hole. They bring it upon themselves by being untrustworthy, and the cars that you are a no-show for will be appreciated by the poor schlameil that needs a car and doesn't have a reservation. (I'm going to get flamed for this one anyway, I just know it.) Sorry that this is so long, but it's one of my pet peeves. -- Ed Greenberg | {hplabs,glacier}!well!micropro!edg MicroPro International Corp. | {ucbvax,decwrl}!dual!micropro!edg San Rafael, California | {lll-crg,ptsfa}!micropro!edg