Brett

I'm interested to hear how any non French resident's or non European's
experience was in renting a car in France. Problems, bad experiences, etc.

Say I rent this Peugeot 406 for US 297/wk: http://www.rentabc.com/france/,
are there any other items (insurances, etc.) I should need?

Is US 297/wk a good deal or average?

Am I free to drive mostly any where in France without restrictions?

Thanks,
Brett

Devil

On Sun, 08 Jun 2003 16:48:32 +0000, Brett wrote:

    > I'm interested to hear how any non French resident's or non European's
    > experience was in renting a car in France. Problems, bad experiences, etc.
    >
    > Say I rent this Peugeot 406 for US 297/wk: http://www.rentabc.com/france/,
    > are there any other items (insurances, etc.) I should need?
    >
    > Is US 297/wk a good deal or average?

Not bad since it includes CDW. OTOH, it's prepaid and from an unknown
operation.

To put this in perspective, I can get the same car from Hertz without
prepaying, getting FF miles etc. *but without CDW* (which I don't actually
need since my CC provides it) for somewhat more, EUR 308.

    > Am I free to drive mostly any where in France without restrictions?

Absolutely.

Mark Fagan

Never had a problem with a car in France myself, getting lost is a different
problem! If you get an automatic, make sure you confirm everything, in
writing, and take it with you. At the very least have the confirmation
number, etc. I have a friend who was given a manual since there weren't any
automatics left and it was a nightmare. But never happened to me. If you
get a car with a complicated radio (let alone navigation system) get them to
explain it to you, and at least make sure it's set for English and not
French.

"Brett" wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    > I'm interested to hear how any non French resident's or non European's
    > experience was in renting a car in France. Problems, bad experiences,
etc.
    > Say I rent this Peugeot 406 for US 297/wk: http://www.rentabc.com/france/,
    > are there any other items (insurances, etc.) I should need?
    > Is US 297/wk a good deal or average?
    > Am I free to drive mostly any where in France without restrictions?
    > Thanks,
    > Brett

Glenn

"Brett" wrote:

    >I'm interested to hear how any non French resident's or non European's
    >experience was in renting a car in France. Problems, bad experiences, etc.
    >Say I rent this Peugeot 406 for US 297/wk: http://www.rentabc.com/france/,
    >are there any other items (insurances, etc.) I should need?
    >Is US 297/wk a good deal or average?
    >Am I free to drive mostly any where in France without restrictions?
    >Thanks,
    >Brett
I've rented cars in France twice now with no problems whatsoever.
Don't know how drop-offs go, as the first rental was dropped in Munich
and the second time was dropped in Barcelona.

Very good experience on the second rental. We were picking up an
intermediate sized standard-transmission car at Gare d'Lyon in Paris,
when the girl asked me "Do you know how to drive automatic
transmission?". When I answered 'yes', she upgraded us to a luxury
sized automatic-transmission car, the Citroen C5 ;-)..... of course
we ended up having to pay for it in the end... when we had to fill up
more often because the gas mileage wasn't as good ;-(

Most major credit cards cover the CDW, any other insurances depend on
your driving comfort level. In my case, as far as the other
insurances go, I feel that they are overpriced and ALWAYS decline
them. So far I've been lucky (knock on wood) and never needed them,
in over 25 driving trips thru various European countries.
(Once I had hub-caps stolen, but the rental company just shrugged that
off, said it happens all the time ;-)
--
Glenn Valentine
--
Reply addresses should be corrected
for Auntie Spam!

Paulo

Brett,
There are MANY other free countries, apart from the good ol' USA. France is
one too!!!

    :-))

and at least 40 others!

--
PaulO
[email protected]
"Brett" wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    > I'm interested to hear how any non French resident's or non European's
    > experience was in renting a car in France. Problems, bad experiences,
etc.
    > Say I rent this Peugeot 406 for US 297/wk: http://www.rentabc.com/france/,
    > are there any other items (insurances, etc.) I should need?
    > Is US 297/wk a good deal or average?
    > Am I free to drive mostly any where in France without restrictions?
    > Thanks,
    > Brett

Mark Hewitt

"Brett" wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    > Am I free to drive mostly any where in France without restrictions?

You are free to drive anywhere in the European Union without restrictions!

Mark Hewitt

"Mark Fagan" wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    > Never had a problem with a car in France myself, getting lost is a
different
    > problem!

Ah yes, I am visiting the USA next month and getting lost is my worry too!
Investment in maps is needed I think!

    > I have a friend who was given a manual since there weren't any
    > automatics left and it was a nightmare.

Heres were I laugh at the person who can't drive a manual.. HAHAHA!! ..
thank you for you time ;-)

But never happened to me. If you
    > get a car with a complicated radio (let alone navigation system) get them
to
    > explain it to you, and at least make sure it's set for English and not
    > French.

LOL! Indeed. Thats always the problem when I rent a car, I can never work
out the sodding radio!!

Nick

    > You are free to drive anywhere in the European Union without restrictions!

Not necessarily true - some hire companies stipulate that you don't take the
car out of the country - check with them first...

Nick

Mark Hewitt

"Nick" wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    > > You are free to drive anywhere in the European Union without
restrictions!
    > Not necessarily true - some hire companies stipulate that you don't take
the
    > car out of the country - check with them first...

Ah yes of course. You are correct.

Frederic

try a discount company like easycar. Rent only in website. 10? first price
often without taxes. Check patrol before to take it.

"Mark Hewitt" a écrit dans le
message de news:[email protected]...
    > "Nick" wrote in message
    > news:[email protected]...
    > >
    > > > You are free to drive anywhere in the European Union without
    > restrictions!
    > >
    > > Not necessarily true - some hire companies stipulate that you don't take
    > the
    > > car out of the country - check with them first...
    > Ah yes of course. You are correct.

John Stolz

Watch out for 'priorite a droite' which you may not be used to.

Brett wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    > I'm interested to hear how any non French resident's or non European's
    > experience was in renting a car in France. Problems, bad experiences,
etc.
    > Say I rent this Peugeot 406 for US 297/wk: http://www.rentabc.com/france/,
    > are there any other items (insurances, etc.) I should need?
    > Is US 297/wk a good deal or average?
    > Am I free to drive mostly any where in France without restrictions?
    > Thanks,
    > Brett

Richard Grant

I've driven often if France (stick shift)and never had a problem. I
think that the best map for all of France is called Michelin: France
Tourist and Motoring Atlas. It's quite large but that's all right
because you can toss it on an empty car seat. Costs about $20 at any
bookstore.

Brett

"Glenn" wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    > "Brett" wrote:
    > >I'm interested to hear how any non French resident's or non European's
    > >experience was in renting a car in France. Problems, bad experiences,
etc.
    > >
    > >Say I rent this Peugeot 406 for US 297/wk:
http://www.rentabc.com/france/,
    > >are there any other items (insurances, etc.) I should need?
    > >
    > >Is US 297/wk a good deal or average?
    > >
    > >Am I free to drive mostly any where in France without restrictions?
    > >
    > >Thanks,
    > >Brett
    > >
    > >
    > I've rented cars in France twice now with no problems whatsoever.
    > Don't know how drop-offs go, as the first rental was dropped in Munich
    > and the second time was dropped in Barcelona.
    > Very good experience on the second rental. We were picking up an
    > intermediate sized standard-transmission car at Gare d'Lyon in Paris,
    > when the girl asked me "Do you know how to drive automatic
    > transmission?".

Why would she ask if you know how to drive an automatic?

When I answered 'yes', she upgraded us to a luxury
    > sized automatic-transmission car, the Citroen C5 ;-)..... of course
    > we ended up having to pay for it in the end... when we had to fill up
    > more often because the gas mileage wasn't as good ;-(
    > Most major credit cards cover the CDW, any other insurances depend on
    > your driving comfort level. In my case, as far as the other
    > insurances go, I feel that they are overpriced and ALWAYS decline
    > them. So far I've been lucky (knock on wood) and never needed them,
    > in over 25 driving trips thru various European countries.
    > (Once I had hub-caps stolen, but the rental company just shrugged that
    > off, said it happens all the time ;-)
    > --
    > Glenn Valentine
    > --
    > Reply addresses should be corrected
    > for Auntie Spam!

nightjar

"John Stolz" wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    > Watch out for 'priorite a droite' which you may not be used to.

Is it still sufficiently common to be worth mentioning? I've done a few
thousand miles around southern France this year, covering everything from
large towns to small hamlets. In that journeying, I have come across
precisely two places where the junctions were not clearly marked with stop
or give way signs. Both were in small villages and at both places it was
obviously thought sufficiently uncommon for it to be necessary to put up
warning signs that priorte a droite applied.

Colin Bignell

nightjar

"Brett" wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
    > I'm interested to hear how any non French resident's or non European's
    > experience was in renting a car in France. Problems, bad experiences,
etc.

I've hired cars in France several times this year without any problems at
all. However, it has always been with one of the big name companies.

...
    > Am I free to drive mostly any where in France without restrictions?

Yes, but check with the hire company if you want to go across an
international border. Their insurance may prohibit that.

You may also want to know that the French Police use radar speed traps quite
frequently.

Colin Bignell