newadventure

Every time i have used Europcar at LHR, i have had a long wait to get my car. I have only ever had good experiences with Enterprise - really quick to process, friendly and polite.

Pulaski

When I went to pick up my Hertz car last Christmas at LHR, I found that the car was already waiting, with the paperwork on the seat (which I had to show along with my drivers license, to exit the Hertz rental lot), and the key was in the ignition. It was literally ready for me to drive away (probably in part because I am a Hertz Gold Card club member).

Next time I need to work out whether there is (as I suspect there is) some way to find out which car I am being given/ which parking space it is in, and then I can just drive away without needing to speak to anyone, other than showing my DL and paperwork at the gate!

Oakvillian

On the external lot for Avis the "preferred customers" have their last name and a parking space number on a display board in the office, so you just glance at that, go to the space, and find keys/paperwork in the car ready to go. I don't recall if the same system works in the T5 parking garage, there's never been anyone else waiting when I've turned up at the office there so it hasn't actually made a difference. I would have thought Hertz probably has something similar in place.

Oakvillian

Occasionally, of course, it doesn't quite work. Last time I was in the UK with the family, I'd booked a "Vauxhall Zafira or equivalent" as we needed five seats and luggage space. They didn't have one ready at the T5 lot, so we had to slum it for the week in a BMW 5-series Touring instead, at no additional charge. Shucks.

Kooky.

The Gold Club membership process is great in theory - and I do believe you can do what you want - but my husband always decides to upgrade on the spot. (After about 27 hours' travel I'm always really tolerant of this.)

Scouse Express

Just got back from England on Saturday Night. Rented an 8 Passenger Hyundai i800 Van from Enterprise. I used them in December '18 and for this trip. There is a "Premium Location Fee" which applies for Heathrow Rentals. But, I was on my way within minutes of arrival due to a Family Emergency, back on Merseyside.

They knocked a day's rental off the final charge, as the inside windows had not been cleaned from previous renter.


Jim.

kimilseung

Hey! newadventure, get back on the Hamilton thread and let us know what you thought of the show.

robtuck

I love that we've gone from an initial discussion of whether the cheapest deal someone could find was a scam or worth the punt, to talk about which Platinum/Gold/VIP club should be used.

On the one hand, since living here I find myself bemoaning getting a small car when returning to the UK, on the other I wonder if getting a Micra will make the roads seem the right size? I imagine the price is for a car in the Micra range.

Pulaski

Last Christmas I had been automatically upgraded from the Passat/Octavia or similar to a Volvo XC40, which was very nice to drive, but luckily it was only my daughter and me travelling, because the boot space kin he XC40 was pathetic and despite only travelling with a medium sized suitcase and carry-on hold-all each, only one suitcase and the bags would fit in the boot and one suitcase had to go in the back seat.
That's pure BE!

Owen778

We had something similar when my wife and I went to Scotland five years ago. We flew into Inverness and out of Glasgow, and booked "CAR Standard, Volkswagen Passat 1.8 or similar Standard 5-Door/Automatic/Air" with Alamo. The only automatic they had was a Mercedes.

Kooky.

Yeah, we gave up on the compacts (often a Ford Focus years ago) for that reason. I think we had that Volvo last time, and we've had a similar Audi. It's always good research But you're right, we still struggle with long haul sized cases, which usually means one goes on the back seat and then one of us stays with the car at service stations.

The year my Mum was ill and I had to make a dash (2010, during the volcano fiasco, when my dash ended up taking me seven days) my husband came over later and rocked up at my sister's in an enormous Chrysler tank. Didn't think through how it would fit on the drive.

Millhouse

Never ever buy their insurance... get an annual policy for 40quid online.

I've used the cowboys and decent companies. Cowboys are certain a risk to the wallet (and your time) - on one occasion the guy tried to charge me 300quid + admin etc for a very minor bit of paint damage on a door that I had not done. I played them at their own game, said to the guy... can you give me a lift to the airport, on route, we settled it for 20quid to him. I had insurance but simply couldn't be bothered to do the admin. The companies employ scumbags, so use their own scumbags against the companies.

I also smashed up a car from Sixt. Came away with only 220 quid - amazing given it needed a new wheel, tyre, and the bumper was half off.

Take lots of photos, video the whole thing and make sure the light isn't causing lots of reflections. Take pictures of the edges of doors as they are always chipped and no one ever checks there. Also photos of the spare (or lack of) etc. Photos saved me one time with one of the dodgy places too.

lansbury

That is pretty amazing for BE. By now we would normally have gone to where to buy eggs on the journey from LHR and a full discussion of free range versus factory raised.

MidAtlantic

Pulaski

Or at least the relative merits of "boot" v "hatchback", decaying into an argument about retrograde Americans and their preference for a boot.