UK here we come!!!!!!!
Nov 8th 2005, 11:47 pm
#1
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UK here we come!!!!!!!
Just booked our seats, for the old country Feb 2006 "BA". Something to look forward to.
That was the easy part. Now looking at cars, WOE, thats a different ballgame. Think the Auto-Rent WEB sites written by some real seedy characters. Difficult to get to the real price.
For many years, I booked cars in UK using our USA Credit cards, declined all insurance. Paid basic rental, real nice deal, they won't except that deal anymore. Got screwed, last year by Thrifty, $100+ insurance charge. I argued it with Thrifty USA, they said individual franchisers can set there own insurance levels.
Price line, seem to want more then any other site. Every time I click on Free this, Free upgrade, 5% - 30% off. The price is worse. Asking for automatic, is still a crime.
Frank R.
That was the easy part. Now looking at cars, WOE, thats a different ballgame. Think the Auto-Rent WEB sites written by some real seedy characters. Difficult to get to the real price.
For many years, I booked cars in UK using our USA Credit cards, declined all insurance. Paid basic rental, real nice deal, they won't except that deal anymore. Got screwed, last year by Thrifty, $100+ insurance charge. I argued it with Thrifty USA, they said individual franchisers can set there own insurance levels.
Price line, seem to want more then any other site. Every time I click on Free this, Free upgrade, 5% - 30% off. The price is worse. Asking for automatic, is still a crime.
Frank R.
Nov 9th 2005, 1:17 am
#2
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Re: UK here we come!!!!!!!
Originally Posted by frrussre
Just booked our seats, for the old country Feb 2006 "BA". Something to look forward to.
That was the easy part. Now looking at cars, WOE, thats a different ballgame. Think the Auto-Rent WEB sites written by some real seedy characters. Difficult to get to the real price.
For many years, I booked cars in UK using our USA Credit cards, declined all insurance. Paid basic rental, real nice deal, they won't except that deal anymore. Got screwed, last year by Thrifty, $100+ insurance charge. I argued it with Thrifty USA, they said individual franchisers can set there own insurance levels.
Price line, seem to want more then any other site. Every time I click on Free this, Free upgrade, 5% - 30% off. The price is worse. Asking for automatic, is still a crime.
Frank R.
That was the easy part. Now looking at cars, WOE, thats a different ballgame. Think the Auto-Rent WEB sites written by some real seedy characters. Difficult to get to the real price.
For many years, I booked cars in UK using our USA Credit cards, declined all insurance. Paid basic rental, real nice deal, they won't except that deal anymore. Got screwed, last year by Thrifty, $100+ insurance charge. I argued it with Thrifty USA, they said individual franchisers can set there own insurance levels.
Price line, seem to want more then any other site. Every time I click on Free this, Free upgrade, 5% - 30% off. The price is worse. Asking for automatic, is still a crime.
Frank R.
They should do - i use my amex to cover all insurance bar the third party (which they legally have to provide and is included in the cost) i did this just last week. Used Hertz this time and Avis earlier in the year. Paid $700 for a high end Mondeo booking through the BA website. Was the cheapest i could find of the on airport ones. And the service was pretty good too!!!
Nov 9th 2005, 1:19 am
#3
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Re: UK here we come!!!!!!!
Originally Posted by frrussre
Just booked our seats, for the old country Feb 2006 "BA". Something to look forward to.
That was the easy part. Now looking at cars, WOE, thats a different ballgame. Think the Auto-Rent WEB sites written by some real seedy characters. Difficult to get to the real price.
For many years, I booked cars in UK using our USA Credit cards, declined all insurance. Paid basic rental, real nice deal, they won't except that deal anymore. Got screwed, last year by Thrifty, $100+ insurance charge. I argued it with Thrifty USA, they said individual franchisers can set there own insurance levels.
Price line, seem to want more then any other site. Every time I click on Free this, Free upgrade, 5% - 30% off. The price is worse. Asking for automatic, is still a crime.
Frank R.
That was the easy part. Now looking at cars, WOE, thats a different ballgame. Think the Auto-Rent WEB sites written by some real seedy characters. Difficult to get to the real price.
For many years, I booked cars in UK using our USA Credit cards, declined all insurance. Paid basic rental, real nice deal, they won't except that deal anymore. Got screwed, last year by Thrifty, $100+ insurance charge. I argued it with Thrifty USA, they said individual franchisers can set there own insurance levels.
Price line, seem to want more then any other site. Every time I click on Free this, Free upgrade, 5% - 30% off. The price is worse. Asking for automatic, is still a crime.
Frank R.
Nov 9th 2005, 1:21 am
#4
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Re: UK here we come!!!!!!!
Originally Posted by Big D
PS - hope you arent flying BA to Manchester from NY - its the oldest, shitest plane in the skies - as its considered a 'regional route'!! All the London planes are top banana now though - even from down here in Dallas!
Reg. Frank R.
Nov 9th 2005, 1:24 am
#5
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Re: UK here we come!!!!!!!
Originally Posted by Big D
They should do - i use my amex to cover all insurance bar the third party (which they legally have to provide and is included in the cost) i did this just last week. Used Hertz this time and Avis earlier in the year. Paid $700 for a high end Mondeo booking through the BA website. Was the cheapest i could find of the on airport ones. And the service was pretty good too!!!
I was paying less then $300 for 14 days all the thrills & upgrades. No any insurance completly covered by Amex. Now brits won't seem to except, total cover carried by Amex or Visa signature.
Reg. Frank R.
Nov 9th 2005, 1:32 am
#6
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Re: UK here we come!!!!!!!
Originally Posted by frrussre
How many days = $700?
I was paying less then $300 for 14 days all the thrills & upgrades. No any insurance completly covered by Amex. Now brits won't seem to except, total cover carried by Amex or Visa signature.
Reg. Frank R.
I was paying less then $300 for 14 days all the thrills & upgrades. No any insurance completly covered by Amex. Now brits won't seem to except, total cover carried by Amex or Visa signature.
Reg. Frank R.
$300 is a great deal if you get it again let me know!!
Nov 9th 2005, 1:43 am
#7
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Re: UK here we come!!!!!!!
Originally Posted by Big D
it was 14 days i think - but excluding all insurance, both Hertz and Avis accepted Amex. When I booked Hertz last time there is a tick box in the quote to request.
$300 is a great deal if you get it again let me know!!
$300 is a great deal if you get it again let me know!!
Cheeky buggers charged me $2.06 to the pound at thrifty Feb 2005. Said they had to cover themselves.
Reg
Nov 9th 2005, 1:54 am
#8
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Re: UK here we come!!!!!!!
Originally Posted by frrussre
No those days are gone. I've been doing these trips back to UK for 17 + years. Both Amex & Visa Signature (Maybe others) cover you for secondary Ins in USA, no need for CDW (Certain restrictions, value of vehicle). BUT cover primary for say UK. So I would decline all insurance Zilch. Couple of times I had to push it with Car Renters, only once I got them to call Amex. Plus Vat was lower, less add ons & exchange rate was around $1.20 - $1.50 to the pound. Now the Vat 17.5% + other add ons + they will take $1.90 to the pound + charge for basic insurance. Hence $350 - $500 a week for Automatic mondeo. Another new charge, they now charge for spouse driver (FOC in USA), $10 plus tax per day.
Cheeky buggers charged me $2.06 to the pound at thrifty Feb 2005. Said they had to cover themselves.
Reg
Cheeky buggers charged me $2.06 to the pound at thrifty Feb 2005. Said they had to cover themselves.
Reg
Nov 9th 2005, 2:35 am
#9
Sursum corda
Joined: Sep 2002
Location: Richmond Hill, GA USA
Posts: 38,860
Re: UK here we come!!!!!!!
Originally Posted by frrussre
Just booked our seats, for the old country Feb 2006 "BA". Something to look forward to.
That was the easy part. Now looking at cars, WOE, thats a different ballgame. Think the Auto-Rent WEB sites written by some real seedy characters. Difficult to get to the real price.
For many years, I booked cars in UK using our USA Credit cards, declined all insurance. Paid basic rental, real nice deal, they won't except that deal anymore. Got screwed, last year by Thrifty, $100+ insurance charge. I argued it with Thrifty USA, they said individual franchisers can set there own insurance levels.
Price line, seem to want more then any other site. Every time I click on Free this, Free upgrade, 5% - 30% off. The price is worse. Asking for automatic, is still a crime.
Frank R.
That was the easy part. Now looking at cars, WOE, thats a different ballgame. Think the Auto-Rent WEB sites written by some real seedy characters. Difficult to get to the real price.
For many years, I booked cars in UK using our USA Credit cards, declined all insurance. Paid basic rental, real nice deal, they won't except that deal anymore. Got screwed, last year by Thrifty, $100+ insurance charge. I argued it with Thrifty USA, they said individual franchisers can set there own insurance levels.
Price line, seem to want more then any other site. Every time I click on Free this, Free upgrade, 5% - 30% off. The price is worse. Asking for automatic, is still a crime.
Frank R.
Nov 9th 2005, 2:52 am
#10
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Joined: Jul 2003
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Re: UK here we come!!!!!!!
Try auto-international, I got an automatic mondeo from them this year, and also paid an additional 30 quid I think it was for top up insurance to cover the 500 quid deductable. V reasonable.
Nov 9th 2005, 4:00 am
#11
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Re: UK here we come!!!!!!!
Originally Posted by cindyabs
I use Auto Europe for my clients-they go with whoever has the best deal. No complaints yet.
Nov 9th 2005, 11:46 am
#12
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 6,848
Re: UK here we come!!!!!!!
I had an excellent deal with Enterprise (a US owned car rental company) when I rented one of their cars at Heathrow and there was no problem whatsover regarding showing proof that I had sufficient insurance coverage on my American Express card. I got a free upgrade to a larger car too!
I did however, print off the page on the Amex website showing the coverage they provide on the type of card I have to show to Enterprise, but they didn't need to see it (when you book directly with Enterprise on their website it does clearly state that non-UK residents need to show proof that they are covered by insurance, which is why I printed off the Amex page).
http://www.enterprise.com/car_rental...ap.do?&cnty=GB
This past Summer I did use National as they were waiving the fee for a one-way rental...picked up a car at Stansted but was dropping off my husband and daughter at Heathrow and a couple of weeks later needed to return the car to Heathrow instead of Stansted...the car was a crappy Peugeot and the air-con wasn't working, so I changed it at Heathrow for a Ford Focus....took a bit of time to sort out the paperwork but they waived the fees for one day. For anyone wanting a one-way rental it's worth checking to see if they're still waiving the fee (National is still doing this at the time of writing) which most rental companies charge (normally about 50 pounds):
http://www.nationalcar.co.uk/ukweb/default.jsp
I did however, print off the page on the Amex website showing the coverage they provide on the type of card I have to show to Enterprise, but they didn't need to see it (when you book directly with Enterprise on their website it does clearly state that non-UK residents need to show proof that they are covered by insurance, which is why I printed off the Amex page).
http://www.enterprise.com/car_rental...ap.do?&cnty=GB
This past Summer I did use National as they were waiving the fee for a one-way rental...picked up a car at Stansted but was dropping off my husband and daughter at Heathrow and a couple of weeks later needed to return the car to Heathrow instead of Stansted...the car was a crappy Peugeot and the air-con wasn't working, so I changed it at Heathrow for a Ford Focus....took a bit of time to sort out the paperwork but they waived the fees for one day. For anyone wanting a one-way rental it's worth checking to see if they're still waiving the fee (National is still doing this at the time of writing) which most rental companies charge (normally about 50 pounds):
http://www.nationalcar.co.uk/ukweb/default.jsp
Last edited by Englishmum; Nov 9th 2005 at 11:49 am.
Nov 9th 2005, 1:06 pm
#13
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Joined: Dec 2003
Location: FL
Posts: 273
Re: UK here we come!!!!!!!
We got a GREAT deal using SixT last December and will hopefully use them again when we go back next summer. Check them out and see what they can do for you.
Nov 9th 2005, 2:22 pm
#14
Russell Beattie
Joined: Oct 2005
Location: Eastlake OHIO (Cleveland)
Posts: 34
Re: UK here we come!!!!!!!
The best deal anywhere is with www.1car1.com I have used it 3 times now. They are an off site rental company but well worth the savings. I go back to UK next week and got 11 days hire for 150 GBP INCLUDING INSURANCE
Nov 9th 2005, 2:41 pm
#15
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Re: UK here we come!!!!!!!
Originally Posted by rbtuk
The best deal anywhere is with www.1car1.com I have used it 3 times now. They are an off site rental company but well worth the savings. I go back to UK next week and got 11 days hire for 150 GBP INCLUDING INSURANCE
Prior to Feb 2005, I always did well with Thrifty @ Sheraton Hotel. Great prices + FOC upgrades to Jaguar S type, Mitsubishi Shogun, Top of the line Alfa Romeo, Merc.
I have Hertz, National,Enterprise & thrifty Club cards. I have also used Sixth. I have used family cars for Free, stopped after bad guys broke the window, damaged the door & I wasted a days vacation, getting the window fixed. Cost us £50 excess + £20 for Insurance + Taxis. So rather stick to Car Rental.
I will try some of the rec's you have all given.
Reg. Frank R.