Comments on: Read the small print when booking car hire

By: Is annual car hire excess insurance a good buy? : Tips from the T-List

Is annual car hire excess insurance a good buy? : Tips from the T-List — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 23:52:50 +0000

[...] always trying to point out the potential pitfalls of car hire because it is complicated to come up with best all round car hire deal. You should never purchase [...]

By: karen

karen — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 12:27:37 +0000

Thanks for your input Rowan.

By: Rowen Gower

Rowen Gower — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 13:31:11 +0000

As a representative of Auto Europe UK and contributor to the company blog http://auto-europe.blogspot.com, I’d like to mention that the company does have a Best Rate Guarantee. This means that we guarantee to beat any competitor rate on a like for like basis. So, in a situation such as above may we recommend you try calling 0800 358 1245 and asking the operator to check the rates and offer you a better deal?

By: Travel Blog Carnival Posts: Week 7/8 - Holiday Planning & Travel Guide

Travel Blog Carnival Posts: Week 7/8 - Holiday Planning & Travel Guide — Sun, 24 Feb 2008 14:43:24 +0000

[...] fun place to visit on your travels. Finally, Karen from the Europe a la carte blog writes about the hazards of booking car hire or you could end up seriously out of [...]

By: karen

karen — Sat, 16 Feb 2008 15:18:50 +0000

Thanks for your comment Kyle. I’ve also found that car hire brokers or agencies have come up with cheaper prices than booking direct with the car hire companies.

By: Kyle

Kyle — Sat, 16 Feb 2008 15:03:04 +0000

Quite often I find agencies offer you a better deal. I saved over £1600 by going with a UK agency to hire a Budget car in the USA for 2 months despite being under 25, and needing unlimited miles (12,000 miles I clocked up).

The main reason for the huge price difference was the insurance cover, Budget slap a heft per-day premium for under 25s. A per-day premium still applies to the over 25s and I worked out even then, huge savings to be made.