I am off to Florida for 8 days in March. I did the same last year.
Last year the car hire was £138 for a week. This year the same car looks like it will be about £170 for 8 days. Given the dollar has dropped like a stone over the year, I don't see how this occurs. Except, of course, I am going to UK based companies (or US companies UK site) where they are quoting me in £££s, and I suspect the price has little real relevance to the actual cost - more relevance to the amount they think I will pay.
I am having difficulty finding an American based site where I can understand the insurance requirements, and pay on dollars.
So... what do you reckon on me turning up at Tampa airport and just walking along the desks to see what I can find? Or is pre-booking generally cheaper or easier? Or maybe I could arrange an American mate to do the booking for me?
(btw I just booked 3 nights at a hotel through an agency - was cheaper than booking direct with the hotel, and the hotel would only take 4 night minimum booking...also, was unable to match price on last year's Air Miles flight - £62!! plus a few miles)
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smokie,
" am having difficulty finding an American based site where I can understand the insurance requirements, "
It is almost always cheaper for Brits to hire in the UK for Florida. The headline figures quoted in the USA are misleading. When you add the extras for insurance to bring it up to our 'Comprehensive' insurance + Florida tax + Airport collection etc it is dearer despite the weaker dollar. Many Americans use their own car insurance - not possible with a UK policy.
Will Email you.
C
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Agree with Cardew here, it's almost always better to book in the UK, there are a thousand extras the US companies will sting you for if you try and book direct. Holiday Autos are one of the more competitive in the UK.
There was a long thread on insurance requirements for the US a couple of weeks ago, do a forum search for Holiday Autos and you should find it.
mike
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smokie,
Email sent to address shown in your profile is returned as undeliverable - twice.
C
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Cardew - have received one email, and replied. Thanks for your offer of help and your advice.
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Going myself in April and from previous experience they try to sell you extra insurance which you don't need. Try RCI for a car quote and if not happy do what you say and chance it at the other end but check what insurance is needed!
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Through Opodo.com I have found a Hertz rental at what appears to be a very competitive rate. The bookings conditions say:
"The approximate rental charge includes:
airport concession fee recovery, loss damage waiver, tax, liability insurance supplement, vehicle license fee recovery:, rental surcharge:
"Approximate rental charge is based on available information at time of reservation. Additional fees or surcharges may be applied at time of rental."
Did I read somewhere the LDW is the "top" insurance and I shouldn't be stung for anything else on arrival? That line about additional fees or surcharges worries me.....
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Through Opodo.com I have found a Hertz rental at what appears to be a very competitive rate. The bookings conditions say: "The approximate rental charge includes: airport concession fee recovery, loss damage waiver, tax, liability insurance supplement, vehicle license fee recovery:, rental surcharge: "Approximate rental charge is based on available information at time of reservation. Additional fees or surcharges may be applied at time of rental." Did I read somewhere the LDW is the "top" insurance and I shouldn't be stung for anything else on arrival? That line about additional fees or surcharges worries me.....
smokie,
nothing to worry about.
only thing not mentioned is personal insurance which you probably have as your own travel insurance anyway therefore don't want.
additional fees etc is to cover the stuff that is usually dealt with at the desk, eg do you want to prepay for a tank of fuel and bring back empty etc etc. I don't always return it full.
FiF
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Smokie/FiF.
Smokie - "That line about additional fees or surcharges worries me....."
FiF "nothing to worry about."
I did Email Smokie on this, but in view of FiF's comment I feel it is important that other Backroom users are under no illusions about hiring in Florida.
Smokie's original post was about hiring in Florida to take advantage of the weaker US Dollar. Assuming the Hertz quote obtained through Opodo is for hiring in Florida there are plenty of other considerations.
Firstly insurance: There are 2 important insurances that are required in addition to the LDW and Liability insurance. The most important is SLI(Supplementary Liability Insurance) and there is also UMP(Uninsured Motorist protection.)
SLI ,which should be for US$1M. is for any claim against you by a third party. Even driving a huge SUV it appears impossible for any US motorist and his passengers not to suffer from whiplash and trauma when involved in the slightest collision; and they will sue you!! All rental companies strongly recommend SLI but the reason it is not mandatory is because US motorists can be covered for these aspects under their own insurance. I would strongly advise anyone not to drive without SLI as without it you have less insurance than third party insurance in UK(but with LDW - sometimes called CDW - you have the equivalent of Comprehensive for your vehicle only)
SLI typically costs US$13-15 per day.
In addition all rentals in Florida have a state surcharge of US$2.05 a day and on all charges there is the Florida Sales Tax of 6%
As FiF states they will try to sell you personal insurance which you don't need if you have normal travel insurance for the USA.
There are thousands of Brits who travel regularly to Florida as I do, and support groups where costs of car rental is a major issue. As far as I am aware nobody has found a way to get car rental cheaper in Florida than pre booking in the UK. However if Smokie can obtain it cheaper(with proper insurance) we would love to hear details from you.
C
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Check the price of Autos Abroad. I've used them a few times and they have been the cheapest option for me. All insurances are included in their quoted prices. They give you a voucher for one of the big rental companies. Dollar last time I went iirc.
www.autosabroad.com for an on-line quote.
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Cardew - after massive dithering I finally booked the Hertz vehicle on line yesterday. I conatcted the company you suggested and they were around the same sort of price.
I spent hours yesterday trying to force the websites into giving me an "american based" price rather than quoting in pounds, and whenever I managed to, the dollar cost WITHOUT the additional insurances was higher that the Hertz price by some margin. I even found some "special rate" codes which also ended up with a higher price.
The Hertz price is "all in" with the proviso above - that they may charge more when I get there. Liability insurance supplement is included.
I could have had a slightly cheaper deal with Dollar (but not directly with them) but I preferred the look of the Mustang to the Chrylser Sebring.:-)
Thanks Cardew and others for your valued help and advice.
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...and autosabroad was about 20% more expensive for the same type of car.
Next year I think I will restrict myself to 7 days. Rental rates are very cheap for 7 days, but the eigth day is charged at the regular daily rate and therefore pushes the cost up disporportionately. And it would also save me one night hotel...
I suppose I am still left wondering how I had a Neon for £138 for 7 days last year and this year it would have been £158, despite the relative weakness of the dollar, albeit with an extra day included...but not to worry!
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"...and autosabroad was about 20% more expensive for the same type of car."
Even with all the insurances included? Is everything also included in your Hertz deal? If so I very am surprised that Hertz are cheaper.
"I suppose I am still left wondering how I had a Neon for £138 for 7 days last year and this year it would have been £158, despite the relative weakness of the dollar, albeit with an extra day included...but not to worry!"
Round it up a bit and call it £140 for 7 days and £160 for 8. Both equal £20 a day.
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I pay £133 a week in UK for a compact(Neon/Cavalier)size from Dollar or Alamo - that includes everything. 2 drivers on Dollar.
Invariably I am upgraded without charge - normally one class up. Last time I was given the top of the range 2004 Chrysler 300M. 255BHP, leather and all the gizmos and easily the best American car I have driven. However, as usual, no handbook and couldn't be bothered to work out what everything did.
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Cardew/GOG et al,
I thought it was clears in Smokie's original post that SLI was included except smokie called it insurance liability supplement.
I don't want to get into a peeing contest about car rental companies, but Smokie has found what he reckons is a good deal with Hertz and as far as I am concerned he asked for advice and reassurance and therefore on the basis of the evidence he should be so reassured and hence advised to go for it.
I use Hertz regularly in the USA and on balance cannot fault.
GOG, I'm not at all surprised that Hertz are cheaper. If you do your homework you can get some monster deals and the choice of vehicles is wider. You have to do your homework though and it appears that is exactly what smokie has done.
Personally I detest Dollar, but hey we're all different and that is what makes life interesting.
FiF
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Not wishing to extend this thread beyond it's useful shelf life, here's a quick update.
A friend said that the Hertz Mustang (£261 all in) is not as good a car as the (Dollar) Chrylser Sebring. So I cancelled the Stang and went through www.cheap-car-rental.com to get a Sebring for £241 all in, PLUS a free tank of fuel. It includes SLI etc. The voucher came from a Swedish company called Global Cars.
Autos Abroad was, IIRC, £280ish.
And yes, I understand that £20 per day is the going rate. I was just surprised that given the comparative weakness of the $ it hadn't become cheaper.
ALL input has been gratefully received and checked out...thanks
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Went to Florida in Aug last year, prebooked through Airline-Network in the UK. £381 for a fortnight in August for a Plymouth Grand Voyager, up to 3 extra drivers, full tank of petrol, absolutely everything included, all local taxes,all Insurances, couldn't fault the service, never even swiped my credit card "just bring it back with however low on fuel you are prepared to run it" This is with Dollar at Sanford airport. in 25 years of hiring cars both in the UK and abroad most painless and easy car hire I've ever had. Some of the "biggies" especially in the UK could learn a lot
Claybuster
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FiF,
We have a misunderstanding!
The purpose of Smokie's original post was to find a car that he could pay for in dollars:-
"So... what do you reckon on me turning up at Tampa airport and just walking along the desks to see what I can find? Or is pre-booking generally cheaper or easier? "
The discussion in other posts was on the pros and cons of renting in USA or prepaying in UK.
In his subsequent post there was nothing to indicate the Hertz rental quote was obtained through UK.
My warning, as I stated, was on the assumption that he was still renting in Florida paying in US$.
I have found all of the major rental companies in USA to be trouble free.
C
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