Anyone else, ripped off by dollar-rent-a-car

Tootsiepops

absolutely fuming :mad::mad:, went to florida end of august beginning of september, rented a car with dollar rent a car, ripped us off at the airport with extra insurance, apparently didnt have adequate insurance , so that cost us nearly $1000 usd :eek::eek:. Now this morning just recieved another letter from them saying "incure a $25 violation admin fee, for not paying a 50 cent toll" which is a load of carp because we know we never run any tolls, and the one we did go through we paid, anyway the kind people at dollar have told me not to worry as they have already taken the $25 fine as my DH credit card was on file!!!!!!! so let this be a WARNING TO ANYONE TRAVELLING TO FLORIDA!!! PLEASE BE AWARE THESE RENTALS FIRMS ARE OUT TO RIP US OFF :mad::mad::mad:

isplumm

Tootsiepops wrote: »

absolutely fuming :mad::mad:, went to florida end of august beginning of september, rented a car with dollar rent a car, ripped us off at the airport with extra insurance, apparently didnt have adequate insurance , so that cost us nearly $1000 usd :eek::eek:. Now this morning just recieved another letter from them saying "incure a $25 violation admin fee, for not paying a 50 cent toll" which is a load of carp because we know we never run any tolls, and the one we did go through we paid, anyway the kind people at dollar have told me not to worry as they have already taken the $25 fine as my DH credit card was on file!!!!!!! so let this be a WARNING TO ANYONE TRAVELLING TO FLORIDA!!! PLEASE BE AWARE THESE RENTALS FIRMS ARE OUT TO RIP US OFF :mad::mad::mad:

Hi,

When you took the car out originally - what insurance did you get - CDW or something similar? If no, then I can see why you were under insured .... but if yes, then you paid for something extra - maybe to reduce excess to zero.

As to the toll - well I would expect them to send you a copy of the original toll bill that the toll owner would have sent them - if they haven't then you should asking for prove of the toll not being paid. The $25 is a standard admin charge & will be in you t&cs somewhere.

Car insurance companies always try & get you to take out extra insurance ... normally far cheaper to do from home. I don't think it is a rip off - you just need to be wary of what you are signing.

Mark

Dan_S_3

Unfortunately its common practice to try and get you to take out extra insurance. I always book my cars from the uk and take out the highest level of insurance which says i am covered for A, B & C. When ever i get to Dollar (who i always use) they try and sell me 'extra' insurance because my cover does not cover me for A, B & C (even though my papaerwork says it does). Just tell them no thanks, you have all the coevr you need.

With regards to your toll fee. Ask for proof of the fee, stating that you paid all the toll fee's at the time.

Kenny_Powers_3

In the defence of Dollar:

I am an express member and have hired from Dollar many many times, at least 10 in Orlando (MCO)
Not a single time have i had a problem.

The only problem i have ever had was in Sacramento where i had pre booked a Jeep Grand Cherokee, when i got there they tried telling me a Jeep Liberty was in the same class :cool:

And you should see the state i have taken some of their vehicles back in! I once took a Crossfire off road for about 100 miles in Death Valley, and last month i returned a car with missing hub caps and crayon all over the inside (at the back)

Never been over charged, additionally charged or otherwise.

I too have had speeding tickets and toll charges etc... The first toll i got i never bothered paying and was back in the States driving about 2 months later with no problem. I have had a few toll violations since and have always paid them. But last year i was in Clearwater (FL) and i parked facing traffic and got cited for that, i called the court and explained that i wasn't aware of such a law and the citation was revoked.

PolishBigSpender

Tootsiepops wrote: »

absolutely fuming :mad::mad:, went to florida end of august beginning of september, rented a car with dollar rent a car, ripped us off at the airport with extra insurance, apparently didnt have adequate insurance , so that cost us nearly $1000 usd :eek::eek:

No, you didn't get ripped off. It's normal for US-based hiring companies not to include the 'Collison Damage Waiver' as the vast majority of Americans already have this as part of their credit card/travel insurance/etc. However, this practice is particular to North America - which is why you should always book through a EU-facing site to get an accurate quote. If you had read the terms and conditions, you'd know this.

Now this morning just recieved another letter from them saying "incure a $25 violation admin fee, for not paying a 50 cent toll" which is a load of carp because we know we never run any tolls, and the one we did go through we paid, anyway the kind people at dollar have told me not to worry as they have already taken the $25 fine as my DH credit card was on file!!!!!!! so let this be a WARNING TO ANYONE TRAVELLING TO FLORIDA!!! PLEASE BE AWARE THESE RENTALS FIRMS ARE OUT TO RIP US OFF :mad::mad::mad:

It's quite possible that you did run it. There exists a technology in many countries where you don't have to stop at the toll gate as the toll is deducted automatically using an electronic transponder - and if you went through the toll barrier that way, you would be automatically charged.

Ultimately, the only person who ripped you off was yourself.

trets77

to quote a commercial .


should have gone to Car hire 3000

http://www.carhire3000.com

we always use them for USA hire . all insurance ect in up front price . and you probably would have had a car from Dollar as well .

realised

its common for most car hire companies to try and sell you extra things you don't need, even if you already have all the insurance needed. and they'll do anything to try and get you to buy

Last time i went to San Francisco, I hired from Thrifty. He said to me, "What i'm going to do for you, is give you this level of cover, which means just incase you breakdown, we'll come and get you wherever you are. And, because I like you, i'll throw in a sat nav too"

My OH said, "what for free?"

Thrifty salesperson, "Uh, no, that'll be an extra $30"

OH: "For the whole hire?"

Thrifty salesperson, "Per Day."

:eek:

PolishBigSpender

How long did it take you to stop laughing?

ferf1223

Thrifty tried to sell us the breakdown cover too (had booked through CH3000 and had all insurance we needed) - we declined...they didn't try to sell us anything else.

Got stung for something like $200AUD for a ticket in rental with Dollar in Australia - between the fine and the admin charge...but I WAS speeding...6km over the limit...that's an expensive 6km.

As for being 'ripped off' on insurance charges locally, I've no way to know what level of cover was booked and if there was an issue at all...but having rented from Dollar a million times - both direct and through 3rd parties, while I may have been offered additional coverage/waivers those times I've not booked through the Express programme - I have never, ever been asked to prove what insurance I have in place. So...I'm not sure how they determined that the OP was underinsured? In any event, it does pay to review insurance options in other countries before booking to avoid just this sort of thing, I think.

isplumm

ferf1223 wrote: »

Got stung for something like $200AUD for a ticket in rental with Dollar in Australia - between the fine and the admin charge...but I WAS speeding...6km over the limit...that's an expensive 6km.

.

Same thing happened to me .... 5km over speed limit of 50, got stung for $80 fine + $50 admin charge!!! Ouch!!

Mark