Dollar Car Rental - USA

chrisvaldez

Booked with Dollar and they were cheap enough. Didn't get the car I quite wanted but it was still a good deal. I took out Loss Damage Waiver at $22 a day (which in retrospect I could have done through a separate company for £5.99 a day!) and then got back to England to find $55 in roadside recovery protection had been added to my bill!

Complained to customer service and they told me they weren't going to escalate my complaint! Lovely!

bobthedambuilder

I got a fullsize from Dollar in Washington Dulles through Carhire3000 cheaper than going direct with Dollar (didn't know it was going to be from Dollar until after I'd booked!). They do a premium service which includes multiple drivers and all insurances, and I purchased an excess waiver to cover the fairly steep excess ($800 from memory) on the CDW for about £4-5 per day, direct from Carhire3000 (the excess would be deducted by Dollar in the event of an accident, and you apparently then claim this back from Carhire3000). No problems at all when picking up - just had to leave a card scan, and like others, had a choice of cars from all those within the group parked in the lot.

ferf1223

chrisvaldez wrote: »

Booked with Dollar and they were cheap enough. Didn't get the car I quite wanted but it was still a good deal. I took out Loss Damage Waiver at $22 a day (which in retrospect I could have done through a separate company for £5.99 a day!) and then got back to England to find $55 in roadside recovery protection had been added to my bill!

Complained to customer service and they told me they weren't going to escalate my complaint! Lovely!

Could they show you signed off on the roadside recovery? Normally that's something that's offered and you have to decline, and you initial to show those extras you accepted and those things you declined. Do you have a copy of your contract and can you see that you did not accept it? Think they call it Road Safe.

tarkytarks

We rented from Dollar and there was no one way charge between SFO and LV (so california & nevada), and a 2nd driver was also covered (I can't remember what level we got - one with a full tank and sat nav). Do make sure you get the excess waver, breakdown (if you want it) and other insurance bits (mentioned above) before you go though, otherwise it could get expensive. We did not get to choose the car from SFO (O'Farrell st).

stphnstevey

tarkytarks wrote: »

We rented from Dollar and there was no one way charge between SFO and LV (so california & nevada), and a 2nd driver was also covered (I can't remember what level we got - one with a full tank and sat nav). Do make sure you get the excess waver, breakdown (if you want it) and other insurance bits (mentioned above) before you go though, otherwise it could get expensive. We did not get to choose the car from SFO (O'Farrell st).

Thanks for this, it seems Dollar are the only ones that DON'T charge a one way rental (Alamo now do).

stphnstevey

chrisvaldez wrote: »

Booked with Dollar and they were cheap enough. Didn't get the car I quite wanted but it was still a good deal. I took out Loss Damage Waiver at $22 a day (which in retrospect I could have done through a separate company for £5.99 a day!) and then got back to England to find $55 in roadside recovery protection had been added to my bill!

Complained to customer service and they told me they weren't going to escalate my complaint! Lovely!

Yeah heard you have to be careful them adding on extras and read, read and re-read the contract

Milo19

Dollar!? BIG NO NO.

Will never use them again after my experience with them a few years back. They added extras to the bill and the car was unsafe to drive.

It swayed from left to right.

When i called to complained, they offered to come pick it up but didn't have anything else I could use so it was either keep it or lose a car altogether. Jokers!

I think i read it before, but speak to car hire 3000 - excellent service and very reasonably prices!

neilm22

This is an interesting and well timed discussion for me.

I am also looking at car hire from Vegas to San Francisco in July.

Dollar are best priced at £242 for a focus equivalent with platinum, but I am confirming with them via email that there is no one-way fee, and awaiting the reply, as the man did ask where I was travelling from and to, which suggests they may have some one-way fees for some destinations. Otherwise a great all-inclusive price for 11 days rental including named drivers.

I have also checked prices with carhire3000, and the all-inclusive price is cheaper, a Ford Fusion saloon for £214, but again I have emailed them to confirm no one-way fee and also enquiring as to the cost of a tank of fuel, which is not stated as included in the price.

Does anyone know these answers from experience? I will post them up when I get the answers back from them...

neilm22

Dollar confirmed the 'drop' at San Francisco is free.

stphnstevey

I also phoned Dollar UK today and they confirmed that drop offs between California and Nevada are free.

Alamo seem to charge on their UK website for one way fees.

It seems it used to be that they also had an additional driver free, but they confirmed that is no longer available so you have to purchase a package with this included

I thought we would need an intermediate/standard sized car due to the luggage (nothing out of the ordinary - 2 large suticases and maybe another smaller hand luggage - wanted to ensure all fits in boot so when we leave the car there is no baggage on display), but a compact might also do it. Not sure