Car hire - Austria/Germany NO CREDIT CARD

surfchick106

HELLLPPP!

Hi
We are travelling to Germany/Austria in April, and after looking extensively at car hire it would appear that we HAVE to have a credit card when picking the car up. Can anyone offer any advice as to any companies that do not require this frustrating claus in the rental.

I have read other threads, but they are mainly for Spain/Portugal. I am at the end of my tether trying to search, it seems the only way to do it is to pay of £400 upwards- even then it is not certain it will be ok without a credit card. On the price comparison websites I have been using for quotes it has been around the £130 mark for 10 days, I dont understand why it is not possible to rent a car without one.

Very very frustrating!

Thanks

Gloomendoom

Why not just get a credit card?

Buzby

None of them? It is a confirmation of identity as well as a route to funding following a hire. The mainstream hirers all require one. I've used a few downmarket 'rent a wreck' equivalent in Munich and Wien who did not insist, but demanded €1000 in cask as a surety.

The CC was easier as they didn't care if the CC name was the same as the hirer (which the mainstream firms insisted upon).

alwaysskint96

Gloomendoom wrote: »

Why not just get a credit card?

not everyone can get a credit card- especially in this financial climate

surfchick106

Thanks for your relplies, think it may not be worth it. As for the smart remark "just get a credit card!" Really?!!! Thanks for your help...very useful.

It is just stupid in this day and age to demand such rules. I am sure I am not the only person who has the same issue, rental companies are missing out on alot of business I am sure. When I travelled through the US I didn't once need to produce a credit card when hiring.

Louisdf

surfchick106 wrote: »

Thanks for your relplies, think it may not be worth it. As for the smart remark "just get a credit card!" Really?!!! Thanks for your help...very useful.

It is just stupid in this day and age to demand such rules. I am sure I am not the only person who has the same issue, rental companies are missing out on alot of business I am sure. When I travelled through the US I didn't once need to produce a credit card when hiring.

Yes, but the car hire company needs a way of recovering its losses if you damage/fail to return the car.

Gloomendoom

surfchick106 wrote: »

Thanks for your relplies, think it may not be worth it. As for the smart remark "just get a credit card!" Really?!!! Thanks for your help...very useful.

It wasn't a intended as a smart remark. I didn't realise it was such a big deal.

surfchick106

Yes I understand the need for recovery of damage cars. It's sooo frustrating why they can not do this with a regular deposit scheme.

Anyone have any advice?

melbell

Get a cashplus prepaid mastercard. Ask them to activate "Car Hire Facility" on it and they'll allow the card to be used as a Mastercard in Car hire places.


Issue has a resolved status

surfchick106

Worth a try thank you. I do remember reading somewhere that they do not accept pre paid credit cards, but will look into it, thanks. Any other advice would be much apreciated.

Bob_the_Saver

surfchick106 wrote: »

Yes I understand the need for recovery of damage cars. It's sooo frustrating why they can not do this with a regular deposit scheme.

Anyone have any advice?

I'm not sure I understand, do you want to leave say 400 Euro deposit on a 10k Euro car? Would you let someone take away 10K who couldn't get a credit card, I wouldn't.
They are a business who have to protect their own interests not social welfare. They can set their own conditions and refusing someone who can't get a credit card with a reasonable credit limit seems reasonable to me. Nobody has a right to hire a car from a private company.
This is one reason buses exist.