my road trip

silvercar

Gloomendoom wrote: »

Sod the cost. You don't want a Ford Kuga, get a convertible.

Amazing. That was our plan A. Then we watched YouTube of people trying to fit suitcases in the boot and realised it was a no go for us.

northwest1965

Gloomendoom wrote: »

Those were my thoughts too. Although I have found that husbands and wives are included as additional drivers at no extra cost.

Is that right? Didn't know that. What company do you use?

Gloomendoom

northwest1965 wrote: »

Is that right? Didn't know that. What company do you use?

Budget.

Do you charge extra for an additional driver?

Answer: Sometimes. Although additional driver rules at licensee-owned locations and locations outside of the U.S may vary, except for California, Nevada and New York, the fee for each additional driver is $13 per day with a maximum charge of $65 per rental. There is no additional driver fee in California. In Nevada, the fee is $10 per day with a maximum charge of $50 per rental. In New York, the fee is $3 per day. The following are exempt from the fee but must meet all other driver requirements: the renter's employer or fellow employee when on company business and renting under a corporate account; the renter's spouse or domestic partner; the companion driver of a renter with a disability who has completed the non-licensed renter form; for insurance replacement rentals, company employees or family members who are designated on the insurance policy. It's always best to check the terms and conditions on your online reservation confirmation or on the location information page to see which rules apply for your selected location.

Source

Gloomendoom

silvercar wrote: »

Amazing. That was our plan A. Then we watched YouTube of people trying to fit suitcases in the boot and realised it was a no go for us.

We just took soft luggage.

Despite having a double weight allowance with our plane tickets, it all fitted in the boot, including a rigid cool box we bought along the way. For security reasons, we kept nothing inside the car.

northwest1965

Please note: In common with most car hire suppliers the insurance coverage does not cover damage to windows, wheels, tires, the roof, underside & interior of the vehicle, towing charges or damage caused negligently, willfully or recklessly.

This is from Dollar. The Platinum Insurance.

I don't quite understand this. If you have an accident, the items above aren't insured?

Gloomendoom

northwest1965 wrote: »

Please note: In common with most car hire suppliers the insurance coverage does not cover damage to windows, wheels, tires, the roof, underside & interior of the vehicle, towing charges or damage caused negligently, willfully or recklessly.

This is from Dollar. The Platinum Insurance.

I don't quite understand this. If you have an accident, the items above aren't insured?

If you have an accident they would be but not if you trash the underside of the car by driving off road, for example.

Dirk_Gently_2

northwest1965 wrote: »

Tell me more please, where is this? Ruby's?

Certainly is! From the video it looks embarrassingly naff and kitsch, which will probably make it absolutely unforgettable.

But, to be honest, that's at the end of a fairly long day of driving (from monument valley via Lake Powell) and so I just want a dinner that's pre-booked and straightforward, and that I can walk to from the hotel (Best Western Grand) and won't stand on ceremony while I relax and try and get chiled on Utah beer .....

vic_sf49

If you book your accom through the hotel's own website, you can always cancel it, usually up until the day before you arrive.

That way if a detour takes your fancy, or a better deal comes up, you can change your itinerary.

I've been known to book a hotel, see a subsequent sale come up, so I've booked extra rooms and cancelled the first, more expensive lot.

Enjoy your roadtrip!

Dirk_Gently_2

vic_sf49 wrote: »

If you book your accom through the hotel's own website, you can always cancel it, usually up until the day before you arrive.

That way if a detour takes your fancy, or a better deal comes up, you can change your itinerary.

I've been known to book a hotel, see a subsequent sale come up, so I've booked extra rooms and cancelled the first, more expensive lot.

Enjoy your roadtrip!

Indeed - I've still actually got two hotels booked for my four nights in San Francisco - togetehr with a big red reminder in my diary which will pop up well before I need to decide which one I want and cancel the other one!

ferf1223

vic_sf49 wrote: »

If you book your accom through the hotel's own website, you can always cancel it, usually up until the day before you arrive.

agree in most cases but there are a few exceptions - some hotels do offer a reduced advance rate that is not cancellable so just need to be careful when making a booking to double check cancellation provisions...in the US quite a few you can cancel up to 6pm on the day of arrival though there are exceptions (most Vegas hotels are 72 hours, etc) which is really handy.

So agree that the principle does allow quite a lot of flexibility while allowing those of us who prefer a bit of pre-planning to do so...so best of both worlds.