Car Hire with no Credit Card

Mummy_Belle

Hi, I have just booked a holiday in the Italian Lakes with my two children and wanted to book a hire car to pick up from the airport. Finding a suitable car online was not a problem but, when I read the t&cs, it seems I will need a credit card as a kind of security deposit before I will be able to drive away.


Therein lies my problem. I don't have a credit card and I am unlikely to be able to get one as I took out a DRO a couple of years ago. Is there a way I can hire a car without a credit card and without incurring huge surcharges for the privilege?

eDicky

I rent cars all the time but have never used a 'real' credit card. Any card on which they can pre-authorise or 'block' the deposit (which can be over €1000 if you decline their extra insurance) should be acceptable, including prepaid cards which usually bear a long number beginning with '5' and appear in the system as a credit card. I've never had my FairFX prepaid euro card declined, but it can depend on particular rental firms and cards.

Mummy_Belle

Thanks eDicky


The only problem with that is that I don't have a spare €1000 to top up a prepaid card!

worried_jim

Time to apply for a credit card!

Lyndacarter

well if you don't have €1000 to top up a prepaid card! how can you expect anyone to give you car without any security. there are some companies who accepts debit card but definitely you need to dig that yourself.

eDicky

Mummy_Belle wrote: »

The only problem with that is that I don't have a spare €1000 to top up a prepaid card!

If you purchase the hire company's own extra insurance to cover the excess, they will not need to block a deposit for that, only a much smaller deposit for fuel and fines etc. But that will add considerably to the hire cost.

kem1

We're in the same position. Both Alamo & Enterprise (but in the USA) said they'd accept a debit card, as long as we can provide documentation to prove we have a return journey booked (i.e flight reservations).

Doshwaster

You could get one of the really expensive "credit repair" cards. The interest rate is irrelevant as it will only be used to hold a security and won't actually get billed to the card (assuming, of course, you don't have an accident!)

If you use one of these cards for hotel and car hire security deposits and a few small monthly purchases then you will eventually qualify for a mainstream card.

http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/credit-cards/bad-credit-credit-cards

Mummy_Belle

Doshwaster wrote: »

You could get one of the really expensive "credit repair" cards. The interest rate is irrelevant as it will only be used to hold a security and won't actually get billed to the card (assuming, of course, you don't have an accident!)

If you use one of these cards for hotel and car hire security deposits and a few small monthly purchases then you will eventually qualify for a mainstream card.

Thank you. Just applied for a Capital One card and been approved! :j All I need to do now is book the hire car and sort out the insurance. Thanks again - looking forward to our first holiday abroad again now.