Car Hire CDW tips/help please

srisport

ThinkingOutLoud wrote: »

As Quentin said they authorise an amount but don't actually debit it. This gives them a guarantee they can get that sum if you damage the card.

I think you needed to know how much...
It depends per rental company and country - typically £500-£1000 in most places.
So for Alamo - you could call them to ask.

Yeah sorry i knew about the HOLD on the credit card, and if they work similar to Firefly then i would expect a £1000 Hold to be placed on my credit car.

I take it the Excess insurance works similar to what i had to do with my hire car in Spain last year then?

Thanks again for both reply

Regards.

ThinkingOutLoud_2

srisport wrote: »

I take it the Excess insurance works similar to what i had to do with my hire car in Spain last year then?
.

So yes but you obviously know you need to pick worldwide inc USA car hire excess cover on MoneyMaxim.

Sorry and rented form Alamo many times - never had an issues. TBH they are all much of a muchness and many owned by the same few parent company Enterprise.

Read up on USA driving / tips if its your first time. It is easy but different. Enjoy driving the hills of San Francis. Watch Bullet before you go ...but don't mimic!

It is cool to walk over and to drive over the Golden Gate and have lunch / wander in Sausalito fi you get the chance.

srisport

ThinkingOutLoud wrote: »

So yes but you obviously know you need to pick worldwide inc USA car hire excess cover on MoneyMaxim.

Sorry and rented form Alamo many times - never had an issues. TBH they are all much of a muchness and many owned by the same few parent company Enterprise.

Read up on USA driving / tips if its your first time. It is easy but different. Enjoy driving the hills of San Francis. Watch Bullet before you go ...but don't mimic!

It is cool to walk over and to drive over the Golden Gate and have lunch / wander in Sausalito fi you get the chance.

Yeah thought as much about Alamo, i didn't think about the worldwide/USA part but now you mention it i will make sure i tick that box when i take out insurance. we do plan to go across the Golden Gate Bridge by car and possibly walk/cycle.

Thanks for the other tips. this will be the second time i drive on the wrong side of the road but if its anything like Spain then I'm sure i will be fine.

Regards.

ThinkingOutLoud_2

srisport wrote: »

Yeah thought as much about Alamo, we do plan to go across the Golden Gate Bridge by car and possibly walk/cycle.

Thanks for the other tips. this will be the second time i drive on the wrong side of the road but if its anything like Spain then I'm sure i will be fine.
Regards.

I'd say the driving outside the cities is much more sedate overall (partly down to enthusiastic traffic cops) and a less "Latin driving approach".

4-ways are the funniest things, but work perfectly. Just make sure you road wheels stop moving and note which order you arrived in.

Book the Alcatraz boat and tour too if you want - before you go - it often gets sold out.

srisport

ThinkingOutLoud wrote: »

I'd say the driving outside the cities is much more sedate overall (partly down to enthusiastic traffic cops) and a less "Latin driving approach".

4-ways are the funniest things, but work perfectly. Just make sure you road wheels stop moving and note which order you arrived in.

Book the Alcatraz boat and tour too if you want - before you go - it often gets sold out.

yeah I'm unsure about 4 ways, i will have to do some research i think....

I have also seen some offers at the minute that offer a free tank of fuel as well as the fuel policy being full - full, the hire costs an extra £35 which when i work it out would save me £5 if i was to get a standard car hire and pay for the tank of fuel myself(found on Auto Europe) is it worth doing or should i stick to a standard price? How would they go about giving me the free tank of fuel? maybe allow me to return the car empty?

ThinkingOutLoud_2

Try carhire3000 as well - usually find cheapest between them and auoteurope.

Fuel policy is good spot - I find its easier to fill up before returning. The free tank relies on you not being able to work out exactly how much you need last fill up / not using the whole tank and leaving some in the tank for them :-) And you have to second guess when you last fill up how much you need...

One other consideration usually in the USA is where you will collect the car - not all are "on airport" which only adds a few mins TBH - but SFO has its own car rental centre so ALL renters are there - just hop on the blue AirTrain shuttle.

srisport

YOUR RENTAL FROM ALAMO INCLUDES
-Appropriate local sales taxes at the appropriate rate(s) in force.

-Airport Surcharge for rentals commencing at an airport location.

-Liability Insurance for injuries or damages to persons or things outside the vehicle.

-Rental includes Collision Damage Waiver and Theft protection for the vehicle with Zero excess therefore client should not purchase any additional coverage at time of pick up .

-Basic Roadside assistance.

-The primary driver must present at least one valid credit card (not a debit card), issued in their name, upon pick up. The credit card is required as a security deposit and the amount will be held by the rental car company.

-Administration Fee.

-Wheels, glass, tires, roof and undercarriage insurance.

-Rates include unlimited kilometers.


I take it the items in bold would be my SLI and CDW included?

srisport

ThinkingOutLoud wrote: »

Try carhire3000 as well - usually find cheapest between them and auoteurope.

Fuel policy is good spot - I find its easier to fill up before returning. The free tank relies on you not being able to work out exactly how much you need last fill up / not using the whole tank and leaving some in the tank for them :-) And you have to second guess when you last fill up how much you need...

One other consideration usually in the USA is where you will collect the car - not all are "on airport" which only adds a few mins TBH - but SFO has its own car rental centre so ALL renters are there - just hop on the blue AirTrain shuttle.

Ive not heard of carhire3000 so will check them out - thanks.

I was thinking the same about the free tank of fuel too.

I believe Alamo in at the airport, although we are not collecting on the day we arrive as we won't need it around San-Francisco to begin with but will collect it 2 days into our trip to do the golden gate and a few days later we are travelling to LA. It may sound odd but i shouldn't find it hard to go back to the airport to collect the car will i?

regards.

ThinkingOutLoud_2

Ok so you are right that it is pointless having a car in SFO most of the time.

Given you will be in the city - it is a fair hike out to the airport.

I don't think you will get charged much if anything to collect a car from one of the downtown offices and then drop off at SFO on the way home. The drop off charges you may have heard of usually relate to long distance / cross-state drop offs. It may eve. Be cheaper as they levy a bizarre "airport access fee" sometimes. Might help you. If bit getting out there depends on where you are relative to the BART or a taxi.

As to "in" or "on" the airport -they all try to claim they are. As Americans and we prefer to walk up to the desk as soon as we get our cases. But at SFO I am pretty sure they are all in their shiny Car Rental centre. Check alamo's site and it talks about in the rental centre. Actually I works ok and takes a few mins to get to on that shuttle.

srisport

ThinkingOutLoud wrote: »

Ok so you are right that it is pointless having a car in SFO most of the time.

Given you will be in the city - it is a fair hike out to the airport.

I don't think you will get charged much if anything to collect a car from one of the downtown offices and then drop off at SFO on the way home. The drop off charges you may have heard of usually relate to long distance / cross-state drop offs. It may eve. Be cheaper as they levy a bizarre "airport access fee" sometimes. Might help you. If bit getting out there depends on where you are relative to the BART or a taxi.

As to "in" or "on" the airport -they all try to claim they are. As Americans and we prefer to walk up to the desk as soon as we get our cases. But at SFO I am pretty sure they are all in their shiny Car Rental centre. Check alamo's site and it talks about in the rental centre. Actually I works ok and takes a few mins to get to on that shuttle.

Thanks for that, I'm actually picking up from San-francisco and dropping off in las vegas - but i am yet to see anything on my quotes about extra charges for dropping at a different location.

I believe at San francisco it is at the Car Hire Centre and las vegas is at a Car Hire Centre (from what the websites report)

Regards.