Hertz - Any experiences renting a car in UK?

I've got a trip coming up in December, and though it's kinda' early to book, I'd still like to know if anybody else has had any experiences renting a car in the UK?

How different is it, in terms of insurance and rules?

I was planning on just getting Primary Insurance through my Amex Business Platinum card. They offer a flat rate of $25 one time payment that covers the entire trip. Don't know if it's the same rate for overseas too?

I'd appreciate your inputs and experiences.

By law, Hertz has to provide insurance in the UK to renters; it is illegal to drive without insurance

Most of the decent rental rates in the UK ime include Collision Damage Waiver and Theft Protection; there is an excess of GBP750

With this coverage, I wouldn't be overly worried about taking out additional cover unless you want to pay to reduce the USD1170 excess to zero

If you decide to take out a rental that doesn't have CDW, then I would definitely be looking for coverage, but ime, in the UK, the rates excluding CDW tend to be more expensive than those with it

Dave

I agree with Dave. Also in the UK credit/amex cards do not have hire car cover as far as I know. So you need to check with amex to see if you would be covered. I rent lots of cars in the UK and always have CDW and theft protection. Hertz offer super protection, but never take it, as it costs more than the car hire.

You can also go to the Hertz web site and change the location to the UK and check out the UK rates etc.

I agree with Dave. Also in the UK credit/amex cards do not have hire car cover as far as I know. So you need to check with amex to see if you would be covered. I rent lots of cars in the UK and always have CDW and theft protection. Hertz offer super protection, but never take it, as it costs more than the car hire.

You can also go to the Hertz web site and change the location to the UK and check out the UK rates etc.

Actually, it is better to be in a location other than the UK for rates I have found; rates for visitors to UK seem to be better than rates locally ( e.g. D group cars for GBP23 inc taxes and CDW and TP )

Actually, it is better to be in a location other than the UK for rates I have found; rates for visitors to UK seem to be better than rates locally ( e.g. D group cars for GBP23 inc taxes and CDW and TP )

Interesting.. that's why we get better rates in the USA ?:cool:

If you get the coverage from AMEX etc, you need to take a copy of your insurance coverage with you. They won't take your word for it.

It is however true that most rental cars come with coverage already.

By law, Hertz has to provide insurance in the UK to renters; it is illegal to drive without insurance

Most of the decent rental rates in the UK ime include Collision Damage Waiver and Theft Protection; there is an excess of GBP750

With this coverage, I wouldn't be overly worried about taking out additional cover unless you want to pay to reduce the USD1170 excess to zero

If you decide to take out a rental that doesn't have CDW, then I would definitely be looking for coverage, but ime, in the UK, the rates excluding CDW tend to be more expensive than those with it

Dave

I agree with Dave. Also in the UK credit/amex cards do not have hire car cover as far as I know. So you need to check with amex to see if you would be covered. I rent lots of cars in the UK and always have CDW and theft protection. Hertz offer super protection, but never take it, as it costs more than the car hire.

You can also go to the Hertz web site and change the location to the UK and check out the UK rates etc.

okay...I'm a little confused.
Dave says that the rate includes CDW, holodoc says that hertz offers CDW but I shouldn't take it?!?
Sorry... I have NEVER rented a car before. I'm going to be renting for the first time in September in the U.S.

Renting in the U.K seems even more complicated.

For example, I did a search on Kayak. com. and got this result (http://www.kayak.com/cars/London,England,United-Kingdom-c28501/LGW-a28501/2012-12-08/2012-12-15-10h)

As you can see the cheapest car there shows up for $147 for a week. (via Dollar! gasp)
This price is inclusive of all taxes (that's what it says).

So is this a good price?
Does it include CDW?
Will I have to buy it separately?
Can I use discount codes with this rental?

I'm going to call Amex tomorrow to find out for sure if I can or cannot get that damned insurance through them?

P.S- I realize that this thread is for hertz...and I realize that the cheapest rental in that list is Dollar (doing a search on hertz, shows me rentals starting from $260 and up)...But I'm hoping you guys will find it in your heart to help me nevertheless. :)

okay...I'm a little confused.
Dave says that the rate includes CDW, holodoc says that hertz offers CDW but I shouldn't take it?!?


I did not say don't take the CDW. - I always have the CDW

I said Hertz offers Supper Cover which I do not personally take.

-

UK law requires all vehicles to have third party coverage provided by the registered keeper. So it is true that a third party cover is already in place through Hertz. However, there is a substatial excess (usually between £300 - £1000, depends on car group) for any damage to the car - whether it is your fault or not.
If you have insurance through a credit card provider - AND that coverage is extended to the UK - then this is fine. AmericanExpress do provide this cover to some of their card types in the UK, and I never have any arguments with Hertz counter staff about this. But there are loads of variations on this - you need to check the documentation that comes with your specific card.

Cultural differences.
Cars (below luxury level) will be manual transmission. If you need automatic this needs to be specifically reserved and it costs more.
Damage. So far as I can tell, in the US the rental companies only check that the car still has four wheels and an engine when you return. UK damage control procedures are much much stricter. Check the damage sheet before you drive away and make sure every scratch and mark is on the sheet.
Spouse. Policies that apply in the US - such as spouse can drive without any admin or paperwork - DO NOT apply in the UK. If a person is not named on the rental documents they are not on Hertz's UK insurance policy - and therefore driving without insurance.
Fuel. Most cars use diesel. Diesel comes from a black pump. Putting unleaded (green pump) in a diesel car and driving away will cause catostrophic damage to the fuel injection system - expect to be presented with a four figure repair bill.
Stop start. Because of ever tougher emission laws, many cars have automatic stop start (ie the engine will die when stopped in traffic). Wierd if you've not driven with this - you quickly get used to it.
Airport premium. This seems to be a significant cost on US rentals. There is much less difference between airport and downtown rates over here.
London Edinburgh York. Trying to drive (and park) in historic city centres is madness. You don't want a car in these cities.
Drive on the left.:)

Jatink 129

Below is a typical Hertz UK car hire


Selected Vehicle [Change]
(C) Vauxhall Astra or similar More Details
Unlimited Free Miles Included
1 week
Total Estimate Charge includes
Location Service Charge
Collision Damage Waiver
Theft Protection
Vehicle Licensing Fee and Road Tax
Tax and other charges
Vehicle Subtotal 159.90 GBP
Total Estimated Charge 159.90 GBP
This Rate is Guaranteed. Taxes, fees and extras, if not included in the rate, are subject to change.

optional items not included in the price

Available Optional Items at the Counter
Optional Information
Super Cover
weekly 124.74 GBP

Personal Accident Insurance / Personal Effects Coverage
weekly 48.30 GBP

Rates for Optional Items are inclusive of tax and other associated charges


Also expect the following

$7.50 per US Gal of gas - UK sells fuel by the litre - approx £1.30 at present

Most hire cars are diesel for which the fuel costs a bit more.

If you want an auto transmission - you must specify this - otherwise a stick shift will be provided

Oh and we drive on the left !!

Most hire cars are diesel for which the fuel costs a bit more.


But on the plus side, you will use less fuel so the refuelling costs are likely to be lower than would be with a petrol vehicle

I have been renting in the UK recently and have not received a vehicle which auto switches off

Dave says that the rate includes CDW, holodoc says that hertz offers CDW but I shouldn't take it?!?
Sorry... I have NEVER rented a car before. I'm going to be renting for the first time in September in the U.S.


ime , most of the cheaper rates include CDW and TP. As mentioned by holodoc, Hertz does offer an expensive Super_CDW cover at an additional cost. This I would recommend not taking out since the cost is high in relation to the risk; easy money for hertz

If you have AMEX coverage, they will cover the excess costs; I made a claim on it a few weeks ago and the insurers paid out within a week

Renting in UK is easy, just take the rates including CDW and TP and you really don't need to worry much; your liability is likely to be no more than GBP750

Dave

UK law requires all vehicles to have third party coverage provided by the registered keeper. So it is true that a third party cover is already in place through Hertz. However, there is a substatial excess (usually between £300 - £1000, depends on car group) for any damage to the car - whether it is your fault or not.
If you have insurance through a credit card provider - AND that coverage is extended to the UK - then this is fine. AmericanExpress do provide this cover to some of their card types in the UK, and I never have any arguments with Hertz counter staff about this. But there are loads of variations on this - you need to check the documentation that comes with your specific card.

Cultural differences.
Cars (below luxury level) will be manual transmission. If you need automatic this needs to be specifically reserved and it costs more.
Damage. So far as I can tell, in the US the rental companies only check that the car still has four wheels and an engine when you return. UK damage control procedures are much much stricter. Check the damage sheet before you drive away and make sure every scratch and mark is on the sheet.
Spouse. Policies that apply in the US - such as spouse can drive without any admin or paperwork - DO NOT apply in the UK. If a person is not named on the rental documents they are not on Hertz's UK insurance policy - and therefore driving without insurance.
Fuel. Most cars use diesel. Diesel comes from a black pump. Putting unleaded (green pump) in a diesel car and driving away will cause catostrophic damage to the fuel injection system - expect to be presented with a four figure repair bill.
Stop start. Because of ever tougher emission laws, many cars have automatic stop start (ie the engine will die when stopped in traffic). Wierd if you've not driven with this - you quickly get used to it.
Airport premium. This seems to be a significant cost on US rentals. There is much less difference between airport and downtown rates over here.
London Edinburgh York. Trying to drive (and park) in historic city centres is madness. You don't want a car in these cities.
Drive on the left.:)

Most of these are not a problem because A) Even though the car will be rented in my name, My fiance is going to be doing most of the driving :D atleast in the city, B) I'm not going to be using the car in Edinburgh or London.

She says that we're going to have to PAY to park everywhere we go...Oxford, Cambridge, Bath... that finding parking on the side of the road is like trying to find a spot in Boston.
Is this true?

Jatink 129

Below is a typical Hertz UK car hire


Selected Vehicle [Change]
(C) Vauxhall Astra or similar More Details
Unlimited Free Miles Included
1 week
Total Estimate Charge includes
Location Service Charge
Collision Damage Waiver
Theft Protection
Vehicle Licensing Fee and Road Tax
Tax and other charges
Vehicle Subtotal 159.90 GBP
Total Estimated Charge 159.90 GBP
This Rate is Guaranteed. Taxes, fees and extras, if not included in the rate, are subject to change.

optional items not included in the price

Available Optional Items at the Counter
Optional Information
Super Cover
weekly 124.74 GBP

Personal Accident Insurance / Personal Effects Coverage
weekly 48.30 GBP

Rates for Optional Items are inclusive of tax and other associated charges


Also expect the following

$7.50 per US Gal of gas - UK sells fuel by the litre - approx £1.30 at present

Most hire cars are diesel for which the fuel costs a bit more.

If you want an auto transmission - you must specify this - otherwise a stick shift will be provided

Oh and we drive on the left !!

Could you please also take a look at that search result I posted earlier, with $147 for a week's rental from Dollar?
Would a price like that have insurance included?

I had a talk with Amex, and they said that the primary car coverage that they offer would work in the U.K too!! WooHoo! So for $24.95 all damage to my car would be covered.

Oh they were quick to mention, that this coverage would only cover my car...so if I had an accident, and if it was my fault, then damage to the other car would not be covered...what type of insurance would cover THIS type of an incident?

Oh they were quick to mention, that this coverage would only cover my car...so if I had an accident, and if it was my fault, then damage to the other car would not be covered...what type of insurance would cover THIS type of an incident?

CDW covers your third party insurance - you need this in the UK -

your Amex covers your car - so no excess

Could you please also take a look at that search result I posted earlier, with $147 for a week's rental from Dollar?
Would a price like that have insurance included?

I had a talk with Amex, and they said that the primary car coverage that they offer would work in the U.K too!! WooHoo! So for $24.95 all damage to my car would be covered.

If you had looked at the rate details on the web site you would have read the following -

Quotations are provided with Third Party Liability, but without LDW, which means that renter is liable for full value of vehicle in event that it is damaged or stolen. LDW must be purchased at an additional charge unless payment is made with a credit card that offers coverage up to the full value of the vehicle. Evidence of coverage will be required as not all credit cards extend benefit outside country of issue (few issued in Europe offer). If proof of coverage cannot be provided, LDW will be charged by the renting location. American Express coverage acceptable at Dollar UK

She says that we're going to have to PAY to park everywhere we go...Oxford, Cambridge, Bath... that finding parking on the side of the road is like trying to find a spot in Boston.
Is this true?

Those are all historic cities, and it's already been mentioned that they are particularly difficult places to drive and park.

There are very rarely free places to park on the side of the road in any UK city centre.
They will either be allocated to residents only, or you will have to pay - if you can even find a space, and they are often limited to short stays only.

As a guideline figure, assume about £1 to £2 an hour for a car park.

damage to the other car would not be covered...what type of insurance would cover THIS type of an incident?

That is third-party insurance, which is legally required - this will always come included with the rental.



As mentioned by holodoc, Hertz does offer an expensive Super_CDW cover at an additional cost. This I would recommend not taking out since the cost is high in relation to the risk; easy money for hertz

If it's not covered by a credit card (it usually won't be with a uk-issued card), then there are other providers that sell this sort of insurance at a much lower cost than the car hire companies.

(And, IME, the chance of getting a diesel on a small car is certainly something less than 50%)

If it's not covered by a credit card (it usually won't be with a uk-issued card), then there are other providers that sell this sort of insurance at a much lower cost than the car hire companies.


Given that the excess ( on a D / X group ) is GBP750, I wouldn't be paying out extra for insurances to cover this level of risk unless realy expecting to have an accident

Dave

Cars (below luxury level) will be manual transmission.

And even if you are used to driving a manual, shifting left handed can feel pretty strange, at least for us right handed folks. I've got over a quarter million miles on manual transmission cars, and it still took some getting used to (and a few missed shifts).

So...to summarise driving in the UK

1 fuel is expensive
2 Parking is difficult and costs money
3 Speed cameras everywhere .. don't think we mentioned these yet.
4 Drive on the left
5 No automatic transmissions
6 Expensive Insurance
7 Narrow roads
8 Beware of Eastern European truck drivers
9 Congested roads
10th and final point ......the weather is awful and has been for months.

Oh a sense of humour is required as well. :)

Most of these are not a problem because A) Even though the car will be rented in my name, My fiance is going to be doing most of the driving :D atleast in the city, B) I'm not going to be using the car in Edinburgh or London.

She says that we're going to have to PAY to park everywhere we go...Oxford, Cambridge, Bath... that finding parking on the side of the road is like trying to find a spot in Boston.
Is this true?

Car parking will be expensive. A good website to find parking facilities is Parkopedia (http://en.parkopedia.co.uk/) . You will also need pay the London congestion charge if you drive into central London. Park and ride Services where you leave your car at the edge of Cambridge and Oxford are available and you get bussed in to the city. There will be lots of spaces and it will be cheaper if you plan to stay in the city for a day.

Given that the excess ( on a D / X group ) is GBP750, I wouldn't be paying out extra for insurances to cover this level of risk unless realy expecting to have an accident


The insurance is typically £40-£50 per year - I have been charged a lot more than that for a stone chip in the past.

Obviously, you may not notice the loss of £750, but other people would.

So...to summarise driving in the UK

1 fuel is expensive. Cost of gas for my 7 day roadtrip comes out to 120 pounds shared by 3 people..So not that bad.
2 Parking is difficult and costs money. Taken into account. Thanks.
3 Speed cameras everywhere .. don't think we mentioned these yet. Hmmm. Will remember this one. Have an app on my iPhone that warns me of speed cameras, wonder if it'll work in the UK.
4 Drive on the left. Not a problem...
5 No automatic transmissions. Also not a problem.
6 Expensive Insurance. $25 coverage by AMEX.
7 Narrow roads. ?? How narrow?
8 Beware of Eastern European truck drivers ??
9 Congested roads ?? Everwhere?
10th and final point ......the weather is awful and has been for months. This I can deal with... What's december like anyway? A lot of snow? that's it?

Oh a sense of humour is required as well. Check. :)

:D ^^

Car parking will be expensive. A good website to find parking facilities is Parkopedia (http://en.parkopedia.co.uk/) . You will also need pay the London congestion charge if you drive into central London. Park and ride Services where you leave your car at the edge of Cambridge and Oxford are available and you get bussed in to the city. There will be lots of spaces and it will be cheaper if you plan to stay in the city for a day.

That website is effin' AMAZING!! Thank you so much!!! ^^^^^^

The comment abou east european trucks should really be a comment about any truck not on UK or Irish plates. In a left hand drive truck, the driver's visibility of overtaking traffic (other side to where the driver is sitting) is dreadful - many instances of trucks changing lanes unaware that there is already a car in that space. If you have to overtake a foreign registered truck do it swiftly - don't cruise alongside one in a multi lane road as the driver very probably doesn't know you are there.

December weather. We can't even predict tomorrow let alone December! Snow is rare - but when it happens the UK never copes.

December weather. We can't even predict tomorrow let alone December! Snow is rare - but when it happens the UK never copes.

That's true. I've driven twice there after a snowfall, it's a nightmare. There's several problems; and it is worth nothing if renting and it snows just stay at the hotel if you can. First, British drivers haven't a clue how to handle snow. They're either too fast (bad) or too slow (annoying). The windshield washer fluid and nozzles freeze (even with antifreeze added), so if there's dirt coming off the road it's hard to clear them. They melt the snow using deicing fluid sometimes. And there's about 4 snow plows for the entire country :-)

Still, keep calm and carry on . . . :D

The comment abou east european trucks should really be a comment about any truck not on UK or Irish plates. In a left hand drive truck, the driver's visibility of overtaking traffic (other side to where the driver is sitting) is dreadful - many instances of trucks changing lanes unaware that there is already a car in that space. If you have to overtake a foreign registered truck do it swiftly - don't cruise alongside one in a multi lane road as the driver very probably doesn't know you are there.

December weather. We can't even predict tomorrow let alone December! Snow is rare - but when it happens the UK never copes.

Will take that into consideration. Thanks!

That's true. I've driven twice there after a snowfall, it's a nightmare. There's several problems; and it is worth nothing if renting and it snows just stay at the hotel if you can. First, British drivers haven't a clue how to handle snow. They're either too fast (bad) or too slow (annoying). The windshield washer fluid and nozzles freeze (even with antifreeze added), so if there's dirt coming off the road it's hard to clear them. They melt the snow using deicing fluid sometimes. And there's about 4 snow plows for the entire country :-)

Still, keep calm and carry on . . . :D

As long as the other drivers don't crash into me, I think I can handle myself...I've driven cars in Russia when it was -30 Celsius outside and snowing like it was the end of the world... and so I'm used to driving in bad weather...:D

Cultural differences.
Fuel. Most cars use diesel.

Stop start. Because of ever tougher emission laws, many cars have automatic stop start (ie the engine will die when stopped in traffic). )

As a regular renter in UK, I have had a mix of fuel types. I actually think more petrol than diesel, but I haven't really kept count. As for stop start - apart from the possible exception of a Renault I have never come across this.

As a regular renter in UK, I have had a mix of fuel types. I actually think more petrol than diesel, but I haven't really kept count. As for stop start - apart from the possible exception of a Renault I have never come across this.

All my recent rentals from hertz ( which have been groups D,F, G and T) have been diesel vehicles

None has had an engine that automatically switches off and on when stopping and starting