Originally Posted by
91StealthES
You are correct. They will specifically ask you if you are leaving Germany (for example) and will adjust the car they give you on where you are going. Also, depending on where you are going, you won't want a 5-series or E-Class due to the size of the road/alleys.
I am trying to recall what vehicles I was given on my holidays to Italy (picked up in Germany), but they weren't BMW or Mercedes. I do believe I had an Audi A4 Combi on the trip that I took my parents on a tour of Europe.
Good luck. I personally wouldn't chance taking the car into Italy if it is not allowed there. To much can happen and you are liable. I also believe there are stickers on the windscreen stating what countries the vehicle cannot go into, but I may be crazy.
Thank you for the info. So they will lower the rental class based on that? How do they handle the price, etc - they refund you? I get why they do it, but seems deceptive. I hear you on the car class, and we wont be driving into cities or restricted areas - we are driving all the way to Madrid, so we are just driving through and wanted to stop in a few areas roaming the coast. And yes im aware i could go around through Switzerland and France - but that was not in the plan. This has been an unpleasant surprise.
I wouldnt mind an A6 avant if i could secure it.
I have no plans to take it without their permission, its not worth the risk. Hence why I am asking if anyone had any luck getting that waiver.
Originally Posted by
rcspeirs
Any one way which is cross-border in Europe is going to zing you with a massive one way fee. At least €500, probably more.
I've never had a sticker on the windscreen with a country restriction list - but it is printed in the rental documentation that you'll be given. Going against those rules would mean you were driving without valid insurance cover - which if you had an accident opens you up to criminal prosecution, let alone the costs you'd be liable for.
It is pretty brutal, i have looked at several companies it goes from as low as $800 to as much as $1800 - we are ok with this fee, it is the price of doing the trip the way we want to.
We have no plans on violating the rental agreement, hence asking about how to get a waiver.
Originally Posted by
rcspeirs
Additionally, your plan would require you to drive across France. Depending on route, you may need a "Crit-Air" certificate. A rental car registered in France will have this - if it's registered elsewhere (such as Germany) it won't have it. Probably won't matter and this would be a risk I'd probably accept - but I'm making you aware of it so you know what you're dealing with.
Hmm, i was familiar with vignettes for Austria for example, but i had not heard of this one. I'll have to look it up - it must be something that you can get at a store or gas station like a vignette - or how do EU residents from other countries do it?
Originally Posted by
LondonElite
You should also be aware that, in all likelihood, the car will be fitted with a tracker that will show where you are or have been. Your insurance is also likely to be invalid if the car is damaged or stolen in a country where it wasn't allowed in the first place. By all mean ask at the counter when picking up the car, but it's not a risk I would take.
Not planning on violating rental agreement - it is a risk that im not willing to take either. My issue is that a change in vehicle class or a restriction at the time of pickup would screw up all the plans. I would like to just have it settled ahead, or find alternatives to do the trip as we want to.
Originally Posted by
Firstboss
It has to do with their regional insurance policies.
One can rent fun cars like BMWs in Italy - they are covered there locally.
I see 2 options:
Both Sixt and Avis allow drives into Italy
If you use your credit card for insurance you have to comply with the rental agreement. Since Hertz insurance is not involved, Italy shouldn’t matter for them in this case.
I suggest you communicate with Hertz in Germany in advance about the possibility of endorsing your drive into Italy if you use your CC insurance. Inquiring at the time of rental might be too late as the local reps might not have the authority to do so.
Keep in mind, that if you use the basic CC insurance that covers up to $50K you can easily exceed that limit with a simple car like Audi 5 convertible or a boring E-class Mercedes due to ridiculous European taxes.
Always check the total loss price of the car visible before they hit the print button for the contract
Yes and both Sixt and Avis have the highest one way fees - its Hertz for around $1300 or SIxt/Avis for upwards of $3k for the same time period. If those are my only options then so be it.
My plan was on using my cc for insurance - but my issue is that a restriction from the CC policy is that you must stick to the rental terms. And the rental terms explicitly exclude Italy - so it would be a violation of the rental term unless i have an explicit waiver. I am trying to figure out how to do that. I tried reaching out to Hertz but nobody could help me. Do you have any suggestions on how to reach Hertz right at MUC?