Originally Posted by
Socal Travel Junkie
Thank you. Yes from the USA. I understood the seriousness of the damage control, it's really finding out after getting to the counter, tired and out of sorts that there are "road taxes" and "required insurances- that your personal insurance or credit card won't cover", etc that are really upsetting. In the USA the quoted price includes all fees, taxes, etc, except optional add-ons and I don't like being surprised at any counter or place of business.
On the whole, businesses in the UK selling to consumers have to advertise the final price. Unlike in the USA where they're allowed to charge large amounts of taxes / fees etc which aren't in the headline price, even if it doubles (or worse!) the total price, that's generally not allowed
However, they don't have to include optional extras that most people won't need in the price. All depends on if you count as "most people"... For example, the basic insurance will have a pretty high excess
Assuming you have your own insurance that'll take care of the excess, or you're willing to self-insure, you can pay the initially quoted price, and decline the up-sells. However, if you end up damaging the vehicle, you personally will be billed for it, and it'll be up to you to reclaim costs from your own insurance.
Car hire staff are generally on commission for up-sells, but also have to deal with distraught people facing huge bills who didn't pay attention. If you seem like you don't know what you're doing, they will almost always try to explain the options, and if you are nervous will generally try to steer you towards the "safer" but more expensive options. Gets them some extra money, but importantly, makes a a problem go away! If you tell them that you have your own insurance, and understand that they'll bill you not that insurance, they're quite happy to send you on your way, normally after signing something to confirm you really understand how it'll work. I do it often, no issues
Having stood in queues in hire car offices awaiting my turn, listening to confused americans having a go at staff, and seen family/friends try to drive on the left for the first time, I can see why many staff try to explain things in detail and try to get people to take the no-personal-risk options!
"What do you mean I can either have an upgrade or an automatic, but not both? Just give me one of *gesture* those, they can't all be stick. You're lying to me, you can't only have the one automatic car left on a Saturday! I hire all the time, those are always automatics with Hertz! I demand ....." was pretty much what we all had to listen to from an American couple at Hertz a few weeks back. The comprehension and expectation gap was vast
