junehl

Company made a reservation with Dollar. On the reservation noted that arrival time was 2pm. Actual arrival time was 10pm.

Upon arrival, found out that the reservation had been cancelled and a car in the same class was no longer available.

I can understand the cancelling of the reservation since it was an 8 hour difference. But I have been extremely late to pick up a car before due to flight delays and other reasons, and if a car in the class that was reserved, was not available, they just stuck me w/ the next best thing...sometimes an upgrade, i've had a downgrade before.

I've never had a rental company cancel a reservation before.

Is this a Dollar policy? Or do other car companies do this too and I have just never ran into this issue?

jayer

I've had it happen at other companies. That is why they have you tie the flight number to the reservation, so flight delays will be apparent. After one-two hours they assume you are a no show otherwise. Its also helpful to call if you are really late.

KPChicago

How early or late can you show up for a Dollar reservation and keep the rate provided.

I ask because I got a surprisingly good rate on a 10 1/2 day rental - an Intermediate SUV for about 20% less than the current rate for a compact on dollar or hotwire. However, my travel plans changed, bringing me in 27 hours earlier ... and dollar.com uses the new, much higher rates if I change the reservation.

Currently, I'm thinking of getting a reservation for the extra 27 hours (from a different vendor), but I'm trying to see how much I can flex the window.

Officially the pick up time is midnight at a station open 6am-Midnight. (I had planned on an 11:45pm flight arrival on the old scenario... now I'm in at 9pm the day before)

Any thoughts/advice?

Explore SE Asia

If you do not mind the delay, see what the pricing is if you change your reservation to 11:50 pm on the day of your arrival. This would be within 24 hrs of your old existing reservation. If it works, I would just show up at 9pm and say I arrived early.

You might try Thrifty. They often are operating from the same inventory and similar pricing. Thrifty has a 10% discount code (Promotion # ax10) if you use your amex. With your great price it is a long shot, but it might be worth the effort.

Explore

PS Sign up for Thrifty Blue Chip - one free day after 16 days of rental.

PPS At the minimum, you should be able to change the pick up time so that your other rental will be less than 24 hours.

KPChicago

Right now, on-line, if I move it by a minute (well 30, that's the smallest increment, Dollar.com flips to the new rates.)

Thanks for the Amex clue, i'll have to double check if my Blue has CDW, but if I decide not to swap midshift that's my best bet otherwise.

Anyone else have experience a) picking up 2-3 hours early, b) keeping a good rate held when rescheduling by phone? (I fear that calling will have them nullify the good rate.)

jackal

Depends on the location, availability, and the personality of the rental agent (some would rather just get you on the road; some may be looking to eke a commissionable forced upgrade out of you--"Sorry, we won't have your car available for another three hours, but for $50 more per day, you can take a large SUV!"--and some just don't care and will tell you they have nothing until your scheduled pick-up time). Have seen it happen all three ways at multiple companies and at multiple locations. (Hint: if you are willing to buy something, like at the bare minimum a tank of prepaid gas, the rental agent, who is on commission, may be more willing to let something like a rate change slide. So if you show up a day early without changing the reservation, casually saying, "Oh, and I'd like to buy a tank of gas," when you come up to the counter, the agent might be more willing to give you your car early without changing the rate or telling you it's not available.)

Calling the national reservations line (1-800-THRIFTY) will result in the same rate change as changing it online, as they both use the same computer system. Time changes can usually be done without changing the rate by calling the location directly. Because the rate will already be set in that location's computer system, a date change shouldn't change the rate. However, this may differ between franchise and corporate-owned locations (corporate locations share a computer system nationally), and some corporate stores are impossible to find a number to (numbers published in phone books may default to the national customer care center, which will transfer you to the main international reservations line, and hence you're back to square one).

It's not entirely relevant to this situation because the time change is so drastic (more than a day), but technically, Blue Chip reservations are supposed to be held until midnight or closing (whichever comes first). So if you're ever in a situation where your pickup time might change, make a Blue Chip reservation for early in the day. When you get there late, it should still be held for you, and if it isn't, Blue Chip customer care will take your side if they force a rate change or something. (You might even get a free day out of it, too, if you complain at the counter that your rental took too long or you were hassled...). Dollar Express may or may not have the same guarantee--I haven't read over the program materials as thoroughly.

AmEx Blue does have collision insurance secondary to any existing insurance (i.e. it will pay whatever your insurance company doesn't, namely your deductible). However, be aware that your insurance company is still primarily responsible (e.g. raised premiums, potential cancellation, big hassle, etc.) and both AmEx and your insurance company may not cover loss of use, administrative fees, or windshield or tire damage (things rental agencies charge for that many insurance companies won't pay for).

AmEx offers a Premium Car Rental Protection Program, where for $19.99-$24.99 per rental (depending on your selected coverage level), they will become primary to your existing insurance company. Call AmEx to ask about it and enroll. The rental agency's LDW is still a good product if only to prevent the hassle involved with damage claims, so I usually buy the rental agency's LDW if it's a short rental and/or the LDW is cheap (at LAX, it's only $9.99/day), and I use my AmEx if it's a long rental and/or the LDW is expensive (say, a week's rental at $25/day). (I desperately don't want my insurance going up because a crazy person on a Los Angeles freeway runs me off the road or someone dings me in a parking lot.)
Hope this helps.