Car Rental at MUC
Jul 5, 2018, 4:43 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Seattle
Programs: AS MVP100K, Hilton Diamond, IHG Gold
Posts: 3,215
Car Rental at MUC
I would like to rent a car in Munich because it’s only $76 as oppose to $80 for our train ride. I also wanna have a car so I don’t bother our host and asking him to have to constantly borrow his car to go places.
But I’ve been reading reviews and hearing not such good things about certain merchants. For example I found a very good deal with Dollar Rent-A-Car at MUC, and also with Alamo. But the reviews I have found have said that once customers have gotten to the counters, they were forced to buy CDW and other add-ons before the merchant would let them rent the car, which ended up costing them €400 extra. I do not need coverage as my credit card covers rental car collision damage. But I was told the merchants will not except this answer and will force you to buy CDW.
Another concern I have is all the cars to rent say they are manual and I cannot drive a manual. Does anyone have experience renting from Dollar and Alamo and could share what their experience was like?
PS for the purposes of my credit cards and my drivers license as well as my passport I’m an American citizen with American Bank credit cards.
But I’ve been reading reviews and hearing not such good things about certain merchants. For example I found a very good deal with Dollar Rent-A-Car at MUC, and also with Alamo. But the reviews I have found have said that once customers have gotten to the counters, they were forced to buy CDW and other add-ons before the merchant would let them rent the car, which ended up costing them €400 extra. I do not need coverage as my credit card covers rental car collision damage. But I was told the merchants will not except this answer and will force you to buy CDW.
Another concern I have is all the cars to rent say they are manual and I cannot drive a manual. Does anyone have experience renting from Dollar and Alamo and could share what their experience was like?
PS for the purposes of my credit cards and my drivers license as well as my passport I’m an American citizen with American Bank credit cards.
Jul 6, 2018, 2:00 am
#2
Moderator: Lufthansa Miles & More, India based airlines, India, External Miles & Points Resources
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: MUC
Programs: LH SEN
Posts: 48,165
The big 4 (Sixt, Hertz, Europcar, Avis/Budget) all have (guaranteed is booked in the category) automatic cars and will not bug you regarding insurance if you clearly say that your credit card covers every and anything. The discounters are a different matter, the deals you saw are meant to bait you and then you get the spiel at the counter.
I always book long term rentals with Europcar or Sixt ex MUC using carrentals.com which usually is without any CDW. The offers there should match the dollar/alamo rates.
I always book long term rentals with Europcar or Sixt ex MUC using carrentals.com which usually is without any CDW. The offers there should match the dollar/alamo rates.
Jul 6, 2018, 4:04 am
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Seattle
Programs: AS MVP100K, Hilton Diamond, IHG Gold
Posts: 3,215
The big 4 (Sixt, Hertz, Europcar, Avis/Budget) all have (guaranteed is booked in the category) automatic cars and will not bug you regarding insurance if you clearly say that your credit card covers every and anything. The discounters are a different matter, the deals you saw are meant to bait you and then you get the spiel at the counter.
I always book long term rentals with Europcar or Sixt ex MUC using carrentals.com which usually is without any CDW. The offers there should match the dollar/alamo rates.
I always book long term rentals with Europcar or Sixt ex MUC using carrentals.com which usually is without any CDW. The offers there should match the dollar/alamo rates.
Jul 6, 2018, 4:39 am
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Seattle
Programs: AS MVP100K, Hilton Diamond, IHG Gold
Posts: 3,215
The big 4 (Sixt, Hertz, Europcar, Avis/Budget) all have (guaranteed is booked in the category) automatic cars and will not bug you regarding insurance if you clearly say that your credit card covers every and anything. The discounters are a different matter, the deals you saw are meant to bait you and then you get the spiel at the counter.
I always book long term rentals with Europcar or Sixt ex MUC using carrentals.com which usually is without any CDW. The offers there should match the dollar/alamo rates.
I always book long term rentals with Europcar or Sixt ex MUC using carrentals.com which usually is without any CDW. The offers there should match the dollar/alamo rates.
Jul 6, 2018, 4:42 am
#5
Moderator: Lufthansa Miles & More, India based airlines, India, External Miles & Points Resources
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: MUC
Programs: LH SEN
Posts: 48,165
The big 4 need a reservation in advance because they only have a limited number on stock. What could and will happen is that they will upsell you to a category higher to give you the automatic, as all counter agents have a upsell target and get incentivised to upsel you. What date range are you looking at? Is it a one way?
Jul 6, 2018, 4:53 am
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Seattle
Programs: AS MVP100K, Hilton Diamond, IHG Gold
Posts: 3,215
The big 4 need a reservation in advance because they only have a limited number on stock. What could and will happen is that they will upsell you to a category higher to give you the automatic, as all counter agents have a upsell target and get incentivised to upsel you. What date range are you looking at? Is it a one way?
Last edited by NWplatinum; Jul 6, 2018 at 7:03 am
Jul 6, 2018, 5:49 am
#7
Moderator: Lufthansa Miles & More, India based airlines, India, External Miles & Points Resources
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: MUC
Programs: LH SEN
Posts: 48,165
Hertz is offering a 4 door compact with automatic for 137$ is you use the Amex CDP. Avis/Budget is 140$ via carrentals.com
Jul 6, 2018, 7:02 am
#8
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Seattle
Programs: AS MVP100K, Hilton Diamond, IHG Gold
Posts: 3,215
Yes, what you found, and I very much appreciate all your help, seems to be the standard rates. I found a Mercedes A class with EuropCar for €140. I think I’ll probably end up booking that.
Thanks for letting me know which companies to steer clear of.
Thanks for letting me know which companies to steer clear of.
Jul 6, 2018, 12:20 pm
#9
Join Date: Mar 2018
Posts: 1
No, you have to reserve an automatic. If you want to save some money, plan to pick the car up in the city at one of the locations (not the rail station though, it too has surcharges), then drop back off at the airport when you're leaving - the rates are less expensive without the airport/rail surcharges (which only apply for airport/rail pick-ups, not drop-offs). I'm currently doing my comparison shopping for a month long rental starting and ending in Munich and the price difference for a city pick-up with an airport drop-off is $423 less than picking-up and dropping off at the airport.....the $15 (11 euros) it costs to take the train into the city, and the 40-minutes or so it'll take is well worth saving $423.
Jul 6, 2018, 6:04 pm
#10
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Seattle
Programs: AS MVP100K, Hilton Diamond, IHG Gold
Posts: 3,215
No, you have to reserve an automatic. If you want to save some money, plan to pick the car up in the city at one of the locations (not the rail station though, it too has surcharges), then drop back off at the airport when you're leaving - the rates are less expensive without the airport/rail surcharges (which only apply for airport/rail pick-ups, not drop-offs). I'm currently doing my comparison shopping for a month long rental starting and ending in Munich and the price difference for a city pick-up with an airport drop-off is $423 less than picking-up and dropping off at the airport.....the $15 (11 euros) it costs to take the train into the city, and the 40-minutes or so it'll take is well worth saving $423.
Jul 7, 2018, 1:31 am
#11
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Seattle
Programs: AS MVP100K, Hilton Diamond, IHG Gold
Posts: 3,215
I just wanted to publicly thank @oliver2002, and all his warnings regarding what rental car company to use. I got, what I consider, a good deal at EuropCar. Anyone have any coupons for this brand?
Jul 7, 2018, 5:02 am
#12
Moderator: InterContinental Hotels and Germany
Join Date: Oct 2002
Posts: 6,552
Is there a location next to the Munich airport where I could pick up to have the fees waived? For only 4 days, I don’t think it’s worth it to go all the way off the airport property searching for a location. For €140 for 4 days with an automatic Mercedes is a good deal I found, I think. Especially when you’re splitting the rate with a friend.
Jul 8, 2018, 5:51 am
#14
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2003
Location: Seattle
Programs: AS MVP100K, Hilton Diamond, IHG Gold
Posts: 3,215
Also does anyone have any discount codes for any of the above brands?
Last edited by NWplatinum; Jul 8, 2018 at 6:16 am
Jul 8, 2018, 7:26 am
#15
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: AUS
Programs: BAEC Gold, AA PPro, Hyatt Globalist, Amex Plat
Posts: 7,040
The fact that a poster above, has on occasion, received an automatic when they reserved a manual, has absolutely, positively no bearing whatsoever on what will happen to you when you step up to the rental car counter in Munich. offerendum's situation does not "change" anything for you. I just finished a rental in Ireland. I reserved the lowest end, compact, manual transmission. When we arrived to pick up our vehicle, the guy ended up giving me the highest end vehicle they had on the lot, a Volkswagen Toureg SUV (literally 4x the daily rate I paid) for the same price I had paid. Mainly, this was because he didn't have what I reserved and they needed to get it back to Dublin (where we were going). Because it happened once, do you believe I should assume it will happen every time?
Bottom line, of course, you could get lucky an end up being given and automatic transmission when you only paid for a manual, but you cannot/should not assume that will occur. If you want/need an automatic, then rent and pay for an automatic just like anyone else would.
Regards