 Poster: A snowHead
|
Just had some success rebooking a car rental under Black Friday/ Cyber Monday pricing with Holiday Autos. May be worth a look if you feel you didn't get a great price first time out. Of course best to book the new booking then cancel the old when the new comes through.
Obviously may vary by destination / timing but was pleasantly surprised.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
@Dave of the Marmottes, certainly looks like rental prices are dropping. We were in Scotland - arriving Edinburgh - a couple of weeks ago and rented. as the price had fallen from around €500 for a tiny car for the week when we booked the flights to €150 ...
|
|
|
|
|
|
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
|
|
Its certainly cheaper than the other booking sites for a car needed in April but that seems to be as it's got the Keddy brand coming up (the other brands are the same price) but those guys don't get great reviews, even as car rental companies go.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
Thanks for the heads up, I've just rebooked our car hire for our trip at the end of January. I didn't use Holiday Autos, although I have used them many time before, but this time went direct with Sicily By Car. I've used them before and they have a 20% off Black Friday code on their website.
The reason I went direct is they have a priority pick up option which I've wished I had on previous occasions.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
Avoid Holiday Autos like the plague! If your flight is delayed, the rental company will automatically list you as a "no show", and no refund. I know from experience. Avoid. Avoid. Avoid.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
Surely if you are asked to input your flight details, then they know if your a no show or your flights delayed?
Anyway, its the car rental desk that must have denied you a car, not Holiday Autos. HA can only go on the information provided back to them from the rental company. Its the rental company you should have a gripe with.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@jafa, +1
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Good call @Dave of the Marmottes, Just rebooted and got a better car and saved £120
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
|
|
HA are just a broker.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Argus Car hire have been consistently decent pricing for me over the past 12 months, and used their 24 hour before cancellation to great delight when I realised I'd been hyper organised and already booked a hire car at much reduced rates for last April vs one booked closer to the departure date!!
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
| kitenski wrote: |
| Argus Car hire have been consistently decent pricing for me over the past 12 months, and used their 24 hour before cancellation to great delight when I realised I'd been hyper organised and already booked a hire car at much reduced rates for last April vs one booked closer to the departure date!! |
Argus are Holiday Autos - they're all just brand names for CarTrawler
|
|
|
|
|
|
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
|
|
@Dave of the Marmottes, never knew that, do they all allow 24 hour cancellation at no charge?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
HA is 48 Hour I think
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
A quick look and a minivan I booked for 2 weeks in March is now £600 more than I paid back in May... I'll keep my orginal booking!
I've been looking for a minivan for a week in September in Sicily, saw one last week at £550, got the rest of the holiday booked and now can't find one for under £1k 
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
|
I prefer Rentalcars, they include chains on most offers and 24 or 48 hr cancellations, Holiday Autos don’t do chains.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
| geoffknight wrote: |
| I prefer Rentalcars, they include chains on most offers and 24 or 48 hr cancellations, Holiday Autos don’t do chains. |
£88 to hire snowchains at rental cars for me.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
I usually go via rentalcars, if I can’t get the same deal direct. It used to be that direct you couldn’t get the 48 hour cancellation (or any cancellation for that matter) but that seems to have changed.
But I haven’t seen free chains for a while. I think thats down to the rental cos policies themselves.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
|
|
@james75, @ster, I’m currently looking at Venice Marco Polo for mid March, and chains are included on some deals.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
|
@geoffknight, that's interesting, and they will get you out of most snowy conditions, does that also include winter tyres which would be good to have for day-to-day driving in snowy conditions?
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
I've used both HolidayAutos and Rentalcars and never paid for chains. They've just been supplied with the cars by the rental companies (HolidayAutos+Rental cars just being agents).
Edit.
Actually just remembered that last year I hired a van from Europcar at Chambery via HA and they didn’t come with that. Was charged €60 for snow socks but when I returned then they said keep them. Luckily I had room in my holdall.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
|
@ster, I’m afraid not, I think it’s only the major players that offer winter tyres, Hertz, Avis etc Ve just reserved an economy group car for £135 inc chains, will keep checking and swap if a better deal comes up at any stage before I go.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Good post, ive just done the same and saved £40 for a bigger hire car from GVA.
Does anyone know the typical hire cost of chains or socks from the rental companies?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| dh900 wrote: |
Good post, ive just done the same and saved £40 for a bigger hire car from GVA.
Does anyone know the typical hire cost of chains or socks from the rental companies? |
Also just saved nearly £100 rebooking direct with europcar - much bigger car too!!
£307 for 6 days -
£230 for the car & 84 Euro for chains. Not much choice really as Snow chains compulsory where we're going. Quote mentioned winter tyre included but not convinced about them so went for chains.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
|
| dh900 wrote: |
Good post, ive just done the same and saved £40 for a bigger hire car from GVA.
Does anyone know the typical hire cost of chains or socks from the rental companies? |
In answer to your question I have seen quotes between £56 and £108 for chains. I have paid 84 Euros for chains. Snow socks were about 20 Euro cheaper but I'm sure I've read somewhere that socks aren't considered sufficient in some resorts?
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
It's good that the mad high costs seem to be coming down. 
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
|
Managed to book an automatic car from geneva french side 17-25 December for 100 quid, 8 days. Directly with Europcar, prices certainly going down.
|
|
|
|
|
|
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
|
| shuriccc wrote: |
| Managed to book an automatic car from geneva french side 17-25 December for 100 quid, 8 days. Directly with Europcar, prices certainly going down. |
£100?? Waw couldn't see anything under £55 A DAY for those dates. You certainly seem to have a fantastic deal there.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@james75, there’s been some very strange europcar pricing. Feb half term under £200 from Swiss side, but only worked for a 10am collection. 4pm was £500!
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
|
Some of these very low recent prices seem literally (and I mean that literally....) unbelievable.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
| snowdave wrote: |
| @james75, there’s been some very strange europcar pricing. Feb half term under £200 from Swiss side, but only worked for a 10am collection. 4pm was £500! |
I paid £307 (including snow chains) for 6 days in Feb half term which I thought was cheap considering some other sites wanted upwards of 600.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Poster: A snowHead
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
| Quote: |
| I think it’s only the major players that offer winter tyres |
They usually come up as included in the prices on Auto Europe, who have always had decent prices - well at least until the recent price madness
|
|
|
|
|
|
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
|
|
In Switzerland they'll all have winter tyres, because as I understand it, they are legally required. But that's not the case in France or Italy. It's sometimes possible to pay extra and have winter tyres, but not always.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
| james75 wrote: |
| £100?? Waw couldn't see anything under £55 A DAY for those dates. You certainly seem to have a fantastic deal there. |
I think it was a black Friday deal or something, 300+ now for the same dates. Plus it does not allow me to book further than 25.12 just says no cars available, certainly something weird with the Europcar website and pricing
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
| snowdave wrote: |
| @james75, there’s been some very strange europcar pricing. Feb half term under £200 from Swiss side, but only worked for a 10am collection. 4pm was £500! |
renting many times from Geneva, Swiss side rentals are better. With winter tires, with Swiss vignetter and generally betters choice of cars, longer opening hours. Personally, i am prepared to pay 20-30% more to rent the swiss side
with Europcar i use discount code 45450563 when searching for the car and then coupon THANKYOU10 at checkout
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
|
when renting Swiss side and going into France check what the International Recovery charges are from the hire company should you breakdown in France!
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Just to add my 2 pence worth. My requirements have been 8 days (14-21 Jan), Geneva (French Side), small/economy car.
Have been booking and cancelling a few times after finding better, but think I've finally landed a winner!
18/09/22, £396.81, Enterprise (direct)
20/10/22, £346.01, Budget (direct)
13/11/22, £194.21, Keddy by Europcar (via rentcars.com)
30/11/22, £57.70, Europcar (via rentalcars.com)
Was very pricey before, now (albeit for a short period) very cheap.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
I've looked at Europcar and can't seem to choose the French side, or Ferney Voltaire - only comes up with "Geneva airport". And nothing like that sort of price. Well over £300 even for small car. Will keep looking
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
|
|
Large equipped vehicles in Canada, $540CDN a week at the moment.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
@pam w I use the Europcar app and if I search for “Geneva” I get Cointrin (the Swiss side) and “Geneva Airport” which I assume is the French side as it shuts at 2000.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
