 Poster: A snowHead
|
|
Need to book some car rentals from Geneva for the coming winter. The discount code I used to use with Holiday Autos (Virgin One account) is no longer available, and I'm not quite sure what the status of Holiday Autos itself is. Any suggestions for a rental company or a broker service for reasonable price car hire at GVA?
|
|
|
|
|
|
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
|
|
rob@rar, as far as I can tell HA is still going, we recently booked with them for the US. That discount code was linked to a HA trade offshoot I think as last time we tried to use the code the message was something along the lines of 'HA trade is no more.' The best we've managed since is booking with one of the ones listed on Quidco for a sometimes quite generous cash back amount. HA is on there at the moment with 15% and there are a few other known names too.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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?
|
|
rob@rar, we found Sixt car rental very good value. In summer we got it from the French side, and in Feb we went from Swiss side as it comes with snow tires which on the alfa guiletta we had was more than enough to cope even with the awesome snow conditions we had. The insurance for 3rd party is also included in the price which for enterprise (whose prices look a little better) isnt. We also blagged a free upgrade in summer from a mini clubman up to a BMW 1 series M Sport diesel - very handy considering the 2300kms round trip to a wedding in Italy!
|
|
|
|
|
|
You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
|
rob@rar, I'ved used rentalcars.com who will often try and beat their online prices via the phone. They're Manchester based so no dodgy call centres that don't know how to spell Europe. 
really pleased with the prices and the service.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
|
|
Out of the French side of course.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
|
|
AutoEurope are very good, they source the best deal for you from all the car rental companies at Geneva Airport, really simple and straight forward. Recently used them as the Swiss car was in the garage, paid for the smallest car they had to offer and got a really good Golf Plus intead from Avis...a real bonus.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Hard to compare prices - because "extras" (e.g. additional drivers) can vary in price. Last time I checked (for a few days in November) there wasn't much difference between Swiss and French side. My brother in law thought he'd found a good deal on the Swiss side but extras included a very expensive additional driver AND big winterisation supplement. Yes, they have snow tyres as standard but yes, they sometimes make you pay winterisation as an extra, and you can argue till you are blue in the face but you won't get the keys till you cough up. There have been a couple of irate reports about this on Snowheads over recent years. If the weather is looking OK and you are handy with a set of chains, it's certainly worth looking at the French side if the price is right.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
altis, that's useful to know, thanks.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
I don't find the brokers are that much cheaper than renting direct from Hertz (where possession of Amex or Mastercard usually gets you 10-15% off the rack rate - always do it on the phone rather than on the internet!). In addition, if you get Hertz gold membership (free and open to all) then there's a separate desk at GVA where you wave your gold card and they hand you the keys. In my experience they don't bother to check the car much when you hand it back when you're a gold member. They also tend to upgrade you to a much better car if there's anything available, so it can end up cheaper (I generally just book compact cars now and see what I get - in the US I tend to have to ask them to downgrade me again as I don't want a vast gas-guzzling 4x4!).
On a busy weekend at Geneva, the price vs service tradeoff (if any) is well worth it to me. If there are any problems its also much easier to get things sorted.
If you ever rent in the US, its fantastic. You just walk up to a row of cars, pick whichever one you want (keys in ignition) and drive out, with the details scanned at the exit and your drivers licence checked. I wish we could do this in Europe.
|
|
|
|
|
|
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
|
I don't find the brokers are that much cheaper than renting direct from Hertz (where possession of Amex or Mastercard usually gets you 10-15% off the rack rate - always do it on the phone rather than on the internet!). In addition, if you get Hertz gold membership (free and open to all) then there's a separate desk at GVA where you wave your gold card and they hand you the keys. In my experience they don't bother to check the car much when you hand it back when you're a gold member. They also tend to upgrade you to a much better car if there's anything available, so it can end up cheaper (I generally just book compact cars now and see what I get - in the US I tend to have to ask them to downgrade me again as I don't want a vast gas-guzzling 4x4!).
On a busy weekend at Geneva, the price vs service tradeoff (if any) is well worth it to me. If there are any problems its also much easier to get things sorted.
If you ever rent in the US, its fantastic. You just walk up to a row of cars, pick whichever one you want (keys in ignition) and drive out, with the details scanned at the exit and your drivers licence checked. I wish we could do this in Europe.
|
|
|
|
|
|
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.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
I have membership with Hertz, Avis and Europcar and found that there is very little difference (in prices) between Avis, Budget & Europcar. For similar class of vehicles, the most expensive car hire is Hertz.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You know it makes sense.
|
|
|
|
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
|
|
rob@rar, only advice I can give is to avoid the firm that your airline recommends. Otherwise, every other bu**er on your flight ends up in the same queue.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FAQ
