 Poster: A snowHead
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So I recently rented a car from Budget / Avis at Grenoble airport. I was offered an upgrade , I said "as long as it is less than €100, that's fine". An upgrade was offered for approx €40. I said "that's fine". I then stupidly signed the rental agreement on its electronic form on my phone without reading it. In my defence I had been queuing for 45 mins for the car, after queuing 60 mins to get through passport ( thanks Brexiteers!). I simply wanted to get on my way. It turns out the €40 was per day ( which wasn't made clear at the Budget desk) and I was shafted for €300 extra.
After disputing the charge with Budget they have refunded €100 "for my trouble and inconvenience".
There is an obvious lesson here, and I have learnt it. Don't get caught out fellow travellers.
Thanks Budget! Award winners for the most inappropriate name for a company.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Ha that’s crap
I learned years ago that the answer was always “No thanks, just the car I booked please”
Which usually you means you get the car they wanted to upgrade you to anyway cos they haven’t got any smaller ones left.
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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?
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| Quote: |
“No thanks, just the car I booked please”
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Sage advice!
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Absolutely, I've never ever agreed to an upgrade, and have only once had a really shite car which barely made it up the Col de Montgenevre. A Daewoo Matiz I think, which barely had room for our luggage, even though we were travelling light. Fortunately it was June, so no snow involved, but it probably went back with a burnt out gearbox, although there was no physical damage.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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| sev112 wrote: |
Ha that’s crap
I learned years ago that the answer was always “No thanks, just the car I booked please”
Which usually you means you get the car they wanted to upgrade you to anyway cos they haven’t got any smaller ones left. |
yep, every time
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| sev112 wrote: |
Ha that’s crap
I learned years ago that the answer was always “No thanks, just the car I booked please”
Which usually you means you get the car they wanted to upgrade you to anyway cos they haven’t got any smaller ones left. |
Exactly right! Happened a few times 
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Thanks guys, lesson learned. "Budget" though, you have to laugh .......
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sixt in Geneva - I've been always very pleased with them apart from one incident when they asked me if I'm happy with basic insurance (that's what I booked the car with) and I said yes, then (as OP) signed the contract in a hurry but was surprised by the amount they took from my card. The base insurance the guy asked me about was a higher base to the one I bought, reduced excess from a high amount to a slightly smaller one for e20-30/day. Luckily I forced them to refund it and it worked.
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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.
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I find it's best to have your own (e.g. insurance4carhire) and just take their basic. But you have to watch the small print even so. It's always a bit of a nightmare and I'm relieved when I get a car back in one piece.
Prefer to drive my own, when that's practicable. My last few journeys few Gva airport (in May and autumn, not peak times) have been a pain. Some ridiculous queues, huge distances to walk and picking up hired car always takes too long.
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Whereas I quite enjoy trundling around French roads.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| Origen wrote: |
| I find it's best to have your own (e.g. insurance4carhire) and just take their basic. But you have to watch the small print even so. |
I've used eversure and directexcess. Both of them very supportive during claiming process even though rental companies where not very cooperative. The small print that is very important especially for cars taken from countries like Switzerland is the limit on value of the car and its acceleration to 62mph, e.g. claim of scratched door can be excluded by T&Cs because the total value of the car is over £60k or the car is EV so it's acceleration is not within limit.
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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.
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Sorry to hear that. The moment I saw “€40” I thought the scam was going to be a per day one.
Tired and wanting to simply get going, I’d have probably fallen for it too.
But I wouldn’t have a personal “never, ever upgrade” policy. In the US, I’ve had genuinely free and unrequested upgrades to much more roomy cars.
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| stevepick wrote: |
| after queuing 60 mins to get through passport ( thanks Brexiteers!). |
You’re welcome. At least your bag was waiting for you. Just as well you didn't get through in 10 minutes & waited 50minutes for bag drop carousel. Who would you blame then?
Seems to budget’s fault you failed to read paperwork.
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You know it makes sense.
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To be fair, @stevepick, you're "only" €100 out of pocket.
I was once upgraded in Andalucia to a Qashqai from the micro thing I'd ordered. Wish I'd asked them for a subsidy for the petrol, as I was doing them a favour by returning a car whence it had come (and paying a premium for a one-way rental) AND this thing was wholly unsuited to the narrow streets of the hill towns I was visiting. Nice car to drive, mind!
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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| sev112 wrote: |
Ha that’s crap
I learned years ago that the answer was always “No thanks, just the car I booked please”
Which usually you means you get the car they wanted to upgrade you to anyway cos they haven’t got any smaller ones left. |
yep. I got an Audi S4 by not upgrading on time.
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Poster: A snowHead
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| Gored wrote: |
| stevepick wrote: |
| after queuing 60 mins to get through passport ( thanks Brexiteers!). |
You’re welcome. At least your bag was waiting for you. Just as well you didn't get through in 10 minutes & waited 50minutes for bag drop carousel. Who would you blame then?
Seems to budget’s fault you failed to read paperwork. |
Swiss anti-EUeers from '92 referendum? Would have got more cheap labour.
It seems much easier recently to get into argument on this forum, even though there is more snow out there then we expected 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| Quote: |
I learned years ago that the answer was always “No thanks, just the car I booked please”
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At the car hire desk the answer to every question is always "no"
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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?
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We got given a different car to the one in the hire agreement at GVA this year - when we returned it we insisted it was checked over and the guy agreed nothing to pay including agreeing the car was full - returned car on 13th Jan- got invoice today for 5CH for fuel - it’s minimal but it’s the principle and has just reinforced my fear of being ripped off because you effectively give them a blank cheque cos they have your CC
Last year Avis at Grenoble charged us 300euros after the event for damage we hadn’t done - and even though we had pictures to prove it they wouldn’t budge - luckily we had excess cover and they refunded us, but we sent them the evidence and hope they got their money back from Avis
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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| johnE wrote: |
| Quote: |
I learned years ago that the answer was always “No thanks, just the car I booked please”
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At the car hire desk the answer to every question is always "no" |
Indeed. Or perhaps even use Google translate to print a laminated card covering various languages...
Non merci. Juste la voiture que j'ai réservée s'il vous plaît. Et j'ai déjà une assurance. Je ne vais pas tomber dans ce piège.
No grazie, solo l'auto che ho prenotato, per favore, e ho già l'assicurazione. Non mi sto innamorando di quel trucco.
Nein danke. Bitte nur das Auto, das ich gebucht habe. Und ich habe bereits eine Versicherung. Ich falle nicht auf diesen Trick herein.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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| Snow&skifan wrote: |
Sorry to hear that. The moment I saw “€40” I thought the scam was going to be a per day one.
Tired and wanting to simply get going, I’d have probably fallen for it too.
But I wouldn’t have a personal “never, ever upgrade” policy. In the US, I’ve had genuinely free and unrequested upgrades to much more roomy cars. |
Yes - different in US when "upgrade" often means they've run out of smaller cars and need to give you something else - usually for no extra charge.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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At gva recently we were told there was an add on charge of around 40 euros to take the car into France which was irritating .
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@boulevardier, its a cross border charge, common everywhere
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It was the first time anyone had ever asked extra for this although we’ve been hiring at gva for twenty years plus , though .
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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.
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Sometimes the "upgrade" isn't really especially for ski holidays. We booked a standard estate as with family of 4 luggage and skis we wanted the package space. Unfortunately they had run out (we had booked 10 months in advance <sigh>), and were "upgraded" to a hugely more expensive premium car, and getting the luggage in was a challenge. Everybody but driver have bags around legs as well, hubby was rather taken by car so was determined we would get everything in.
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@boulevardier, different car hire firms have different charges for this. Was studying those carefully when we hired in Salzburg but were staying in Mayrhofen and our quickest route was via Germany. Similarly when we were looking to hire in Munich.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| James the Last wrote: |
| To be fair, @stevepick, you're "only" €100 out of pocket. |
To be fair...he's €200 out of pocket!  (€300 upgrade less €100 refund).
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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.
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| Bergmeister wrote: |
| James the Last wrote: |
| To be fair, @stevepick, you're "only" €100 out of pocket. |
To be fair...he's €200 out of pocket! (€300 upgrade less €100 refund). |
He indicated he was content paying upto €100, so guess thats the logic.... but given was likely to get same car regardless your view point also valid
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| Snow&skifan wrote: |
But I wouldn’t have a personal “never, ever upgrade” policy. In the US, I’ve had genuinely free and unrequested upgrades to much more roomy cars. |
I think the message is to bluff, and maybe get the upgrade anyway. In US, as you say, we always book the cheapest (sub-compact?) car. They don't exist in the American psyche! So you get a better one by default.
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You know it makes sense.
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A good few years ago I had a hire booking from Inverness airport and following our corporate dictat a Ford Escort size was booked. I was offered a free upgrade to a Ford Galaxy. I declined and they then announced they had no Ford Escort sized vehicles and the only other option was a Ford Fiesta. Perfect. I had to go to Ullapool, much of the way winding single track. Perfect car for the job. Free upgrade isn’t always best!
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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No, generally I would prefer a smaller car. A Ford Fiesta is brilliant. A Ford Galaxy would be just the job for taking the family and a pile of gear to the Alps!
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Poster: A snowHead
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| Gored wrote: |
| stevepick wrote: |
| after queuing 60 mins to get through passport ( thanks Brexiteers!). |
You’re welcome. At least your bag was waiting for you. Just as well you didn't get through in 10 minutes & waited 50 minutes for bag drop carousel. Who would you blame then?
Seems to budget’s fault you failed to read paperwork. |
So true to form at least you had an opportunity to remoan at Budget.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| boulevardier wrote: |
| At gva recently we were told there was an add on charge of around 40 euros to take the car into France which was irritating . |
I was asked at the desk when I booked the car, apparently it's a new tax that came in this year, if you booked it in 2023 (which I had) it doesn't apply, but will for any bookings made in 2024.
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FAQ
