 Poster: A snowHead
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I rented a car in Switzerland recently from Sixt.
They have decided to charge me after I paid everything initially for the use of winter tyres.
They said the car was fitted with winter tyres but you had to pay extra for this.
I though winter tyres were a legal requirement in Switzerland?
Let alone the fact I was not told of this charge in advance.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I think it is chains that are a legal requirement there not winter tyres.
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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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Yeah, but they make you pay for the car beforehand without telling you about this.
Then you get there and they say
"The car has winter tyres on but you have to pay an extra £25 for them as we don't have to provide you with them."
"So you have provided us with winter tyres and we have to pay. Okay, we'll have summer tyres."
"You can have summer tyres but your insurance will be invalid."
"So, you will provide us with an uninsured car? However, the car has winter tyres on anyway so we can just drive off with it?"
"Yes but you have to pay."
"No, we don't we have paid up front and you mentioned nothing about this at the time."
Anyway, just beware of Sixt doing this. I have not experienced any of the other car rental places doing this.
I complained to them and they gave me my money back for the extras.
Last edited by Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see? on Tue 4-03-08 18:52; edited 1 time in total
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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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This was Zurich but I imagine the same at other places.
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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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GordonFreeman, I had exactly the same experience last month. I received an invoice at home, telling me that they were charging me CHF9 per day. I emailed Sixt (the narrative on the invoice was not entirely clear with my limited French) and they emailed me back immediately with the explanation. I booked the car through Holidayautos and when I dug out the T&C's that I had signed up to they say 'Winter tyres are mandatory with a charge of CHF9 per day between 1/12 and 15/4'. Seems like you also did not read the T&C's!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Well, they refunded me after much complaining. It's still a con whatever way you look at it. There's no way they would let you drive with summer tyres if it meant the car was uninsured.
Anyway, I won't be using Sixt again.
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I have had this many times at Geneva airport, it is a con and most of the time the car will have snow tyres on so I don't see why you should pay extra. I think the rule on tyres/cains is now one or the other as last year when driving up to Flaine we were stopped by the police and they asked if we had them. I pointed out we had snow tyres and they let me through.
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Sixt tried to fleece me last May, when we hired a Ford Transit from Basel. We paid the extra insurance, marked all the bangs and dents on the sheet etc. When we dropped the car off, there was no-one at the desk, so we just posted the keys. Had an invoice for about £300 a month later for damage. Rang themand told them to shove it, never heard a peep afterwards.
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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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GordonFreeman, The same happened to me (Alamo, through Easycar)
They didn't used to do this. Yes it's a total con, it's always been mandatory to have winter equipment on a swiss car November to March as far as I know, so why is it suddenly an extra!!! I was invoiced later too. Really annoyed.
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| Quote: |
Rang themand told them to shove it
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trouble is, they usually have your credit card details. I picked up a sheaf of car hire leaflets/prices at Geneva; they all quoted extra for the winter extras. But some people say you don't always pay it; very confusing.
Sometimes the police WILL certainly insist you have chains as well as winter tyres. We met some people who had cars from Geneva (Swiss side, I think it was Avis) and only one of their two cars had chains. They left on a snowy day, had to buy chains, but were refunded when they got to Geneva. It's a bit of a minefield (mixed metaphor....sorry).
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| pam w wrote: |
| I picked up a sheaf of car hire leaflets/prices at Geneva; they all quoted extra for the winter extras. But some people say you don't always pay it; very confusing. |
But is this a new thing? I've never had this before, have you?
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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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I always find that car hire companies manage to find some extras, no matter how you think you've paid for it all in advance. The additional driver fees at Geneva can be steep, too. I don't hire cars at Geneva these days, because we go for too long to hire -we drive down. But I sometimes do some research for visitors. I confess to being confused!
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Easy answer: fly to Lyon instead, where somehow they've never heard of winter tyres. Then get buy chains at a supermarket on the way to your resort - IME much cheaper than the hire co's charge [especially if you don't use them and return them on your journey back  ].
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You know it makes sense.
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Well, they gave me the money back.
I think the moral is complain heavily especially for spurious extra charges and tell them you're going to comlain the HQ. Failing that get your bank to reverse it.
Sixt are crediting my invoice.
I dread to think how many people they get away with this though...
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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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winter-tyres and chains
France : you have to be able to show you have chains , and you might have to put them on if you are on a snow/icecovered road except if you are on nail-tyres ( winter tyres showing a snowflakes is not enough) , certain regions (like the Savoye) require residents to drive on winter tyres, and might refuse foreigners or cars registered in other departements access to certain roads.
Germany and Austria require everyone - also foreign road users - to drive on winter tyres from a i think october until april and require you to have chains in your car in certain areas such as Bavaria, Badenwirtenberg, Saarland & Pfalz
Switzerland - wintertyres are not mandatory chains are where marked by the chained-wheel sign. however if you are not on wintertyres you will expose yourself to be partially responsible for accidental dammage of any accident you are involved in while in traffic ( regardless of wether you are moving, exception if you are parked and get hit you are not partially responsible)
My advise as an experienced wintersport-driver :
when I buy a new car I order a set of ordinary steel wheels and buy myself winter tyres (ADAC runs a test every year) this provides me much need traction even during the late autumn an early spring season - I put my car on winter tyres form 15 october - 15 avril and I'm on all-weathers for the summer season
my tyres don't wear that quickly 30 - 50 % more km from a set of tyres rather then 40-45k-km for s single set I only get to replace tyres after 130-150 km with 2 sets.
and my car responds a lot safer...
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Poster: A snowHead
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i too got charged for winter tyres from sixt, but was informed through holiday autos that this was going to happen, that was the down side the plus side wwhen i got to the airport my car wasnt available so i got a free upgrade to a lot nicer car by far
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Rented through Holiday Autos, picked up minibus at Innsbruck. Winter tyres, no extra charge (paid extra for chains). When we got to St Anton we were up an icy hill, had some interesting moments of sledging backwards. Of course, never actually got round to putting on the chains, felt it would be unmanly as locals weren't using them. Started using taxis instead, easier on the nerves.
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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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Visitors arriving at our place tonight had the same experience with Sixt at Geneva (Swiss side). Had to cough up extra. But they had booked through Argos (a new one on me) and said the price had been pretty cheap, so they weren't too annoyed. They had exactly the same argument as described above. Our visitor said the woman was obviously moonlighting as a car hire rep as she was clearly the madame of a brothel specialising in S-M. He said she had the "marks". He had to pay, though.... For the tyres, that is.
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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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I always rent direct from Sixt Holiday cars. Everything is included with them for all inclusive price (insurances, winter tyres, additional driver). Their price is usually cheaper than Holiday Autos. I have found them very fair to deal with especially as I have taken the car back with body damage the last two times I have rented from them. On both occasions it was sorted with no hassles or additional costs at all.
I have rented through HolidayAutos before and found them good but it seems to me to be just as easy to go direct to rental company now.
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