 Poster: A snowHead
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I'm off to Italy with RyanAir next jan for a some skiing in Arabba.
The only thing i haven't booked yet is my car hire.... so this morning i set about getting some quotes.
One of the best i can find is using the holidayautos discount link thing - works out about £160 to include some snowchains. I've used them before and have been happy with them.
Then i look at the Hertz deal through my RyanAir booking. The car hire itself is just 60 quid. To add in the "skierize" package takes the deal to £120.
This has to be too good to be true, so i do a forum search on here and find a thread that includes a couple of comments about what an enormous con Hertz in Italy can be... i.e. despite you having prebooked and paid, when you get there they suddenly ask you for loads of money OR when you return from your trip, your credit card has had a load of money taken off it.
Anyone experienced this or had a good experience?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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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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Not skiing but recently used Ryanair/Hertz in Sardinia- no problems at all. Earlier this year I prebooked car hire with Expedia in Sorrento (using Budget). Awful in every way - hours of waiting at both ends, double-charged, repeated phone calls & emails & eventually got my 2nd payment back last month. 
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Avoid taking the extra insurance and some bits and pieces or the additional bill will be larger than the original. And check the tyres of the car before you leave.
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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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Slightly off track but with regards to car hire i have never used holiday autos, however from Geneva i have used Autoeurope several times and they have always worked out cheaper and they have come back with different hire companies each time and after shopping around direct with the same companies autoeurope work out cheaper.
If you book through quidco you get 8.5% cashback, also for the comprehensive insurance dont take it with them again going through quidco
look at insurance4carhire you can get yearly cover for car hire excess in europe for £49 with 20% cashback so £40 for a year where in my experience hire companies usually charge about £10 a day.
Back slightly on track i have used Hertz in France and Switzerland (i know its not Italy but the same company hopefully have similar policies) with no problems.
Just make sure you do common sense things like thoroughly check the car over on pick up and make sure they go over it and "sign it off" on return.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Ryanair Hertz - good: low price. Bad: long queues unless you're fast out of the terminal.
If the low price is negated by extras, I'd go elsewhere, assuming of course they don't also jack up their price with winter extras
In Italy you might be luckier with a local company, they often have lower rates.
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used the same service through ryanair this summer going into bergamo.it was very good we got a daweo dual fuel, it saved a lot in fuel, gps half the price of petrol. i shopped around and found that it was the best price i could get. just make sure it has snowchains if you think you may need them?
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magic_hat, that does sound too good to be true, there are almost certainly 'compulsory' insurances that you will be charged when you pick up the car (or at least a huge excess that you would need to waive), I investigated hiring through Ryanair/Hertz once, no-one would give me a straight answer what the total cost would be. Just make sure you can quantify any 'hidden' charges.
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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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magic_hat, just checking the Ryanair/Hertz t&cs, the rates ( e.g. £51 for a week in Feb for a Focus Wagon from Treviso) include CDW but have an excess of €900-1500, that can be waived by purchasing Super Cover for £109.36+tax in the example I checked. Snow chains were €35+tax per rental. For some reason, the total cost is described as 'approximate', a bit worrying. This total cost works out higher than the Holiday Autos discount rate you found.
Or perhaps you could combine the cheap Ryanair/Hertz basic rental rate with the insurance4carhire ianbradders mentioned above.
Last edited by You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net. on Sun 7-12-08 19:32; edited 1 time in total
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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It will never happen again.
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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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Cheers all for the replies...
David Goldsmith, thanks for that link - very useful indeed.
ianbradders, ta for the quidco hint.. will take that into consideration. And the ref to insurance4carhire...
luigi, Aye - the £51 for a week seems crazily cheap. The excess figure and 'Supercover' thing are extortionate. One query though - where did you see the ability to hire chains? I can't see that option on there anywhere!
Am going to sort it all out tomorrow as am off work, but am thinking of going for the ryanair crazy low price and negating the high excess by purchasing cover with insurance4carhire (you can buy it by the day, you don't have to buy an annual policy)
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magic_hat, I got badly burned at Turin with RA/Hurtz... headline price 158€ actual price 378€. They don't include VAT (20%) or airport tax (25%) so add on all the extras like insurance etc, then add the 2 lots of tax and that's what you pay! 
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You know it makes sense.
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red 27, I'm being put off this deal very quickly!....
When i start the booking the process, the price page says "Your Rate Includes Collision damage waiver, Theft protection, Tax, Location Service Charge:, Vehicle licensing fee and road tax"
To me, this means that the quote includes the Airport Tax ("location service charge") and the VAT ("tax") as well as everything else that is compulsory.
To confirm this, i find this line in the FAQs: "The Hertz & Ryanair Special rate includes Collision Damage Waiver (CDW), Theft Protection (TP), Unlimited Mileage (UM), VAT and all Local Taxes & Surcharges."
However, in hidden away in a different part of the website, i find this line: "All rates are subject to a Government tax (VAT) at the rate of 20 %" which implies that this charge has NOT been added to the quote.
ALSO, if i add in the Skierize option to my booking it says that this includes: "Vehicles are equipped with all-weather tires or snow tires. Ski racks hold up to six pairs of skis and poles. (Check location for snowboard accommodations.) An ice scraper is included. " It allows me to book this.
However, hidden away somewhere else, i find this: "Snow tyres are not available in Italy".
All very confusing. It should be fairly easy and straightforward - the booking page shows a good price, says that everything is included in the price and lets me book the winter ski pack.
Why is nothing ever simple?!
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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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red 27, How long ago were you stung by this?
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Poster: A snowHead
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| magic_hat wrote: |
However, in hidden away in a different part of the website, i find this line: "All rates are subject to a Government tax (VAT) at the rate of 20 %" which implies that this charge has NOT been added to the quote.
All very confusing. It should be fairly easy and straightforward - the booking page shows a good price, says that everything is included in the price and lets me book the winter ski pack.
Why is nothing ever simple?! |
It's a minefield, isn't it? Now we know why the total cost is described as 'approximate'! It's all coming back to me now, I remember having a conversation with the Ryanair call centre about some of the ambiguities, I couldn't get a straight answer, I don't think the girl knew the answer, I got the impression I was viewed as impertinent for even enquiring! I asked how can they expect a customer to sign up to something without making clear the final cost, but then we are talking Ryanair!
All the best in finding the answers, if you could drive the car away for that basic price and get the insurance cover elsewhere it would be a good deal.
Has anyone ever successfully hired with Ryanair/Hertz without having to stump up for extras?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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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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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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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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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Update:
I emailed Hertz with my queries/confusion and got this reply from them:
"Thanks for your e-mail.
Regarding your enquiry, online rates include basic insurances and all taxes.
You would only have to pay extra if you add any additional equipment or any optional insurance coverage.
With reference to the Skierized equipment, they don't have snow tyres in Italy but they do offer a package that includes snow chains & ski racks for EUR 70.00 (excl. tax) per rental.
This package is only available on request.
If you would be interested, pls complete the booking online without adding any extra.
Once you have the confirmation number pls contact us back and we can request the package for you.
Pls don't hesitate to contact us for further assistance.
Thanks for choosing Hertz.
Best regards,"
So, they seem to be saying that the online price is the total price unless i take out optional insurance... I am still suspicious of them though and am probably going to pay the extra and go through HolidayAutos !
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magic_hat, yes well, that does sound OK... Perhaps they have sharpened up their offer a little since last year - it's a very competetive market and maybe they decided a business model based on being ..er.. a little more open about charges might lead to more, or indeed any, repeat business.
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| red 27 wrote: |
| magic_hat, yes well, that does sound OK... Perhaps they have sharpened up their offer a little since last year - it's a very competetive market and maybe they decided a business model based on being ..er.. a little more open about charges might lead to more, or indeed any, repeat business. |
Aye... but with their history and reputation, i still trust them about as far as my 80 year old mother could throw them!
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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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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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magic_hat, FWIW, I have been using Holiday Autos recently with Quidco & 15% discount link, I take out their XS waiver insurance if the excess is more than £200, but will try that annual policy from insurance4carhire if it looks like I will be hiring for more than 2 weeks in a year.
Suppliers vary, normally one of the large multi-nationals, only one was a local outfit that didn't have cars that were up to scratch, but that was in Madeira. I've never been messed about with extra charges, just make sure any damage and fuel level is noted on pick-up and bring it back the same.
I think they're less likely to invent damage claims when you're booked through a consolidator, because they're gonna get found out if they keep trying it on. If it's an individual booking, the customer isn't gonna have the same clout when it comes to arguing the toss.
All the best with what you decide! 
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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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luigi, Cheers for that! I've used HolidayAutos once (last year from Geneva). Got a great car with zero hassle. Used the 15% discount link from here. Am signed up with Quidco, but am unsure how you claim your Quidco discount using the 15% link - if i click Quidco links it opens up the standard website, not the 15% link...
Sorry to hassle you!
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magic_hat, make a written note of address of the 15% affiliate link, clear cookies, log in to Q, click through to HA, then type in manually the address of the 15% discount link, press enter to refresh the page, then book it! That way you enter the site through Q and the affiliate network registers the purchase through Q, but you get to use the page that produces the cheap prices, it's worked recently!
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You know it makes sense.
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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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AM I being thick? Where is this 15% affiliate link? and can anyone use it?
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Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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luigi, Thanks, I will take a look.
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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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I usually use Argus Car Hire. Never had a problem and nice and cheap. Although I fear I might be on their blacklist as we had to dump a SiXT car in an Avoriaz blizzard last year & get a taxi to Geneva due to us letting the battery run down like a bunch of total planks!
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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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luigi, Cheers for the info on combining Quidco with discount link! Will give that a try!
awksquawk, Will check out argus - never heard of them before!
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FAQ
but i had to just accept it and learn from it.
At least you guys found out beforehand - Imagine my delight when I made the discovery after a 3 hour drive through an Aoste pea-souper