From: ESR@SLACVM.SLAC.STANFORD.EDU (Ed Russell)
Newsgroups: rec.travel
Subject: Avis Europe Experience
Date: 21 Jul 92 19:52:23 GMT
Organization: Stanford Linear Accelerator Center

The following is posted for information for others to avoid similar pitfalls.
It is not posted to solicit comments about what I should have done or should
do now.

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For a (mostly) business trip to Europe in June I explored car rental costs.
Normally on one of these trips (Geneva and Lyon) I would simply use public
transportation but in this case public transportation was a slight
inconvenience because of my preferred travel schedule.  On previous trips I
have used Hertz when I have needed a car.

This trip I explored rates with both Hertz and Avis and opted for Avis
(reasons unimportant).  I specifically asked for the rates for the Avis
Discover Europe plan (and the similar plan for Hertz) and was quoted a rate
of 414 SF (10 days) including 10% discount for AAA membership.  The car was
being picked up and returned to Geneva.  I opted to pick it up downtown to
avoid the 6% surcharge for picking it up at the airport.  I made a
reservation and was given the confirmation number.  Subsequently I opted to
change to the next larger car size and was now quoted 486 SF including the
AAA discount, 48.6 SF/day.

When I arrived at the Avis place in Geneva the computer was down.  Since the
Discover Europe plan can only be booked from the U.S. the clerk there had no
rate information on it.  Their standard rate for 8-11 days is 65 SF/day or
650 SF less the 10% AAA discount.  She had to handwrite the contract (no
computer) and could not/would not write it for anything other than the
prescribed rate.  I almost cancelled the reservation and walked out but
eventually accepted the car with the intent of resolving it afterwards.

I sent e-mail to my wife and asked her to contact Avis International in the
U.S.  They referred her to Customer Service.  Their response was threefold:
1) The rate in the computer is 650 SF; 2) It can't be changed; and 3) Even
if the rate could be changed it couldn't be done while the car is "out".
Had I still been in Geneva I would have returned the car immediately but I
was not due back to Geneva for a week.

The last straw was when I returned the car and the printed invoice showed
690 SF for the 10 days, less the 10% AAA discount.  This has all the
earmarks of the infamous 6% surcharge although I was assured that the
surcharge does not apply if you return the car to the airport, only if you
pick it up there.  I still do not understand that rate.

We have now received the credit card bill.  Surprise! The amount charged at
the conversion rate shown indicates that they tacked on another 9.25 SF at
the end.  I assume that this is to "top off" the almost full gas tank,
presumably at approximately twice the going price of gas in the area.

Again, I am not soliciting advice on what I should have done differently.  I
know the errors I made, one of which was switching to Avis since I never had
any of these problems with Hertz.  I have written to Avis and will post the
result, if any, of their response.  In the meantime, if anyone else on the
net is planning a car rental in Europe, learn from my mistakes.
Newsgroups: rec.travel