| Motoring Discussion > USA Car Hire | Miscellaneous |
| Thread Author: BobbyG | Replies: 7 |
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New Wed 6 Feb 13 22:57
USA Car Hire - BobbyG
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Looks like we may be crossing the Atlantic for the first time in my life for this year's holiday - heading to my sister's in Phoenix for a couple of weeks. A few quaestions on car hire a. Anyone got any experience of best deals, vouchers etc - cheapest I am seeing just now is Argus Car Hire? b. Under the documents required, it states photo license and paper license. I don't have a photo license - would I require one or is it a case of they are saying they won't accept photo license on its own? c. What insurances do I need - if it says it includes collision damage waiver (cdw) no excess third party liability protection (tp) theft waiver (tw) tax airport fee unlimited mileage breakdown assistance then what others do I need? I can hire a Ford Escape for £308.60 for 13 days with Argus - sounds not a bad deal or vehicle if we are going to be a good bit of driving? Any thoughts / experiences / advice will be welcomed |
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New Wed 6 Feb 13 23:13
USA Car Hire - Zero
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| Get a photo license, Phoenix is hot, Damn hot. The grand canyon is not far away, make sure you go there. |
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New Wed 6 Feb 13 23:17
USA Car Hire - BobbyG
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From Car Hire 3000: Insurance & Waivers Information When you hire a car through rentalcars.com, your car rental agreement will normally include collision damage waiver & theft waiver. Collision Damage Waiver will waive your liability to pay for any damage caused to the vehicle during the period of hire. Theft Waiver provides coverage for the theft or damage resulting from attempted theft of the vehicle, its parts and accessories up to their full value and any loss that our car rental partner may incur. Both are subject to certain exclusions. Your liability is waived subject to you paying a charge, referred to as an “excess” which limits your liability to the cost of the excess only. In some instances, an excess will not apply and you will be advised of this at the time of making your booking. Your rental includes Collision Damage Waiver and Theft Protection with zero excess. This deposit usually takes the form of a credit card, although cash is an option at some locations so please contact a member of our team if you require this facility as this must be confirmed prior to collecting the vehicle. If the vehicle is damaged during the rental, you will be charged up to a maximum of the excess amount. In the event that the renter has behaved recklessly or negligently or driven under the influence of drugs or alcohol you may be liable for the full cost Please note in common with most car rental policies there are exceptions to cover which may include windscreens, tires, the underside or interior of the vehicle, towing charges & replacement keys. Please check your agreement fully at the time of renting for exact exclusions. If you have any questions or concerns please do not hesitate to contact our team Please note a number of options may be available to buy locally which reduce your risk or can provide further cover to you & your belongings So - Your liability is waived subject to you paying a charge, referred to as an “excess” which limits your liability to the cost of the excess only. In some instances, an excess will not apply and you will be advised of this at the time of making your booking. Your rental includes Collision Damage Waiver and Theft Protection with zero excess. My reading of this is you are only liable to pay the excess, but the excess is zero? |
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New Wed 6 Feb 13 23:39
USA Car Hire - Bill Payer
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>> My reading of this is you are only liable to pay the excess, but the >> excess is zero? >> That's typical for cars rented in the US. I've seen suggestions that US rental companies might start charging excesses but haven't seen it actually happening. I *think* they're illegal in many States. |
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New Wed 6 Feb 13 23:20
USA Car Hire - BobbyG
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Yeah been warned about the heat though apparently it is very low humidity. Grand Canyon is definitely on the list - possibly Las Vegas, Route 66, San Diego to name but a few so far. Getting some interesting flight prices....... |
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New Wed 6 Feb 13 23:39
USA Car Hire - Armel Coussine
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They say Phoenix is a splendid sight at night when approached from the North, all the neon and tall buildings which can be seen from 40 or 50 miles away. Passing eastward on Route 66, running out of money and time, didn't have time for the detour and dropped my little old hitchhiker who was going there, a nice old worker with throat cancer, on the freeway at the turnoff. Felt bad about it but what can you do? Hiring cars in the US is a doddle (or used to be), but follow advice to have a photocard licence. In my day you had to get an international driving licence to have a photo, which I did although the thing wasn't really a legal document at all. But US cops weren't great readers in those days. I'm sure they are now. Hire companies like credit cards and don't know what to do with cash. They look at it disgustedly and faff about finding somewhere to put it. :o} |
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New Wed 6 Feb 13 23:43
USA Car Hire - Fullchat
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My understanding is that strictly speaking an International Driving Permit was required for the USA. Having said that twice I have used my GB licence to rent cars and it hasn't been an issue. However: The U.S.A. has an agreement with most countries whereby the renter's full national driving license may be used for a period of up to one year in the U.S.A. This applies to the full U.K. driving license. Provisional licenses are not acceptable. Most car rental companies require that you have held a full license for at least one year, regardless of age. The minimum age for renting a car is normally 21 although it can be as high as 25. Often an additional charge is levied on drivers who are under 25 years of age. International Driving Permits are generally not required in the U.S.A but it is helpful to carry one. If they are taken, they are only valid in conjunction with a full national driving license. They should not be accepted on their own. It is recommended that drivers who possess a full national license that is in script other than Roman, i.e. Cyrillic or Arabic, should also obtain an International Driving Permit (IDP). Young drivers may wish to obtain an International Driving Permit to use as a photo ID, in place of a passport, for entry into bars and nightclubs where the minimum age for entry is 21 years. If you have endorsements on your license, do check with your rental company that these do not present a problem. The AA state this on there site in respect of IDP: IDP recommended as, in the event of an accident, some insurance companies will insist on seeing one. Additionally those licences which do not incorporate a photograph need to be accompanied by photographic proof of identity. |
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New Wed 6 Feb 13 23:50
USA Car Hire - Bill Payer
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| I've hired cars in the US regularly (probably at least once a year, including last year) and still have a paper licence. It's never been commented on. |
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