Alamo upgrade - beware

**kc123** · 11-10-2008, 01:01

Hi,

We just picked up a car from Alamo, and I fear we have been taken for a ride ( so to speak ) We booked on the link from this site.

We had originally booked a 7 seater SUV with Gold cover from Tampa airport. On arrival they said they had no Durangos ( first choice ) and said the only one they had in this cat was too small for our luggage ( we are 4 adults, 1 child and 4 med holdalls )

Being rather tired and just wanting to get on our way we agreed to an upgrade to another SUV ( Acadia ) and thought it was for $30, signed the paperwork (stupidly without studying it ! )and drove off. When I looked at the paperwork this morning in the cold light of day, turns out it was an extra $30 a day for 14 days ! approx $480 extra ! So making it a rather expensive jeep when im sure the other would have done fine.

Just wanted to warn others to keep their wits about them, these sales people are very very persuasive and know what they doing, especially when faced with travel worn brits !

**roger** · 11-10-2008, 01:30

Yes, you always have to be careful when upgrading and look at the total price carefully as it is marked on pretty clearly next to where you sign.

It sounds like Alamo did have a 7 seater SUV for you, but not the Durango - the rental companies will only ever guarantee a car in the class booked (i.e. a 7 seater SUV) but they can not guarantee a luggage capacity.

This is what we say on our site:

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:UPGRADING THE CAR:
It is important to reserve the right car for your party, however, upgrading to a larger car can be done at the time of rental, subject to availability. The cost of the upgrade will be shown separately on the rental agreement and will be charged at local rates. If you agree to upgrade your car on collection, you can not seek a refund for this on your return.

If the rental company advise you the car booked is not large enough for your party and luggage, then you have a right to attempt to use the car as booked provided you do not have more people that the car is designed to carry. Upgrade costs for taking a larger car than booked can not be refunded by us under any circumstances.[/quote]

**ujpest doza** · 13-10-2008, 19:01

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by roger
Yes, you always have to be careful when upgrading and look at the total price carefully as it is marked on pretty clearly next to where you sign.

It sounds like Alamo did have a 7 seater SUV for you, but not the Durango - the rental companies will only ever guarantee a car in the class booked (i.e. a 7 seater SUV) but they can not guarantee a luggage capacity.

This is what we say on our site:

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:UPGRADING THE CAR:
It is important to reserve the right car for your party, however, upgrading to a larger car can be done at the time of rental, subject to availability. The cost of the upgrade will be shown separately on the rental agreement and will be charged at local rates. If you agree to upgrade your car on collection, you can not seek a refund for this on your return.

If the rental company advise you the car booked is not large enough for your party and luggage, then you have a right to attempt to use the car as booked provided you do not have more people that the car is designed to carry. Upgrade costs for taking a larger car than booked can not be refunded by us under any circumstances.[/quote]

[/quote]Along the same lines, we have booked a 7 seater but there will only be 4 of us with a suitcase each and probably a small backpack each. Am i right in thinking that in 99/100 7 seater people carriers i would just need to put the seats down in order to get the luggage in as we won't need all 7 seats anyway??

**roger** · 13-10-2008, 19:06

Yes, most if not all the 7 seaters have folding down seats. Some fold right in to the floor and some that backs fold down flat to the seat giving extra storage.

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by ujpest doza
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by roger
Yes, you always have to be careful when upgrading and look at the total price carefully as it is marked on pretty clearly next to where you sign.

It sounds like Alamo did have a 7 seater SUV for you, but not the Durango - the rental companies will only ever guarantee a car in the class booked (i.e. a 7 seater SUV) but they can not guarantee a luggage capacity.

This is what we say on our site:

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:UPGRADING THE CAR:
It is important to reserve the right car for your party, however, upgrading to a larger car can be done at the time of rental, subject to availability. The cost of the upgrade will be shown separately on the rental agreement and will be charged at local rates. If you agree to upgrade your car on collection, you can not seek a refund for this on your return.

If the rental company advise you the car booked is not large enough for your party and luggage, then you have a right to attempt to use the car as booked provided you do not have more people that the car is designed to carry. Upgrade costs for taking a larger car than booked can not be refunded by us under any circumstances.[/quote]

[/quote]Along the same lines, we have booked a 7 seater but there will only be 4 of us with a suitcase each and probably a small backpack each. Am i right in thinking that in 99/100 7 seater people carriers i would just need to put the seats down in order to get the luggage in as we won't need all 7 seats anyway??

[/quote]

**orchidvilla** · 13-10-2008, 20:31

This also happend to us last April but i was waiting for the Alamo guy to try something on and he did try the lugage one. I got the manager out and asked him why they were trying to rip me off and pointed out that last October we rented the same vehicle with Alamo and got the same cases in the boot yet this time we couldnt, he said it was not possible and that the operator was right to upgrade us....should have seen his face when i got the October rental doc out of the folder and showed him...

**pieman790** · 14-10-2008, 00:17

For those taking the Alamo option at Orlando international airport you can choose the type of car you want within each class. Its worth taking a few minutes to look inside each of the vehicles before you decide which one to take.

**janny** · 14-10-2008, 06:15

We have just picked up our Alamo car from MCO -no hassles at the desk to upgrade anything the clerk looked at booking and "you guys have all you need " We picked our car -then noticed it had 33,000 miles on it so went for one with 3,300 instead -so as Neil says look inside first.

**kc123** · 14-10-2008, 07:02

We picked our car up from Tampa not Mco, there was no cars in our category to choose from, they just drove it round to you, giving you no choice.

All Im saying is keep your wits about you. I realise we were daft for signing for an upgrade we didnt even need ( 0r want ) and it was our fault but after all the travelling etc your not totaly alert. We thought we were signing for an extra $30 not $30 a day for 14 days ! especially as we only had a few suitcases anyway and had a perfect amount of room.

**floridadreamvilla.co.uk** · 14-10-2008, 11:42

Sounds like you were very unlucky then as we've used Alamo at Tampa a few times ourselves and there has always been plenty of choice [msnsmile].
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by kc123
We picked our car up from Tampa not Mco, there was no cars in our category to choose from, they just drove it round to you, giving you no choice.

[/quote]