Car upgrade

[mr browndog]

hi

due to fly out to florida in 4 weeks and we have a car hire included with our package.
does anybody have any idea how much it would be to upgrade from the most basic bog standard car to a convertable.
i think we have the car through dollar car hire?

any guess's would be great

[lafifille]

I'd say:
- check with whoever sold you the package if they can do it
- or contact directly the car hire company with your reservation number and see how much it'll cost (or do it on their website)
- or upgrade when you get there

Whatever you do, I'm guessing it will be extremely expensive to upgrade from your "basic bog" sold in a package which is negotiated by a tour operator at the cheapest possible price to ANY type of car, and even more to a convertible.

Did you check if all insurances are included in that rental you have? They're often not and make for a huge bill when you get there. If they're not it might be worth forgetting about that car in the package and renting another through this site, where all is included. Specially if you want a convertible: the cost of the upgrade plus the insurances will be horrendous.

But maybe I'm just being pessimistic [msnwink]

[mr browndog]

i guess i will just wait untill i get there and see what the price is
i dont need to upgrade just thought i would if it will be cheap enough.

all insurences are in with the package, we also have 2 people carrier cars included with the package
as there is a party of 14 going, the small car is just for me and my girlfriend.

[ShirleyD]

http://www.orlando-guide.info/forums/topic_55378.asp

Read this post if you are thinking of upgrading. [msnwink]

Perhaps if several people can drive each car, you can swap around cars and drivers. We did this on a recent trip and it worked well.

[DaveL]

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by mr browndog
all insurences are in with the package, [/quote]Are you really sure this is true?

One of my guests has just found all inclusive car hire cheaper than going through the car hire link in the banner above.

However this 'All Inclusive' cover did NOT include excess cover. Now you may think this is not needed but if you have any kind of accident or someone dings your car while it's parked be prepared for a big shock.

When you get your agreement look and see the amount that will hit your credit card if the damage excess is applied. Just sit down at the time.

Dave

[mr browndog]

well im going to look into it more now you have mentioned about the excess but it does state insurences inc?

i will find out

[lafifille]

"insurance inc" can mean anything. It may be that you're perfectly covered, but I would double-check if CDW/LDW and all those nice 3 letters insurances are included. If you can't find a mention of CDW (or LDW), you're probably in trouble. Ditto if the contract uses only general vaguue terms as "insurance inc". Those insurances usually represent at least half of the price of your total charge. And as Dave says, you definitely need them, you don't want to take the chance. I think you really need to find out if this rental you have is a real "all included" (which again would be unusual in a package), and if it's not how much it's going to cost you to pick up that car. Then you might decide it's better value to rent a separate car, and chose the convertible you wanted. BTW, I'd also check on the cover for the "people carrier cars" you mention (7 or 15 seaters I guess?).

[gpullan]

We had a tour operator 'fully inclusive' car on our trip to Las Vegas last year. I ignored this and booked a car though here for the week. The couple we were holidaying with stuck with the tour operators voucher. The outcome was this:

I ignored the 2 door compact on offer and booked a Chrysler 300 for a week @ £196 all in.

Our friends got a Hyundai Accent 2 door compact @ £158 (all insurances to pay for)

So..... Premium car with full insurance from here @ £196 or get your 'free' car with tour operator for £156 and drive round in a car 1/3 the size and comfort.

No brainer!!!

[mr browndog]

your right i need to contact them and find out, last thing i want is not to be covered and to have a accident !!
i will be very annoyed if we are not fully covered, especially when they havnt gave us the option to take out any extra insurence and are willing for us to arrive at the hire desk blind and be 'forced' to take it out

[DaveL]

You cannot just ask if there is CDW cover because the answer will be yes most of the time. There is now a new option called 'Super CDW' (depends on which company you use) and this is normal CDW but with the excess cover included.

By splitting this option out the companies can say they have CDW cover (which most people know about) but then sell you upgrade once you get to the airport.

It the classic way of getting you to sign for a low start price and then adding extras when it's to late for you to do anything i.e. at the car collection desk at the airport.

You do need to ask very specific questions if you are to get the full answer, or you could just get your car hire from the site above and know that you are fully covered.

If you do not have this cover then it will be cheaper to buy it here in the UK from an independent supplier then add it at the airport. If you put the words 'excess cover u.s.' into you favorite search engine you will come up with a few options.

Dave