Problem with AutoEurope??
 

Hi all,

Back in February, I checked car rental rates at www.autoeurope.com.

They wanted $660 for a compact with AC for 2 weeks.

I found a rate of $560 at another firm.

AutoEurope reduced their rate to $550. Additional fees for airport pickup, road tax and additional driver applied.

I was using my CC for insurance.

In April, I checked their site and found that I could get the same car for $50 less. So we changed the contract.

In May, I checked www.auto-europe.co.uk
For the same car I would pay only $475 and no airport pickup, no road tax, no additional fee for extra driver and zero deductible.
So we changed the contract.

In July, they had a special - only $455.
So we changed the contract.

Today, I found that they had a special on free upgrades. Same car, same no extra fees - now its $425.

I am getting so tired of constantly checking. I wish they would just give me the car for free and get it done with. :)

((I))

Alas, it's not the stock market, ira... where you can just biuy more shares and dollar-cost-average down (assuming that you still believe in the fundamentals of the purchase!)

But like the stock market, laws of supply and demand are (most likely) the explanation for movement in the price asked.

Best wishes,

Rex

It must be tough having them reduce the rates like that. When I rented a car for a May trip to Italy I initially got high rates from Auto Europe and looked at several of the European firms like Auto Sixt and Europcar. They were cheaper, but I decided to check with Auto Europe just before renting and thay were running a special that matched the european rates. Took the deal. Everything went fine.

Gee, ira, I hope you're not complaining because they keep LOWERING the price!

I agree it seems a pain, but I think you already understand where the changes come from. AutoEurope doesn't really set their own prices. They are a consolidator and they are able to lower their prices as the agencies they use change theirs in the constant competitive spirit they have.

I've called AutoEurope way ahead of a trip and actually had them tell me that whatever price they give me now won't mean a thing, because none of the prices are actually set that far ahead. Also don't forget the dollar is worth more against the euro than it was in February, so that affects the prices as well.

Now if every time you called, they went up -- that would be cause for concern.

Meanwhile, if only the airlines would do that -- every time you call, lower the price from what you have already booked-- I'd be breaking out the champagne.

Amen on the airlines note, P.
M

To complicate matters further----you also should check the rates from Auto Europe's "Sister Company", Kemwel.

On our last two trips to Italy (2/05 and 4/04), Kemwel was significantly cheaper on the same vehicle at the identical Europcar pick-up location.

This year for a September trip, Auto Europe had the better rate!!

This constant "checking" can drive you crazy, but its worth the effort when the savings are significant.

Ira, what country are you renting in? I just wondered because I have heard that credit card insurance often doesn't apply in Italy.

We also rented through Auto Europe UK in Italy last year, and got a better rate than we would have through the AE US. But we did opt for the "refundable excess" (i.e., zero deductible) insurance because we had heard that we might have trouble if we needed to use the credit card insurance in Italy.

Hi nona,

We'll be in France.

You are correct about Italy. CDW is required now and most cc companies won't cover car rental there.

((I))

I have been checking www.autoeurope.com for a rental car for Sept 26th and have found that Thrifty is a better deal on the Ford vehicle we need to be able to go from Germany to Prague. We were told you can not take a Mercedes, Audi or any German vehicle across the border.

I've only rented woth them once and it was years ago. I reserved the car a couple of months in advance and called them every few weeks to verify the reservation (it was our first family trip to Italy and I was quadruple checking everything). Everytime I called - everytime- the lowered my rate citing a new special that was available. No complaints here.

That's why it's kinda pointless to rent a car months before you travel. The best rate with AutoEurope is always the one you book the week before you leave.

it was first time to rent out of the country. I know better now. Now I take the train.

StCirq, Even in height of season?

I booked September months ago. When I looked today, the price was $50 HIGHER than what I paid, so it is not a hard and fast rule, eh?
((H))

Just confirming again what Ira said about the www.auto-europe.co.uk rates being cheaper than autoeurope.com. We are planning to rent a car in Italy later this month. The same car that is $578 for 6 days from AutoEurope US is $440 from Auto Europe UK (after figuring currency conversion from pounds to dollars and 1% credit card fee and including the extra insurance for Italy -- what they call "refundable excess").

There is no problem with a US resident renting via the UK site. Just be aware that if you do need to make phone contact for any reason with the agency before you leave, it may be more difficult and costly from the US. However, I have found that Auto Europe UK is very good about answering emails.

(Note that the UK web site has a hyphen in the name -- it is not autoeurope.co.uk, but auto-europe.co.uk.)

We booked a car today w/AutoEurope (for November in Germany) and they were having their "Labor Day Sale." Who knew? The rate was the best I've seen thus far but the agent was quick to remind me that it was "refundable" if I found better. So of course now I'll keep checking.

Usually we do best w/Sixt for whatever reason (luck of the draw?) but this rate was even better than the autoeurope.co.uk site. Have a terrific trip!

>There is no problem with a US resident renting via the UK site. Just be aware that if you do need to make phone contact for any reason with the agency before you leave, it may be more difficult and costly from the US.<

You can just call the US number. It is the same company.

((I))

Dear Sir

I read your note with great interest ..

Just to clarify the rates issue :
Rates are based on the US dollar compared to the Euro .
When the dollar strengthens , we pass the difference to our clients .

In your case , this year the dollar was very week in the beginning of the year . One Euro was around 1.37 US dollar in March .
By August the Euro was around 1.19 US dollar ..

I think we proved our honesty by dropping our rates accordingly ..

Imad Khalidi
President
AutoEurope

Well, Michael, I was being a bit facetious, but I usually do wait to rent the car until just before my trip. And to be honest,I don't spend a lot of time shopping around with other companies for better deals unless AutoEurope's price seems out of whack to me (which it once did with an Espace van, but then they dropped the price by several hundred dollars). And I usually travel in high season and I'm often picking up cars in locations that are a bit out of the way and typically have only a small lot and few cars. But they always find me a car and a great price. So no, I don't think it's necessary to book well ahead, even in high season.