I like to carry a copy of my credit card's auto rental coverage policy to show the upgrade-hungry clerk. That stops the insurance paranoia plays.

The only time I was forced into an unwanted upgrade was when I was renting while my smashed car was in the shop. I had no choice as they really didn't have any other cars without a long wait. They gave me the small car the next day, but this was a local rental on the car insurance rate and they wanted the van back anyway for the higher rental fee from someone else.

If the gas needle isn't all the way on "Full," I insist that the clerk note that the tank is 3/4 full, or whatever, or else top up the tank before I go. I then see how many miles I can drive on a full tank to the noted level or else if it was topped up, how far I can drive before the needle is below full, so I know how far from the return point I can be when I fill the tank and still give them a "full" tank.

Two can play the same game, and we're smarter than those clerks!

What's really frustrating about this is having a husband who falls for it every time he rents a car. Our final car rental bills always ended up being about twice what they should have been. It took public ridicule at a dinner party plus my taking over all car rental duties to get him to see the light.

J correa,

I have had Hertz Gold for several years and never paid a yearly fee.

I don't remember how I got it initially but it may have been from an Airline FF or CC.

Free memberships seem to be offered through several affinity groups ( work, professional, etc)

I don't rent cars often, but when did this practice start of not filling the gas tank? This was annoying as the only station we could find nearby when we rented from Enterprise in Eugene was a pre-pay one, so trying to fill the tank to a partial amount was even more tedious. In the end I put in way too much, and that just left me with a negative opinion about Enterprise.

Once you start to engage in the conversation about gas options and insurance upgrades, they know they have you.

When renting a car I simply tell the clerk no-insurance options, no prepaid gas options and that stops them cold. No need to show them any credit card coverage paperwork when a simple no will suffice. If they insist, I simply ask them what part of no didn't they understand.

Returning to the airport, I find whatever gas station is convenient within 10-15miles - never the last one before the airport, and I top it off.

One time we did the inspection with the rental agent, then when it was time to drive off, next thing you know -- the gas tank was on E -- we drove right back to agency and had them initial that the tank was on E and we were returning it in that same condition. So, during the inspection, be sure to start the car and check the gas tank reading.

Most people don't rent cars for more than 2 weeks I suppose, but be aware that MC and Visa only cover you for 15 days or less of rental.

And some luxury cars, trucks, huge vans etc are not covered. .

I called my ins agent to see if I was covered under my own policy and he said I was, and also in his own words said "Between me and you, you don't need to take the extra coverage". He did point out that some of the rental car agency's charge an 'out of service' fee for each day that the rental car is out of service for repairs if something should happen. And ins companies do not pay that. But by and large you should not have to pay for extra coverage. Only one time in my life I paid for extra coverage was when I was renting a Cadillac from Enterprise and driving to Detroit in the middle of January and there was some bad weather when I got to Detroit, so I felt the extra peace of mind was worth it at the time.

In the States I've had nothing but good luck with Hertz, using my AAA discount. In Europe, ditto with Auto Europe. However, I also insist on having the car I reserved, and I don't fall for upgrades unless they are at no additional cost.

J62,
We weren't given any gas options. They just said to fill it back up to how it was when we got it. Easy for them to say.

Considering the moment, if you can, that trip in the foreign land with a language barrier if you having a little knowing of that language and without option to go to some other car rentals company when you are having it up to here with the scam company.

It cannot always be the case where a club card saves us from these problem. Can it be in the USA and on this local forums, but not for the world. Try the English on a forein country and see when the prejudice starts away.

I one time was trying to not be a victim in other country with the language slowing us up and they trying to add charges for the rental car that we reserved online before we leave the USA. They thinking they can do anything when you are not in control of their language. You have to be the strong person without a pissing contest? Is that your saying? So I stand on my ground and the manager eventually knowing that we not taking this from them and we got the car price we reserved, but it was another car.

In what other business can you reserve "A" and receive "B"? And the customers finding it aceptable? Tell me that one.

Do seek truth in all your travels and you will never be overchaged, overbooked, or oversold.

- AR

Armani, you have tarnished my image of you! I always had a mental picture of you C:) traveling by magic carpet!