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Car hire -different price for the same hire

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  • 29-05-2013 12:20pm
    #1
    daheff
    Registered Users Posts: 5,866 ✭✭✭


    Ok, so I need to rent a car for my holidays. I've gone to one of the larger better known companies to get quote -which I have a member card for.


    So I've noticed the following
    1- Its more expensive logging in first and getting a quote than getting the quote and then logging in
    2- If I change my origin country (say from Ireland to UK or Greece) the price of the EXACT SAME rental can be quite a bit cheaper.

    I've queried this with the car hire co and they are basically saying its all due to demand & seasonality. But to me, the demand in the destination country is the same...regardless of where its coming from. I'd be bordering on saying that its a policy that could be construed as discriminatory


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    #2
    LowKeyReturn
    Closed Accounts Posts: 934 ✭✭✭LowKeyReturn


    daheff wrote: »
    I'd be bordering on saying that its a policy that could be construed as discriminatory

    Probably in the same way insurance companies where discriminating against men. Thanks to the crusade against that women are now paying the same as men and the insurance companies and rubbing their hands together in glee.


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    #3
    dudara
    Registered Users Posts: 33,518 ✭✭✭✭dudara


    daheff wrote: »
    So I've noticed the following
    1- Its more expensive logging in first and getting a quote than getting the quote and then logging in
    2- If I change my origin country (say from Ireland to UK or Greece) the price of the EXACT SAME rental can be quite a bit cheaper.

    In relation to Point 1 - I noticed the exact same recently with Hertz. It was cheaper to get a quote without being logged in as a gold member. Thought it was very weird, but I cleared all my cookies and booked without logging in. Then I logged it and saved it.

    In relation to Point 2 - this may be related to driving on the left hand side of the road, as we do here, and the fact that the majority of the world drives on the right hand side.


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    #4
    daheff
    Registered Users Posts: 5,866 ✭✭✭daheff


    dudara wrote: »
    In relation to Point 1 - I noticed the exact same recently with Hertz. It was cheaper to get a quote without being logged in as a gold member. Thought it was very weird, but I cleared all my cookies and booked without logging in. Then I logged it and saved it.

    In relation to Point 2 - this may be related to driving on the left hand side of the road, as we do here, and the fact that the majority of the world drives on the right hand side.


    I havent noticed it with Hertz... Not sure that its related to left hand side driving...Being from Greece or UK would be cheaper than being from Ireland.

    Below is the response i got from them for my query
    car rental co wrote:
    Dear Customer,

    Thank you for your email.
    The rate differences you may observe depend on a various number of factors. These factors are influenced by the supply perspective on the destination market, as well as the demand perspective on the source market.

    Seasonality (holiday periods in different source markets), promotions, local conditions on both source and destination markets are among the main factors which may influence the price quoted.


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    #5
    keithclancy
    Registered Users Posts: 9,208 ✭✭✭keithclancy


    daheff wrote: »
    I havent noticed it with Hertz... Not sure that its related to left hand side driving...Being from Greece or UK would be cheaper than being from Ireland.

    Below is the response i got from them for my query

    I've noticed it with all of them, normally I'll booked through hertz.de and its usually cheaper for a rental originating in the Netherlands.


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    #6
    daheff
    Registered Users Posts: 5,866 ✭✭✭daheff


    keithclancy wrote: »
    I've noticed it with all of them, normally I'll booked through hertz.de and its usually cheaper for a rental originating in the Netherlands.

    Do you have an address in the Netherlands?


    I tried to change to look like I'm in greece, but their credit card validation software would not accept my card with an address from greece (I'm assuming the BIN doesnt match the country).


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    #7
    keithclancy
    Registered Users Posts: 9,208 ✭✭✭keithclancy


    daheff wrote: »
    Do you have an address in the Netherlands?


    I tried to change to look like I'm in greece, but their credit card validation software would not accept my card with an address from greece (I'm assuming the BIN doesnt match the country).

    Yes I do :)

    Why not use a broker such as :
    www.autoeurope.ie
    www.cardelmar.de
    http://www.carhire3000.ie/


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    #8
    Melendez
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,645 ✭✭✭Melendez


    This post has been deleted.


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    #9
    Del2005
    Registered Users Posts: 18,997 ✭✭✭✭Del2005


    Melendez wrote: »
    This post has been deleted.

    I found the opposite recently. Checked a few comparison sites and found the cheapest price, then went direct and got it a bit cheaper.


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    #10
    daheff
    Registered Users Posts: 5,866 ✭✭✭daheff


    keithclancy wrote: »
    Yes I do :)

    Why not use a broker such as :
    www.autoeurope.ie
    www.cardelmar.de
    http://www.carhire3000.ie/


    I generally dont use brokers for one of a couple of reasons

    cant book child seats through them
    more expensive (or at worst same price)...and if you book direct you are more likely to upgrade you than a person who booked through a broker
    cant see who the actual rental company is until after booking ...some are more reputable than others. the less reputable are more likely to have shady/sharp practices


    although having said that the autoeurope website looks good


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    #11
    L1011
    Registered Users Posts: 69,083 ✭✭✭✭L1011


    How big is the prices difference between being logged in and not?

    I've noticed in some cases in the past with Hertz that a few of the prices given are not discountable with a CDP due to a promotion, e.g. the AA one; so if its pretty close to 10% it could be that. Still making a huge assumption that their regular customers have access to a CDP to get those prices.


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    #12
    keithclancy
    Registered Users Posts: 9,208 ✭✭✭keithclancy


    daheff wrote: »
    I generally dont use brokers for one of a couple of reasons

    cant book child seats through them
    more expensive (or at worst same price)...and if you book direct you are more likely to upgrade you than a person who booked through a broker
    cant see who the actual rental company is until after booking ...some are more reputable than others. the less reputable are more likely to have shady/sharp practices


    although having said that the Autoeurope website looks good

    I've used Autoeurope around 15-20 times in Germany, Holland, Ireland, Greece, the UK and the US to name a few.

    Also used cardelmar without any problems, end of the day you just turn up at whatever rental company with a voucher.

    Autoeurope you can book the stuff that you've mentioned.


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    #13
    daheff
    Registered Users Posts: 5,866 ✭✭✭daheff


    MYOB wrote: »
    How big is the prices difference between being logged in and not?

    I've noticed in some cases in the past with Hertz that a few of the prices given are not discountable with a CDP due to a promotion, e.g. the AA one; so if its pretty close to 10% it could be that. Still making a huge assumption that their regular customers have access to a CDP to get those prices.


    It goes from being 667 to 705 (give or take). So its not even 10%. It kinda looks like I can pay immediately (667) or later(705) with not being logged in and just later (705) when logged in.

    strange one.


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