Holiday Car Rental

[Mike]

When on holiday I normally rent a car, though it has
been a while since I was out of this country for a
holiday.

I was looking around last week and found that the
rental prices in Europe to British holiday makers are
a rip off, the quoted price is low, but there are add
ons that boost the price.

Then I looked around here, like fly-drive locally and
got another shock, none of the major car rental
companies will rent to anybody who is over 70 or 77
years old, those are the two numbers and the insurance
goes up if you are old!

Several years ago I rented in America, when I was
at the desk I asked if he wanted to see my licence,
he said no but the police would if I had an accident,
so he hoped that I had one.

I don't know what it is like where you live, but the
thread about buying or leasing got me thinking and
I don't think that it would be quite the same here.

Mike.

 

[hollydolly]

Friends of mine Lease their cars and get a new one every 3 years. Me ?...I'd rather buy my car outright, and keep it for around 10 years, and then get a new one. My car is regularly serviced and well looked after costs less than £400 per year for maintenance , and now I've retired the mileage doesn't rack up as it once did.

We always had our own car in Spain Mike, but we sold it so now when we go over we rent a car....it's eye wateringly expensive with all the add ons.... although with regard to Insurance you can get your own insurance company here in the Uk to insure you for a rental abroad...much cheaper. We're fortunate that we know a car rental owner personally so we get ''Mates rates''...

here in the Uk we've occasionally rented a car when one of our is off the road for any reason... not expensive... but you have to ensure you can cover the enormous refundable deposit, even if only for a days rental.

I can't believe no rental companies will rent out to anyone over 70...surely not?

 

[oldman]

We travel extensively, mostly here in the U.S. We (wife & I) rent cars a lot. I make the reservations through Enterprise. It doesn’t matter if I rent a car for an out of town weekend get-away or if we fly somewhere and I have a car waiting at the Enterprise lot after I give the counter associate my license and credit card. No mention about my age when I make my reservation or pick up my car.

I also have a deal with American Express where I pay $25.00 per rental for up to 30 days and their insurance covers the car and liability as the first party carrier, so if I do have an accident, AMEX would pay and not my personal insurance, which would keep my rates from rising.

In fact, I am in LA now and just rented a car yesterday. I got a good rate for this area. $24.00 a day for a full size car.

 

[Mike]

I can't believe no rental companies will rent out to anyone over 70...surely not?

I couldn't believe it either Hollydolly, I went to all hire company
websites and looked for a maximum age limit, I never found one,
there are minimum limits listed.

I found a SAGA website that mentions more seniors than ever
before and renting cars, then at the bottom of a picture of
an elderly couple driving away there is the dire news.

There is somewhere a site that says their clients can rent a
car up till they are 99 years old, they are not a rental company
though and probably charge plenty for the introduction.

SAGA site about upper age limit to rent a car, here.

Mike.

 

[fuzzybuddy]

I did a quick net search. I found out that there is no age restriction in the USA for either renting a car ,or getting car insurance. But that differs in Europe, which does have age restrictions between 70-80. Personally, I believe the Europeans have a better version of people's driving abilities as they age. It is unbelievably hard to give up driving. When you have to depend on someone else for transportation, it's damn expensive and a lousy hassle. I know. There's a tendency to keep driving way past the time we should be hanging it up. At least, until the big accident.....................