Renting a Car

[justbroke]

I have used Alamo throughout my Bk. They accept debit cards with no hold placed on your card, and don't charge your debit card until you return the car. You do have to show proof of a round trip ticket at airport locations.

Alamo is owned by National Car Rental and they are one of the best. When renting from National, they only "hold" the amount of the estimated rental charges. Upon returning the vehicle, they will then charge the actual (converting the "hold" to a "purchase").

From my experience (and I rent very frequently):

Hertz holds estimated rental charges plus $200.

AVIS holds estimated rental charges plus or $200 whichever is more. For debit/check cards, they will hold estimated rental charges PLUS an additional hold of $100 or $200. If you prepaid the rental, the additional hold is $100 (my actual experience as well), or $200 if you did not prepay.

National holds estimated rental charges only.

[isabella]

I have used Alamo throughout my Bk. They accept debit cards with no hold placed on your card, and don't charge your debit card until you return the car. You do have to show proof of a round trip ticket at airport locations.

[justbroke]

I would be extremely careful using pre-paid cards at car rental companies. Policies have changed over the last 2 years and you may find them declined at the counter, even if there is $1,000 more than you need loaded on the card. The problem is that not all rental car companies consider a pre-paid card to be adequate to "establish credit" at the time of the rental. I know for certain that AVIS is one such car rental company.

It is also left to the discretion of the local counter as to whether what they will accept as credit qualification. For example, most airport and large "tourist" locations are more flexible allowing a return (roundtrip) ticket to satisfy their concerns over letting you hire their $20K+ car. While I have not had any problems with Hertz or Enterprise myself, I'm also in their elite tiers (President's Circle and Enterprise Plus Platinum, respectively). Every company does allow a prepaid card to be used for final payment. It's the credit qualification (hold) that is the issue.

Just call in advance to save yourself grief at the counter. Additionally, some of these companies will perform a credit check when you don't use a regular credit card (secured or unsecured).

[lookin4info]

The hold on a bank debit card is up to the rental company, but if you use a pre-paid card, which is a good alternative if you don't have a credit card, the card company will place an additional hold they don't always tell you about. We went one time to rent a car at Enterprise. I told them I was going to buy a Pre-paid card and needed the exact amount I needed to put on the card. With the amount they gave me, I went down the street and purchased the card activated it and gave it to them. When they ran it for the amount they gave me, it was declined. Right there in the office I called the card company to make sure the money was on there. It was, but they explained for car rentals and hotels, they held a certain percentage over the amount of your transaction. I had to go back to put more money on the card, back to Enterprise, and finally we were on the road with our rental car! That was a couple of years ago, so now that pre-paid cards are more frequently used for things, it may have changed. The card company released the extra money after a few days when we brought the card back. Fortunately it worked out, but was a a pain to deal with since we didn't know the policy. We've used a bank debit card since then and had no problems.

[LadyInTheRed]

For rentals and hotels and such, the card company will want to hold funds of a certain % higher than the actual charge. It will be refunded, but you will have to wait a few days.

I believe it's the rental car company or hotel who determines how much of a hold to put on your credit line, not the credit card company. The amount should appear in the paperwork you sign. How long the hold remains depends on your bank's policy.

[lookin4info]

We have rented several times from Enterprise and used a debit card, but there were different terms than with a credit card. We also rented once with a prepaid card; however, you would need to check the terms with the card company. For rentals and hotels and such, the card company will want to hold funds of a certain % higher than the actual charge. It will be refunded, but you will have to wait a few days.

[sheltielover]

Hertz takes checking debit cards and I've been successful using PayPal as well. Some companies, such as Avis, are very particular about the type of debit card. There are two different types of debit cards and they are check cards and prepaid cards! Avis will not let you use a prepaid card and I learned at a counter that PayPal is considered a prepaid card. I was able to switch to a check card at the counter (phew), and Avis only holds the rental amount plus $100 (and sometimes they don't do the $100).

It is best to call in advance and obtain the policy. For Avis, I was able to prepay the charges with my PayPal card and then use my check card at the counter for "credit" qualification. It worked perfectly. At the counter, they only put a $100 hold on my check card since the PayPal already paid the entire rental charge.

As for credit checks, I have witnessed them at Hertz, Enterprise, and Avis. It really depends on several factors. I have never had a credit check done, as I'm a frequent renter (and elite) with all three of those car hire services. I think that if you, for example, get a Hertz #1 Club Gold account (can be obtained free with certain affinity groups), you get to bypass this credit check hassle. Unfortunately, I've witnessed 2 "credit check" declined to rent at counters and they are never pretty. I can't tell you what criteria that they use, but each location (and brand) has different rental "credit" qualifications (return air ticket in some locations, real "credit' qualification with credit card only, cash customer card, etc).

As suggested, always call the car company in advance to review their specific credit qualification terms.

thank you all for the great input!!!

[justbroke]

Hertz takes checking debit cards and I've been successful using PayPal as well. Some companies, such as Avis, are very particular about the type of debit card. There are two different types of debit cards and they are check cards and prepaid cards! Avis will not let you use a prepaid card and I learned at a counter that PayPal is considered a prepaid card. I was able to switch to a check card at the counter (phew), and Avis only holds the rental amount plus $100 (and sometimes they don't do the $100).

It is best to call in advance and obtain the policy. For Avis, I was able to prepay the charges with my PayPal card and then use my check card at the counter for "credit" qualification. It worked perfectly. At the counter, they only put a $100 hold on my check card since the PayPal already paid the entire rental charge.

As for credit checks, I have witnessed them at Hertz, Enterprise, and Avis. It really depends on several factors. I have never had a credit check done, as I'm a frequent renter (and elite) with all three of those car hire services. I think that if you, for example, get a Hertz #1 Club Gold account (can be obtained free with certain affinity groups), you get to bypass this credit check hassle. Unfortunately, I've witnessed 2 "credit check" declined to rent at counters and they are never pretty. I can't tell you what criteria that they use, but each location (and brand) has different rental "credit" qualifications (return air ticket in some locations, real "credit' qualification with credit card only, cash customer card, etc).

As suggested, always call the car company in advance to review their specific credit qualification terms.

[spidge]

I had the same experience as papie with Enterprise. They put a hold of $100 on my debit card and it was released once the car was turned in. There was no credit check.

[papie]

I used Enterprise all throughout my Chapter 13. As already stated, you need to call the specific office you will use (their rules vary by location) and ask what their debit card guidelines will be. I've used three local locations, and they all charge an extra $100-$200 on top of the rental, but it was refunded to my debit card after the car was returned unharmed. No credit check. These were their neighborhood locations. The airport location wouldn't even talk to me without a CC or a roundtrip airfare ticket. Enterprise is basically a zoo ran by college kids and should be treated as such. I would suggest booking your rental online, filling out the necessary documents online, print it out, call the day before you pickup and tell them you MUST have X car at X time. The neighborhood locations generally don't have as many vehicles, and they operate on a first come, first serve basis, even if you do have a reservation, so you have to stay on top of them and make sure that they have a car on hand for you.

If you are going to be flying AND renting a car, you can use debit cards at most any rental kiosk in the airport, but it's my experience that they want proof of roundtrip airfare (to guarantee the car will be returned) when using a debit card. Always call to check first, though.

[LadyInTheRed]

I had no problem renting from Enterprise. Call the office where you will rent to find out what they require to rent using a debit card. If they require a credit check, ask them to run one in advance so there are no surprises.

[sheltielover]

Hi Everyone-- we are about a year into our 5 year plan.. so far so good.

so i need to rent a car this fall... ive been looking on line at all the car companies.

for example, budget will rent to you with a cash card, but possibly will do a credit check and then will deny the rental.

does anyone have experience with car rentals? im concerned we'll get to the counter to rent the car and be denied if they decide to pull our credit.

thanks much as always! this site is a lifesaver for all our questions and keeping us sane