Car Rental: Age Differential Charge - Calgarypuck Forums - The Unofficial Calgary Flames Fan Community

Fobby · 10-25-2006, 04:28 PM

Hello,

I have a question about Car Rentals. I am currently under the age of 25, and whenever I need to rent a vehicle in the States, I am subjected to a 25 dollars /day Age Differential Charge. Does any of you out there know of a program/membership that can get a rental company like hertz/alamo to waive this fee?

Thanks in advance.

-- Fobby

Fobby · 10-25-2006, 05:47 PM

Yes.. Enterprise is the only one that doens't have this rip off fee, are they located in the States? CAA used to waive the one from Hertz but doesn't do it anymore..

It's stupid that it's one of those fees that you can't get it waived JUST because I am not 25. it doesn't have anything to do with me being a high risk driver, or me being a criminal who is going to run off with the car and drive it off a cliff.. like... wtf! this fee is worse then the hidden ticketmaster fees IMO...

Flames in 07 · 10-25-2006, 05:48 PM

your lucky, when I was under, there was no way to pay my way into a car.

Jayems · 10-25-2006, 06:16 PM

I was always under the impression if you were under 25, you're hooped... meaning no car for you.

Fobby · 10-25-2006, 06:20 PM

Well, i think what they realized is that ppl under the age of 25 has the $$ to travel, so in order for them to get around, let's rent them a car, but charge them another 50% on top of it because otherwise, they are hooped..

Even on the Enterprise website, they said charges might apply to ages 25 and under...

DementedReality · 10-25-2006, 08:18 PM

gee, you guys are so anti enterprise, its unbelievable.

it works like this ... if a company can get people to pay for something, they have an obligation to the shareholders to charge for it.

if they could get people to pay to walk in the store, they would and should.

as far as this specific case, insurance companies do charge extra for fleet coverage when drivers are under 25. i know for example that we had to implement a corporate policy that stated no one under 25 would be allowed to drive a company vehicle and by doing this, we reduced our insurance rate.

OilersBaby · 10-25-2006, 08:24 PM

as far as i know, there isnt anyone that will waive this fee.....they do it because people under 25 are more likely to cause damage to a car or get into an accident...have less driving experience, etc. though i think thats dumb cuz senior citizens are very often the ones who catn drive well!

Flames in 07 · 10-25-2006, 08:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DementedReality

gee, you guys are so anti enterprise, its unbelievable.

it works like this ... if a company can get people to pay for something, they have an obligation to the shareholders to charge for it.

if they could get people to pay to walk in the store, they would and should.

as far as this specific case, insurance companies do charge extra for fleet coverage when drivers are under 25. i know for example that we had to implement a corporate policy that stated no one under 25 would be allowed to drive a company vehicle and by doing this, we reduced our insurance rate.

And in related news, those under 25 get into more and bigger car crashes ... $25 covers the increased risk. I'd be thanking Enterprise for having the option ... unless things have changed in the last 5-10 years, most don't.

Fobby · 10-25-2006, 09:49 PM

I am confused...so why do insurance companies charge more for someone who's under 25? If you are talking about driving experience... should they not look at how many years I have been insured?

Also, does it mean that in 1 year, I am magically going to be matured enough and super reliable that, in that 1 year, my insurance rate is going to drop 25% just because I have been living for 25 years? So 24 years isn't enough.. but that 1 extra year... makes that much of a difference?

Plus, i have my own vehicle insurance, which covers me for rental vehicles, can I not use my own for the rental and get the insurance and this senseless 25 dollars a day "age" fee waived?

Flames in 07 · 10-25-2006, 09:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fobby

I am confused...so why do insurance companies charge more for someone who's under 25? If you are talking about driving experience... should they not look at how many years I have been insured?

Also, does it mean that in 1 year, I am magically going to be matured enough and super reliable that, in that 1 year, my insurance rate is going to drop 25% just because I have been living for 25 years? So 24 years isn't enough.. but that 1 extra year... makes that much of a difference?

Plus, i have my own vehicle insurance, which covers me for rental vehicles, can I not use my own for the rental and get the insurance and this senseless 25 dollars a day "age" fee waived?

As for the last point, I don't know, good point. As for the other points, your right 25 doesn't really need to be a special number, but I guess it keeps it simple. Otherwise there is a different premium for each year of age ... and where do you stop I guess you could index by day.

Oh well, it's just 25 bucks, if you have money to travel you certainly have that right?

REDVAN · 10-25-2006, 09:58 PM

Last I checked, Enterprise does operate in the US. I am under 25, and planning to rent from them next February when I go south.

On the website it says they charge $10/day underage driver fee. Plus, their rates are $5/day cheaper for the same car. So Considering that, it iwll be roughly $40 cheaper per day, I would suggest going there.

Fobby · 10-25-2006, 10:05 PM

It's not that I don't have the extra $25/day to spend on the rental vehicle. It's just the fact that this fee is so bogus that it ****es me off. It's just something that doesn't make sense and I feel like I am being ripped off and there's nothing I can do about it. It's much like the electric company is going to say, you need power? okay, i am going to charge you an extra 25 dollars per month because your house is less then 25 years old..

Thanks Redvan. I did check the site but i couldn't find the 10 dollars/day thing. Could you point me in the right direction? Much appreciated..

Flames in 07 · 10-25-2006, 10:07 PM

BTW, thinking back, the only time I got away with a rental car before 25 was "advantage auto rental" They were in arizona ... not sure how many markets they are in.

DementedReality · 10-25-2006, 10:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fobby

It's not that I don't have the extra $25/day to spend on the rental vehicle. It's just the fact that this fee is so bogus that it ****es me off. It's just something that doesn't make sense and I feel like I am being ripped off and there's nothing I can do about it. It's much like the electric company is going to say, you need power? okay, i am going to charge you an extra 25 dollars per month because your house is less then 25 years old..

Thanks Redvan. I did check the site but i couldn't find the 10 dollars/day thing. Could you point me in the right direction? Much appreciated..

i explained it. insurance companies charge more to cover drivers under 25 years old. therefore, the rental company passes these costs on to the consumer.

seems reasonable to me.

Fobby · 10-25-2006, 10:22 PM

... i know that insurance companies charge more.. but why?

I got that fee waived before using AMA at Hertz... they stopped doing that. =\ I guess I will have to go try my luck at Enterprise... my manager told me Alamo used to not have this fee as well.. but they have it now.

FlamesKickAss · 10-25-2006, 10:25 PM

if its for work can't you write it off anyways?? it just one of those things that us under 25 have to deal with. thankfully I am in my final year of worrying about this.

DementedReality · 10-25-2006, 10:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fobby

... i know that insurance companies charge more.. but why?

I got that fee waived before using AMA at Hertz... they stopped doing that. =\ I guess I will have to go try my luck at Enterprise... my manager told me Alamo used to not have this fee as well.. but they have it now.

insurance companies use decades of data to determine the risk of the insured. its a proven fact that people under 25 have more accidents.

insurance is all about managing risk.

automaton 3 · 10-25-2006, 11:33 PM

Enterprise is most definately in the US - the company started in St. Louis and only came to Canada in the 90's.

Enterprise didn't used to charge an under 25 fee, but I think there was an additional charge for under 21 (?) but would usually only rent to persons in that age group for insurance replacement vehicles, which is Enterprise's bread and butter.

Fobby · 10-26-2006, 08:39 AM

Thanks for the replies guys. I think I will give Enterprise a call when I go down to the states..I remember Enterprise not charging the 25 and under fee if you are above 21, but at the time, I needed the rental to drive down to the states, so I had to look else where and found CAA-Hertz Partnership. 80 dollars for a year of memeber vs $175 extra to rent the car for a week... too bad that's no longer available...

as for writing it off since it's for business, i want to save my company some money..

Reaper · 10-26-2006, 09:25 AM

I remember renting a Dodge Intrepid ES at Pearson Airport when I was 24. I ended up paying $360 for Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Of course, I was totally ****ed off at the time but what are you going to do? They know you want to rent a car and they are allowed to discriminate on the basis of age when it comes to charging you additional fees. So, you pretty much have to bite the pillow and take it until you are 25. It sucks but it is another rite of passage in life. They are not obligated to rent you a car so you pay extra for the priviledge of doing so.