rental van Hertz vs Europcar

Hello,

We will be on a 3 week roadtrip from Adelaide via KI, Grampians, etc to
Melbourne with a group of 5 people. I have reservations for two vans, and I
will have to decide which one to cancel. Hertz offers a Toyota Tarago at
$69+tax per day, Europcar offers a KIA Carnival at $65+tax per day. I think
I would prefer the Toyota, but both companies list the car with the
disclaimer "or similar", so you really don't know what you're going to get.
Reading the small letters, Hertz appears to be a bit more realistic with
where you can take the car (Europcar allows you to be on sealed roads only).
Can anybody comment on this?

And while we're on the subject: what is the gasoline price in SA and VIC?
Thanks!

Rob M.

"Robm" wrote in message
...
Hello,

We will be on a 3 week roadtrip from Adelaide via KI, Grampians, etc to
Melbourne with a group of 5 people. I have reservations for two vans, and
I will have to decide which one to cancel. Hertz offers a Toyota Tarago at
$69+tax per day, Europcar offers a KIA Carnival at $65+tax per day. I
think I would prefer the Toyota, but both companies list the car with the
disclaimer "or similar", so you really don't know what you're going to
get. Reading the small letters, Hertz appears to be a bit more realistic
with where you can take the car (Europcar allows you to be on sealed roads
only). Can anybody comment on this?

Quite a bit of Kangaroo Island has unsealed roads, so you might be better
off with Hertz on that score.

And while we're on the subject: what is the gasoline price in SA and VIC?

They vary from city to country areas (we call it petrol here, don't ask for
gas or you'll be directed to the LPG tanks)
See www.travelmate.com.au for an indication of prices. Around $1 per litre
at present.

David Bennetts

in article , David Bennetts at
wrote on 2/13/05 4:41 PM:


"Robm" wrote in message
...
Hello,

We will be on a 3 week roadtrip from Adelaide via KI, Grampians, etc to
Melbourne with a group of 5 people. I have reservations for two vans, and
I will have to decide which one to cancel. Hertz offers a Toyota Tarago at
$69+tax per day, Europcar offers a KIA Carnival at $65+tax per day. I
think I would prefer the Toyota, but both companies list the car with the
disclaimer "or similar", so you really don't know what you're going to
get. Reading the small letters, Hertz appears to be a bit more realistic
with where you can take the car (Europcar allows you to be on sealed roads
only). Can anybody comment on this?

Quite a bit of Kangaroo Island has unsealed roads, so you might be better
off with Hertz on that score.

And while we're on the subject: what is the gasoline price in SA and VIC?

They vary from city to country areas (we call it petrol here, don't ask for
gas or you'll be directed to the LPG tanks)
See www.travelmate.com.au for an indication of prices. Around $1 per litre
at present.

David Bennetts



Hertz expressly prohibits its vehicles (except 4x4s??) from going on 'Roo
Island. It also states that vehicles with damage on unsealed or
non-government roads (can't remember which) are, except in cases of
temporary road repair, "total responsibility areas" meaning you're on the
hook for all costs, not just the excess. Read their terms carefully!!

I suggest you check with both companies about whether you can take their
vehicle onto Kangaroo Island as some wont let you and it is a specific
exclusion on their contracts due to the "pebbles" on the roads which can
cause a vehicle to slide sideways.
The local renting companies use vehicles that have been "belted" around
pretty well .
There is a main bituminised road around the perimeter of the Island BUT to
get to the places off of it you will travel on corrugated unsealed roads.
Freda
"Raffi Balmanoukian" a
wrote in message
news:BE355720.29EA5%walkabout@TAKEOUTTHETRASHTOREP LY.ns.sympatico.ca...
in article , David Bennetts at
wrote on 2/13/05 4:41 PM:


"Robm" wrote in message
...
Hello,

We will be on a 3 week roadtrip from Adelaide via KI, Grampians, etc to
Melbourne with a group of 5 people. I have reservations for two vans,
and
I will have to decide which one to cancel. Hertz offers a Toyota Tarago
at
$69+tax per day, Europcar offers a KIA Carnival at $65+tax per day. I
think I would prefer the Toyota, but both companies list the car with
the
disclaimer "or similar", so you really don't know what you're going to
get. Reading the small letters, Hertz appears to be a bit more
realistic
with where you can take the car (Europcar allows you to be on sealed
roads
only). Can anybody comment on this?

Quite a bit of Kangaroo Island has unsealed roads, so you might be
better
off with Hertz on that score.

And while we're on the subject: what is the gasoline price in SA and
VIC?

They vary from city to country areas (we call it petrol here, don't ask
for
gas or you'll be directed to the LPG tanks)
See www.travelmate.com.au for an indication of prices. Around $1 per
litre
at present.

David Bennetts



Hertz expressly prohibits its vehicles (except 4x4s??) from going on 'Roo
Island. It also states that vehicles with damage on unsealed or
non-government roads (can't remember which) are, except in cases of
temporary road repair, "total responsibility areas" meaning you're on the
hook for all costs, not just the excess. Read their terms carefully!!

"Raffi Balmanoukian"

Hertz expressly prohibits its vehicles (except 4x4s??) from going on 'Roo
Island. It also states that vehicles with damage on unsealed or
non-government roads (can't remember which) are, except in cases of
temporary road repair, "total responsibility areas" meaning you're on the
hook for all costs, not just the excess. Read their terms carefully!!


I just checked the Hertz website about this:
a.. Unsealed roads (excluding 4WD's) other than roads under construction and
short access roads to State and National Parks. However, rentals where MAX
PKG has been accepted at the agreed rate per day, have CDW for unsealed road
damage reinstated and the applicable ADE is reduced to zero;

I don't see where they exclude KI. I was hoping that the park access roads
would get me to most places... Europcar doesn't give you the option for
access roads.

Rob M

Maybe it's changed, but there was a specific sign at the depot in ADL when I
was last there. In addition, I'd argue that the unpaved roads IN Roo NP
are not "short access roads." The optional coverage is indeed new since I
last checked.

"Robm" wrote in message
...

"Raffi Balmanoukian"

Hertz expressly prohibits its vehicles (except 4x4s??) from going on 'Roo
Island. It also states that vehicles with damage on unsealed or
non-government roads (can't remember which) are, except in cases of
temporary road repair, "total responsibility areas" meaning you're on the
hook for all costs, not just the excess. Read their terms carefully!!


I just checked the Hertz website about this:
a.. Unsealed roads (excluding 4WD's) other than roads under construction
and short access roads to State and National Parks. However, rentals where
MAX PKG has been accepted at the agreed rate per day, have CDW for
unsealed road damage reinstated and the applicable ADE is reduced to zero;

I don't see where they exclude KI. I was hoping that the park access roads
would get me to most places... Europcar doesn't give you the option for
access roads.

Rob M

Well, the way I read it, is that the Hertz CDW coverage ends more or less
where the pavement ends. This means that I will be liable up to the cost of
a new car if something bad happens. However, my Canadian gold credit card
CDW coverage should kick in at that same time. I haven't found anything that
says that it doesn't. The card coverage tells me to always decline CDW
coverage by the rental company unless the rental company doesn't have that
option (as is the case with Hertz in Australia), in which case the card
covers the deductable. So I think I'm OK to take that car anywhere I want.
Am I wrong (or stupid, or both)?

The optional coverage ("MAX PKG") is too expensive to consider ($30+ per
day).

Rob M.

"R.A. Balmanoukian" wrote in message
...
Maybe it's changed, but there was a specific sign at the depot in ADL when
I was last there. In addition, I'd argue that the unpaved roads IN Roo
NP are not "short access roads." The optional coverage is indeed new
since I last checked.

"Robm" wrote in message
...

"Raffi Balmanoukian"

Hertz expressly prohibits its vehicles (except 4x4s??) from going on
'Roo
Island. It also states that vehicles with damage on unsealed or
non-government roads (can't remember which) are, except in cases of
temporary road repair, "total responsibility areas" meaning you're on
the
hook for all costs, not just the excess. Read their terms carefully!!


I just checked the Hertz website about this:
a.. Unsealed roads (excluding 4WD's) other than roads under construction
and short access roads to State and National Parks. However, rentals
where MAX PKG has been accepted at the agreed rate per day, have CDW for
unsealed road damage reinstated and the applicable ADE is reduced to
zero;

I don't see where they exclude KI. I was hoping that the park access
roads would get me to most places... Europcar doesn't give you the option
for access roads.

Rob M

The cards usually say that they will not cover you if you have damaged the
car "in violation of the rental agreement," or similar. I would personally
argue that driving on the dirt doesn't violate the rental agreement (as I
remember it to read, which is a dangerous assumption as to accuracy!!) - it
only means that you are not covered by CDW (unlike for example, racing or
drink driving which most certainly ARE violations of the rental agreement,
and rightly so). I don't think I'd like to go 15 rounds with an insurance
company over that dispute, though.


"Robm" wrote in message
...
Well, the way I read it, is that the Hertz CDW coverage ends more or less
where the pavement ends. This means that I will be liable up to the cost
of a new car if something bad happens. However, my Canadian gold credit
card CDW coverage should kick in at that same time. I haven't found
anything that says that it doesn't. The card coverage tells me to always
decline CDW coverage by the rental company unless the rental company
doesn't have that option (as is the case with Hertz in Australia), in
which case the card covers the deductable. So I think I'm OK to take that
car anywhere I want. Am I wrong (or stupid, or both)?

The optional coverage ("MAX PKG") is too expensive to consider ($30+ per
day).

Rob M.

"R.A. Balmanoukian" wrote in
message ...
Maybe it's changed, but there was a specific sign at the depot in ADL
when I was last there. In addition, I'd argue that the unpaved roads IN
Roo NP are not "short access roads." The optional coverage is indeed new
since I last checked.

"Robm" wrote in message
...

"Raffi Balmanoukian"

Hertz expressly prohibits its vehicles (except 4x4s??) from going on
'Roo
Island. It also states that vehicles with damage on unsealed or
non-government roads (can't remember which) are, except in cases of
temporary road repair, "total responsibility areas" meaning you're on
the
hook for all costs, not just the excess. Read their terms carefully!!


I just checked the Hertz website about this:
a.. Unsealed roads (excluding 4WD's) other than roads under construction
and short access roads to State and National Parks. However, rentals
where MAX PKG has been accepted at the agreed rate per day, have CDW for
unsealed road damage reinstated and the applicable ADE is reduced to
zero;

I don't see where they exclude KI. I was hoping that the park access
roads would get me to most places... Europcar doesn't give you the
option for access roads.

Rob M