Good Luck trying to rent a car under 25
By mkirby624
@mkirby624 (1598)
United States
February 6, 2007 7:36pm CST
So in June, my husband and I need a car when we fly to New York to visit our family all over the northeast. I have bee researching car rental companies to make sure that they will rent to people under 25 because I will be 23 when I pick this car up. Sure they do. If you want to pay about $200 extra in surcharges.
Does anyone else think this is completely unfair? Most nice hotels and condos waive their "noone under 25" policies when the people booking are a married couple. I feel like rental car companies should be the same. I realize that just because you are married doesn't mean you are automatically responsible, but for the most part, married 23 year olds are more responsible. Obviously they are responsible enough to live on their own, pay their own bills, etc.
I realize that insurance companies also jack up prices for people under 25, but for the short 7 days I plan to utilize this car, you think they would just make me purchase accidental insurance rather than make me pay $35/day.
I promise Hertz, Avis, Enterprise, and Alamo, I don't plan on smashing trash cans with the Chevy Aveo you are so graciously allowing me to rent.
1 person likes this
3 responses
@Chapman15 (1492)
• United States
7 Feb 07
Well I guess you have some valid points, but I think they have it the way is so there aren't any unecessary risks. Living in a sue happy country it's tough to make those rates be fair. I'm sure a few people messed it up for the rest! How much would it cost you for taxi's for the week? When I travel, I usually use taxi or a lucky friend lol!
1 person likes this
@mkirby624 (1598)
• United States
7 Feb 07
It would be impossible. We're going to visit his family in Schenectady for a week, then spending the next week in NYC, then going to Maine to visit my family. We've looked into taking a train, but that's too expensive too, and it won't take us where we need to go without getting a car somewhere..trains don't even go to Portland, we would have to take a bus, then find a way to get from Portland to where my family lives.
2 people like this
@Chapman15 (1492)
• United States
7 Feb 07
I guess that's way too many headaches! It sounds worth it just to pay the extra for renting a car under 25 lol! I'd say it sounds like the same mark up they do with booze...
1 person likes this
@medooley (1873)
• United States
10 Feb 07
The whole car rental thing under 25 is a joke. When I first started at my job I was under 25 and I had to rent a car on a business trip. They were going to try and not let me rent it at first with out some sort of higher rate. Well since our company does a lot of business with rental company our travel advisor called them and expressed to them the compance stance on the situation and if they were not able to give me the normal fee they were going to have to rethink the agreement that we had with them... guess what, they waived the fee...
1 person likes this
@maiahmae (69)
• United States
6 Mar 07
i work for a rental car company you listed... it is true about the insurance thing, least thats what they tell the employees too... and yes some companies have it negotiated out but... if your renting for personal uses, your screwed. thankfully i hit the golden age this year but dont fret my friends, employees are hit by this fee if they rent too... even better, if your under the age of 21, you cant rent at all without company sponsorship with the exception of millitary and insurance rentals. Good luck!
1 person likes this
@mkirby624 (1598)
• United States
13 Mar 07
Renting is just a nightmare. We sacked that vacation and switched to cruising instead. The only place you CAN rent under 21 is in NY, but the fee you have to pay is even higher than if you're just 21-25
1 person likes this
@huggiebear22 (2007)
• Canada
13 Mar 07
Yes I agree with you on that one but rental companies go by statistics adn 18-25 have the highest accident rate among drivers. I went had the same thign happen to me when i would travel for work they would charge extra fom the rental if I was the driver. Several times The accountant for our division would come and ask why there were $100-300 in etra charges and they were all casue i was under 25. The companies would do it no matter what or whose name rented the car.
