UK Car rental

Arrived this morning at LGW on the VS66 and checked in with Avis on my rental back home. I had prepaid Budget for an E Class Merc and Avis handle Budget rentals. Pitched up at the Avis desk at the South Terminal and was asked for an Amex or Diners card: says "Nope, have neither, but have Visa and MCard". Agent tells me that without either Amex or Diners I can't get the Merc, even though prepaid.

I checked the contract with him and it quite clearly says either Visa, MCard, Amex or Diners.

One to watch, as when I told him that I have a contract, having prepaid, consideration and all that, he insisted that I didn't and I wouldn't be getting my Merc.

I checked the small print with him and I was correct but they wouldn't uphold it: no worries in the end as I needed a bigger vehicle due to the amount of luggage we had and the Avis guy was really helpful in sorting it out.

Hertz do the same. Don't know why. Mercs are taxis in Germany so I guess that makes them a bit like Toyotas ?

Hmmmm, sounds a very odd rule for a company in the UK...

Good to hear you managed to get a different car ok though.

Never heard of that before but check this out

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/avis/176 ... cards.html

I have had to use Avis for work a couple of times recently and have been less than impressed. We are automatically enrolled in Hertz #1 Gold and Avis Preferred.

With Hertz Gold, name on the display with bay number, photo id checked on exit from lot. Total time, 3 minutes,

With Avis Preferred, queue up wait just under the "3 minutes or money off" threshold, get attended to ahead of long line of other rentees, (with attendant glares), get told off for not bringing paper part of licence, have to sign waiver form as they can't raise DVLA at 9pm to check I don't have endorsements..total time 15 minutes.

OK, the *real* difference is only 12 minutes and isn't going to cause the earth to shift on its axis but I know who I'll be booking with in future..