Using Canadian Autoeurope Site from US?

[Jane]

For the fun of it, I checked the Canadian Autoeurope site to compare rental prices in Italy with the US rate. It is almost $300 cheaper for the same car for the same dates. Has anyone from the U.S. tried renting from the Canada site? Has it worked? Thanks for sharing.

 

[Pauline]

I know that some people do this, but make sure the conditions for renting are the same. Years ago someone on ST rented using the .co.uk site and they had to cut their trip short. AutoEurope in the UK would not refund any money because that is not in their conditions for renting. If she had rented from AutoEurope in the US, they would have given a refund.

It makes me a bit nervous to rent from the site from a country I am not resident in, but I don't know if they have any problem with it. Does anyone know?

 

[Jane]

OK. I called Auto Europe and asked if it is OK for a US citizen to use the Canada site and was told that it isn't a problem. The person I spoke with checked with his supervisor. He reminded me of the exchange rate which, of course, works in my favor. I first checked with my credit card to make sure of the exchange rate it would use. So, all is completed now and I saved $290. Checked my credit card billing and it was as they said it would be. When you use the Canada site, you can put in your US address and citizenship so it is all on the up and up.

 

[Chris]

That is REALLY good information! I've often wondered, but worried about being outed at the rental counter as a non-Canadian and sent away on foot. It never occurred to me to just call and ask -- good work, Jane!

 

[Pauline]

Interesting that there is so much of a difference in price.

One difference in the US and UK sites is that on the UK site there is no option for no insurance. You have to take insurance, but it has a high deductible (1000 Euro usually). We don't have credit cards here that cover the insurance the way that we had in the US with AMEX.

Sometimes I compare between US and UK and don't see much of a difference. I have been booking through the UK site since we have been here, but will check both next time.

 

[Jane]

This time both the US and Canada offered no deductible which is what we get simply to avoid any hassles in the event there is a problem. The contracts were the same for both countries. The price through the US site was $1756. Through Canada site it was $1721 CAD converted to $1463 USD. Not sure this would always be the case but certainly it is worth checking out each time.

 

[Pauline]

I agree that no deductible is great to have, but the last time I got it (for the Tuscany trip - where, of course, we did no damage) they tried to sell me extra protection for windows and undercarriage (if I remember right), saying they were not covered!! I didn't fall for it.

 

[Jane]

Thanks for the heads up! Who tried to sell it? At the rental location? (oops, forgot and replied to the email notification.)

 

[Pauline]

Yes, at the desk where we picked up the car.