Using credit card to rent a car

[Anonymous]

i went to rent a car the other day and there were not one- but two people ahead of me, each of them having a hard time renting a car because they didn't have credit cards. I felt sorry for them. One was a foreign guy who kept saying, "I rented in (another state) and they never asked me these questions." The guy wanted a current utilities bill in his name that did not have a past due balance.

The other customer was a young lady, maybe a college student who wanted to know if she could rent with her mother's credit card but her mother wasn't with her.

The wave of compassion I had! That was me most of my life. I remember trying to find car rental companies that accepted debit cards and ones that didn't put a hold that were too big on my card. Or later on, getting to the rental counter with my secured card hoping the rental wouldn't be larger than my available balance. 

This time I could choose a rental car company based on the lowest price with no worry about my payment methods.  And I'm paying things off in full so I never have to worry about having enough room on my credit line. Such a relief!

[Anonymous]

That used to be me too!! I've been through bankruptcy at age 25 (I'm 33 now). Finally I have a decent established credit. Since last year I only simply need my credit card. I no longer have to gather utility and rent statements etc! This is bliss especially since I rent 5-6 times a year for weekend vacays.

[Anonymous]

Yeah, been there.  I traveled for work out of state.  I checked into the hotel I was to stay at and was asked for a deposit for phone use. I proudly handed them my first $500 secured card which had just been PIF and was declined.  I thought my payment hadn't posted so I waited a couple of days and tried again. Declined.  They were trying to put a $2,500.00 hold on my $500 card for phone service!  When I explained that it only had a $500 limit and asked if we could work something out, the lady just looked at me like I was the lowest creature on the planet.  Even though I was probably making 4 or 5 times as much as she did and paid cash.  It is a much simpler world if you have credit.  It was a good lesson for me.

[youdontkillmoney]

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@Anonymous wrote:

i went to rent a car the other day and there were not one- but two people ahead of me, each of them having a hard time renting a car because they didn't have credit cards. I felt sorry for them. One was a foreign guy who kept saying, "I rented in (another state) and they never asked me these questions." The guy wanted a current utilities bill in his name that did not have a past due balance.

The other customer was a young lady, maybe a college student who wanted to know if she could rent with her mother's credit card but her mother wasn't with her.

The wave of compassion I had! That was me most of my life. I remember trying to find car rental companies that accepted debit cards and ones that didn't put a hold that were too big on my card. Or later on, getting to the rental counter with my secured card hoping the rental wouldn't be larger than my available balance. 

This time I could choose a rental car company based on the lowest price with no worry about my payment methods.  And I'm paying things off in full so I never have to worry about having enough room on my credit line. Such a relief!

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^^^^^^

I've witnessed that too at car rental companies as well, someone not beng able to rent due to not having a credit card for deposit. Makes one appreciate the benefits of having access to credit.

[vanillabean]

Even if a foreign tourist has a credit card, isn't there the issue of insurance, not to mention whether the company will accept the country's license?

[Anonymous]

Yeah been there too.  Went out of state to visit inlaws for a holiday and car broke down so I put it in a shop.  It took them 4 days to fix it ordering parts and such so I go to rent a car.   I couldn't  rent a car because I didn't have a credit card, just a debit.   Same thing with the utility bill too,  that was a wake up call for me that I needed to fix my credit. 

[TURNERHOOVER]

I too remember those secured cards days very well.

[Anonymous]

yes, been there too, used to use Alamo only because they didnt put a hold on the card just the amount of the rental (only had one CC) and I needed to get a hotel when traveling for work so I needed room. Went to a convention one time for work and the hotel was paid but they wanted to put a hold on a credit card...$1,500 and my highest limit was $1,000 so they used $950. Im never going back to that EVER if I can help it but I truly understand where they are and what they are going through

[jamesdwi]

Yeap been there did that, when I first started rebuilding and traveling, it was always a case of PIF the credit card before hand, then making sure I had a couple grand or more in my checking account, because of all the holds that come with traveling, the flights were already paid off, yet, even $1000 availble CL on my credit card and $2000 balance in my checking was at time not enough, got to love $500 car rental holds, $100 pre-auths for hotels, 30% over the bill holds for dining in a resturant, $250 holds at gas stations. Don't even think about if my cellphone bill or insurance was due that week. Some car rental places won't take an ATM card at the airport, only at their other offices which adds even more fun. 

Which I recomend if you are going to travel and have a 650-700 FICO get an AMEX charge card, then most of the headaches go away, you just swipe, knowing your internal limit is high enough to take care of it. 

[blessed-man1980]

Years back I was in Dubai and I wanted to rent a car and I didn't have freaking CC ..My buddy had to rent it for me .