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| traveller... |
 Posted: Fri May 22, 2009 6:12 pm |
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Payless Car Rental Montreal – hidden geographic restrictions on
‘unlimited miles’
A few months ago I booked a car on Travelocity to go from Montreal to
a location 600 km away and back again. Naturally like a fool I
gravitated to the cheapest option – Payless car rental based in the
Montreal airport hotel, an independent franchise. What a delight when
on the screen I saw unlimited miles; however little did I realize
there was a hidden clause on the next tab of the page under
geographical restrictions saying unlimited miles is only for the
province of Quebec.
Anyway I went ahead and booked the car and also 2 hotel rooms in my
destinations for the 3 day vacation. The day before our journey I
went over to the location and was straight off asked where I was
going, and like an honest bloke I said such and such place. I was
immediately nailed with the ‘then sir, unlimited miles does not
apply.’ I was reeling. Should I cancel and get another car? Should
I try to negotiate? It was too late to cancel my vacation. This was
the classic bait and switch.
I left the place and sat in the lobby to think for a bit; it’s
interesting that when I dropped of the car later I saw 2 fellows
cancel their reservation on the spot. Anyway it was too late so I
went ahead and got the car, and begged them to lower my over distance
fees. I hate getting surprised like this. I hate losing control over
my destiny, and being at the mercy of others. Anyway through their
infinite magnificent grace and mercy they decided to extend by daily
km allowance out of province and to reduce my charge per over km.
Nonetheless when I brought the car back I was hit with a huge excess
charge. Of course the smart fellow behind the counter blamed it on
me, saying it was my fault I did not read the fine print. How
convenient. I wonder how the credit card companies like it now, in
North America, that the governments are forcing them to vomit the
sneaky fine print out into bold letters in boxes above the sign here
line.
I wanted to be a bit of a smartass so I asked the guy, what if I lied
and said I would drive around aimlessly inside Quebec. He said, well
sir we will check this on the audit of the contract, with the
satellite location finder records showing you left Quebec, and we will
then hold you in infraction of the contract. So don’t try that –
honesty is the best policy always. By honesty I mean the complete
truth, not part of it.
By the way this geographic limitation is quite bizarre. I only see
this in Quebec only with Payless of course. I used to live in Boston
for 10 years and regularly rented cars there for unlimited mileage and
I never saw any geographic restrictions. I looked around other rental
agencies and I think unlimited only applies to Canada, and entering
the USA is altogether another aspect. These is in general a
cautionary tale – call ahead and confirm that the unlimited miles
means what it says; calls the agent you used [online or otherwise] and
the rental firm. Finally get it in writing that it is indeed
unlimited.
Conclusion – ‘Payless’ means ‘Getless’, and you end up paying the same
as others, through tricks and games and deception.
Located in the Lobby of the Hilton Hotel
12505 Cote de Liesse
Dorval, Quebec H9P 1B7
Canada
514-828-9494
Montreal paylesscarrental.net
http://www.paylesscarrental.com/ |
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