[chummer]

No credit card between us, can't borrow one,don't seem to be able to hire a car without one(it's used as a deposit). Anyone had any experience with this? Can you try and blag it with a cash deposit? Help!

Always, always the last minute....

[slackline]

I've had this problem in the past myself, and some places let you leave a large deposit on a debit card when you collect the car, depends where though.

[neil h]

were are you hiring your car?

Some guys just arrived at my place in the same situation, I found them a place in font that take cash, if you look for local dealers rathyer than the big companies they are more likely to help you out

[tomtom]

Considered getting a pre-paid credit card? You'd have to whack in a load of cash first?? Might be worth checking with the hire car companies first

http://www.compareprepaid.co.uk/

[tomtom]

just found this too... not a complete dead end...

http://www.what-prepaid-card.co.uk/car-hire/Using-prepaid-card-hire-a-car.html

[chummer]

thank you all kindly for the info, basically i've fucked it for the prepaid,checked it out but I've not enough time, so gonna have to try and wing it with cash and the local companies. Looks like i'll be applying for a card on my return then..

[Sarpullido]

Hi!
I hired a car last weekend. Made payments on line with a Visa debit and had no problems. It was with Hertz in Paris (office located close to Louvre museum).

3 days before I hired a car in north London with Enterprise using the same card. No problems at all.

Hope it helps

[chummer]

And presumably you used the debit card for the deposit in Paris too?

[a dense loner]

there are still people with no credit cards? is it me or is it 2009? walking around without a credit card is like walking around with no arms, even big issue sellers carry card machines on them

[Sarpullido]

And presumably you used the debit card for the deposit in Paris too?

Yes, I did. No problems at all.

there are still people with no credit cards? is it me or is it 2009? walking around without a credit card is like walking around with no arms, even big issue sellers carry card machines on them

You're right.
I lost the Spanish one and the new one is in my parents' home. I'll be in Spain next month. Meanwhile, I applied for an HSBC one but it didn't arrive on time. Yes, I left some important things for the last minute.

[chummer]

I think you're wrong Dense, I'm 35 and have managed so far and even have full use of my arms, which are especially handy for rock climbing which I enjoy greatly(sorry for the shit sarcasm but it's been a frustrating day Dense)the only reason I can now see for having one is to hire a fucking car! Out of 4 of us going, nobody has one, and it is 2009!

[Jim]

here is a thought, get a credit card. problem solved 

[slackline]

I made the mistake of getting several credit cards to help me out through University.

A few years ago I finally cleared them and rather than wastefully receive a letter each month telling me I'd spent nothing and owe nothing I decided to get rid of all but one.

A year or so later that remaining card account was closed by the company due to inactivity.

I don't see why you need to apply for a credit card just to place a deposit on a car.  If you have sufficient cleared funds in your bank account why the fuck can't that be used as a deposit?

Really, can anyone (Dense, Jim or otherwise) provide an insight as to why it is a credit card with sufficient credit available that is required for a deposit over a debit card with sufficient cleared funds.  There's no difference to my understanding? 

[Duma]

 

Don't like the whole idea of credit cards - encouraging debt etc. etc. blah blah, see the last years news.... Having said that I've hired a car using my debit card no problem (was enterprise in UK though.)

[tomtom]

I kind of agree... I used to have three cards, then trimmed it down to one as I dont need more than one! That one I only use for ordering stuff online (as when I got it they had some sort of extra internet fraud protection cover thing) and goods over £100, as you effectively get insurance cover if something goes wrong with the purchase. This has proved useful a couple of times - I ordered two cases of wine from Virgin(satan-in-disguise)wine for family xmas presents and the delivery driver dropped one (according to my neighbour - I wasnt in) and left them both as delivered. Thanks for the red wine all over my porch cunts. I got them to take them back, but didnt get a refund and could not get through to customer service at all. In the end I just got Egg to refund me and left them to chase it up (was much less hassle). I also got money back for internet tickets that never materialised...
Also useful for works expenses, as I get 6-7 weeks interest free during which I can claim them back etc..

So there is some merit in having a credit card for some things.. but you certainly dont 'need' one..

[Jim]

I think the difference is that the hire companies reserve a certain amount on your credit card, not sure if this can be done on debit, they don't actually take it.
As tomtom says, there are quite a lot of benefits to using a credit card for certain things, getting one is easy enough, all you have to do is use it occasionally and pay it off and it doesn't cost you anything. Also its a lot easier to hire cars!

As dense says, its 2009, a credit card is a std bit of kit for most people, not having one can certainly be a disadvantage, like not having arms for example.
Modern life may be rubbish, but time to get with the times

[slackline]

I'm not sure thats something you can't do with a debit card, since there is always a delay between the check that is made to see if there is sufficient funds in your account and the money actually leaving your account which happens when the people you are paying decide to bank roll everything thats backed up.  All they need to do is set up their system in such a manner that this doesn't happen for a specific transaction until a car has been returned and checked for damage.  Yes you could go and spend the money in your account that has been checked and is waiting to be debited, but you could also go out and max out your credit card at the same time.

Yet again it comes down to poorly designed systems used in banking and a complete lack of impetus to change the status quo.


I won't be getting a credit card any time soon, but will be taking my business to companies who have a range of options for paying deposits when I'm looking to hire a car (most of whom are wankers anyway, like the twats who charged me £20 for picking up a car late in Dublin.....because my flight was delayed, like thats my fault FFS!  ).  I don't find this to be a disadvantage personally.

[Jim]

but you could also go out and max out your credit card at the same time.

'friad not, it wont let you because the money has been reserved

[slackline]

but you could also go out and max out your credit card at the same time.

'friad not, it wont let you because the money has been reserved

Could the same system not be applied to debit cards then? 

Surely banks can't intentionally allow you to go over-drawn, so if someone such as a car-hire company has said "We'd like to check that there are £XX available in this count as someone is buying something from us, but we won't take it for a few days cheers" then those funds have been deducted and reserved for that transaction.  Isn't this manifested as the disparity between cleared and available funds when you check your balance?  If the cars returned fine then the transaction is canceled and no money's taken, otherwise the transaction then completes.

Seems fairly straight-forward to me (but then I sometimes trivialise things see through the crap that companies and employees try and spout to pacify customers who ask questions of staff who don't really know what the fuck they're talking about and just want to get you out of the door as quickly as possible).

[Jim]

I don't think they can because reserving money you actually have is very different from reserving money that you don't have

[slackline]

Surely reserving money you do have would be preferable over money you don't 

Certainly from the individuals perspective, although it may be a collusion to force people into debt.

I realise that to the company they don't care because at the end of the day all they want is the excess should the care be returned damaged, but money is money and if I walked in to hire a car whether I leave the deposit for the excess in the form of a reserve amount on a credit card, debit card or as a wadge of cash it shouldn't make any difference as they will get their money.

[tomtom]

what we need is a UKB credit card!

[chummer]

Just to report back, firstly Jim:

here is a thought, get a credit card. problem solved

it's unbelievable I know Jim but I just couldn't get one with just days to go until leaving....
Anyways, enough of all that, basically we tried Hertz at Palma airportio and the computer said no, so we went to the next desk, a Spanish firm, 'Go something or other'(I will confirm this name for those who may need it), time check; ten to midnight... 'si senor, no problemio, debitio cardio.. computio it says si' or something like that(apologies for my Spanishio). They didn't even want a deposit of any sort, we got full insurance cover, a resonable rate, glass and excess cover included, it was a Berlingo people carrier thing, i'fuckin'deal. Happy days! So will I be getting a credit card now?......Manana..