General Info

[Yakob]

Sorry about this. But for Americans who've traveled to Germany, are there any differences between renting a car in the states and renting one in Germany?

I'll be in Frankfurt at the beginning of next month and I want to reserve a car tomorrow so it's all lined up so looking for last minute surprises. Thinking about going with Hertz.

IME I have not seen much difference. You book your dates, time and location and you select the extras that you opt for either. I am also booked with Hertz for the beginning of next month. Price same as renting one at home except you pay euro on one or the option of USD or euro on other.

[Arctic]

Sorry about this. But for Americans who've traveled to Germany, are there any differences between renting a car in the states and renting one in Germany?

I mean. Aside from Dollar / Thrifty / Budget. Who are supposed to be run by the Pirate Kriegsmarine "Terstappen". I know about those guys and how they bully you into buying their insurance and all at punitive rates.

But for the reputable companies. I haven't found a difference between German rental companies and the way they do business and the USA.

What I did find. Is that there is a 20 percent additional fee charged to rentals picked up at airport and train stations. And that can be avoided by going to an offsite location 3 or more miles from the airport. We don't have that sillyness here in the states that I'm aware of. And yeah. There are some "goofy fees" like winterized tires I suppose. But I've seen some pretty goofy fees here also.

But for everything else. The insurance. Looks like they handle it all the same as US companies. If your credit card carries insurance. You don't have to buy their insurance.

I'll be in Frankfurt at the beginning of next month and I want to reserve a car tomorrow so it's all lined up so looking for last minute surprises. Thinking about going with Hertz.

[Sucker17]

I rented twice with Avis, once in Dusseldorf and once in Frankfurt. The winter tires were already included and the price was the same, just like Hertz. Checking the tires, they had the snow image on the sidewall but they appeared to be all season tires as opposed to a strictly winter tire.

There is no such thing as "all season tire". A tire is either summer tire or winter tire. I know that some are led to believe that all season tires exist, but a tire is all about compromises. You can't have all the best features packed into one tire! The snow image is accompanied with M+S which means that the tire is designed for Mud and Snow conditions. The winter tires in Germany are often referred to as continental tires (not to be related to the tire brand Continental) , and do not have the same features as winter tires that are sold / used in for example Scandinavia (except Denmark).

[Ortos]

Anyone know if SixT and Enterprise have a surcharge for winter tires?

I rented from Sixt. De (but the english-language version) about last year in November and there was NO surcharge for winter tyres. I think, if memory serves, it was offered as an option, an option that I declined to accept on their website, but when I actually got the car from FRA (aiport) the vehicle had winter tyres on it already and I was not charged extra.

O

[Boomer10]

Anyone know if SixT and Enterprise have a surcharge for winter tires?

Last March when I rented from SixT there was no additional charge. I'm planning a trip in Oct. When I checked the SixT website, a winter tire surcharge was noted on the page.

[Banana Boi]

I rented twice with Avis, once in Dusseldorf and once in Frankfurt. The winter tires were already included and the price was the same, just like Hertz. Checking the tires, they had the snow image on the sidewall but they appeared to be all season tires as opposed to a strictly winter tire.

Anyone know if SixT and Enterprise have a surcharge for winter tires?

[Burma Jones]

I have pre-booked rental cars with Hertz for 5 trips spanning November (2 trips) and December (3 trips) this year and for each of those 5 trips the winter tyres were included in the regular rental cost of the car. The prices I pre-booked at were no more than the cost of a Hertz rental car during my summer time trips.

This was the same last year for winter 2011/2012.

I rented twice with Avis, once in Dusseldorf and once in Frankfurt. The winter tires were already included and the price was the same, just like Hertz. Checking the tires, they had the snow image on the sidewall but they appeared to be all season tires as opposed to a strictly winter tire.

[Akibono]

I read a news article last week that Europcar was fined €45, 000 by the German authorities for tracking the whereabouts of their rental cars with GPS. It tended to be the more high end cars rather than the modest cars that were tracked. I guess there was a percentage of those rental cars ending up in the known locations of brothels, FKKs, saunaclubs, etc. With your car tracking you as being there. LOL.

I expect that rental car companies have to have some means of security to track their cars should they be lost or stolen. It may be a clause of the insurance to get lower premiums.

Nonetheless it makes a private person want to take public transport instead. LOL.

The Europeans take privacy seriously. Unlike the USA, where corporations get their way, the German gov. takes strong efforts to protects its citizens from intrusions into their private lives. There is not much stigma with going to the clubs--which is perfectly legal. I suspect the real issue is the car cos. charging huge fines when they see you have violated the geographical restrictions on the rental agreement. As a renter, you are responsible for anything that happens to the car.

[Yakob]

I read a news article last week that Europcar was fined €45, 000 by the German authorities for tracking the whereabouts of their rental cars with GPS. It tended to be the more high end cars rather than the modest cars that were tracked. I guess there was a percentage of those rental cars ending up in the known locations of brothels, FKKs, saunaclubs, etc. With your car tracking you as being there. LOL.

I expect that rental car companies have to have some means of security to track their cars should they be lost or stolen. It may be a clause of the insurance to get lower premiums.

Nonetheless it makes a private person want to take public transport instead. LOL.

[Yakob]

As for car hire companies: look very carefully at all quotes you get. Some companies (e. g. Budget) last year included winter tyres over the winter period whereas others charged anything up to 15 Euro a day extra!

I have pre-booked rental cars with Hertz for 5 trips spanning November (2 trips) and December (3 trips) this year and for each of those 5 trips the winter tyres were included in the regular rental cost of the car. The prices I pre-booked at were no more than the cost of a Hertz rental car during my summer time trips.

This was the same last year for winter 2011/2012.

[Nille Copenhagen]

I thought you'd already checked it out, didn't you do the Danish translation on their website?

Nope I didn't do the translation, the translation is BTW pretty bad.

[Sucker17]

Thanks,

I might check it out. It looks promising.

I thought you'd already checked it out, didn't you do the Danish translation on their website?

[Nille Copenhagen]

http://www.fkk-harmony.com/Deutsch/start.html

New FKK not far from Hamburg.

B30

Thanks,

I might check it out. It looks promising.

[Big30]

http://www.fkk-harmony.com/Deutsch/start.html

New FKK not far from Hamburg.

B30

[Big30]

NO impact for the mayor clubs like Palace, Mainhattan, Oase, World, Sharks etc.

HB

Do not know what is a Major impact but for example GT, LR and PHG will have opening hours today as they have on Sunday / Public Holidays.

You could call that a minor impact : )!

Other clubs I am not sure about.

B30