Another rental car scam - california but could go other places (1 Viewer)

[jongood]

Now its the tolls. We ended up paying $145 extra and didnt pass a single toll. There are other options available but you arent given them. I think this is a scam that could equally apply to rented RV's

We landed at LA 2 weeks ago and went to get our pre-arranged rental car. I knew that there are quite a few toll roads around LA but not sure exactly where. I also knew that they were electronic only and had done some research but couldnt see how I could register without the licence plate of the car I was going to use.

So at the desk I was persuaded to buy a toll pass, it was expensive at $60/week but I was assured that I only paid for weeks that I used it. As I knew it was only the first 3 days that could be a problem I took it in the belief that worst case scenario it was going to cost $60 plus tax ( always plus tax in US).

On return I was charged $145. I dutifully joined the queue to ask for my money back ( the clock of course is ticking and they know this) Many others had the same issue as well as the women who had decided to decline the pass and was being charged each toll plus $15 admin per event and was well over $100 for 4 days.

Anyway to cut a long story short;- It seems to be in lots of places in USA and I cannot see why it would not come to anywhere where there are tolls. There are usually other methods to pay but they can complicated to foreigners who have just got off a long plane ride frequently overnight.

Theres lots on here

https://www.consumeraffairs.com/travel/platepass-com.html

Hope it helps anyone going to avoid being scammed by these cynical barstewards.

Jon

 

[mjltigger]

When I had a hire car in. California they gave us a box in the windscreen. Left closed it did nothing and tolls were my problem. Opened it beeped every time we passed a toll and the charge came off the company credit card. We only used the expressway from Pasadena to LAX but I'm told the charges were very small. We used Avis.

 

[Coastal Cruiser.]

Is this a new thing Jon?

Was out there for over 3 weeks a couple of years ago and drove down from Vegas and spent over 2 weeks driving all around LA and down the coast taking in all the local classic car meets and doing the car museums.
Did get fined for parking facing the wrong In a residential road!

Do not recall seeing any tolls, used to use a lot of toll roads when we drove around Florida as they have the bins you throw the money in.

Due to go back to LA the end of the year and do the coast road up to San Francisco then back up to Vegas.

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[buttons]

You could look on it as a peace of mind payment, without it you would have been worried every time you went near a toll road... Sounds like good value

 

[jongood]

Is this a new thing Jon?

Was out there for over 3 weeks a couple of years ago and drove down from Vegas and spent over 2 weeks driving all around LA and down the coast taking in all the local classic car meets and doing the car museums.
Did get fined for parking facing the wrong In a residential road!

Do not recall seeing any tolls, used to use a lot of toll roads when we drove around Florida as they have the bins you throw the money in.

Due to go back to LA the end of the year and do the coast road up to San Francisco then back up to Vegas.

The tolls arent new, but I think the platepass/quickpass etc are a new thing. All the reviews on the posted link seem to be recent.

The Car hire firm we used were Dollar but this seems to be going on with others as well under different names. I wonder if they belong to the hire companies.

Its particularly irritating that these companies seem intent on making travel more difficult, I checked the insurance scam and the fuel scam and thought I had it covered!

 

[jongood]

Is this a new thing Jon?

Was out there for over 3 weeks a couple of years ago and drove down from Vegas and spent over 2 weeks driving all around LA and down the coast taking in all the local classic car meets and doing the car museums.
Did get fined for parking facing the wrong In a residential road!

Do not recall seeing any tolls, used to use a lot of toll roads when we drove around Florida as they have the bins you throw the money in.

Due to go back to LA the end of the year and do the coast road up to San Francisco then back up to Vegas.

Sorry forgot to add. Check the condition of CA1, as our original plan was to go to San Francisco and return slowly down PCH but the winter rains have blocked the road from Big Sur to ragged Rock and it will not be open for at least 6 months as a Pfeiffer Canyon Bridge is having to be rebuilt.
http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/roadinfo/display.php?page=sr1

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[chaser]

Nothing to do with USA but would like to recommend a car hire firm in Europe, we have had excellent service from zest car hire a couple of times now, seems to good to be true, but they never try to sell you stuff you don't need and no hidden costs, and they let you take it back with the same fuel it had in when you picked it up, say, three quarters full, and in Portugal they ask if you will be going on the motorway , if you say you are they give you £10 credit if you don't then use it you get your tenner back, fantastic car hire firm , cheap as well.

 

[apm101]

Same for the Dartford Crossing, and there's one in Dublin, too. Pay or pay, that's your choice!!

 

[jongood]

Same for the Dartford Crossing, and there's one in Dublin, too. Pay or pay, that's your choice!!

I dont think this is quite the same.

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