Renting Auto In Las Vegas For Two Weeks - Only Have Debit Card

[bangkokburning]

I am taking my gf on a trip around the Grand Circle (AZ/UT), but have a big issue and I would like to resolve it best I can ahead of time. Plan B is at the airport, plan C is a <ACK> tour to the GC and call it a day.

By choice I do not have credit cards, gave them up a decade ago. BUT...we need a credit card to rent a car. SOME agencies MAY rent to you with a litany of stipulations. I do carry insurance in the US but there are other requirements that also may come to bear.

Another issue is that most require a cc for payment online therefore I cannot reserve a car. This may be to our benefit - we can shop around when we land (although I am not looking forward to that at all).

Does anyone have any inside LV info that might allow me to rent a car for a few weeks in May, 2012?

[craigt3365]

Can't help you with the credit card, but shopping around once you get to Vegas is a bad idea. The various rental places are all over the area....especially the lesser known ones (and potentially cheaper).

Best bet is Expedia, Priceline, etc. My brother got a car for $11/day not long ago from one of these sites....which I'm sure requires a credit card.

[Pacificperson]

I am in Las Vegas at the moment. Reserved a clar through Expedia. No payment needed (wanted) until arrival.

I found out why - Lots of extra, non-optional charges that raised the actual price from an advertised $14-15/day to about $50/day. A friend is here at the same time. He told me he rented his car on a debit card but that they put a big freeze on his checking account. He did not say how much the hold was for though.

[lomatopo]

Maybe just have a look through the major rental companies' websites?

http://www.budget.co...ions/index.html

scroll down to "Payment Options"

Priceline

http://travela.price...570633&plf=PCLN

Note that with Priceline you can bid on a rental (Name Your own Price), or just make a normal (Published) reservation. The latter is usually better on weekly rentals. Since you can cancel a normal reservation I sometimes lock those in, then maybe bid.

[rak sa_ngop]

What about Rent-A-Wreck.

I just checked to see if they were still in business. This is what they say on their website:

Many of our locations will rent to qualified cash customers without credit cards, please contact any of our individual locations for specific pricing and policies.

[Pseudolus]

Surely the answer is;

Take 100k cash to a bank here. Get a credit card against that for 50k quick quick. Pay car rental etc cash with CC as security, come back, close account and you still have your 100k locked in a 1 yr savings account (0.00000002% interest I guess for the special farang rate).

[pmarlin]

They need that CC for security not just for the payment, If you use a Debit Card hope you have a large balance in your savings/checking account because they will put a large money amount hold on the account. IMHO it isn't a good idea to use a debit card, alot can happen.

[true blue]

They need that CC for security not just for the payment, If you use a Debit Card hope you have a large balance in your savings/checking account because they will put a large money amount hold on the account. IMHO it isn't a good idea to use a debit card, alot can happen.

they need a cc,or dc,so as they can charge you for any road traffic violations,as car in there name and fines go to them,plus you will get high admin charges if you commit a offence,

[theblether]

Get a prepaid credit card.......you're only spending your own money then, so not getting involved in credit limits.

Just google it.

[Pseudolus]

Get a prepaid credit card.......you're only spending your own money then, so not getting involved in credit limits.

Just google it.

I have the feeling they don't accept then; the print on them is often not raised which gives the game away

[technologybytes]

I went to Los Angeles in October 2011 and had no problem renting a car from Hertz Long Beach Office, I used my Debit Card and my Thai Licence. I have a UK Licence but it expired a couple of years ago. I drove out to Vegas, took about 3-4 hours I think.

Rentals cars in the USA are cheap compared with other countries too.

Kasikorn and Bangkok Bank (perhaps others) in Thailand tend to issue default cards without your name on, but if you ask and wait a week they weill give you a card with your name embossed on it. You will NEED your name embossed on the card, and not just for car rental. I think the charge was about 300 baht at bangkok bank.

[bangkokburning]

Lots of replies and not to be flippant, but no answers. They need a cc to overcharge me for incidentals and to cover wreckage and tickets - got it. Understand the whole situation folks..many complex answers are not feasible or even workable.

Cannot book Priceline - requires credit card.

I am going to book Thrifty (a booking I can walk away from) and any other company that can give me a booking.

Cannot book/pay online with a debit card.

Prepaid cards totally unacceptable. Even cash in mos cases is unwanted.

IF they take a debit they will tack a huge hold to the card and yes as a walk in I think it will be cost prohibitive. The only aces in my hand are that we can travel via public transport if need be ao we do not have to rent AND...we want to rent a long period of time (2weeks).

Las Vegas really sucks - Booking a hotel is just as shady as booking a car. More so. Even after you book online seems there may be even more charges on the bill - heres one of my favorites: a charge for safe warranty. That is ... a warranty on THEIR safe. There is no end to the bullshit.

[lomatopo]

I guess I may be stating the obvious but it may be worth it to get a credit card, of you are able.

Failing that, you should try a walk up rental at some name/off-brand rental car companies in/around LAS/the Strip. You should be able to do that with a debit as most of the Company websites I reviewed indicated as much. I now understand that you may not be able to reserve a hotel room and/or rental car with just a debit card. But from my reading it does seem like you can pick one up, drop it off and pay with a debit card, "at most locations".

Do you have a current Driver's License? From Thailand? The U.S.? Elsewhere? Ideally any/all addresses (license, CC, DC) should match.

[gk10002000]

I have used "pre-paid" credit card, but not the ones that people typically are thinking of. I used a "Secured" credit card. These are credit cards where you make a deposit, and they typically give you 1.2 or 1.5 times the amount on deposit. The credit card is completely normal. They report it to the credit card bureaus, it shows up on your credit report, etc. I used to use "sterling bank". It was great. It met all my needs. I never had any problems with it. The bank even paid some interest on the money I had on deposit. After a few years I obtained other credit cards and I let that card go and got my deposit back. It was a full blown completely valid credit card issued by a bank.

I think Orchard bank has a similar product. I think Capital One does also. There are others out there. The idea is they are for people that had bad credit and wanted to start re-establishing the credit. Of course they charge a yearly fee and other charges, but, I repeat, they are full and ready for use credit cards. I used it for all the things I needed a credit card for, plane tickets, car rentals, etc. Cash or debit cards just don't work well for some things such as car rentals. Check out "secured credit cards" and then visit the bankrate website for a decent list. I think this might do what you need. Not sure about non-us addresses or things like that.

[bangkokburning]

Thanks, I don't want a credit card. I hate credit and everything about it. I did not retire at 50 becasue I was in debt or pay fees and interest to banksters. First time I have needed a card in over ten years and I think it will be same before I need it again. So, no cc!

Secured card - no, that is just a hassle and it appears that will be turned down as well. Not saying that you were not sucessful.

I hate Capital One. I was a great customer of theirs for years and then we had some blow up on you know what - a car rental! I paid cash final and the assclown company charged my card anyway. Capital refused to roll back the charge despite me sending in all the paperwork. I refused to pay the bill and then they got all up in my face. &lt;deleted&gt;!? I ask you! That was when I was finished with credit cards for good.

I have explored off brand comapnies and they just look like even more thieves than the regular ones. Fox, Advantage...when I Google them, up pop the horror stories in the thousands. Remember, I am giving them m debit card as well - little recourse.

Yes, I keep my US licence, of course.

OK well thanks all -

[gk10002000]

Well, I understand your desire to not use or to not have a credit card, but I think you are being a bit obstinate by not having a credit card. I never abuse credit and find my main credit card massively useful and convenient. Plus, I get 1 % back on anything I purchase. I do not pay any fees of any type for my credit card with Etrade Bank. Pay everything online. Exremely convenient.

To each their own.

Good Luck.