Gemütlichkeit

Dear GEMüTLICHKEIT Subscriber The Travel Letter for Germany, Austria & Switzerland Rental Car Confusion The marketing tactics of Europe’s major rental car companies often get in MAINZ the way of their customers’ understand- ing of the process. Example: in quoting Begin at the mammoth six-towered Romanesque cathedral, then explore a compact urban prices, rental companies always cite a layout squeezed between Rhine embankments and vineyard-covered hillsides. VSHFLÀFPDNHDQGPRGHO9RONVZDJHQ hat began as an imperial Ro- Mainz and east-bank Wiesbaden). Golf, Mercedes C-200, Audi A4, etc. man military encampment, Many travelers are under the impres- Looming above all else alongside W circa 38 A.D., underwent the Marktplatz, the reddish-sandstone sion that they will drive the exact ve- periodic wars, takeovers, Frankish-Hes- hicle mentioned in the quote. episcopal Mainzer Dom—dedicated to sian trouble-making, religious upheavals Sts. Martin and Stephan—makes a pow- Unfortunately, it doesn’t work that and territorial changes-of-fortune. But erful ecclesiastical statement. Among ZD\:KHQTXRWLQJRUFRQÀUPLQJD early generations of by Tom Bross western German cathedrals, only Co- booking, rental companies always use Mainzers came through logne’s and Speyer’s exceed this one in the term “or similar.” That full-size all this, thanks primarily to their city’s importance and iconic renown. Begun Mercedes Benz C-200 you think you location in what has become present- almost 1,000 years ago, the enormous booked could turn out to be an Opel day southwestern Germany. For this VL[WRZHUHGHGLÀFHH[HPSOLÀHV5RPDQ- Signum, Peugeot 607 or a make of car is where two rivers converge—Rhine esque design with its dome, transepts you’re totally unfamiliar with, such as meets Main—prompting riverboat cap- a Skoda or Seat (pronounced See-ott). It and east/west chancels, but featuring tains to drop anchor and stay awhile. subsequent Gothic and even rococo is vitally important that a prospective Long-enough stopovers brought trade renter understand that rental compa- embellishments. As expected, there’s and prosperity, eventually enhanced by nies guarantee by category—economy, much to see inside. Such as a neo- advantageous proximity to Frankfurt’s compact, intermediate, full-size, Gothic pulpit, side altars and chapels, banks and emergent stock markets. Also compact wagon, intermediate wagon, ÀYHGR]HQHOHFWRUDOSULQFHELVKRSV·DQG full-size van, standard van, premium, SURÀWDEO\QHDUE\DUHWKH5KHLQKHVVHQ canons’ tombstones, a 14th-century pew- luxury, etc.—notE\VSHFLÀFPDNHRU and Rheingau wine country. (The curv- ter baptismal font, rectors’ monuments, model. Within the category booked LQJ5KLQHÁRZVEHWZHHQZHVWEDQN Continued on page 3… you are guaranteed a type of transmis- sion (manual or automatic), number of Best Germany Guidebook doors (two or four) and whether the car is air-conditioned. This guarantee does espite the Internet and it’s many West Germany, including West Berlin not extend to engine type or size, trunk related electronic wireless de- (charming hotels and cozy restaurants style (hatchback or regular), color or D vices, the single most useful tool being rather scarce in hard-to-access equipment—though a few rentals may available to the traveler who wants to communist East Germany). specify diesel engine, and more expen- see Germany by automobile is still the The 1910 guide was dedicated to sive categories may guarantee GPS. Michelin Red Guide. The by Bob Bestor “gentlemen drivers” and carried advice This means the rental company can time will soon come RQFKDQJLQJWLUHVDQGZKHUHWRÀQGUH- give you any car it has decided to place when the guide will be accessible from pair shops and places to refuel—mostly in the category you reserved (or a car in the car but until that day the hefty red grocery stores and pharmacies. Hotel a higher category, but more on that in a book, with its approximately 10,000 hotel listings noted the availability of such minute). In fact, scant attention is paid and restaurant establishments, all catego- necessities as electricity, central heating to the make and model mentioned in rized, rated, with each one’s particular and bathrooms. the reservation. Let’s say, for example, advantages and charms depicted via a you’ve booked an intermediate sedan set of clever symbols, is still very much Today’s guides, of course, are most (IDMR in rental-speak) from Europcar worth carrying with you. famous for their star rating system of for pickup at the Frankfurt Airport. expensive restaurants. Dinner without <RXUFRQÀUPDWLRQVD\V´9:3DVVDWRU This year the Germany Red Guide beverages in a three-star Michelin res- th similar.” Let’s also say you are one of observes its 100 anniversary. Mind you, taurant—of which there are fewer than th 75 people scheduled to drive off in an it’s not the 100 edition, as the guide Continued on page 10… IDMR that same day from FRA. A few wasn’t published between 1914 and 1964. Exchange rates as of 7/9/2010 days prior to your arrival, when the In that 50-year hiatus there had become 1 euro = $1.26 Europcar Frankfurt station manager two Germanys and when the book was 1 Swiss franc = $0.95 Continued on page 2… revived in ’64, coverage was limited to 1 gallon diesel, Germany=$5.75 www.gemut.com July 2010 www.gemut.com http://theeuropetraveler.com DEAR SUBSCRIBER The Unwanted Upgrade about $25 per rental). Continued from page 1 How about when the rental company Beware, too, of proffered upgrades to tells you they are out of cars in the cat- such cars as the E-Class Mercedes, 5-Se- checks his reservation system, it will tell egory booked but are going to upgrade ries BMW, or Audi A6. Autos that retail him for the day of your arrival he needs you, no charge? Usually, but not always, for more than $50,000 are typically not 75 intermediate sedans, plus a few more that’s a pleasant surprise. Sometimes covered by most credit card insurance. for “walk-ups.” To be brutally honest, LQVWHDGRID9:*ROI\RXJHWD0HUFHGHV he doesn’t care in the least whether the Benz. More often, however, it’s a sedan Driving the Autobahn ,'05\RXJHWLVD9:3DVVDW2SHO WRVWDWLRQZDJRQKDUGHUWRSDUNDQG ´:LOOWKDW9:*ROIEH2.RQWKH 9HFWUD3HXJHRW)RUG0RQGHRRU burns more fuel. What if your upgrade Autobahn?,” is a common concern of something else. LVWRDIXHOKXQJU\689DQG\RX·UHSODQ- North Americans planning to drive in Europe. The short answer is, absolutely. Unfortunately, not all cars in a cat- ning to do a lot of driving? In fact, while you’re puttering along in egory are equal. For example, many rental Unfortunately, such upgrades are the right lane at 80mph you’ll likely be companies put the BMW 3-series in the within the rental company’s reservation passed by many compact and economy fullsize category, even though that car SROLF\7KHFRPSDQ\IXOÀOOHGLWVSURPLVH cars traveling at or above 100mph. After doesn’t have the luggage space of an in- by giving you a car in a category equal all, cars are made, sold and rented in termediate. Thus if your reservation says to or better than you booked. When that Europe under the assumption that they “Mercedes C-200 or similar,” and you’re KDSSHQV\RXURSWLRQVDUHWZRIROGDUJXH will be driven on the Continent’s super- banking on driving that particular vehicle RUÀQGDQRWKHUFRPSDQ\ highways. Though you may be more because that’s what your reservation says, Some voluntary upgrades have the comfortable in a larger, heavier car, al- and because you choose to ignore the “or potential to cost you money. Take Jim most any rental car, with the exception of similar” phrase, and because you went to and Susan. They booked a seven-pas- the tiny SmartCar, is Autobahn-worthy. \RXUORFDO0HUFHGHVGHDOHUDQGVDWLVÀHG senger van for pickup in Germany. They yourself that the C-200’s trunk will ac- Perhaps it is worth noting here that SDLGLQDGYDQFHZLWKD9LVDFDUGWKDW commodate your luggage, you could be clunkers are few and far between in the provides free collision and theft insur- in trouble when the agent at the counter ÁHHWVRIWKHPDMRUUHQWDOFDUVXSSOLHUV ance coverage. At the rental counter, assigns you a BMW 318. Oops, you’ve however, the agent handed them keys to Continued on page 12… got four people with luggage and there’s a nine-passenger van. QRZD\IRXUVXLWFDVHVÀWLQWKH%HDPHU·V Using Gemütlichkeit trunk. In this situation most rental agents It wasn’t until they were on the road • Hotel prices listed are for one night. Discounts that they noticed the vehicle had nine are often available for longer stays. will work with you to provide a car that • All hotel prices include breakfast unless oth- will accommodate your needs, but once seats instead of seven. At this point, erwise noted. LQDZKLOHSXVKFRPHVWRVKRYH\RXKDYH alarm bells should have gone off. But, • Local European telephone area codes carry to take the BMW, pay for an upgrade, or sadly, it didn’t occur to them that the the “0” required for in-country dialing. To phone larger van might not be covered by their establishments from outside the country, such walk away. (Note: travelers who book DVIURPWKH86$GRQRWGLDOWKH¿UVW³´ with Gemut.com/Auto Europe are given credit card’s free insurance policy. By a 24/7 toll-free help line.) My advice is now you’ve guessed what happened. Back Issues Website The van got a $1,000 fender scrape, Jim hope for the best but plan for the worst. If Many back issues in PDF format from January 1993 you have a lot of luggage, book a wagon. DQG6XVDQDSSOLHGWR9LVDIRUUHLPEXUVH- are available free to subscribers only at www.gemut. And be very surprised if the make and ment but were denied because nine-pas- com. To access the issues, enter the user name and model rental car you are given matches senger vehicles are not covered by most password published in this space each month.

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