Get a SIXT car rental status match from your Marriott Bonvoy or Virgin Atlantic status

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• Will says:

  22 Aug22 August 07:01

  You always used to just ask Sixt and they gave you platinum. Was via Flyertalk sixtcustomerservices a lovely guy called Gary Caudwell.

  I am still platinum and have made only 3 rentals in 20 years, none in last 7.

• Eli gold says:

  22 Aug22 August 07:06

  I find their website so confusing. It seems that just using the correct link gave me gold without proving anything about my Marriott account

• Pep says:

  22 Aug22 August 07:33

  Does anyone know hot to apply? I could not find any apply link on the page mentioned in the article. The link Kwan provided in the comments is only for matching other car rental status, not Marriott. Thanks!

• yorkieflyer says:

  22 Aug22 August 07:55

  I’ve always found car hire significantly cheaper via a broker then direct with any of the majors

  • Gordon says:

    22 Aug22 August 08:12

    There was talk amongst frequent car hirers on previous comments that you do not receive the same service as if you had booked direct. IE given a lower grade or higher mileage vehicle in that class of booking!

    • Ken says:

      22 Aug22 August 08:43

      People deluding themselves if they think getting a lower mileage car when renting has any value at all. Can’t ever remember getting a hire car with more than 20k kilometres on it.

      For what it’s worth I rented a sixt vehicle last weekend. Price was 20% cheaper through a broker than the standard Sixt rate.
      Waited about 10 minutes to get served.
      Got a minor upgrade.
      I’d prefer to book direct but 9 times out of 10 it’s more expensive IMO.

      • Gordon says:

        22 Aug22 August 09:26

        I very rarely hire a vehicle, but I personally have taken the option to book through a broker! I have booked a two week hire car from Discount Florida car hire for November, they are based in the uk.

        Their price for a large SUV was £200 cheaper than the same company that I am picking it up from on a direct booking, “Alamo” Also if the price decreases before the hire date so does your hire cost.

        The booking is also fully inclusive so none of the usual guff at the counter. “Hopefully”….

      • babyg_wc says:

        22 Aug22 August 14:29

        booked via avis.com and got an old clunker with 80k on the clock from TLS with AVIS… it was a piece of junk (booked direct, have the amex plat Avis status)… then the following week booked a the cheapest car again at GOT with Sixt (via skyscanner) and got upgraded to a Ford MachE with 5k on the clock… and 500ks electric range so cost nothing to run…. sometimes status booking direct helps, sometimes is doesnt it seems

        • Gordon says:

          22 Aug22 August 15:38

          So there are high mileage hire vehicles out there and the info from other posters was correct! As JDB says worthwhile contacting direct and via WhatsApp. I will do this when I rent again to get a confirmation of price and vehicle spec. So if there are any discrepancies I have something to hang my hat on!

  • JDB says:

    22 Aug22 August 08:33

    Once you have ascertained the prices from a broker site, it’s easy enough to go to the car hire firm directly to get the same prices, better payment terms plus any benefits you might have. Brokers usually play on prices offered locally (even the big brands have distinct websites outside the usual global site with its own discount codes etc) vs those made up for tourists. In less developed countries the big brands are often cheap because locals assume they will be expensive!

    • Ken says:

      22 Aug22 August 08:50

      Better payment terms ?
      Car hire firms prefer you pay at the desk as people are far more likely to buy the additional excess insurances or be up sold other nonsense.
      Can just about see a benefit if you are booking 9 months ahead.

      • JDB says:

        22 Aug22 August 09:10

        @Ken – the insurance excess issue is a different one and often overblown, but I’m not sure how your theory holds as, if you book directly the ‘pay now’ price is usually quite a bit lower than the ‘pay at counter’ price and in those countries where staff live off selling insurance, they will badger you however you have booked or paid. In some countries, the counter insurance is very different to that offered by a car hire excess policy.

        I therefore prefer to get the cheaper ‘pay now’ price for ‘pay at the counter’ terms. It’s the same with going to hotels directly rather than booking on the chain site or an OTA. Other better car hire terms include extra drivers for free or three weeks for the price of one day. In remote places, upgrades aren’t really a thing even with Hertz, Avis etc. as they don’t have better cars to offer and they may not be a good thing anyway. Doesn’t work booking online so I call or use WhatsApp.

        Many broker sites want you to pay upfront as this means they can deduct their commission/mark up at source.

        • Mikeact says:

          22 Aug22 August 10:56

          Perhaps HfP would consider a separate forum for car hire/rental etc., as I guess the majority on here rent cars at some stage.

        • Rob says:

          22 Aug22 August 11:19

          Might do. Thinking of adding lounges too.

        • yorkieflyer says:

          22 Aug22 August 11:29

          Mmm can’t say I’ve ever come across 3 weeks hire for the price of a day when booking direct. Booking direct does if you have status can offer you a free driver or a queue jump at the counter which can be valuable. I agree re paying now as you’ve locked in the exchange rate as well as getting a lower rate. Anecdotally customers who’ve not paid have on occasion been left without a car when cars are short.
          I really couldn’t be bothered however with calling Hertz or Sixt and trying to argue a rate in SA or Oz when a rate through a broker with the same outfit can easily be two thirds or less that of direct

        • Rob says:

          22 Aug22 August 12:06

          If you can get a status match booking direct works ok. In Boston at Easter Hertz sent me a text message to go to a certain bay and take my pick of car. No paperwork, no licence check, no card swipe, nothing. Can make a big difference at busy airports.

        • JDB says:

          22 Aug22 August 12:54

          @yorkiefkyer – per my post it was only the two extra drivers that were charged just one day for a three week rental! I looked at broker sites to rent a car in Tasmania in May (so off season) and they were no less than direct and all very expensive; my friends there suggested calling and asking for ‘specials’ which I did and £500 became £300 (still a lot for five days) and the total insurance cover to £0 excess (inc tyres & windscreens) for the five days was only £12. In Mexico if you book on the site of Avasa, the Hertz franchisee you will get better rates than any broker (as it will be booking via Aeroméxico but only ever for up to 8 days) for any respectable brand and if you WhatsApp them at the pick up location, it will be less again. Where we go in NW Argentina, it’s half the price of any broker site to book on WhatsApp directly. These are often (sub)franchisees and they don’t seem to do so well from international bookings and tourist prices are totally unaffordable in the domestic market so there is lots of room to negotiate for everyone to be happy.

          I’m just reporting my first hand experiences, but when there’s a broker or middleman involved, they are getting well paid, so I know there is a better price to be had.

• Kwab says:

  22 Aug22 August 08:41

  Similarly, I rarely rent from Sixt but I’ve been Platinum for 10+ years. It seems to mean very little. You get the upgrades but they still seem ready to try and fleece you for ‘damage’ upon return.

  • Ken says:

    22 Aug22 August 11:56

    I think you can have the same issue with all hire companies. I always photograph each panel and check inside including boot.
    It takes a few minutes.
    Frequently one of the the fastening on the parcel shelf in the boot is damaged (presumably people cramming luggage in) and have had someone try and charge me for that.

    Fortunately all phone photos have meta data that includes time & geo location of when they were taken.

    • Gordon says:

      22 Aug22 August 12:08

      Since having to argue with a hire company on damage in cyprus once, (a small dent on the roof, somewhere you would not think to look) in which they relented. I do exactly that. When I visited Cyprus regularly many years ago, I used to sometimes get the same car and the existing damage was still evident.
      So when someone is charged for damage, the funds do not necessarily go to repair the vehicles!

• davefl says:

  22 Aug22 August 11:17

  PMSL… thanks for this. I just registered with my BW Diamond and got the instant status match. Tried the dates for my next rental and it’s coming out £27 MORE expensive as Diamond than going direct without logging in.

  Gotta love the car hire sharks.

This article is closed to new comments. Feel free to ask your question in the HfP forums.