One-Dollar FreezeI was on my phone looking at car rentals in Italy. On the screen there was a Jeep Renegade with Avis. It was automatic with four doors and five seats and it looked perfect for me. I saw the booking was through QEEQ so I opened the details to check how to pay. Then I saw a service called One-Dollar Freeze. It said I only needed to pay 1 dollar first to lock the booking and the rest would be charged automatically before the rental started. I still had other expenses at that time and I did not want to put the full amount on my credit card at once. So when I saw this option I felt it was very relaxed. When I booked I really only paid 1 dollar and my credit card bill looked much lighter.
That day I chose to pick up the car in early June in the evening in Castelrotto in Italy. It was around June ninth at about six in the afternoon and return it in Milan around June eleventh in the evening. After I booked I still felt a bit worried. I was afraid this pay one dollar way might cause trouble and that maybe at the desk they would ask me to pay some strange extra money. When the trip got closer I saw on my credit card that the rest of the rental fee was charged normally. It was taken automatically and there were no extra or strange charges. At that moment I felt very calm. This payment plan was really nice for a traveler like me because I did not need to block a big amount at the start and I did not need to remember any deadline to pay the balance. Everything just went smoothly.
When I arrived at the Avis counter in Castelrotto the staff checked my booking. They saw in the system that the rental fee was already fully paid. I only had to handle the deposit and some normal paperwork. The whole process was smooth. In my mind I was glad I chose this way where I paid just 1 dollar at the beginning. My car was booked in advance and my credit card did not feel tight at all at the start. This design is very useful for an overseas visitor like me and it is easy to use. I only needed to think about when to pick up the car.
AXA Full CoverageI still want to complain a bit first because I really did not expect that a small scratch on a car in Florence would make me deal with so much English information and bank details and ID photos. Now the money has been paid back so when I look back I actually feel pretty relaxed.
I booked the car through QEEQ. I picked it up around the morning of May 29 in Florence. It was a Toyota Yaris from NOLEGGIARE with automatic gear. For an overseas visitor like me it was very easy to drive. When I first got the car I felt quite happy. The car was clean and I even used my phone to walk around the car and take photos. I told myself this was just in case. A few days later this just in case really helped.
The problem happened when I parked on a narrow street with old buildings on both sides and cars very close to each other. I thought I parked pretty straight. When I came back I saw a long scratch on the passenger side. The paint was off and I could see it clearly. I just froze there. In my head I only thought that I might need to pay a lot of money.
I took many photos of the damage and my mind was full of worries. I was afraid the rental staff would say it was my fault and charge me a crazy price. On the return day around the morning of June 3 I drove the car back to the Florence office. The staff checked the car and stayed a long time at that scratch. Their attitude was normal. They only told me this was damage and there would be a charge. My heart sank but then I remembered I bought AXA Full Coverage when I booked. So I did not argue too much with the counter staff. I just paid first.
When I signed and paid I felt real pain in my wallet. I did a simple exchange in my head to RMB and it was not a small number. I only had one clear thought that the insurance must pay me back or I would feel super bad. After I left the office I started to sort out my documents. I kept all the damage photos the rental paper and the payment record. I was glad I took many photos of the car when I picked it up.
The real trouble came from the information for the claim. I use a China bank account and a China card. For the refund they needed my full name in English my bank address and my home address. I always live in a Chinese language world so suddenly writing all of this in English made me very nervous. I sat in front of the screen and looked at my bank card and the bank website and typed each letter slowly because I was afraid of spelling something wrong.
They also reminded me that the bank name must be fully correct and the branch address must be clear. Then I realized my first version of the bank name was not exact. I went back to check the right English name and fixed it. I also had to upload the front and back of my Chinese ID because I used a Chinese ID and there were rules from the bank. I searched my album for clear photos and while doing that I was thinking it was kind of crazy that one scratch caused all this work.
The damage photos were another problem. I had taken many photos but I was still worried they might not see the details clearly. So I sent them again by mail and zoomed in to check the scratch and the plate so everything was clear. Those days I was basically jumping between English forms and photo files. The time difference made me a bit tired but I still finished each thing they asked step by step.
The claim amount was 240 euros. Maybe this is not a huge number for them but for a student like me it is quite a lot. So I was nervous at every step. At one point I was told it was better to use a debit or saving card instead of a China credit card so the transfer would be smoother. I looked through my cards and chose a proper one. Then I carefully typed out the full branch address with the street and number.
My biggest feeling in this whole process is that even though the tasks were many and detailed as long as I worked with them and gave correct information the claim kept moving forward. I could feel that they were following my case. When something was not clear they asked me to correct it. After I updated my info things kept going and it did not feel like the case disappeared.
When I finally got the message that the claim was approved and the amount was the same 240 euros that I paid at the desk I really let out a long breath. At that moment all the time I spent checking English words fixing addresses and sorting photos suddenly felt worth it. For an overseas visitor in a country I do not really know it is easy to panic when something happens to a car. I was really glad that I had bought AXA Full Coverage from the start or I might just give up the claim and lose the money.
Now when I think of this Florence rental the scratch itself is not the main thing I remember. What I remember more is my mood change. I went from fear and worry about extra charges to the calm feeling when I knew I would get back 240 euros. Accidents with a car can happen. The important part is if there is someone and some coverage behind you when it really goes wrong. This time the claim went through and the money came back to me and that gives me a very real kind of confidence for the next time I rent a car abroad.
AXA Full CoverageWhen I think about my trip in Naples Italy the first thing that jumps into my head is not the view but that small scratch on the car door. I booked the car on QEEQ. ACE gave me a Hyundai Tucson with automatic transmission and five seats. For me as a visitor from the US it was easy to drive. I picked up the car around one in the afternoon on June 2 in Naples. The pickup was simple. The staff at the rental counter checked the car and gave me the keys. The real problem came later. I remember parking next to a stone retaining wall with a kind of jagged edge. It looked fine. When I moved the car I misjudged the distance. The side of the car touched the stone. The sound was not loud but my heart sank. I got out and saw a surface scratch. Not very deep but quite long. I felt pretty stupid and kept blaming myself. On the return day around one in the afternoon on June 9 I drove back to the Naples return point. The worker walked around the car and of course stopped at that scratch. He told me this was damage and I needed to pay 230 euros. When I paid with my card I felt a bit upset. I knew it was my mistake but I was also worried that this money was just gone. Then I remembered I had added AXA Full Coverage when I booked. I suddenly felt there was still some hope. Back at my place I put all the papers on the table. The rental agreement their damage report the payment receipt and the photos of the scratch. While I was sorting them I kept thinking of that stone wall and replaying the scene in my head. I reached out to customer service and told them I wanted to claim this 230 euros with my AXA Full Coverage. I was nervous because it was my first time really using this kind of insurance. I sent the files they asked for. Later they told me I also needed to give my bank account and my ID information. I checked every detail and sent everything again. I was afraid to miss anything. When they told me that all the documents were complete and the claim could move forward I finally relaxed a bit. I still was not sure if the money would really come back. After some time they asked me to confirm the claim amount and the currency. When I saw that 213.20 euros would be paid to me I stared at the number for a while and even did the math on my phone. It was a bit less than 230 euros but most of the damage cost was covered and I felt pretty happy already. I replied with my confirmation and the payment started to move. Later they told me the claim was successful. At that moment I felt that all the photos all the forms and all the back and forth were worth it. For someone like me who still feels a bit like a student and does not have a big budget this experience made AXA Full Coverage feel real. It was not just some words on a page. After I made a mistake it pulled back most of the loss for me. The scratch on the door stayed with the rental company when I returned the car but what stayed with me was how they helped me handle the damage and get the money back.
One-Dollar FreezeI was scrolling on my phone and looking at photos of Bologna in Italy and I felt pretty excited because I was going there soon. At the same time I was a bit nervous because my credit card limit was kind of tight. I still had to pay for my flight and my hotel. I really wanted to book a car first because I was afraid all the good ones would be gone if I waited.
I was using QEEQ to look at cars. I saw a Volkswagen Polo with automatic drive. Four doors and five seats. It looked perfect for the city and not too big. Then I saw something called One-Dollar Freeze and I got curious.
At first I thought it was some kind of deal with a lot of small rules. I checked the details and found that I only had to pay 1 dollar to lock this car for my dates. The rest of the money would be charged a bit before my pickup date and there was no interest. My mind relaxed right away. I did not need to put a big amount on my card all at once. That week I still had other bills to pay and if I paid the full car rental right then I would have to count every number on my card.
So I put on some music and started the booking. It was pretty simple. I picked the beginning of June to pick up the car in Bologna around late morning and I set the return for about a week later in the early evening. On the confirm page it said they would only take 1 dollar at that moment. I checked it a few times because I was afraid I read it wrong. When I clicked confirm my mood was kind of funny. It felt like the car was mine for those dates but my wallet did not really feel anything. Only a tiny amount was taken.
In the next days my life was the same. When I checked my card I saw that 1 dollar and it almost made me laugh. It felt like I was just saving a spot. I told myself that later when my trip was closer and my money was more ready they would charge the rest and the stress would not hit me all at once. I even told a friend that this time booking a car did not feel heavy because I could secure the car first and then slowly get the rest of the money ready.
When it was one or two days before my flight I got a message from my credit card about a new charge. It was the amount I already knew from the booking page. I looked at it once and closed the message. I had already planned for it and there were no extra strange fees. The best part for me was that I did not need to remember any payment date in the middle. I did not have to log in and pay again. They just charged it at the time we agreed.
When I think about it now I feel that if there was no way to book with just 1 dollar I might have waited longer and not booked the car so early. I would keep worrying about my card limit and that makes me feel tense. This kind of plan is really nice for someone like me who is still a student and has a tight budget. I can fix my plan first and not push my card to the edge on day one. When the time comes the rest of the money goes through and I just go and pick up my little Polo in Bologna. For me the whole thing feels easy and my credit card does not feel too much pressure.
Dedicated customer serviceWhen I think about this trip now, my strongest feeling is that I was really glad the support team kept following my case. If not, I would feel pretty nervous traveling alone. I booked the car on QEEQ for a solo trip to Italy. I chose a seven seater, planned to pick it up around noon on May 23 in Rome and drop it off a few days later around noon in Naples. When I reached the counter, the staff told me they only had a five seater for me. I was confused. I said I booked a seven seater. He just kept saying there was only this car. I felt quite upset but there was no other car there, so I took it and left. The real pressure started after I dropped the car. In Naples, when I returned it, the staff checked the car and pointed at a small damage on the front left part of the hood. He said I had to pay for that. I quickly said it was already there when I picked up the car and I even took a video. When I watched my own video, it looked a bit blurry. I felt really worried because maybe they could not see the mark clearly. I was scared I could not explain it well and they would just charge my card. I kept thinking about this for days, afraid that a big amount would be taken from my credit card. So I contacted the support team in the app. What impressed me was that from the beginning it did not feel like just a simple one time reply. It felt like one person really remembered my case. They asked me what happened and told me I could send the video and photos I took at pick up. I thought okay at least someone is watching this with me. Later I also found out that I had paid the price for a more expensive car but I actually got a lower class car. I could not figure out clearly by myself if the price was right or not, so I kept telling all this to support. Every time I had new questions like if the price was fair or if there would be more charges they answered based on what we already talked about. I did not need to explain the whole story again. I felt like someone kept following my case from start to finish. For a while I got a bit anxious and sent messages to ask for updates because I was afraid the case would just stay there with no result. They replied and said they were still talking with the rental company and would tell me once they had news. I would prefer things to move faster, but I could feel they were not just brushing me off. They were really working on it. In the end for the damage part they helped me understand what documents I needed so I could file the claim and I just followed their steps. For the downgrade problem they did not just say there was nothing they could do. They discussed how to make it right and gave me a compensation amount that I could accept. As a solo traveler this feeling that someone is watching my problem the whole time and staying with it from beginning to end means a lot. It made me feel less alone when something went wrong far from home.
One-Dollar Freeze"Dad did this cost a lot of money" My son asked me that while we were about to return the car at Pisa airport. It was an early June evening and the sky was still a bit bright. The parking lot lights were on and I locked the Seat Arona. I actually felt pretty relaxed, because the most stressful part was already solved when I booked the car.
The real reason I dared to book this car was the One-Dollar Freeze plan. When I first saw it I did not really believe it. It said I only needed to pay 1 dollar first to hold the car. The rest would be charged automatically before the rental started. I read the short note a few times and thought it was just 1 dollar. If something went wrong I could still change to another platform. So I went ahead and booked the Pisa car.
There was still some time before the trip. I had to plan what to do with the kids, ask for leave from work and buy plane tickets. All the big costs came together. If I had to pay the full rental amount on that night my credit card would be under a lot of pressure. I still remember sitting in the living room with my laptop. The kids were doing homework beside me and I was doing math in my head. When I saw I only needed to pay 1 dollar now I felt my body relax. I thought ok at least I do not need to pay so much right away.
Closer to the trip my bank sent me a message that the rest of the car rental was charged. The number matched the price for the Seat Arona and there were no strange extra fees. The money was taken some time before we flew to Italy. I could plan my budget early. When we finally arrived at Pisa airport around the end of May and went to the GOLDCAR counter in the evening I did not worry about my card failing at all.
That night the air outside Pisa airport was a bit cold and my kid was sleepy. I pulled the suitcase and followed the signs to the rental area. When the staff at the counter asked for my booking details one thought popped into my head. If there was no way to book with just 1 dollar first maybe I would have waited much longer to book or even changed to some other way of travel. Now everything was set already. I just gave my license and booking to the counter staff and then went to pick up the keys and find the car.
For me the most important thing was not how much money I saved. It was that when I planned this trip with my kids I did not have to push my credit card to the limit all at once. I could keep more money ready for flights and hotel. The rental payment was kind of frozen there and then taken when the trip got close. For a dad with kids this rhythm felt so much better and I was less nervous during that time. When I finished returning the car at Pisa and told my son the money was already taken care of I felt that this choice was worth it. QEEQ and this 1 dollar booking way really helped me a lot.
