Intermittent Car hire/spain?
We are at Sant Pere Pescador Sep. 5 to Sep. 12. What do I need to beware of renting odd daily car hire?
Comments
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When you hand the car back get them to sign that it has no damage. They are not above trying it on.
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We have hired cars in various parts of the world and never had queries on damage etc. but there are many complaints so it is best to research any Company you wish to hire from. Travel experts recommend photographing any slight scratches etc. when you collect the the car in case of a query on return but we just go around the car and get them to mark any damage on the diagram/form they use.
We also buy an annual car rental worldwide insurance. For abou £50 or so you can save the costly add-on that rental Companies charge for CDW etc.
Interestingly, I hired cars in the USA on business maybe 50 times and never once did they bother to check the car on return in any kind of detail. One rule for business customers, another for tourists.
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We live in Spain and when ever we hire a car when touring we always use Centauro a good reliable company and you get a discount each time after your third hire. The only company i'd keep well away from is Ryanair's FireFly cheap as chips when booking but charge you add ons when you pick up.
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I've had issues with Centauro. They charged me €300 for a €70 Euro parcel shelf last year which was already broken when I picked up the car.
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If you regularly hire cars it's worth checking out one of the excess insurance schemes like this:
http://www.insurance4carhire.com/?sessionID=849454426&curID=1&langID=1&refID=100&pID=47
It means you can ignore the rip-off prices charged by hire companies for excess cover.
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My car hire top tips:
1. Search the Trip Advisor destination forums for recommendations, you will soon see which companies are recommended and which are not
2.When you pick the car up takes lots of photos of the car so that there can be no argument about pick-up condition.
3.As mentioned by others if you are a regular renter buy a car hire excess insurance policy, it only costs about £50 for annual EU cover.
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Concur with the great tips above from birderbilly.
When hiring the odd day I have had small local companies trying it on with silly damage already on the car.
If using them I haggle and get full, no excess cover.When hiring for a couple of weeks, I don't bother and accept the €1000 excess, take lots of pics, and take my chances.
Last year, usual routine in Majorca, had a Fiesta from Gold Car at Palma Airport on that basis. Then low and behold had the wheel trims nicked on the last day.
Expected to have my pants right royally removed on my Credit Card for the privilege, even toyed with nipping into Ford to replace them myself before return. But no. Took it back, told the guy on the desk, he just shrugged his shoulders, shook his head and I went on my way. Never incurred any charge.Oh, and another tip, might work, might not.
After originally paying extra for child seats, noticed that invariably you just pick them up at random from a pile outside the office. Certainly at Palma, So for last three years, I have not pre-paid for them, and just pick them up at the office anyway and off you go.0 -
Had the same experience with Gold Car in Tenerife. Damaged a headlamp and they said that it was no problem. No charge.
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We use www.doyouspain.com. They usually come up with the best prices available particularly if you book a little while in advance and don't hire over the Christmas period. We always hire for around a month which is usually the maximum stretch at any one time that the companies will permit and pay approx €75 Euro damage waiver so if anything at all happens it is covered.
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