Spanish Car Hire....Any tips??
Discussion
Here's a tip if you're getting a car from Malaga airport and have a young family with you (this was me, with my old username): http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
This happened right outside the Goldcar office in the car park, and they just shrugged their shoulders and walked off - I will never use them again. My daughter still starts shaking whenever we're in an underground car park
This happened right outside the Goldcar office in the car park, and they just shrugged their shoulders and walked off - I will never use them again. My daughter still starts shaking whenever we're in an underground car park
JohnStitch said:
Here's a tip if you're getting a car from Malaga airport and have a young family with you (this was me, with my old username): http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
This happened right outside the Goldcar office in the car park, and they just shrugged their shoulders and walked off - I will never use them again. My daughter still starts shaking whenever we're in an underground car park
Blimey, I think ths money belt type bags might be a good idea for putting all the important documents in thenThis happened right outside the Goldcar office in the car park, and they just shrugged their shoulders and walked off - I will never use them again. My daughter still starts shaking whenever we're in an underground car park
Did you get free use of the Orlando villa then?
No, although was thinking about getting back in touch with him to see if I could book it (and pay for it!). That was an incredible offer for someone to make, top bloke, as were many on that thread. Watch out for 'on by default' headlamps on Spanish hire cars. It is, apparently, illegal to drive during the day with your headlamps on in Spain - the OH was warned about this by a customer she visited when she had a hired 1 Series while on a business trip there. The setting to turn it off was so deeply hidden in the car's settings that she never managed to find it and had to just hope that she wouldn't get caught, which fortunately she didn't.
MitchT said:
Watch out for 'on by default' headlamps on Spanish hire cars. It is, apparently, illegal to drive during the day with your headlamps on in Spain - the OH was warned about this by a customer she visited when she had a hired 1 Series while on a business trip there. The setting to turn it off was so deeply hidden in the car's settings that she never managed to find it and had to just hope that she wouldn't get caught, which fortunately she didn't.
How does that tally with the new EU rule about DRLs on cars?I hired a car from Goldcar at Malaga over Christmas. Took the extra insurance. Made the rental not too cheap but I figured it was worth the no hassle 2 months later when they claim I dented/scratched something. I'm glad I did this as the car 'caught' a scratch on the boot while parked up in Marbella. They refunded my unused fuel just fine too.
Targarama said:
How does that tally with the new EU rule about DRLs on cars?
This was October 2010 so maybe things have changed. I suppose the underlying message is check local laws and make sure you're complying with them as car hire companies, it would appear, don't appear too concerned whether their vehicles are compliant.dave_s13 said:
Arrive at Malaga airport on 17th August for the week and will need to hire a car
Year before last arrived at Malaga airport on a Saturday in July.I had booked through Holiday Autos, with the supplier being Record. The queue for cars means it took 2 1/2 hours for me to reach the counter. The queue for Goldcar was even worse.
It was only the 'real' hire car companies, Hertz, Sixt, etc that had only one or two people queuing, rather than hundreds.
PF62 said:
dave_s13 said:
Arrive at Malaga airport on 17th August for the week and will need to hire a car
Year before last arrived at Malaga airport on a Saturday in July.I had booked through Holiday Autos, with the supplier being Record. The queue for cars means it took 2 1/2 hours for me to reach the counter. The queue for Goldcar was even worse.
It was only the 'real' hire car companies, Hertz, Sixt, etc that had only one or two people queuing, rather than hundreds.
Worth buying one of these. Your child can carry it as hand luggage, put some toys in it and use it as a booster seat too.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Trunki-BoostApak-Travel-Ba...
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Trunki-BoostApak-Travel-Ba...
richarda0109 said:
I dont know about Spain and the Islands but in the Canaries there are only 2 companies. Autoreisen and Cicar. Cheap as chips and no mucking about. Over Xmas hired a Chevrolet Aveo Automatic for 2 weeks = £180. Been doing this for the last 4 years.
I used Payless Car Hire in Fuerteventura and got a Chevy Aveo. Very cheap, no queue.
They don't flog you fuel either, you get a quarter tank included.
In fairness, the car was slightly battered round the edges but, on Fuerteventura, they seem to expect a fair bit of off-roading as many roads are unmade. On return, nobody much gave a stuff that I'd scuffed the front bumper a bit more.
Autoreisen were more of a mixed bag. I had a Seat Alhambra in Tenerife and that was spot on but in Lanzarote, I got a battered old Seat XL and my father-in-law got a nicer Xsara Picasso (by which I mean newer, not that it was any good).
LuS1fer said:
Autoreisen were more of a mixed bag. I had a Seat Alhambra in Tenerife and that was spot on but in Lanzarote, I got a battered old Seat XL and my father-in-law got a nicer Xsara Picasso (by which I mean newer, not that it was any good).
When I was last in Tenerife we had two Focus estates and we needed new ones after 3 days! My Dads one got a puncture and there was no jack or tools to replace it (luckily we had the same car), and mine blew its clutch whilst showing the passengers the 'shift light' on the rev counter. As Tenerife is so small it wasnt too much bother but it was a local company and the cars weren't great. One priceless tip is that if you boo direct, you know where the car hire office is and ideally, you want it in the Terminal itself.
Far too many of the "agency" car hires allow you to book, tell you the hirer and you end up being bussed from the Terminal to an industrial estate to pick up the car which is a lot harder to find your way back to.
Far too many of the "agency" car hires allow you to book, tell you the hirer and you end up being bussed from the Terminal to an industrial estate to pick up the car which is a lot harder to find your way back to.
Got back from our spanish trip today and must say that Helle Hollis were excellent.
Transfer bus waiting on arrival, got 18 of us on in one go, 5mins to the depot and we were all on our way within 30mins, even got a complementary bottle of water each, nice touch. Car was spot on and returning it was just as easy. Would deffo use them again.
Off to France on Firday - I hope Europcar are similarly efficient.
Transfer bus waiting on arrival, got 18 of us on in one go, 5mins to the depot and we were all on our way within 30mins, even got a complementary bottle of water each, nice touch. Car was spot on and returning it was just as easy. Would deffo use them again.
Off to France on Firday - I hope Europcar are similarly efficient.
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