Spanish Car Hire....Any tips??

Spanish Car Hire....Any tips??

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Discussion

dave_s13

Original Poster:

13,813 posts

268 months

Monday 12th January 2015
quotequote all
Arrive at Malaga airport on 17th August for the week and will need to hire a car for 2 adults and 3 kids (18months, 3 and 6).

It's not something I can say I've ever done but looking on a fews car hire rental sites it just feels like they are out to rape your wallet somehow. Got a quote for a Citroen Berlingo (should be ideal) and it was £145 for the week. Add an infant seat, child seat and a booster and it's an extra £95! You can buy 3 seats for that nearly.

To save me arsing about trawling the web will someone please just tell me what to buy smile

Dan Friel

3,614 posts

277 months

Monday 12th January 2015
quotequote all
You should be allowed to take the car seats on the plane..

Watch out for odd fuel policies in Spain. You may have to pay for a tank upfront, and is the rental company actually based at the airport?

whysub

125 posts

110 months

Monday 12th January 2015
quotequote all
Don't forget the fuel-Spanish Hirers will charge you for filling the tank (for a Clio last November they charged me €83) UPON COLLECTION at the airport, then repay you for any fuel left at the end of the hire, less their fee of an ADDITIONAL €23. €83 wasn't too bad for the fill, and I returned it with just fumes in the tank so the gauge was on empty so no additional fee..

Have a look at www.doyouspain.com as they often do good deals and use a variety of car hire companies. Spent a couple of hours having a look at the various car hire websites too. Most do the above fuel charge, but some do a "collect full and return it full" but these are more expensive in most cases. Some hirers will not charge for child seats, and offer an extra driver for no additional cost, it's a cut throat business in summer

And a word of caution re collision waiver insurance deals you may get offered at "cheaper that the car hire company "rates. DON'T TAKE IT. These are offered by third party insurers and I do not know a single hire company that advice taking it. They do not recognise it and will still ask for a €600 deposit. You scrape the car or ruin a tyre on the hire company's car, they will keep your deposit until the repair has been done, then reimburse you the balance from your deposit. You will then claim the cost from those you took the insurance from, LESS AN EXCESS. This could take weeks to do.

I would advise taking out the insurance with the hire company-no deposit has to be left and there is no excess figure.

I returned a fiat 500 with a broken spotlight (watch out for high kerbs on road side parking!), and when I pointed it out to the rep in the office, he just said was "you took the insurance so all OK". No paperwork to complete so I just walked off. I have rented from the same company several times since.

Just read the terms and conditions on Fuel and Insurance before you book, and you'll get a good deal with no surprises upon collection.

I doubt you can buy a car from a car dealer there without an NIE number (similar to our National insurance numbers).

Have a great holiday

Edited by whysub on Monday 12th January 22:25

ubbs

647 posts

216 months

Monday 12th January 2015
quotequote all
We took our own seat £10 return with Ryanair but I'm sure some carriers take them foc, we purchased a car seat check in bag off amazon to keep it clean.

Vixpy1

42,620 posts

263 months

Monday 12th January 2015
quotequote all
Benalmadena cars.. Not found anyone close to the level of service they provide

roystinho

3,767 posts

174 months

Monday 12th January 2015
quotequote all
Avoid goldcar. We got ripped off in some sort of insurance that wasn't explained properly. I thought I was paying for fuel but they took £200 off my card claiming £150 was to cover for insurance that we had already pre paid in the uk. Never even got an email back when trying to get the money

senorblm

177 posts

117 months

Monday 12th January 2015
quotequote all
Sixt are the best I find. Have rented from Malaga and Madrid. Both times with reasonable fuel policies (either bring it back full for no charge or pay a fixed amount and bring it back empty). Their economy car in malaga was a peugeot something that was very well specced with built in sat nav and bluetooth

dave_s13

Original Poster:

13,813 posts

268 months

Monday 12th January 2015
quotequote all
Vixpy1 said:
Benalmadena cars.. Not found anyone close to the level of service they provide
Emailed them.

Thanks for all the responses chaps thumbup

Vixpy1

42,620 posts

263 months

Monday 12th January 2015
quotequote all
dave_s13 said:
Vixpy1 said:
Benalmadena cars.. Not found anyone close to the level of service they provide
Emailed them.

Thanks for all the responses chaps thumbup
Ideally speak to the owner Carlos , he answers
Most of the emails anyway

whysub

125 posts

110 months

Monday 12th January 2015
quotequote all
roystinho said:
Avoid goldcar. We got ripped off in some sort of insurance that wasn't explained properly. I thought I was paying for fuel but they took £200 off my card claiming £150 was to cover for insurance that we had already pre paid in the uk. Never even got an email back when trying to get the money
Common for all car hire companies in Spain, which is why I advise buying the insurance from the company when collecting it. If you ask they will explain. I have used lots of the hire companies at Alicante, and after the first rental went a bit like yours, I researched my next hire (as above) and no issues ever now, whatever company I get the best deal from.

I'm going to the USA again soon, and this time I will NOT get ripped off on the car hire like last time. Like "I can upgrade that for you today, and I'll even include a Sat Nav". I thought that was very nice of them. But she did not tell me the upgrade would be an additional cost, which I only found out about when it was added onto my credit card bill 8 weeks later.

anonymous-user

53 months

Monday 12th January 2015
quotequote all
whysub said:
Don't forget the fuel-Spanish Hirers will charge you for filling the tank (for a Clio last November they charged me €83) UPON COLLECTION at the airport, then repay you for any fuel left at the end of the hire, less their fee of an ADDITIONAL €23. €83 wasn't too bad for the fill, and I returned it with just fumes in the tank so the gauge was on empty so no additional fee..

Have a look at www.doyouspain.com as they often do good deals and use a variety of car hire companies. Spent a couple of hours having a look at the various car hire websites too. Most do the above fuel charge, but some do a "collect full and return it full" but these are more expensive in most cases. Some hirers will not charge for child seats, and offer an extra driver for no additional cost, it's a cut throat business in summer

And a word of caution re collision waiver insurance deals you may get offered at "cheaper that the car hire company "rates. DON'T TAKE IT. These are offered by third party insurers and I do not know a single hire company that advice taking it. They do not recognise it and will still ask for a €600 deposit. You scrape the car or ruin a tyre on the hire company's car, they will keep your deposit until the repair has been done, then reimburse you the balance from your deposit. You will then claim the cost from those you took the insurance from, LESS AN EXCESS. This could take weeks to do.

I would advise taking out the insurance with the hire company-no deposit has to be left and there is no excess figure.

I returned a fiat 500 with a broken spotlight (watch out for high kerbs on road side parking!), and when I pointed it out to the rep in the office, he just said was "you took the insurance so all OK". No paperwork to complete so I just walked off. I have rented from the same company several times since.

Just read the terms and conditions on Fuel and Insurance before you book, and you'll get a good deal with no surprises upon collection.

I doubt you can buy a car from a car dealer there without an NIE number (similar to our National insurance numbers).

Have a great holiday

Edited by anonymous-user on Monday 12th January 22:25

There are plenty of insurers offering good cover for car hire that are far more reputable than the car hire firms themselves and a fraction of the cost of full damage and theft waivers.

Years ago I was talked into paying the hire company for full damage and theft cover. When I worked it out they were either making a fortune out of it or losing 1 in 8 cars irretrievably! An absolute rip off.

Take the basic hire and get separate cover for the stupidly high excesses imposed. There's good reason why car hire firms have such poor reputations.

As for leaving a cash deposit, really? I've never done that or been asked to, anywhere in the world. Who ARE you renting from?

dazco

4,280 posts

188 months

Monday 12th January 2015
quotequote all
I have used two companies

I usually use Holiday autos , but they are just an agent and have stated using the more unscrupulous companies but you do get to see who you are booking with beforehand. They are having a bit of a sale this month with different locations on different days http://www.holidayautos.co.uk/sale/terms?c=gb&...

Malaga car dot com Just recently gave me a BMW 1 series diesel for an amazing £35 per week, no extras. They have a discount code flying around.

dirty_dog

676 posts

175 months

Monday 12th January 2015
quotequote all
Used these guys a couple of times. With the full insurance before I've been told to just return the car somewhere, no paperwork or anything. I think at Malaga we had to finish unwrapping our brand new Scenic.
http://www.economycarrentals.com

n1ckm

187 posts

227 months

Tuesday 13th January 2015
quotequote all
Helle Hollis are excellent. www.hellehollis.com There are normally some useful members discount codes floating around Tripadvisor as well.

dave_s13

Original Poster:

13,813 posts

268 months

Tuesday 13th January 2015
quotequote all
n1ckm said:
Helle Hollis are excellent. www.hellehollis.com There are normally some useful members discount codes floating around Tripadvisor as well.
30 euro off with this H4589..

Makes them €43 cheaper than Carlos but double the excess.... What to do!!

After the Berlingo with 2 boosters and 1 baby seat BTW.

richarda0109

313 posts

164 months

Wednesday 14th January 2015
quotequote all
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.

Rgds
Richard

eddietiv1

226 posts

217 months

Thursday 15th January 2015
quotequote all
Im in the same situation as yourself,we are going to Ibiza in may,been searching for weeks now,very confusing as some companies you have to get a lift from the airport to another destination,id prefer it hassle free and just collect from airport,especially with 2 young children,then do i take my own child seat or get one from car company,then the insurance issue,i think its a minefield,but i guess thats because i just want everything straight forward.

johnny-b

180 posts

174 months

Friday 16th January 2015
quotequote all
Take out an annual excess cover policy before you go I found mine on www.moneysavingexpert.com
We have had good results using the hire companies linked to the airlines also look at the bigger cars they are not that much more expensive than the small ones everyone else goes for. Avoid the Fiat 500 wagon thing it is the most under powered piece of crap I have ever driven.

dave_s13

Original Poster:

13,813 posts

268 months

Friday 16th January 2015
quotequote all
dave_s13 said:
n1ckm said:
Helle Hollis are excellent. www.hellehollis.com There are normally some useful members discount codes floating around Tripadvisor as well.
30 euro off with this H4589..

Makes them €43 cheaper than Carlos but double the excess.... What to do!!

After the Berlingo with 2 boosters and 1 baby seat BTW.
To bring this thread to a thrilling conclusion....

Booked a Berlingo (or similar) from hellehollis for somethign like £185 for the week (inc car seats).

johnny-b said:
Take out an annual excess cover policy before you go I found mine on www.moneysavingexpert.com
....
Good tip!

Then went to http://www.direct-carexcess.co.uk/ via the moneysaving expert site and got 8 days cover for less than £14.

Sorted.