Car hire at Faro Airport, Portugal - any recomendations?
Discussion
Hi
Off to Portugal for a week on 1st April - we are due to arrive at Faro at about 20,30 and I have googled to investigate the best place to hire a car. The problem is that there are some many operators, all the big companies as well as smaller independents and I wondered if anyone had first hand experience, good, bad or indifferent?
As we arrive quite late and will have 3 kids with us, I am hoping to find a company where ideally the cars are walking diestance to collect and drop off on return. Will be travelling quite light so thinking of going for a Ford Focus or something similar.
Prices all seem similar but additional insurances seem to ramp these up?
Any feedback appreciated!
Cheers
Phil
Off to Portugal for a week on 1st April - we are due to arrive at Faro at about 20,30 and I have googled to investigate the best place to hire a car. The problem is that there are some many operators, all the big companies as well as smaller independents and I wondered if anyone had first hand experience, good, bad or indifferent?
As we arrive quite late and will have 3 kids with us, I am hoping to find a company where ideally the cars are walking diestance to collect and drop off on return. Will be travelling quite light so thinking of going for a Ford Focus or something similar.
Prices all seem similar but additional insurances seem to ramp these up?
Any feedback appreciated!
Cheers
Phil
http://www.luzcar.com/
Info about them in the link provided by Puggit (that 'let me Google it for you' thingamyjig always makes me chuckle
)
Info about them in the link provided by Puggit (that 'let me Google it for you' thingamyjig always makes me chuckle
)There are loads of car hire firms based at the airport with cars stored in the long-term car parking.
We stay at the Four Seasons Fairway resort in Quinta do Lago every year and have always used http://www.ouriquerentacar.com/ purely on the basis that the resort recommended them in the first place. The quality of the services means we've never given us any reason to change. I suspect we are paying slightly over the odds but I'm a bit of a stresshead when we travel and it's one less thing to worry about.
I think they are quite a small company as they don't have a stand/office at the airport - but their rep sits at a table in the airport arrivals area and we always get processed immediately, there's never a queue and we're on the road within 20 mins of picking up our bags.
We've got three young kids, but never had any problems with them supplying car seats and boosters.
Conversely the Avis/Hertz/Europcar stands always seem very busy and there is usually a scrum at the car pick-up point as well. Not sure if this is just for people who are organising it on the day or also for those who've pre-booked - I'm not prepared to risk spending an hour milling round the airport carpark with bored and overheated kids/wife!
We've had a range of cars (we tend to hire 7 seat MPVs) - Fiats, Fords, Lancias and Peugeots mainly. Always new that year.
We stay at the Four Seasons Fairway resort in Quinta do Lago every year and have always used http://www.ouriquerentacar.com/ purely on the basis that the resort recommended them in the first place. The quality of the services means we've never given us any reason to change. I suspect we are paying slightly over the odds but I'm a bit of a stresshead when we travel and it's one less thing to worry about.
I think they are quite a small company as they don't have a stand/office at the airport - but their rep sits at a table in the airport arrivals area and we always get processed immediately, there's never a queue and we're on the road within 20 mins of picking up our bags.
We've got three young kids, but never had any problems with them supplying car seats and boosters.
Conversely the Avis/Hertz/Europcar stands always seem very busy and there is usually a scrum at the car pick-up point as well. Not sure if this is just for people who are organising it on the day or also for those who've pre-booked - I'm not prepared to risk spending an hour milling round the airport carpark with bored and overheated kids/wife!
We've had a range of cars (we tend to hire 7 seat MPVs) - Fiats, Fords, Lancias and Peugeots mainly. Always new that year.
maturin23 said:
There are loads of car hire firms based at the airport with cars stored in the long-term car parking.
I think they are quite a small company as they don't have a stand/office at the airport - but their rep sits at a table in the airport arrivals area and we always get processed immediately, there's never a queue and we're on the road within 20 mins of picking up our bags.
Same deal with Luz Car I think they are quite a small company as they don't have a stand/office at the airport - but their rep sits at a table in the airport arrivals area and we always get processed immediately, there's never a queue and we're on the road within 20 mins of picking up our bags.
Thanks, have emailed Luzcar as they have many recomendations - my thought is that, at first glance they seem quite dear (€250 for the week's hire) compared to c€180-200 for other hire firms. I have seen comments on the CDW insurance and various other additions which can arise - I understand this is included with Luzcar, does this sound right or am I missing anything?
Cheers
Phil
Cheers
Phil
Contacted Luzcar, as we arrive at 20,30 they said car will be left in car park with keys on the front tyre! They also asked us to call in at Lagos offices next day to sign paperwork - not ideal as we ataying 60km away....
I was hoping to meet a somebody at the airport cafe who signs the car over to you and it is then just outside - this seems to be the way the smaller companies operate as mentioned in previous entries. I am sure Luzcar are fine but put off by the thought of arriving with 3 kids and just hoping the car is there to collect....
I was hoping to meet a somebody at the airport cafe who signs the car over to you and it is then just outside - this seems to be the way the smaller companies operate as mentioned in previous entries. I am sure Luzcar are fine but put off by the thought of arriving with 3 kids and just hoping the car is there to collect....
I was going to mention that out of hours they normally leave the key on a tyre out of hours lol.
Ive done it several times, never been a problem, car has always been there. The car park is about 250 yards directly out from the terminal. You walk across the short stay car park and into the 3 small open air parks, Luz Car are located in the top left car park. An idea if you have small kids is to leave them with SWMBO at the terminal entrance, jog across the car park then drive the car round to pick them up and load luggage. You should be gone no more than a few minutes
ETA Where are you staying? Might be easier to go back to the airport to do the paperwork? I understand it might be a faff to get the paperwork signed, never thought about that as my parent's place was only about 10kms from their offices.
Ive done it several times, never been a problem, car has always been there. The car park is about 250 yards directly out from the terminal. You walk across the short stay car park and into the 3 small open air parks, Luz Car are located in the top left car park. An idea if you have small kids is to leave them with SWMBO at the terminal entrance, jog across the car park then drive the car round to pick them up and load luggage. You should be gone no more than a few minutes
ETA Where are you staying? Might be easier to go back to the airport to do the paperwork? I understand it might be a faff to get the paperwork signed, never thought about that as my parent's place was only about 10kms from their offices.
Edited by FUBAR on Monday 5th March 13:27
Anyone used Arguscarhire.com? They seem to have reasonable deals although are just a reseller agent for the hire car companies so lottery as to who you will get the car from. Thinking of using them as just a bit worried about the Luzcar collection - also the cost is €187 for a Peugeot 207 Estate rather than €250 from Luzcar.
F458 said:
Reading the bit on that website about the toll road, the old N125 is going to get busy again!FUBAR said:
F458 said:
Reading the bit on that website about the toll road, the old N125 is going to get busy again!philcray said:
Anyone used Arguscarhire.com? They seem to have reasonable deals although are just a reseller agent for the hire car companies so lottery as to who you will get the car from. Thinking of using them as just a bit worried about the Luzcar collection - also the cost is €187 for a Peugeot 207 Estate rather than €250 from Luzcar.
I looked at them before. I think they have a "leave it back empty policy" e.g. No matter how little fuel you've used they will charge you for a full tank. Gassing Station | Holidays & Travel | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff