Locauto Car Hire Nightmare
Discussion
Do not use Locauto carhire company.
If you see the logo with an elephant on it move on and do not use this company. They are fraudsters and you will not get the car you booked and paid for.
They take advance bookings, then double book your car hire and do not provide any replacement yet still keep your money. Their customer service is non-existent being rude and aggressive. Their total failure to deliver anything other than rudeness, ruined our holiday which was planned around having a car to get to several remote destinations which we had paid for in full in advance.
Other customers were also reporting the cars they were being offered were badly damaged before their hire had even begun. Do not use this company under any circumstanes. The bigger hire companies may be slightly more expensive but at least you get what you pay for.
At Locauto you do not get what you pay for!! You have been warned.
If you see the logo with an elephant on it move on and do not use this company. They are fraudsters and you will not get the car you booked and paid for.
They take advance bookings, then double book your car hire and do not provide any replacement yet still keep your money. Their customer service is non-existent being rude and aggressive. Their total failure to deliver anything other than rudeness, ruined our holiday which was planned around having a car to get to several remote destinations which we had paid for in full in advance.
Other customers were also reporting the cars they were being offered were badly damaged before their hire had even begun. Do not use this company under any circumstanes. The bigger hire companies may be slightly more expensive but at least you get what you pay for.
At Locauto you do not get what you pay for!! You have been warned.
Not a dig at the OP - but please everyone google your 'too good to be true' car rental company before using them. A quick search of 'locauto review' on google shows they have a troubled past with customers.
We recently hired a car in Faro at a great price - I searched for the hire company and only found good things. The experience for us was good too...
We recently hired a car in Faro at a great price - I searched for the hire company and only found good things. The experience for us was good too...
In fairness to CarHire3000, I have used them on several occasions and have had nothing but good service. To some degree, these booking agents are victims of who they use.
Getting damaged cars is part and parcel of car hire these days so just make sure the damage is noted - I always photograph any damage as I can't be arsed faffing round and the camera has the date and time.
I have just used DoYouSpain and unusually they give you the option of electing to change the company. I was offered Record who I've found rude and pushy in the past so elected to go with Goldcar and they changed it - same price.
It's also worth noting that I've had different experiences with the same company at different locations - one can be exemplary and the other try and foist some old knackered dented car on you. As a result, even booking with a company direct won't guarantee a good result.
The only great place for car hire is the US. You complain and they will give you a new and better car with a smile.
Getting damaged cars is part and parcel of car hire these days so just make sure the damage is noted - I always photograph any damage as I can't be arsed faffing round and the camera has the date and time.
I have just used DoYouSpain and unusually they give you the option of electing to change the company. I was offered Record who I've found rude and pushy in the past so elected to go with Goldcar and they changed it - same price.
It's also worth noting that I've had different experiences with the same company at different locations - one can be exemplary and the other try and foist some old knackered dented car on you. As a result, even booking with a company direct won't guarantee a good result.
The only great place for car hire is the US. You complain and they will give you a new and better car with a smile.
flatsixmaniac said:
No worries Puggit.
Just to add, we booked through an agent Carhire 3000 in the UK, rather than Locauto. Both companies are operated by fraudsters and liars.
I've Googled Carhire3000 as i've booked with them and found they come highest in all reviews, higher than the rental companies themselvesJust to add, we booked through an agent Carhire 3000 in the UK, rather than Locauto. Both companies are operated by fraudsters and liars.
Broomsticklady said:
Hi Puggit - we're flying into Faro in about 3 weeks time - any chance of sparing me hours of trawling car hire sites (avoiding locauto!) to let me know who you used and were happy with?
We used MasterKings who we booked through Enjoycarhire.comBooked a Skoda estate and were given an Ibiza SW which was 5000km old and spotless inside and out. Car seat was sitting in it waiting for us. You have to wonder over to a shack in the carparks to get it, but that was no big shakes.
LuS1fer said:
Puggit said:
You have to wonder over to a shack in the carparks to get it, but that was no big shakes.
Seriously? They didn't meet you off the plane and have a red carpet to the car? That's appalling!!!!
The big boys, of course, have a desk in the airport building itself - this bunch did not.
shakotan said:
I've been using carhire3000 for years, and never had a single issue.
Well, you only really know if a company is any good or not when you have an issue. Having said that I can't recall seeing negative comments about CarHire3000 before.I've had several hassles with car hire and hotel bookings through Expedia, but they always sort it out in the end so I'm happy to continue to book through them.
Deva Link said:
Well, you only really know if a company is any good or not when you have an issue. Having said that I can't recall seeing negative comments about CarHire3000 before.
I've had several hassles with car hire and hotel bookings through Expedia, but they always sort it out in the end so I'm happy to continue to book through them.
Following recommendations on here I have used Carhire 3000 a few times this year. I've had several hassles with car hire and hotel bookings through Expedia, but they always sort it out in the end so I'm happy to continue to book through them.
Being a muppet I arranged for a pick up a car in central geneva rather than the airport. I emailed them expecting hefty fees or the "no way can anything be changed" conversation you seem to have with all low cost operators if you need to change anything. All done and dusted within the hour, with a refund of the difference.
So as it stands - I fully recommend them.
flatsixmaniac said:
Well to us, Carhire 3000 dropped us as clients after more than an hour on the phone back to the UK after they re-neged on our pre-paid contract.
Avoid Carhire 3000 and Locauto at all costs. Stick to the professionals.
Carhire 3000 are simply agents, seems to me that Locauto, being the actual rental firm, are to blame. Having CH3000 drop you as a client sound more like they were fe up getting it in the neck from you for an hour.Avoid Carhire 3000 and Locauto at all costs. Stick to the professionals.
I've had more than 20 rentals through Carhire 3000, several of which required changes to dates and/or pickup/drop-off locations, and never had a single problem with them.
Edited by shakotan on Sunday 8th May 13:50
Hmmm,
I started a thread on here quite a while ago (Feb?) about Locauto and whether they were any good as I'd just booked with them and then googled them (gulp!). However, my experience with them was excellent.
On the advice of PHers I made it plain as day that I was taking pictures of the car with a camera on collection and stood around doing the same on return as I saw the attendant was approaching. Just generally being a bit anal to be frank. The chap popped over, I asked to see his ID then followed him round the car armed with my camera and he soon signed the lot off...looked keen to be rid of me. The car itself was fine, just a crap Italian thing with no power, few scrapes and a crack in the wing mirror. Nothing I couldn't deal with.
As for the local agent at Bergamo, she spoke excellent English, was very helpful and forgot to charge me the young driver fee (hoorah!).
Overall, excellent. I guess you've just got to let them know who is boss otherwise they'll try it on.
I started a thread on here quite a while ago (Feb?) about Locauto and whether they were any good as I'd just booked with them and then googled them (gulp!). However, my experience with them was excellent.
On the advice of PHers I made it plain as day that I was taking pictures of the car with a camera on collection and stood around doing the same on return as I saw the attendant was approaching. Just generally being a bit anal to be frank. The chap popped over, I asked to see his ID then followed him round the car armed with my camera and he soon signed the lot off...looked keen to be rid of me. The car itself was fine, just a crap Italian thing with no power, few scrapes and a crack in the wing mirror. Nothing I couldn't deal with.
As for the local agent at Bergamo, she spoke excellent English, was very helpful and forgot to charge me the young driver fee (hoorah!).
Overall, excellent. I guess you've just got to let them know who is boss otherwise they'll try it on.
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