UKC

Hi all.

Am heading of to Majorca in 10 days and looking for a decent deal on car hire. Seems like every company I look at has some underhanded scheme to charge you a fortune for a full tank of fuel on pick-up so that you can bring it back empty. Not falling for that one again!

Does anyone have any recommendations for decent car hire companies in the area that don't operate this fuel scam?

Many thanks.

Ben

In reply to BenPitt:

Not for you I haven't since I didn't get an invite. I can only presume it's in the post...

In reply to BenPitt: We booked through economy car hire, restricted search to fair fuel policy and ended up getting a car through altesa (they're aligned with enterprise in some way).

No problems, additional driver included, receive full/return full and they didn't complain that the car was a bit sticky after being parked under a fig tree.

This was summer just gone.

Car hire in general seems very expensive on mallorca compared to other places.

In reply to BenPitt:

How long are you going for?
It's quite easy to use a full tank in a week in Majorca; yes the amount they charge up front is a bit steep but the hire cost is cheaper.

The only people I've found who don't do this are way more expensive to rent from.

Swings & roundabouts!

In reply to metal arms:

I've heard that's because you'd cause a scene, and you wear indecent swimwear.

In reply to BenPitt:
We hired a car last month - they charged about 40 euros for a 'late pickup' - your only option when catching a cheap flight. I'd be interested as hoping to head out again next year. The bring back empty scheme is better than 'bring back full' - they charge you the earth for topping up those couple of litres you used to drive it from the fuel station to the pickup point.

In reply to BenPitt:

I used "Enjoy Car Hire" through their website a year ago, who booked my "Record Go" car. Avoid both like the plague!

Arrived at Mallorca Airport in the morning and proceeded to wait for close to two hours in a long snaking queue to get to the Record Go desk...while other car hires queued for only a few minutes. But, I'd made and paid my booking so stuck with it...only to find when I got to the desk that the idiots at Enjoy Car hire hadn't forwarded a change I made. Ok, accidents happen, people screw up. I contacted Enjoy when I got back to the UK, who were evasive, promised to get back to me, then simply stopped responding to emails or were unresponse on the phone.

Total scam artists.

In reply to BenPitt:

Paid £83.51 for 7 day hire including insurance and extra driver.
Got charged £127.17 for fuel by Goldcar. Later it turned out that it included an incorrect charge (got £11.62 back) and duplicate insurance (not refunded).

In reply to BenPitt:
I use budget last month. If you book online thers no queuing in the airport just straight out to the garage. Cost £85 for 7 days. Plus extra insurance if you want it. Came with full tank just filled up outside airport in way back. No extra charges, no problems.

In reply to BenPitt:
Fuel for the week cost me €25 so definitely not worth paying an extortionate rate for a full tank with another company.

In reply to pigeonslipper:

Actually it's just the swimwear. Scene causing is to be expected, but there will be women and children nearby and nobody can afford that kind of bail money...

In reply to BenPitt:

Thanks all for your help. Goldcar will be avoided, as will and company that has the words 'Cheap', 'Happy' or 'Smiley' in their company name. Will check out Budget and Economy Car Hire/Enterprise. Doubt we'll use a full tank in all honesty. Struggled to use half last year.

In reply to BenPitt:
sixt were ace! Did some research as have had bad experiences in the past but these guys are fab, will never use anyone else now.

In reply to BenPitt: Try Motos Formentor. Local firm, based in Porto Pollensa, but they do airport pickups. Used em before, service sound, provide 1/4 tank.

In reply to BenPitt: Not gold car. Seemed like they were the best offer and hence it was the onl one with a queue which took well over an hour.