UKC

Firefly car hire are popping up on various carhire search engines (including Easyjet) but I’m generally very sceptical of cheap local carehire firms.

has anyone used them?

Cheers.

https://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/destinations/firefly_car_rentals_-_madrid...

From the search function

Oops, sorry. Thanks for the link.

Yes, used them at Malaga for El Chorro. Thoroughly not recommended. You'll pay more than any of online deals offered to the point where you might as well have used Hertz or any of the other more common companies. 

I've used them a couple of times in the past. Possibly Barcelona and Alicante. Just follow the normal advice of checking the car over before you sign for it, get a full to full fuel deal and have your own annual insurance. 

My rental with them was hassle free. Maybe I was just lucky? 

Cheers, James 

I see Moacs linked to my old thread! As an update, we had absolutely no problem with them. The service was generic, the car absolutely fine and we had no issues on returning it either.

Agreed, avoid. Always seemed to be massive queues at the Alicante desk. I like Centauro. Of course all these companies are OK until they aren't!

Yes indeed.

I like to think i’ve put enough custom Europcar’s way over the years for them not to skank me (At least I suspect they were once lenient on some tyre damage for that reason), but their prices are way higher on this occasion…

I seem to recall using Firefly from Milan.  Car was not equipped with snow chains as booked (and paid for), pick up and drop off was off-airport and the return shuttle inefficiency led to a queue of very frustrated travellers waiting to get to the terminal for their flights.  (we only just made ours).

However, the car was in good condition and was at a decent price.

On balance, wouldn't choose to use them again.

It's always worth ringing some of the mainstream on-airport companies to see if they will do a price match with the local companies. Avis/Budget will try to get their price down if you end up with the right person on the phone... I've never used Firefly due to their terrible on-line reviews and occasional rants form people in here (I realise some people have been OK with them too).

I stick to the big companies in order to make sure the car is on-airport, avoid the queues, get full to full petrol, ensure a decent car and I have my own excess insurance (worldwideinsure). Being an Avis Preferred member, at many rental locations you just walk to the car (check for dents), get in and drive away - very easy and time-saving.

I used them in Alicante in December 2019, primarily because they were so cheap and because I knew I had a decent enough 3rd party excess cover and booked through a third party (rentalcars) who I knew sometimes step in to help resolve issues.

I was a bit worried given the reviews, but it was basically okay. On reflection, unless I was absolutely pinching the pennies I wouldn't use them again.

At the desk in the airport the clerk had to be asked several times not to include the various forms of additional cover from firefly ("oh, your excess cover also covers tyres? Okay I'll remove it").

Picking up the car i checked out over fully and it had lots of unmarked damage, which I documented and had added to the paperwork. Dropping it off there was a bit of a queue (though we arrived early knowing this would be an issue) and they checked very thoroughly for damage but only found the things I'd had added.

On the plus side I got a week's car hire for just over £30 (if I remember correctly). On the negative side there was quite a bit of haggling and checking to make sure that was all we paid, and I'd pay a bit more just to skip that next time

Used Firefly at least a dozen times at Alicante airport and never had any problems. Always booked through Holiday Autos so at the desk they have only offered me their own insurance a couple of times where a “no thank you” has sufficed.

Never queued more than 5 minutes, they have a number ticket system. They are certainly not the cheapest on airport,I think Goldcar are cheaper along with massive queues and there are lots cheaper off airport.

Perhaps I have been lucky but will continue to use them.