UKC

Hi,

I'm heading out to Alicante next week and have yet to book my car. I've heard various negative stories about increasingly grasping or even mildly dishonest hire firms out there so can anyone recommend a company that won't try to rip me off

Thanks

In reply to colin struthers:

https://www.edirentacar.com

In reply to colin struthers:

Lara cars. Not the cheapest but no dodgy insurance bs

In reply to JMarkW:

Goldcar get a bad rep, but both times Ive used them were fine. In fact last time I popped a tire and scuffed a wheel and they were great at sorting it. 

In reply to colin struthers:

+1 for laracars, no time wasted queueing, paperwork done on the bonnet and you are off. 

In reply to colin struthers:

Rentacar giner, great service and cheapest I found. Not a rip off company

Edit: also there is a new company called keygo rent alicante who we used that weren't the cheapest but they are friendly, helpful and also not a rip off

In reply to colin struthers:

After much debate and looking at reviews we noted that the same issues were present with all companies, established brand names to random new ones. For this reason we picked record Go as it was cheap and on site. There was a short wait at the desk but nothing to worry about and there wasn't any pressure at all with regards to insurance (we had our own).

The way they calculate and charge for fuel is as dodgy and punitive as any other in that you pay up front for a tank of fuel at a inflated price and must show a receipt for fuel from a petrol station within 10 km from the airport to get it all back. There are few places to get fuel near the airport so it not a real problem so long as you read the paperwork they provide. The car was fine and we didn't have any trouble with mystery damage appearing. We still took great care checking and photographing every minor blemish on the car just in case.

In reply to gethin_allen:

Yeah we used Go, no problems at all apart from the mystery dent that appeared on the door when I reversed into a pole.

In reply to colin struthers:

Used firefly rental a month ago (same parent company as Hertz). They tried the standard "buy our full insurance package, it's only 300EU extra", but didn't force it on us when we said no. My license had expired, but they solved this by adding my friend on as an additional driver for 6EU a day. Also we emailed them to extend our stay by 7 days (covid...) and change the return airport from Valencia to Alicante and they were fine with that too, with reasonable associated costs.

I assume these budget rental places will rip you off so I was pretty happy with how things turned out

In reply to colin struthers:

I've been stung by cheap car hire companies in the past, but now think that as long as you're prepared, even the really dodgy sounding cheap ones are fine. Get yourself excess waiver insurance independently in advance, give the car a good look over before taking it, take photos to back up any potential insurance claim, and you'll be fine.

I feel the majority of cheap ones get bad reviews by people who perhaps don't know how to play the system.

In reply to colin struthers:

I booked Lara, seemed great, but Full to Empty fuel Policy, and full insurance did not cover the Wheels.

I have swapped to Record car, who I have used in the past, Via Zest Car, who do a full insurance package, and are much cheaper than Lara. Friends have said Zest are very good.

I tend to like to have an intermediary as I had a problem with Hertz (I think) in Morocco, and AutoEurope resolved the matter.

You know all the caveats, check the car when you pick it up and don't drive like a dick up bumpy lanes to the crag.

Have a good trip.

In reply to Godwin:

Yeah, I noticed fuel policy had changed last time I used them. I asked the operator who said it was for cars just hired for a week. It wasn't too unreasonable. 

Still there was no queueing, if 4 climbers que for 2hrs,that equates to a lost climbing day. 

I have had good experiences with the butt of jokes that is goldcar but only when taking their insurance. The queue issue still exists here though. 

In reply to colin struthers:

We used https://rentacarginer.es/en in November - no issues at all. Were met at Alicante Airport by a guy who more or less just handed us the keys (zero queue, took about 2 minutes) - no upselling of anything or extensive checking of documents etc. We booked the fully insured option. As many drivers as you like for no additional cost. No surprises at all in terms of costs.

Only thing to mention that was unusual was that we were instructed to pay in person at Giner's office in Benissa from Monday - Friday (we arrived on Sunday). It wasn't hugely out of the way for us, and again was quick and easy, but could be inconvenient depending on where you were staying. 

Car itself was perfect, left it back in the airport carpark and posted the keys through a slightly opened window (as instructed), no issues whatsoever.

In reply to colin struthers: used Firefly for years, just buy your own seperate car hire insurance online before you go. Just paid £30.60 for a Seat Leon for a week out of Valencia.

In reply to mark catcher:

Used RecordGo for a week last July for a 12-seater, good price, almost new car, easy pick-up and drop off, in-airport terminal, no complaints.

In reply to colin struthers:

Dreadful experience with goldcar. Given how many options there are I would avoid. Used most others just fine.

In reply to colin struthers:

Does anyone know if larahire are still trading, made a booking request on Sunday, received reservation request but no confirmation 36 hrs on?

In reply to colin struthers:

Another happy user of Lara car here. As the whippet has said , no waiting around and no hidden costs . Shame they ve gone full to empty , but it shouldn’t be that hard to get to the airport leaving a quarter of tank in ? Costing , what , 10 euros each or less if 4 of you ? Have never heard anybody on here say anything other than swift : efficient pick up of the car . Which means an afternoon at sella or beer snd curry in Calpe ( or better still both ) . On a scale of 1 to a million which do you want , arriving in the Calpe tired snd fractious , having missed carrefour or an afternoon clipping bolts , a few cold ones with tapas followed by a top draw spicy repast ?

Edit : other accommodation centres are available   But Calpe is the best by a country mile.

In reply to mike123: note to self and the OP , remember that it’s not uncommon for hire cars to be broken into in the big super market car parks . Remove all valuables , leave somebody at the car or unload your stuff At your accommodation first .