Spanish Car Hire
Discussion
If you go with Goldcar, inspect every inch of your car. And I mean every last inch.
Make a note of every single scratch or mark, however innocuous you think it is.
And check underneath the car as well. Thoroughly.
Video everything on your phone.
Granted, I hired in Malta and not in Spain but the mere mention of Goldcar raises my blood pressure to medically unsafe levels.
Edit - I don’t have FB anymore but I think this link should work - there are probably still some horror stories in there from memory but I can’t see them without an account.
https://m.facebook.com/GoldcarReviews/
Make a note of every single scratch or mark, however innocuous you think it is.
And check underneath the car as well. Thoroughly.
Video everything on your phone.
Granted, I hired in Malta and not in Spain but the mere mention of Goldcar raises my blood pressure to medically unsafe levels.
Edit - I don’t have FB anymore but I think this link should work - there are probably still some horror stories in there from memory but I can’t see them without an account.
https://m.facebook.com/GoldcarReviews/
Edited by pincher on Thursday 1st September 21:17
coach said:
We use Autoreisen. Have done for years. Great service.
https://autoreisen.com
+1 for Autoreisen. Used them a few times in Lanzarote and it's always been a painless process.https://autoreisen.com
Tip for collecting the car - as soon as you're through passport control leave the other half at the baggage reclaim and get straight to the counter. Queues build up pretty quickly when a flight arrives, don't wait until you've got your bags or you could find yourself waiting a while.
hellorent said:
As above I would never rent from Goldcar, they are the only car hire company to have me off,
If things go wrong they wont reply to emails and you have to contact them on a Spanish number
which costs a fortune, just google their reviews.
We had our credit card cloned at the Goldcar desk in Furteventura a few years ago - I know for sure it couldn't have been been anywhere else because that was the only time I used it.If things go wrong they wont reply to emails and you have to contact them on a Spanish number
which costs a fortune, just google their reviews.
They've also double charged us - once when booking and again a few weeks after we returned on the same invoice number but for a different amount. It was a monumental pain in the rectal area chasing the refund in Spanish and being passed from person to person in an absolute masterclass of obfuscation but we did eventually have the second charge refunded.
The worry of getting stiffed for car hire can spoil a holiday and I'd rather stick my cock into a bag of angry puff-adders than rent from Goldcar/InterRent again - even when the alternatives like autoriesen who are our go to choice now cost more.
I used GoldCar a few times in Gran Canaria last year without any issues at all - cars were all decent with average wear and tear - zero hassle returning them at the end etc.
Tbh I’d absolutely use them again as there was zero upsell attempts and the desk was fast and efficient in LPA.
Tbh I’d absolutely use them again as there was zero upsell attempts and the desk was fast and efficient in LPA.
I've used GoldCar umpteen times.
Valencia - probably 6 times (with no added insurance - hire, drive to hotel, park, return) - not one issue
Malaga twice - not one issue
Pisa - bloody aweful staff - btu that was unique to Pisa
It ALL depends on the place you hire from, Valencia and Malaga were non events. I always take photos of the whole car, and now, I always take out my own hire car insurance - not theirs. Staff have always been great, and none were scratch-nazis - other than...
Pisa - they are the most rude people you'll ever deal with. Don't take out their insurance? They'll make you stand in a seperate "punishment queue", and, tried to tell me the fuel tank was not full on return - photos sorted that out. Absolute shysters.
All the other times, Spanish rentals, good as..... gold.
Valencia - probably 6 times (with no added insurance - hire, drive to hotel, park, return) - not one issue
Malaga twice - not one issue
Pisa - bloody aweful staff - btu that was unique to Pisa
It ALL depends on the place you hire from, Valencia and Malaga were non events. I always take photos of the whole car, and now, I always take out my own hire car insurance - not theirs. Staff have always been great, and none were scratch-nazis - other than...
Pisa - they are the most rude people you'll ever deal with. Don't take out their insurance? They'll make you stand in a seperate "punishment queue", and, tried to tell me the fuel tank was not full on return - photos sorted that out. Absolute shysters.
All the other times, Spanish rentals, good as..... gold.
LuS1fer said:
Autoreisen or Payless.
Both good value, both not anal about condition on return though I always jetwash mine for the 2 Euros it costs.
Indeed... Except for cleaning the car for them.Both good value, both not anal about condition on return though I always jetwash mine for the 2 Euros it costs.
There's enough complaints about Goldcar to make anybody suspicious about using them IMO.
And consider this. They're cheap because CDW isn't included in the price. Add the hard sell cost of CDW when you pick the car up and they aren't any cheaper at all, and if you don't add CDW to the price you're vulnerable to being screwed when you take the car back, and nobody with a flight to catch is gonna have the time to hang about arguing the toss with some car park operative.
Take out separate CDW insurance then, which is what we used to do. Hand over E400 for a dent when you drop the car off and then submit a claim to your CDW provider and wait for them to reply no way is that dent going to cost E400 to fix, here's E150 because that's all you should have paid.
Without insurance Goldcar will charge you for repairing any damage done whilst you have the car. If they are actually repairing the damage they've charged clients for then you have to ask how come many of their cars have prior damage listed on the contract that's not been repaired. You can bet you whole holiday spending money somebody's previously been charged for it.
Far better to cover your arse and go for a deal where all you have to do is hand the keys over without any consequences.
I have to counter that for balance.
I take out my own insurance, as anyone of sound mind should - as it's a fraction of the price.
Gold car (nor any other car hire co I've ever used) have ever tried it on with me for a dent or scratch, and that includes this May in Malaga with Firefly where I drove it down dirt tracks for 4 days in Andalucia and returned it (brand new delivery miles car) thick with red dust.
Goldcar Valencia rarely even give the cars a cursory glance when I return them.
A quick glance shows I used Goldacar in 2016,2017, 2019, and I know for a fact I've used them from 2012 onwards almost anually in Spain.
Mind you, I've never suffered a dent or scratch - probably mostly as in Valencia I park up for 5 days and that's it. Effectively an airport shuttle from Malaga to VLC. WHen its not valencia, and I actually use the car in earnest, I'm very careful with them, and I never park where it looks like I'll get shunted etc
Like I said, Gold car Pisa was a total pain in the arse, but that was unique.
You are not going to find good reviews consistently about any budget car hire co as most people who leave reviews have to on trustpilot or feefo, which means they have to create an account, which happy customers will rarely do. But unhappy customers....
To give you an example, I've just googled Firefly Malaga, who I've had repeated excellent service from , and , guess what? 1.5 stars and 90% 1 star reviews. So, terrible.
A scroll through shows people falling into a few categories:
1- car cleaning charges.
2- paying for the insurance when they dind't think they agreed to it - again and again and again
3- Agressive upselling of insurance
4- not having a credit card to hand at the collection desk
5- husband buying insurance but wife was not aware!?
6- being charged for not returning it full of fuel and being charged
so my thinking:
1 - I've never cleaned a hire car externally, but, I always leave the inside spotless. Perhaps its parents leaving food wrappers, wet wipes etc?
2 - Read the paperwork and check ever box you sign for! Easy stuff. They DO try and gloss over the fact they are selling you insurance.
3 - It's what they do - you are getting a hire car for peanuts. I've often paid less than 20 euros for a car for a whole week. WHat do you expect? it's where they make their money, on the insurance.
4 - It is always mentioned in the booking emails. Bring a CC for a large reserve if you take your own insurance out, or they will charge you a large chunk (deposit) directly if you use a debit card.
5 - Who's fault it that?
6 - Take a photo of the fuel guague, date stamped , when you return it. I always do, and only once have I had to use the photo (Goldcar Pisa)
Honestly, you are getting cars for pocket money, and for that, you need to put a little effort in to ensure it goes smoothly. I think bargain basement car hire is not for the disorganised.
When I arrive at the desk I always politely show them my own insurance cover, printed on paper, smile, and make it clear that selling me more is a non starter. When they tell me it'll be a large reserve on my card I smile and say, "no probs". 99% of the time they get the picture and the rest of the interaction is smooth as they know I know, what they know :-)
I hired two cars in Malaga once, helped the second driver take out his own insurance in the UK, but when we got there, and I'd got my keys, he was still at the desk. When I went over, he was on the point of giving in and buying their insurance on top as they'd bullied him into believing his own cover was insufficient. I put a stop to that, but it goes to show how good they are at it, and how people give in. He found the whole experience very stressful and wished "he'd just bought their insurance instead" (at 20 euros a day fo a week, instead of our £25 for the year bought in the UK policy) - he'd actually rather have paid more so he didn't have to stand up for himself. SHows how they get away with it.
TLDR: If you are a chicken, use Hertz, if not , use any cheapo car hire co, except, Goldcar Pisa :-)
I take out my own insurance, as anyone of sound mind should - as it's a fraction of the price.
Gold car (nor any other car hire co I've ever used) have ever tried it on with me for a dent or scratch, and that includes this May in Malaga with Firefly where I drove it down dirt tracks for 4 days in Andalucia and returned it (brand new delivery miles car) thick with red dust.
Goldcar Valencia rarely even give the cars a cursory glance when I return them.
A quick glance shows I used Goldacar in 2016,2017, 2019, and I know for a fact I've used them from 2012 onwards almost anually in Spain.
Mind you, I've never suffered a dent or scratch - probably mostly as in Valencia I park up for 5 days and that's it. Effectively an airport shuttle from Malaga to VLC. WHen its not valencia, and I actually use the car in earnest, I'm very careful with them, and I never park where it looks like I'll get shunted etc
Like I said, Gold car Pisa was a total pain in the arse, but that was unique.
You are not going to find good reviews consistently about any budget car hire co as most people who leave reviews have to on trustpilot or feefo, which means they have to create an account, which happy customers will rarely do. But unhappy customers....
To give you an example, I've just googled Firefly Malaga, who I've had repeated excellent service from , and , guess what? 1.5 stars and 90% 1 star reviews. So, terrible.
A scroll through shows people falling into a few categories:
1- car cleaning charges.
2- paying for the insurance when they dind't think they agreed to it - again and again and again
3- Agressive upselling of insurance
4- not having a credit card to hand at the collection desk
5- husband buying insurance but wife was not aware!?
6- being charged for not returning it full of fuel and being charged
so my thinking:
1 - I've never cleaned a hire car externally, but, I always leave the inside spotless. Perhaps its parents leaving food wrappers, wet wipes etc?
2 - Read the paperwork and check ever box you sign for! Easy stuff. They DO try and gloss over the fact they are selling you insurance.
3 - It's what they do - you are getting a hire car for peanuts. I've often paid less than 20 euros for a car for a whole week. WHat do you expect? it's where they make their money, on the insurance.
4 - It is always mentioned in the booking emails. Bring a CC for a large reserve if you take your own insurance out, or they will charge you a large chunk (deposit) directly if you use a debit card.
5 - Who's fault it that?
6 - Take a photo of the fuel guague, date stamped , when you return it. I always do, and only once have I had to use the photo (Goldcar Pisa)
Honestly, you are getting cars for pocket money, and for that, you need to put a little effort in to ensure it goes smoothly. I think bargain basement car hire is not for the disorganised.
When I arrive at the desk I always politely show them my own insurance cover, printed on paper, smile, and make it clear that selling me more is a non starter. When they tell me it'll be a large reserve on my card I smile and say, "no probs". 99% of the time they get the picture and the rest of the interaction is smooth as they know I know, what they know :-)
I hired two cars in Malaga once, helped the second driver take out his own insurance in the UK, but when we got there, and I'd got my keys, he was still at the desk. When I went over, he was on the point of giving in and buying their insurance on top as they'd bullied him into believing his own cover was insufficient. I put a stop to that, but it goes to show how good they are at it, and how people give in. He found the whole experience very stressful and wished "he'd just bought their insurance instead" (at 20 euros a day fo a week, instead of our £25 for the year bought in the UK policy) - he'd actually rather have paid more so he didn't have to stand up for himself. SHows how they get away with it.
TLDR: If you are a chicken, use Hertz, if not , use any cheapo car hire co, except, Goldcar Pisa :-)
Edited by Griffith4ever on Sunday 4th September 09:58
For those concerned, the Canaries seem to have a far more laid back approach to car hire
With Autoreisen and Payless, you reserve a car and pay when you get there. No deposit, no fuss, here are the keys, this is what is not covered, no hard sell of extra insurance. Drive away.
Use for 7 days, return with same fuel in, drop keys, confirm fuel is the same. Thank you for your custom..
Sometimes ( not always) the cars supplied will have a few scratches and dents. I always photograph them but there has never been a time when they've ever claimed it was done by me. Painless experience
With Autoreisen and Payless, you reserve a car and pay when you get there. No deposit, no fuss, here are the keys, this is what is not covered, no hard sell of extra insurance. Drive away.
Use for 7 days, return with same fuel in, drop keys, confirm fuel is the same. Thank you for your custom..
Sometimes ( not always) the cars supplied will have a few scratches and dents. I always photograph them but there has never been a time when they've ever claimed it was done by me. Painless experience
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