Goldcar - a review
Discussion
I usually hire from Autoriesen in the Canaries, no excess being the main attraction.
However Skyscanner was showing a mid size SUV at 25eu rather than £100 with Autoreisen for 10 days, this being in Gran Canaria. I chanced taking the Goldcar, against all the comments here, and got a Ford Ecosport (I think it was). The car park was a big walk from the collection desk, when we got there there was a small dent and 2 scratches on the wheels so it was a bit of a trek back to the desk. They marked them on the collection sheet and signed it.
Upon return we were a bit confused as there were no Goldcar spaces in the car park, so we left it in a Hertz one. I dropped the keys off but they didn't want to see the signed sheet. I was worried the computer damage record wouldn't accept this but I have just been emailed and no additional damage was reported. I tried to pay with my Amex but they wouldn't accept this, so deducted my debit card for £1400, now the waiting game to get it back.
I will probably use Goldcar again if the price is right. Oh the excess policy I took was £30 for the year.
However Skyscanner was showing a mid size SUV at 25eu rather than £100 with Autoreisen for 10 days, this being in Gran Canaria. I chanced taking the Goldcar, against all the comments here, and got a Ford Ecosport (I think it was). The car park was a big walk from the collection desk, when we got there there was a small dent and 2 scratches on the wheels so it was a bit of a trek back to the desk. They marked them on the collection sheet and signed it.
Upon return we were a bit confused as there were no Goldcar spaces in the car park, so we left it in a Hertz one. I dropped the keys off but they didn't want to see the signed sheet. I was worried the computer damage record wouldn't accept this but I have just been emailed and no additional damage was reported. I tried to pay with my Amex but they wouldn't accept this, so deducted my debit card for £1400, now the waiting game to get it back.
I will probably use Goldcar again if the price is right. Oh the excess policy I took was £30 for the year.
lost in espace said:
I usually hire from Autoriesen in the Canaries, no excess being the main attraction.
However Skyscanner was showing a mid size SUV at 25eu rather than £100 with Autoreisen for 10 days, this being in Gran Canaria. I chanced taking the Goldcar, against all the comments here, and got a Ford Ecosport (I think it was). The car park was a big walk from the collection desk, when we got there there was a small dent and 2 scratches on the wheels so it was a bit of a trek back to the desk. They marked them on the collection sheet and signed it.
Upon return we were a bit confused as there were no Goldcar spaces in the car park, so we left it in a Hertz one. I dropped the keys off but they didn't want to see the signed sheet. I was worried the computer damage record wouldn't accept this but I have just been emailed and no additional damage was reported. I tried to pay with my Amex but they wouldn't accept this, so deducted my debit card for £1400, now the waiting game to get it back.
I will probably use Goldcar again if the price is right. Oh the excess policy I took was £30 for the year.
Sounds about right. However Skyscanner was showing a mid size SUV at 25eu rather than £100 with Autoreisen for 10 days, this being in Gran Canaria. I chanced taking the Goldcar, against all the comments here, and got a Ford Ecosport (I think it was). The car park was a big walk from the collection desk, when we got there there was a small dent and 2 scratches on the wheels so it was a bit of a trek back to the desk. They marked them on the collection sheet and signed it.
Upon return we were a bit confused as there were no Goldcar spaces in the car park, so we left it in a Hertz one. I dropped the keys off but they didn't want to see the signed sheet. I was worried the computer damage record wouldn't accept this but I have just been emailed and no additional damage was reported. I tried to pay with my Amex but they wouldn't accept this, so deducted my debit card for £1400, now the waiting game to get it back.
I will probably use Goldcar again if the price is right. Oh the excess policy I took was £30 for the year.
They always seem to give the cheapest prices but I shudder from it all and really never think I'll get a decent motor.
fourstardan said:
Sounds about right.
They always seem to give the cheapest prices but I shudder from it all and really never think I'll get a decent motor.
Looks like in this case you would have been spot on. On what planet a Ford Ecosport counts as a mid-size SUV I'm really not sure?!?They always seem to give the cheapest prices but I shudder from it all and really never think I'll get a decent motor.
Dashnine said:
Never used Goldcar, mainly as they charged for the full tank of fuel at an exhorbitant cost.
Do they still do this as I've not hired a car since Covid (unrelated to Covid, just not needed to)?
Car was full, there was a filling station in the airport so brimmed it there on return. Do they still do this as I've not hired a car since Covid (unrelated to Covid, just not needed to)?
Ken_Code said:
I had them argue with me as to whether the tank was really full, as despite it showing full they said I needed to prove that it had actually been filled at the closest petrol station to the airport.
Say "Well if you open the filler cap I'll just grab my Zippo and show you..."?Was a bit of a "non review" tbh - what was your actual conclusion?
I've used Goldcar loads of times and their service is very dependent on WHERE you use them. So far, many times in Spain , no issues at all. Pisa, however, they were horrific, all down to truly awful staff. Otherwise, a non even, and like the OP, I have seperate hire car insurance so I never really worry about it.
I've used Goldcar loads of times and their service is very dependent on WHERE you use them. So far, many times in Spain , no issues at all. Pisa, however, they were horrific, all down to truly awful staff. Otherwise, a non even, and like the OP, I have seperate hire car insurance so I never really worry about it.
Griffith4ever said:
Was a bit of a "non review" tbh - what was your actual conclusion?
I've used Goldcar loads of times and their service is very dependent on WHERE you use them. So far, many times in Spain , no issues at all. Pisa, however, they were horrific, all down to truly awful staff. Otherwise, a non even, and like the OP, I have seperate hire car insurance so I never really worry about it.
Can you share anything about this hire car insurance? CheersI've used Goldcar loads of times and their service is very dependent on WHERE you use them. So far, many times in Spain , no issues at all. Pisa, however, they were horrific, all down to truly awful staff. Otherwise, a non even, and like the OP, I have seperate hire car insurance so I never really worry about it.
SP_ said:
Can you share anything about this hire car insurance? Cheers
There are a few firms who offer “excess insurance” that gives you all the same cover as the hire companies would but at a far lower price.I just renewed my annual cover for £44 with the RAC.
https://www.rac.co.uk/insurance/car-hire-excess-in...
Ken_Code said:
SP_ said:
Can you share anything about this hire car insurance? Cheers
There are a few firms who offer “excess insurance” that gives you all the same cover as the hire companies would but at a far lower price.I just renewed my annual cover for £44 with the RAC.
https://www.rac.co.uk/insurance/car-hire-excess-in...
I use Questor and have had no issues
Funny someone said Pisa as I used Firefly there via a well known intermediary who gave me a clapped out ex Hertz car with so many scratches on it I couldnt actually count them all. At the desk there was a hard upsell which immediately stopped when I said I had XS cover and on return I had no issues with "new" damage in stark contrast to lots of peeps on internet ratings sites
My feeling is that if you dont have XS cover they will try and rinse you however if you do they know the insurer is wise to them and so they dont bother
Good luck
numtumfutunch said:
Ken_Code said:
SP_ said:
Can you share anything about this hire car insurance? Cheers
There are a few firms who offer “excess insurance” that gives you all the same cover as the hire companies would but at a far lower price.I just renewed my annual cover for £44 with the RAC.
https://www.rac.co.uk/insurance/car-hire-excess-in...
I use Questor and have had no issues
Funny someone said Pisa as I used Firefly there via a well known intermediary who gave me a clapped out ex Hertz car with so many scratches on it I couldnt actually count them all. At the desk there was a hard upsell which immediately stopped when I said I had XS cover and on return I had no issues with "new" damage in stark contrast to lots of peeps on internet ratings sites
My feeling is that if you dont have XS cover they will try and rinse you however if you do they know the insurer is wise to them and so they dont bother
Good luck
Do they cover non "label" brands i.e. local companies rather than the usual Avis, Enterprise etc?
Recently used them at Marseille airport.
Ended up with a Renault Kaptur. Horrible little car, but we only needed it to get to and from the chateau.
I think it cost ~£150 for 4 days (3 nights). They obviously tried the hard sell on damage waivers, showing me the list of what any damage to certain components would cost me. Bit scary, but the excess waiver was basically the same cost as the car hire, so I opted to pay the £1400 deposit.
Topped up the fuel next to the airport. There were no Goldcar spaces left when we arrived at drop-off (06.30, before opening), so I 'abandoned' it along with quite a few others. Took some photos of the car and posted the keys.
In departures, I got the email confirmation that they'd inspected the car and would be processing the return of my deposit.
I'd use them again if the price was right.
Ended up with a Renault Kaptur. Horrible little car, but we only needed it to get to and from the chateau.
I think it cost ~£150 for 4 days (3 nights). They obviously tried the hard sell on damage waivers, showing me the list of what any damage to certain components would cost me. Bit scary, but the excess waiver was basically the same cost as the car hire, so I opted to pay the £1400 deposit.
Topped up the fuel next to the airport. There were no Goldcar spaces left when we arrived at drop-off (06.30, before opening), so I 'abandoned' it along with quite a few others. Took some photos of the car and posted the keys.
In departures, I got the email confirmation that they'd inspected the car and would be processing the return of my deposit.
I'd use them again if the price was right.
SP_ said:
numtumfutunch said:
Ken_Code said:
SP_ said:
Can you share anything about this hire car insurance? Cheers
There are a few firms who offer “excess insurance” that gives you all the same cover as the hire companies would but at a far lower price.I just renewed my annual cover for £44 with the RAC.
https://www.rac.co.uk/insurance/car-hire-excess-in...
I use Questor and have had no issues
Funny someone said Pisa as I used Firefly there via a well known intermediary who gave me a clapped out ex Hertz car with so many scratches on it I couldnt actually count them all. At the desk there was a hard upsell which immediately stopped when I said I had XS cover and on return I had no issues with "new" damage in stark contrast to lots of peeps on internet ratings sites
My feeling is that if you dont have XS cover they will try and rinse you however if you do they know the insurer is wise to them and so they dont bother
Good luck
Do they cover non "label" brands i.e. local companies rather than the usual Avis, Enterprise etc?
I'm finding the hard sell on insurance when you collect is slowly becoming a thing of the past as annual cover becomes more widely used. Saying that I've not been to Alicante for a while now.....
I think partly they can now tell you are not game by your general demeanor. I never get asked and I gladly hand over my CC for a large deposit block. I hire in Europe several times a year. This year Athens, Malaga so far, up coming Venice and Split. I always go cheapo, full full. I often see other people shelling out for daily cover, or, getting wound up.
I've said before , the only time ive had an argy was Pisa Airport goldcar. They tried to claim the car wasnt full. Id photographed the fuel gauge just in cas as they tried the hard sell on collection. They backed down with photo evidence.
If I trawled through my diary I reckon I could list around 15 + goldcar rentals with zero issues, and that one above with a little hassle.
Edited by Griffith4ever on Friday 31st May 09:51
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