Fully Comp.......

[John H]

Just read this;
"Got an email from Record rent a car today - 6 weeks after I got home - guess what! they found some damage on the returned car and have charged me to repair. This despite my paying the ridiculously expensive insurance they suggest is fully comprehensive. Apparently as I did not declare the damage I was not aware of the insurance is invalid. I have asked how I can declare something I was not aware of and await their response which I will share with you. There must be an opportunity in the market for an honest transparently priced car hirer!"

Apparently the charge was made for damage to a wheel

It does lead you question the point of taking out the hire companies fully comprehensive insurance

Regards all

John


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[BeachLife]

The car hire "scams" (because that what they are) get s worse and worse and now gets to a point that even the most honest and straightforward of people are simply getting conned.

I'm glad I'm out of the car hire process having bought my own, yes, renting is probably cheaper for me on a annual basis, but having to constantly look over your shoulder with these sharks makes own car ownership worthwhile for me.

[John H]

If we spent more time there Rich I would buy again, we only spend 3 maybe 4 months a year there.
I "play the game" and get good deals on the rentals, I've got a Renault Kadjar for 31 days next month €176.....unless it pops up cheaper, in which case I'll cancel and rebook.
I pay £40 a year insurance to cover the excess
No worries about ITV's, repairs and servicing, will it start after sitting for 3 months etc etc.
I've yet to be stung by a hire company.....


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[Blue and white stripes]

I've had my own car over there for 8 years having changed when car hire prices became stupid. Would never consider hiring a car again and stories like John's prove to me I made the right decision. For comparison I spent 135 days over there last year.

[Spurs]

They are in danger of alienating all the regular people who book . I have about 8 cars a year from centauro and they to are making changes to the terms etc no bonus now in having a gold card etc maybe I should think about buying a car anyone have any rough idea of costs involved

[John H]

Its a few years since I had one, obviously costs vary according to emissions, insurance group etc etc
We had a VW 1.8 turbo
Insurance was c. €350 a year, "road tax" c. €150 a year, ITV c.€30 a year, oil and filter change c. €50 a year.
Looking at €600 before any major service/tyres/repairs/depreciation
Chuck on top of that possibly airport parking, I was lucky I have my own garage, or the cost of getting from GA to the airport and return....unless your mates do it and your looking at well over €1000 a year.
On these costs I reckon hiring, and getting fairly new cars.....I've dropped on dead lucky recently with what I've picked up.....is the best bet.
As I said I've never been stung, even if I had been I'd still be financially better of hiring.

Regards all

John


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[Aficionado]

Currently have a group C Fiesta/Clio booked for September at 36.22 euros for 21 days with Solmar.

It is ridiculously cheap. Of course, it is on a full to empty basis so I know there will be a loaded fuel charge, but even so.

I also have an annual excess protection policy at £40 so will not take out their extra insurance - but will be insisting on a walk around inspection on return and seeking a signature on my contract that "todo es corecto" (been doing that for several years now, no problems to date)

On this basis, currently no way I would buy a car, not there often enough yet to justify it.

Michael.

[tony and lesley]

Had my car for over 5 years now.

Service cost 90 euro ,    Fully comp insurance  237 euros ,  road tax 67 euros,  itv 30

Would never consider hiring again, to dodgy for me. I used to take pictures of the returned car as i was scammed by them years ago.

I disconnect the battery when leaving , but do have a garage which is advantageous.

It works superbly well for me.

[BeachLife]

.... and IF bought wisely Spanish cars dont seem to depreciate as fast as those in the UK.

My Nissan has 43K KM it now doing about 3 /4 K a year in my hands.

FWR has offered my more than I paid for it after 2 years of ownership

[John H]

I also reckon the type of motoring you do can help swing the equation.
We do quite a bit of mileage as we do a bit of touring when we come out, I've had to swop the last two cars I've had as we went over the 2000 km in the hire period.....no extra charge involved.
Obviously with this mileage the cost of servicing and wear and tear is much higher.
Horses for courses

Regards all

John


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[Brandon]

HI John,

I'm in the middle of going through something similar with Record Go.
I handed back the car.
First inspection guy was fine & saw no issue, but he called over his manager for a look as the guy was new to the company.
The manager pointed out 2 dents in the car.
These dents were clearly there before & their paperwork shows an X for damage in that area before I picked it up.
The dent is across 2 panels & they are therefore charging me twice.(in line with their charge sheet).....
I remember they were there when I got it and they are now charging me almot €500.

Their paperwork showed an x on the place that was damaged before I hired the car, but they claim that was for a smaller mark further back on the car (even though it is near the X)...
Grrrr
Record say, I should have photographed the car all over when I collected it (at 11pm at night).
I have hired from them approx 8 times without issue.

I do have excess insurance and am trying to see if that will cover it.
I am not a happy camper though.
I paid about €300 for 10 days & now another €500
I always found Record ok to deal with.
Not so anymore, it seems.

[Spurs]

Wonder if there is any mileage in buying a car and then letting to others at a cheaper rate than the hire companies when I'm not there might look into that

[Corporal Jones]

 After hiring near 100 cars since owning in GA we have this year not hired at all,instead using taxis and buses to get around the area, obviously if we wanted to go further afield we would rent again. Despite all these rentals we have what I believe scammed on 3 occasions with claims against my credit card, fortunately all were repaid by my excess insurance, but that is not the point. The car hire comeanies proactively defraud customers when they are most vulnerable just prior to departure when are arguing the point over a dubious scratch. We even had a claim for a missing parcel shelf a month after returning, laughable really but try proving once back in the UK that the shelf was missing on collection. How many times has the same shelf been charged as missing or that little scratch found on the wheel once back in valeting been billed for. Despite many people saying "I've never had a problem " your turn will undoubtedly come it's just a matter of when. Just for the record we really look after the cars, never abuse and return them as clean as possible so feel aggrieved when charged €100 for a scratch we know wasn't ours.

[John H]

We should bring our old Mercs down Brandon and go cruising
Hope you get the problem sorted, sounds like a right con trick.

Regards all

John


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[Blue and white stripes]

I never had a problem prior to buying my own car. It was the hire costs (300 euros a week at the time, 2006) and the full-empty policy that swung it for me.
I remember the Record guy telling me 'any petrol left in the tank goes towards the little bumps and scratches we don't charge you for'
How things appear to have changed.