Car rental

Hi again

Well i have to say I looked at all the options and as soon as my eyes started to go square from being on the pc for so long i decided to go with carjet after all.

The prices were all roughly around the same .........altho for a scenic we found easycar.com the cheapest by about £20 (over a period of a month) but went with carjet because we could make the reservation NOW and pay when we get there, im hoping the euro will get better!!!!

The car is to be picked up with Goldcar.es so im pleased overall.

Thanks again for all your advice everyone, thanks to you i am fully prepared for what to expect and wont go looking for the carjet office at the airport!!

Sorry,

Have just put my glasses on to check my old booking form - it was with Arguscarhire.com not Angus

Hi al

Just got good rate for Europcar by going through Egg site. If you have an Egg credit card and use it to pay you get 10% off.

Brian 

Re the car hire at Murcia airport.  Having just done it, I can say it can be a bit of a bind when you have to go off airport.  Our picking up info sheet from DoYouSpain said go to the meeting point and you will be met (this was with Auriga Crown).  Well, quickly through the little cottage airport at Murcia, collected bags and went outside.  No meeting point, no signs no vans.  Walked around for a bit and saw all the other passengers disappear in their Europa, Centauro etc hire cars or picked up by taxis/ friends.  Still no sign of a meeting point.  About 20 minutes later, an Auriga crown courtesy bus pulled up on the right of the airport by the outside cafe.  Lady driver got out and walked rapidly into the airport.  I followed her but she seem to disappear into thin air.  10 minutes later, up pulls another Auriga courtesy coach and this was ours.  Got into the courtesy bus, and it is only a 5 minute drive to the village of San Javier where you pick up the car.  I must say, all the cars from Auriga Crown were in pretty bad shape.  One guy, who had hired for 28 days, was a bit upset with the dents and scratches plus no rear windscreen wiper.  He said he had been there arguing for over half an hour but eventually took the car and said he would come back tomorrow.  Mine had scratches and dents all down one side and almost 50,000 kms on the clock.  No high-vis vests, no warning triangles and I didn't even ask about the spare bulbs.  When I asked for the car documentation, they just gave me the hire agreement which they said was to be shown to the police to prove I had insurance.  A couple with a young family said they had been waiting an hour for the courtesy bus back to the airport and were panicking that they would miss their flights. 

Anyway, as I was only there a week, we drove off vowing to make sure we would come back early just in case. This was some forty minutes after collecting cases which is how long it takes me to drive home from Alicante airport.  A week later, back we went.  To their credit, they did refund me the petrol money as it was almost full.  Handed in the keys and a courtesy bus picked us up straight away and took us to the airport.  This meant we had nearly 3 1/2 hours to wait as we had allowed plenty of time to get back for the flights. (and there is absolutely nothing at Murcia airport except an overpriced booze and perfume shop and a Subway - not even a newsagents or tobacconists).

Not a good experience and I have cancelled my booking in August with Auriga Crown.  Europa Goldcar, Centauro and a couple of other companies are on the airport.  I have now booked with Centauro so at least I can plan the journey both ways a little better.  And as I will have two young grandkids with me in August, I don't want to have to hang around waiting for transfers etc. 

Hi bobaol

We fly regularly into Murcia & had booked Auriga in May for the first time since they went off site (in fear & trepidation as we had heard negative reports as well). Our plane was 4 hours late taking off so ended up in Alicante as Murcia was shut by then (oh joy - if I'd wanted to go there I'd have booked it!) . Picked up the car from Auriga desk in Alicante no problem (2.30am by this time!) - turned out to be one of the best cars we have hired in ages. Nearly new with very little mileage on the clock. Returned it to Murcia Auriga a week later & (prob more by luck) van was just leaving for the airport. Only negative we found, was that it was just me with my 2 kids & 3 heavy cases (never learnt how to travel light ) & 2 burly guys stepped back while I had to heave the cases on & off the van myself. Health & safety or just couldn't be bothered - who knows .

Hi Annie21.  I'm not complaining about Auriga in general.  We have had hire cars at Alicante through them several times and have always had a good, low mileage car.  Plus good, quick service.  I would say, though, that their operation in Murcia leaves a lot to be desired.  Maybe you were lucky by being diverted to Alicante (I don't mean lucky in being diverted but lucky in dealing with Auriga Alicante, if you see what I mean) and got a good car from them.  Those in Murcia were all rather dischuffed with the service and vehicles received.  As they say, once bitten, twice shy.  Also the advantage of having a 20 minute shorter journey from there rather than Alicante is a bit offset by the 40 minute wait to even get to the place where you pick up the car.  But, as I said, coming back was great.  It's just the uncertainty of it blights the visit.

Never mind, one day I'll be there permanently and will have the hassle of booking UK hire cars for my visits.  Roll on the day.

Will find out in July bobaol - we've booked a car for 5 weeks through them from (hopefully!) Murcia. If it's no good it'll be going straight back - can put up with niggles for 1 week but not 5 .

Have to say the two chaps manning the Auriga desk in Alicante at 2.30am were brilliant. They were obviously tired & dealing with a load of disgruntled passengers coming off a diverted flight at that time in the morning isn't for the faint hearted, but they were very quick & efficient & even managed to joke with us which was nice .

I am looking to rent a car in barcelona airport and return it two weeks later to Malaga airport. Does anyone know of a company who will allow me to do this, as i am having no luck. We usually use carjet when we rent and return to the same collection point. I have also looked at the company who advertisement banner is at the top of this page and no luck there either. I would have thought it was quite a common request, so assume there must be companies out there willing to do this for me.

In my experience what you are asking here is very easy and something that is done everyday.

But why waste time with middle men? Go direct to the rental companies; most times you will get a much better deal!

Suggest you look at Europcar website, or if you are still in the UK visit your local Europcar office.

Their rates are competitive and their staff extremely helpful.

We did a one way hire from San Sebastian to Granada, picking the car up from the town centre office and returning iy a few days later to Granada airport. It was all very smooth .

For a short period of time I worked as a pick up driver for Hertz in the UK and the local office used to take international bookings every day.

Good Luck!

just ran a quick check on Europcar website using fictitious dates 17/31 July. Online quote for specified one way Barcelona airport- Malaga Airport hire is 244 euros for a group B Fiat Punto.

Hope this helps

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Hi Foxbat

I have also done a search on Eurpacar and this seems to be the company that will suit our requirements, so thank you for that. Which site did you look on though as we could not get near  the price you mention. Our date of travel is 21st till 4th august and we will need a roof rack as we are a family of two adults and two children.

Hi Samson,

www.doyouspain.com do this but I've just put your dates in & was asked to email  info@doyouspain.com  for rates. Be interested to know how you get on as we usually always book with this agent although we check out carjet & others too.

www.doyouspain.com have absolutely NO cancellation charges see http://www.doyouspain.com/conditions.htm  which isn't the case with many others. 

http://www2.europcar.com/EBE/module/render//TermsAndConditions/Online-Booking-Terms-and-Conditions

VII. Changes to reservation: Modification / Cancellation Policy

 You will be allowed to view, modify or cancel your reservation online after it is confirmed, provided it is done at least 2 hours prior to rental time. You simply need to click on the « Modify / Cancel link » in the Concierge Service or MY Europcar sections.

Please note that you must be logged on under the same Europcar driver ID under which the reservation was made in order to modify, cancel, or delete reservations. You will not be able to amend online reservations made or modified via our Reservation Service Centre, Travel Agency, or reservations made using a Europcar driver ID if you are not logged on under the same Europcar driver ID.

In the case of prepaid reservations, modification/cancellation fees may apply: you will be notified at the time of modification/cancellation. The amount initially charged will be refunded on your credit card number if the required notice is given (see Prepayment Terms and Conditions, paragraph 5).

This seems fair enough but some are 48 hrs (or more) before so you need to be aware.

Try http://www.travelsupermarket.com/travelmerge/travelsearch.aspx?package=6 too

www.europcar.com. but bear in mind that adot com addy takes you normally to your country of residence, in my case Spain. However try this link, its page 2 of the europcar .com Spanish edition. click on the link 'continue to europcar.com in english' and take it from there...

http://www2.europcar.com/EBE/module/dispatch/dispatch.jsp

Hope this works for you.

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just did it from my location and it looks like the link works OK but their is a huge difference in the rates quoted now for your specified date. 350 euros ish. Big difference but I guess thats because its absolute peak time and also coincides with a spanish national holiday...

Just enetered the dates 21st July until 4th August with a roof rack and 1 extra driver, collecting from barcelona and delivering back to malaga. For a  Seat Cordoba £296. I think that is a fair price. Its about double what we normally pay but this is not a staright forward rental.

Thanks to everyone for there help. will discuss with my partner tonight and probably book through europocar.