10 Aug 2013 9:47 PM:
firefly just cheated me
My experience with firefly car rental at san havier airport
Arrived 1st august at san Javier, Murcia with wife and 10yr old granddaughter found the van that firefly operate from , to the left of the airport arrival exit doors in the car park.
Checking in with my doyoudo spain voucher was easy enough, I was explained that if I took a insurance package for something like an extra 64 euros (it was not explained that this did not include iva tax) I would not have to pay any deposit from my credit card, and would not be liable for the 400 euros excess should I be involved in any accident.
As I had been involved in an accident on the previous trip to spain wich I believed was not my fault, Yet that car hire company insisted I pay a further 900 euros to continue the hire agreement, what could I do? I then had 3 days of my holiday to continue, with out a car was impossible, it was a Saturday afternoon and not much hope of getting another car with another company, so that time I continued driving the damaged vehicle. After paying a further 900 euros.
This time with three days of the seven remaining I was involved in another accident this time some drove into the back of us at a motorway entrance, mid Sunday afternoon on returning from the beach and shopping, so I am deemed not at fault.
I returned the car back to the firefly van at san Javier, at around 9pm on a Sunday night.
After trying to call them for advice as the accident happened at about 3.45pm I was able to take my family back to out apartment, and make plans for the return of the car, in the mean time I also emailed all the photos I took at the scene and photo copies of the accident report form, as I have read in small print any accident must be reported within 48 hours to the hire firm. I was eager to get this done.
And as san Javier was very near where we stay it seemed a good idea to get the car back to them asap. As I had purchased there full insurance cover I assumed every thing would be a piece of cake and I would be fully compensated with a replacement vehicle and a waiver on any fuel charges as I had already paid 74 euros plus tax for a full tank which I had half left,, with 3 days remaining this would have been plenty to seem through to near empty on return.
So as the only car was available was a car smaller in size I accepted this and we had done most of the running around and shopping we needed to do.
So it made no difference if the car was smaller, i.e a cheaper model.
Then whilst this was explained to me, I saw a flaw in the arraignment in that they required me to go to a near by (about 5km) petrol station to fill the damaged car with fuel. As time was running out i.e it was now 9.45pm and they close at 10pm I believe, so I complied and drove to the station to fill the half empty tank, it cost a further 35 euros of my money to fill the tank.
I drove back to firefly at the airport , to be told I would now be given the cheaper car with a full tank of fuel which I must return empty. Now im thinking hang on a minuet here,
I have purchased your super duper extra cover insurance here which you said I would not have to worry about a thing every thing is covered.
Now you want me to drive away in a cheaper car than what I had already paid for, pay an extra 35 euros for added petrol and use a tank of fuel in three days that is smaller and cheaper than the one I paid 74 euros for in the first place, all because of an accident that was not my fault. The other driver even admitted fault on the accident report form. Wich I have promptly returned to you plus the photos I have taken and sent to you to help your claim against this driver.
This is not right is it, the reply after much talking in Spanish between the two girls on the desk was that it was company policy we have no facility to change contracts, I must proceed as they wish or not have a car. As I was with a child and my wife at gone 10pm at san Javier airport there could be no way I was able to leave with out transport.
I stood my ground and tried to explain how could I be treated like this as a customer, surly they could see this was not fair and very harsh treatment, when I was supposed to be covered for all eventualities?
One of the girls could sympathize with my predicament, you could see on her face that she knew the situation was wrong and not fair, and said she would have a word with the boss on Monday and call me on my mobile, in my mind I was looking for a full refund of the fuel cost on the first car as I had returned it full at there request.
And a allowance to be able to return the new car with a full tank at no charge for fuel this way the 35 euros I had paid to fill the first car would have covered the half tank I used.
So I waited for a phone call that never came,
Feeling that firefly might try to make things difficult on my returning the car I did a little research as to what I was actually paying in car hire costs for this trip, the total had come to 354 euros including a 146 euro fee paid to doyoudo spain for the car hire voucher.
164 euros to firefly for fuel extra insurance and tax.
As I had been coming to spain for 8 years and never paid this much to hire cars I checked a few website carhire links and came up with a few variations on cost for a 7 day period in august and cheapest I found was a arguscarhire at 202 euros including fuel extra insurance etc.
And another of 352 euros with europcar one of the 3 or 4 mega expensive rental firms I never use.
With this information I returned the car to the firefly desk.
Only one of the women was on duty the one who had no sympathy, very much like a young school head mistress with no compassion what so ever, I approached gave the keys over and asked for a copy of the accident report I had given them which I had forgot to collect the previous night.
I got this then began to ask about what had the boss said about my complaint, she began by saying it was not her I was dealing with as it was her colleuge
And she knew nothing of this phone call, yet it was her that was interpreting my comments on the night of the first return.
I tried to explain the predicament I was in and how unfair I was being treated but she was a complete blank wall, it was as if she was trained to not have any compassion or emotion and just keep stating that is our policy there is no flexibility to change contracts or give refunds.
I explained that the information in trying to sell me the extra insurance was that they said I would have to pay a 400 euro excess if I did not take it assuming I had an accident.
When I read the policy from doyou do spain it said full cdw and nothing about any excess, I was now feeling this is simply a rouse to get you to buy the extra cover.
When I put this to the lady at firefly she said we have our policy and doyyoudo spain have another.
What is that supposed to mean? So I buy a contract with doyyoudo spain that has didly sqwat to do with the car hire contract I was taking on?
I reiterated the point and she just said you must take that up with doyoudo spain, we do not operate that way, that is our policy.
I continued to stand my ground much to the annoyance of the queue forming behind me.
I really hope none of you have an accident whilst your in spain.
Thread:
Goldcar Car rental has just cheated me
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