# Car hire - Airport deals OK?



## Buzz50 (Mar 15, 2016)

We are popping over to Spain to have a look for somewhere to rent before buying and moving later this year.

We'll need a car to get around for a week or two during our first visit.

Any tips about whether to arrange this before we come, in April, and what I need to bring for ID, British licence and so on?


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## Rheumatoid (Mar 3, 2016)

Book before through one of the many comparison sites and don't be tempted by what seem ridiculously cheap deals with dodgy fuel policies that may end up costing you a lot more than you think. Go for a Full to Full. Also arrange your own excess insurance and tell them where to go when they try to sell it to you. Take your British license.
R.


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## Buzz50 (Mar 15, 2016)

Rheumatoid said:


> Book before through one of the many comparison sites and don't be tempted by what seem ridiculously cheap deals with dodgy fuel policies that may end up costing you a lot more than you think. Go for a Full to Full. Also arrange your own excess insurance and tell them where to go when they try to sell it to you. Take your British license.
> R.


Thank you R, much appreciated.

I am familiar with the comparison sites and will give them a try.

Who would I arrange excess insurance with?


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## Rheumatoid (Mar 3, 2016)

Hi Buzz,

useful guide here.

moneysavingexpert site (.com)

/travel/cheap-car-hire

sorry, not allowed to post URL's yet!


I usually just go with the best deal for excess. I think it was worldwideinsure.com last time.

R.


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## Rheumatoid (Mar 3, 2016)

also be careful to check for any damage before taking the car away and make sure if there is any that you report it.

also check they only block an amount off your credit card (as they will if you have your own excess insurance and can be up to £1k) and do not actually take it from the card as some of the less less scrupulous companies will. This may well incur foreign transaction charges.


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## jp1 (Jun 11, 2011)

I would disagree with Rhuematoid on one point and that is the insurance.

I have probably rented 100+ cars in Spain now and seen how their charging model has changed over the years. The current "style" is to advertise a car at an exceptionally low price and then add on the extras, the biggest extra of course being their excess insurance.

If you don't take the insurance they are definitely operating at a loss, and it is possible that they might find some damage. When I say damage I mean the most insignificant mark on the car that will have been there well before you hired it.

Do you want the hassle of claiming through your excess policy, dragging on for months with paperwork back and forth?? 

JUST PAY THE INSURANCE EXCESS, you then have absolute peace of mind.

Now this isn't a criticism of Spanish Hire car companies, I have had over my time only one problem.. 

https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowT...-Goldcar_is_a_SCAM_beware-Spain.html#59596504

But just appreciate what the real cost to hire a car is, if you are paying well below this price, then they are going to look at getting additional costs out of you.

I have just hired a car for my trip in April. The cost of a B1 group, (5 door, similar to Ford Fiesta) for 7 days is 23 Euros!!!! Using Centauro in Malaga.

Now who on earth believes this is viable cost to operate a car hire business.

I have added an additional driver and paid for the full insurance, with the fuel refilling surcharge the cost is 162 Euros, they will probably also charge me around 20 euros over and above the real cost of the fuel when I pick the car up.

So 26 Euros a day to hire the car, I expect this is still only just at operating cost to run the business.

As I said I have had an excellent experience with Spanish Hire car companies except for one (rental). If you now appreciate that the advertising model uses extremely low (non-viable) prices and pay for the additional insurance, you probably will be viewed as a reasonable customer and treated as such.

And I can definitely recommend Centauro Hire Car


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## Rheumatoid (Mar 3, 2016)

Be careful as I said and do your research (which might suggest avoid Goldcar) and you can get cheap hire cars. Pay their excess if you want the piece of mind. I have been hiring for years and never had a problem. I rarely pay over £50 per week plus fuel out of the main summer holidays but did have pay £100 a week once in August!


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## Horlics (Sep 27, 2011)

I have friends visiting me in April and they've paid 27 Euros for a 5 seat saloon with Sixt, which is a company that happily lets you use other insurance without then pulling dodgy stunts like jp1 has mentioned. Personally I wouldn't choose to use a company that would do such things in the event that you turn down some of the optional extras, so I would say DON'T JUST PAY THE INSURANCE EXCESS.

As for Airport rentals in general, a little caution is necessary. There are some companies which I would avoid, and in the case of Alicante (the only airport I use often) these are Centauro, Record Go, and Goldcar. The reason is, I have seen some horribly long queues, at times it seems like an entire flight or two is using them. Whereas you can wander up to Sixt or Europcar, etc. and be on your way very quickly. Although, huge queues are really only a problem at peak times. I went through Alicante last week and the whole airport was very quiet.

For insurance, I use: https://www.questor-insurance.co.uk/ Last time I paid 40 UKP for a year's cover.


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## buble (Apr 29, 2011)

Edi Rent A Car.....It's a family run business (English) and they are the most helpful, friendly, people I have ever dealt with. I can't praise them highly enough!!!


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## jp1 (Jun 11, 2011)

Horlics said:


> I have friends visiting me in April and they've paid 27 Euros for a 5 seat saloon with Sixt...


I am going to assume they are visiting for more than a day!!

I also in the past have hired a very reasonable car for £20 for 5 days from Malaga, albeit in the middle of February. It was a very very good deal and Eurocar, typically an expensive company, obviously had excess stock that week and preferred to hire it out than sit in a compound. This was nearly 10 years ago. They still made a loss on the hire though.

The point I am making is that NO company can make a profit when hiring a car for 7 days at 20 odd Euros. The staff costs alone, of one receptionist just to book you out and back in will cost more than that, that is even before a car has been provided!

The pricing model, of Spanish Hire Car companies has changed. It is advertise at a ludicrously low price and add on extras. Most companies do this now. They simply cannot hire a car out at 27 Euros a week without going bust!!

I don't hire cars at this price any more as I know the company looks to charge an extra cost, a damage claim being the most simplest to do, a nail in a tyre, a small chip in the windscreen, a stain on the seat, the list is endless and impossible for you to argue against. If you have your own insurance great, the hire car company don't care. They still charge you 200+ Euros on your card and you are left fighting to disprove liability, provide correct documentation to your excess insurance company and all the hassle that an insurance claim entails.

It's madness to think we can all hire a car for 27 Euros for a week. So don't be surprised when an additional cost is added! I personally would prefer to know that I have paid an economically viable price for the hire, and known of course, rather than get an unexpected and unknown charge later.


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## Horlics (Sep 27, 2011)

It's 27 Euros a day, which to me is good value.

As you say, 27 Euros a week is not viable hence you can expect lots of hidden extras.

You get what you pay for, and I wouldn't touch the 3 companies I mentioned above. Keeping customers waiting is reason enough. Inventing damage because they haven't charged enough is another.


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## VFR (Dec 23, 2009)

The best I have ever used was Avis, but for sure not the cheapest.


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## piersuk (Nov 13, 2015)

For what it's worth... We always book via DoYouSpain.com and select either Record or Goldcar at Alicante. Only because they are in the terminal and prices are always good. We always go FULL to FULL and have always had full refunds. 

I have a UK policy which covers me for unlimited UK trips up to 31 days in any one trip which cost £33 a year (ish from memory). You have to have an amount of money, usually 1100€ blocked on *CREDIT* card and you get that back a day or two later if all is good with the car. Always top up at the service station on the A338.. Always had our money back. One issue which ended up in 92€ bill for a scratch, (PICK UP AT MALAGA) my fault for not checking the car properly, it's dark in the rentals car park there. Not so at ALC. Got money back from UK policy here.... 

Unusual to pay more than about €10 /day. Wife went for a day trip at weekend just gone, ended up with a Fiesta from Goldcar for 4.41€ NO EXTRA FEES and money is back in on our card.

FULL to FULL, don't be surprised, you will pay up front for fuel but if you return FULL and I mean FULL not nearly full you get that back. In the case of the missis last weekend 42€ on fuel and 42€ back... It really only cost 4.41€.

Search Martin Lewis Money man for the UK policies. Just read small print. 

Above works for me but I have got it worked out now.. Of course at first we paid the extras but they provide no more than I get for my money.... Pay your money and take your chance..

Good luck with the property hunt :fingerscrossed:


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## LHinPanama (Mar 22, 2018)

Hello, My wife and I will be traveling to Spain soon and wanting to rent a car. I am seeing conflicting advise on IDP's. Are they necessary? And can you drive into Portugal with a rental from Spain?
Thank You


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

LHinPanama said:


> Hello, My wife and I will be traveling to Spain soon and wanting to rent a car. I am seeing conflicting advise on IDP's. Are they necessary? And can you drive into Portugal with a rental from Spain?
> Thank You


Yes the IDP is essential. I know of someone who didn't have one, but had somehow managed to hire a car. He was stopped by the police for speeding or something. He recieved a massive fine, & the car was impounded, since he was essentially driving without a valid licence.

As to whether you can drive a car across the border - that's up to the hire company.


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## Keithtoon (May 7, 2015)

Hi,
I use Car Hire Malaga Airport | Car Rental in Malaga | Helle Hollis very good company.

Also i use this website for discounted CDW insurance. https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/travel/cheap-car-hire

Many of the big providers offer special discount codes which can get you prices you won't see on comparison sites, so it's worth checking these too (they are also covered by the FSCS).

Leisure Guard with a 20% off code. Use this MSE link to Leisure Guard Car Hire Excess Insurance* and enter the code MSE20 in the discount box.
Reduce My Excess with 20% off. Go via this MSE link to Reduce My Excess* and on the payment page enter the code MSE03.
Eversure with 15% off. Go via this MSE link to Eversure* and use the code EE0117MSE.
Then try Questor with a 25% off code. Use this MSE link to Questor Insurance* and then the code MSE2097.
Finally try Direct Car Excess Insurance with 20% off. Use this MSE link to Direct Car Excess* and enter the code MSE2101.
Once you've found the cheapest deal, see if you can beat it by booking direct using a cashback site. First read all the pros and cons of these sites in our Top Cashback Sites guide.

Hope this helps ...
Keithtoon


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