Extortionate car hire prices

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gruff
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Extortionate car hire prices

Postby gruff » Sat Jun 19, 2021 10:19 am

Having just returned from Malaga am eager to return and looking to come back out for 3 weeks from 9th. July but the prices are extortionate!
I know prices go up this time of year but not this much. Normally use Malagacar and have used Centauro but both silly prices. Don't want any problems with dodgy companies but suggestions please.

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peteroldracer
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Re: Extortionate car hire prices

Postby peteroldracer » Sat Jun 19, 2021 11:19 am

I really don't know why people use words like "extortionate" about car hire prices. If you have a holiday home in Spain you cannot be amongst the poorest sector so you just have to accept that businesses must try to recover losses made due to the pandemic and affects of Brexit.
Try renting a car in the UK if you want high prices!
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gruff
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Re: Extortionate car hire prices

Postby gruff » Sat Jun 19, 2021 12:23 pm

Quite right Peter, extortionate is the wrong word, maybe exceptionally high would be correct. Presumably you have been in business and know that to recover losses and make profits requires customers.

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Re: Extortionate car hire prices

Postby Pamela1 » Sat Jun 19, 2021 12:35 pm

peteroldracer wrote: Sat Jun 19, 2021 11:19 am I really don't know why people use words like "extortionate" about car hire prices. If you have a holiday home in Spain you cannot be amongst the poorest sector so you just have to accept that businesses must try to recover losses made due to the pandemic and affects of Brexit.
Try renting a car in the UK if you want high prices!
So does that mean you would be happy to accept that you are now being charged double and treble for everything peter because businesses have to try and recover their losses, so what about your losses when you are paying double and treble for everything? i doubt any one is going to pay double the price for a haircut or pay double to have their house built. It is one sure way to not only miff people off but to also lose the business they are trying to hold onto.

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peteroldracer
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Re: Extortionate car hire prices

Postby peteroldracer » Sat Jun 19, 2021 1:05 pm

There are various business models - if you have an in-demand product and few rivals you can charge more or less what you like, but most businesses work on a “bums on seats” basis. If you have a daily cost of say €1000 it takes 10 customers paying €100 or 100 customers @ €10 - ignoring fixed overheads - for you to get that income. For months now there have not been customers, and not much chance of that changing. With car hire the other decision is are you better off having the car out being driven, or mothballed until the market changes. Personally I hate not having a car available, as I have not been without wheels since 1957, but realistically I could uses a taxi from the airport then walk around my holiday area - maybe rent a car for a couple of days for trips out. There are many things these days I dislike these days, but know that I must adapt, and accept.
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Re: Extortionate car hire prices

Postby maureenscot » Sat Jun 19, 2021 11:23 pm

We got put off from car hire companies because of their underhand tactics and ruthless practices. Practically forced a 'free' upgrade on us then took £84 for it out of bank card; charged for 'damage' that was a speck you would need a magnifying glass to see, forced excess insurance when we had our own etc etc. At one point going for a late night flight, I was so upset, I thought I would never hire a car again. I have rented from Goldcar in the centre of Malaga, when I only needed a car for a couple of days. That was a breath of fresh air compared with airport companies. I have said this on here before. We found a guy, genuine, who does not have many rental cars so does not advertise. He mostly makes his money from people parking their cars before flying from Malaga. Chris Poole. We have used him all the time now for last three years. His office is round the back from Malagacar.

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Re: Extortionate car hire prices

Postby Manchesteral » Sun Jun 20, 2021 9:40 am

Unfortunately this is common practice in today's world.
It's not only the car hire companies that are doing this. I have been trying (without success) to get back 60 euros from edreams which they fraudulently took from my bank account using a bank card number I had given them solely for the purpose of buying a flight.
After 1 month they then used the same number to open a "prime member" account which I never asked for or wanted.
In circumstances like this, as many of us know, it's either impossible to connect with a human being, or to get contact details.
After 5 months I have still not reached a satisfactory conclusion and have decided to give up as the phone calls are probably reaching a point level with the original 60 euros !
These kind of sharp practices will only increase in the future as many of these companies know that as customers we are virtually helpless !

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Re: Extortionate car hire prices

Postby Wicksey » Sun Jun 20, 2021 9:56 am

I noticed last May how much the prices had risen in the UK as we were due to go back then (not peak time/school holidays). I never got around to booking anything in the end as the trip was cancelled, but I could find little below 250 pounds for a week's hire from Stansted. Previously I had paid less than half that, and it does seem like a closed shop these days with all the companies putting their prices up. When I say these days, I mean last year before the pandemic struck, so it wasn't that pushing up prices.

We have to have a car in the UK as we do a lot of travelling but when my OH just goes to see his dad he is put on his insurance and drives his car when there. Otherwise it really does make the trip very expensive. I'm sticking to the Canaries for future trips as they don't have an excess so do not inspect the car with a magnifying glass when you return it, and are also very cheap (about 80€ for a week including extra insurance to cover tyres and glass etc last October).

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Re: Extortionate car hire prices

Postby Manchesteral » Sun Jun 20, 2021 10:06 am

Wicksey wrote: Sun Jun 20, 2021 9:56 am I noticed last May how much the prices had risen in the UK as we were due to go back then (not peak time/school holidays). I never got around to booking anything in the end as the trip was cancelled, but I could find little below 250 pounds for a week's hire from Stansted. Previously I had paid less than half that, and it does seem like a closed shop these days with all the companies putting their prices up. When I say these days, I mean last year before the pandemic struck, so it wasn't that pushing up prices.

We have to have a car in the UK as we do a lot of travelling but when my OH just goes to see his dad he is put on his insurance and drives his car when there. Otherwise it really does make the trip very expensive. I'm sticking to the Canaries for future trips as they don't have an excess so do not inspect the car with a magnifying glass when you return it, and are also very cheap (about 80€ for a week including extra insurance to cover tyres and glass etc last October).
I spend a good deal of my time in Las Palmas and you can still get daily car hire for around 30 euros a day from independant companies who will normally accept your own insurance and ask for no extra outlay !

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Re: Extortionate car hire prices

Postby Paddy Pumpkin » Sun Jun 20, 2021 11:23 am

Manchesteral wrote: Sun Jun 20, 2021 9:40 am Unfortunately this is common practice in today's world.
It's not only the car hire companies that are doing this. I have been trying (without success) to get back 60 euros from edreams which they fraudulently took from my bank account using a bank card number I had given them solely for the purpose of buying a flight.
After 1 month they then used the same number to open a "prime member" account which I never asked for or wanted.
In circumstances like this, as many of us know, it's either impossible to connect with a human being, or to get contact details.
After 5 months I have still not reached a satisfactory conclusion and have decided to give up as the phone calls are probably reaching a point level with the original 60 euros !
These kind of sharp practices will only increase in the future as many of these companies know that as customers we are virtually helpless !
Get your bank to do a charge back or query with them. It is so much easier I have used it successfully for flights that the airline wasn't refunding and for companies that didn't honour guarantees or never delivered a product. I have never been refused by the bank and some banks even have a button in their app next to the account entry that you press and it starts the process. The banks just want evidence you have tried to get itbk with the company who charged you. They refund the money and then take it up with the company directly.

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Wicksey
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Re: Extortionate car hire prices

Postby Wicksey » Sun Jun 20, 2021 12:14 pm

Manchesteral wrote: Sun Jun 20, 2021 10:06 am
Wicksey wrote: Sun Jun 20, 2021 9:56 am I noticed last May how much the prices had risen in the UK as we were due to go back then (not peak time/school holidays). I never got around to booking anything in the end as the trip was cancelled, but I could find little below 250 pounds for a week's hire from Stansted. Previously I had paid less than half that, and it does seem like a closed shop these days with all the companies putting their prices up. When I say these days, I mean last year before the pandemic struck, so it wasn't that pushing up prices.

We have to have a car in the UK as we do a lot of travelling but when my OH just goes to see his dad he is put on his insurance and drives his car when there. Otherwise it really does make the trip very expensive. I'm sticking to the Canaries for future trips as they don't have an excess so do not inspect the car with a magnifying glass when you return it, and are also very cheap (about 80€ for a week including extra insurance to cover tyres and glass etc last October).
I spend a good deal of my time in Las Palmas and you can still get daily car hire for around 30 euros a day from independant companies who will normally accept your own insurance and ask for no extra outlay !
The company I always use currently charges around 23€ for one day which of course is the most expensive way to hire. For anything more than 3 days hire it works out about 13€ per day. Just so much cheaper and less hassle than everywhere else as there's no deposit or excess to worry about. If they can run a business like that, I don't know why others can't.

pepe jose
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Re: Extortionate car hire prices

Postby pepe jose » Sun Jun 20, 2021 12:18 pm

26 days in July for a fiat 500 is 1100 euros. I will get taxis and buses. Plus they want a massive deposit from my card. Noooo thanks

Tranquilo
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Re: Extortionate car hire prices

Postby Tranquilo » Sun Jun 20, 2021 12:31 pm

I checked the cost for 3rd-13th July at Malaga airport and the cheapest was about 180euro, so I tried some other dates and found that 30th June - 13th July was only 66euro. That just doesn't make sense.

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gruff
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Re: Extortionate car hire prices

Postby gruff » Sun Jun 20, 2021 12:38 pm

I've made a booking with Malagacar. I need a car. They are never the cheapest but having had a small accident with one of their cars I was "comfortable" with the way they handled it. I rarely come out in July so the price was a shock but I am determined to make the most of holidays now that I can, never know how much time is left.


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