I want to change from my usual car hire company

[RichardCoeurdeLion]

For over twenty years I've used the same company out of AGP. There is a long thread running on Trip Advisor about them. It seems there has been a change of policy and now when you return the car it is taken away and given what amounts to a forensic examination. The tiniest mark is classed as damage and you are charged an exhorbitant amount. You can avoid this situation by taking their extra insurance at about 12 Euro a day, which bumps up the cost a lot. If like me you have an annual CDW excess policy (abt £50.00 pa) you would be covered but it would be a lot of hassle to recover what you've been charged.
I realise most car hire companies get bad reviews from disgruntled customers, but I think it is a shame that this company has changed their attitude. I just think they are taking it too far,

So I want to find an alternative company.

What are your favourites?

[Flexo]

Enterprise, Avis, Sixt. They are not the cheapest but they are easy to deal with.

[Nimrod]

Richard cdl,which car hire company are you using at the moment?
All cars are covered for body damage and you shouldn't have to pay for this,roof,under carriage etc excepted.
Plenty of recommendations on here for malagacar.com.

[kerbut]

malagacar for me also , dont touch Delpaso for the reasons I posted in the other hire car post.

[country boy]

All our guests/family use HelleHollis, never,ever a problem in 15 years

[scotty]

I used HH as well and never had a bad experience. The staff are fantastic and the cars were great. But last year I tried Malagacar.com and found them better value. The only difference was the service was a little less "personal" from Malagacar. So HH are number one & Malagacar are number two.

[Nimrod]

I've just done a check price for Helle Hollis for my 12 days in September and its 4 times the malagacar price!
Shan't be using them!
Ok,I know they give a homeowner discount but I'm hiring a car not buying one.

[RichardCoeurdeLion]

Thanks guys and gals

Nimrod...... You say bodywork is covered, but renters are saying the company (I dare not speak it's name) find the inevitable chip (which was probably there in the first place) and say mucho euros señor. ( that's strange... That little squiggle on the n appeared without me asking for it). You have a plane to catch and are in no position to argue. They've got you over a barrel as they have your cc details.

I'll have a look at malagacar.com. Aren't there several companies with similar names like that.

Do you know their position on insurance I.e. Do they pressurise you into taking out theirs.

Thanks

[RichardCoeurdeLion]

Further....

Rang malagacar.com.

The basic rental price looks good. You have the option of paying 14 eu per day for the extra insurance or relying on your own annual policy and leaving a very large cc deposit.

[scotty]

Richard, I now pay the €14 insurance and then drive the car like I stole it . When I return the wreck to them I just hand back the keys . . . . . . .

[Nimrod]

Richard cdl
malagacar ask if you want to take the extra insurance and that's that,there's no pressure.
If you google malagacar.com...that's the company.
you're collected at the airport...they have staff dressed in orange in the arrivals hall who point you to their mini bus stop,it's a 90 second walk.
2 minutes later you're at their depot...5 minutes later you're off in the car.

[chrissiehope]

... unless there are a lot of people just arrived who have been recommended to use malagacar....

[CTID Hants]

Richard cdl
malagacar ask if you want to take the extra insurance and that's that,there's no pressure.
If you google malagacar.com...that's the company.
you're collected at the airport...they have staff dressed in orange in the arrivals hall who point you to their mini bus stop,it's a 90 second walk.
2 minutes later you're at their depot...5 minutes later you're off in the car.

If you are familiar with AGP then they are literally opposite the San Miguel brewery, we've used them for 10 years iirc, never any pressure with up selling, they ask but don't push. We fly Friday and collecting a 1.4 seat Ibiza (or similar lol), 15 day hire for just over £200 sterling = no brainier from friendly staff and honest company.

[Nimrod]

... unless there are a lot of people just arrived who have been recommended to use malagacar....

Chrissie,this happened to me once.
The rep in arrivals gave me a number which was my turn to enter the minibus.
I missed the first bus but as that pulled away another arrived straight away.
If the minibus is full it doesn't always happen that everyone is a driver so there wasn't much delay ,maybe 5 minutes.

[LITTLEMO]

malagacar.com for me too. Use the code hellofan for discount. The large deposit is blocked on your credit card not actually taken out and returned. Use their fuel option half full to empty, their fuel is reasonably priced. I have never had an issue when returning cars in respect of damage. Very helpful staff. Not to be confused with malagacarhire.com

[ashtondav]

Richard, which company are you dissatisfied with. It's OK to name the company, or if you're nervous just use the first and last letter with a few ****s in the middle. It is important that other users are aware of companies that are changing their policies and may result in excessive costs

Please name the company.

As for alternatives, Helle is the best company but VERY EXPENSIVE. Recent cheap alternatives I have been happy with are Centauro and Malagacar.com. The worst? Firefly, Goldcar, Record, Delpaso. Some of these even reject your annual policy as inadequate, and REFUSE to let you have the car unless you pay their insurance

Please share your experience, if you want more responses.

[chrissiehope]

" The large deposit is blocked on your credit card not actually taken out and returned. " - well, the last two times I have used malagacar they have taken out the deposit together with payment, and then after return, they pay back the deposit.

[LITTLEMO]

malagacar.com have changed their deposit policy see below direct from them.


Malagacar
Malaga, Spain
posts: 1Save this Post 45. Re: malaga car hire
04 June 2015, 9:25
Hi,




We have received a lot of comments about bank issues (high commission fees, unfavorable currency change etc.), so we are now blocking the deposit amount instead of making a transaction. This change wasn't as easy to implement as we thought, and took some time, but we think it is a great improvement for all our customers.




Thank you all for your feedback!

[kerbut]

Must say I think malagacar.com are the most honest after Delpaso cost me £3600 after my new and never been used any where else card was cloned there.

[Nimrod]

You see all these hire cars out there with stickers on the rear ,Del Paso,Goldcar,Record and you think "that's not a bad car" (maybe not with Record) and then sense kicks in...and you realise you've always been treated fairly by malagacar.com.
The cars are fairly new,they have a fair fuel policy,collection is quick and you never feel pressured or cheated.
Malagacar.com I believe is the best middle of the road car hire company...and I've tried most.