Summer Car Hire Rates

I'm just trying to book a car for August and can't believe the prices.  They all seem to want £280 or more a week for even the smallest 2 door car they have available without all the extra insurance and fuel they sell you on top of that.  I know this has been mentioned before but this is ridiculous and the car is going to cost me more than the flights for a family of three.   I also rent my apartment out and I’m really concerned about what this is going to do to my bookings.  It can only have a very negative impact when people see the total price of their stay if it has to include a car.

Someone somewhere is seriously taking the p*ss.

All suggestions on cheap car hire would be gratefully received.  I tried holiday autos through netflights for a trip I’m taking in March and what a nightmare that was.  The prices and cars they quoted were suddenly not available to be booked when I got to the payment confirmation screen and you are told to ring customer services.  3 hrs later I finally get to speak to someone at so much a minute only to be told they can’t help and to ring another reservations number that puts you on hold for another short period of your life.  I gave up in the end, I lost faith in their ability to present me with a car when I arrived even if I did ever manage to make a booking.

Steve

Try hirecarsinspain, have always been good for me. Plus you don't pay until arrival which means if you book now and check a week before departure, if the price has gone down you benefit . If the price goes up, keep your original booking. Win/ win as far as i'm concerned.

Mark

Try holiday autos directly ......... I had no problem and have a car for £140 for 13 days at Easter............. I did book with my am ex card which covers me for all the extras and cancellations etc.......... not sure I would use Holiday autos with out Am ex assurances.

I too am concerned on how car rental prices will affect any rentals that I may get......... if I do get any......... i am hoping for people to book nearer the time but then car hire gets even more expensive..........

We also have booked a few times with hirecarsinspain and they've always been excellent.  Very helpful and reliable.

For the first time ever I found the car cheaper with Easyjet, using EUROPCAR. I don't know what they are like though as I have never used them before. Word of warning though; seeing this link made me go back to review my booking. Realised that there was no car hire booking ref. It has taken me around 2 painful hours to sort it out with Easyjet Customer Services. Absolute nightmare. I booked this a few weeks ago and they asked me to cancel, claim refund and re-book. Undoubtedly thye flight and/or car hire would have gone up. I refused and asked them to rectify their own problems. It turned out in the end (after I actually called EUROPCAR) that the booking was made, and I got a booking reference. If it hadn't have been OK I don't know what the outcome would have been, but I think I would have been unhappy!

If flying into Malaga airport, take a look at RENT-A-CAR 3000 - personal meet and greet service at the airport (no queues in the dungeon below, or waiting for buses!) and no full tank fuel charge. Treated like a person not like a sheep.

Someone suggested booking direct through Hertz - I did this and for 15 days in August it was just under £300.

I am afraid it is not good news once again for tourists coming over to Spain to hire cars.  There have been four big car hire companies here on the Costa Del Sol that have gone into administration, and obviously all of their cars are standing still until administration finalised, which has mean't  a big shortgage of cars here on the coast, and unfortunately that means people get greedy as they know there is a shortgage here and charge what they want.  Once one company charges a certain price, they all seem to follow like sheep!  Another true but sad story about "take it or leave it Spain"

Are they any of the well known companies that any of us may have bookings with? Could you give their names so that anyone thaat has booked can do something about it and any comparison sites still giving them out can be avoided?

Thanks

Mark 

We use Bruno's Car hire in Duquesa, you have no waiting around in a que at the airport you just go straight to the car park and they are waiting with the key for you and you don't pay until you get to the port, no hidden extras and they come with quarter full of petrol and you return it the same way.  We now use a code they give us and get it cheaper again and get upgraded when they can.

I too like Mark would be inertested in the car companies that have gone bust. I am sure if it was a big one like Hertz we would see something in the financial press. I am taking a prudent approach however and where I have paid in advance for car hire, I am insured for cancellation of any nature........ 

Dear Mark and Nicolaraho,

I should have said "independant" car hire companies, I do apologise,  I never use the "Big" firms such as Avis, Hertz, Easyjet etc as always found their service poor and prices high.  One of the companies currently in administration is Auriga Cars, although it seems here in Spain if you are in administration you can still trade until the 11th hour!  My advice would be make sure you are covered by your credit card when making any booking with Independant Hire Car Companies.

Is that Auriga (as in the small closed branch in Mojacar) or Auriga Crown?  I have read stories of the latter being in administration but nothing confirmed, although they are stil taking bookings and renting out cars.

Mark

I've just booked 2 weeks in August through travelsupermarket.com and with Hertz  it's around £300.

Has anyone tried these they seem to be quite cheap and promise all new cars inclusive price no extras

http://www.economycarhire.com/

Hi

I've just returned from a weekend in Spain and can confirm that Auriga Crown are still trading. 

I have used Record Rent A Car a few times and they have been great.  The cars have always been clean, modern & in excellent condition with staff who are extremely helpful.  You can register as a member and build up points which can be used to reduce the price of your future rentals.

Regards

SAN

We have also booked through Hertz for 3 weeks in July - £388.  It does say approximately on the booking documentation so hopefully this does not mean that there will be a big change in the actual price.  Has anyone used Hertz in the past?

I have used them before but not in spain............. always read the terms and conditions carefully and check what you need to pay for any excess......... alternatively if you book through Am ex you are normally covered and don't need to any to the car hire company.......

I had no problems last time I booked but it seems with all these car hire companies you can be lucky or unlucky........ sorry for stating the obvious

 Auriga Crown are still trading. Returned car to them yesterday at Murcia Airport.

Hertz: You need to make sure you read the small print and find out how much fully comprehensive cover with no excess is going to cost! I believe it can be over £15 per day!

Does anyone know a company that offers a good rate for 4 days, full/full on fuel from Alicante for April (Not Easter). It all seems very expensive to me at the moment. Econorent seemed expensive to me at 116 Euros. I was hoping for around 60 Euros or am I living in a past age! lol! The car hire for 4 days could cost more than the flights. Thanks

Kevin

I picked up a car in Granada Airport and dropped off at Malaga Airport in December. I had the car for 4 days and the hire company was Auriga Crown. I was expecting to have to take the car back empty as my use was over the 3 day limit for return full and was surprised when I was told I could take the car back full. I questioned this and was told Auriga Crown have changed their rules on fuel requirement for return cars after many complaints. You may wish to check this before booking?

Trevor