Albir_Tom

Anybody know the reason why cash and debit cards are not accepted anywhere and can only use credit cards ?

What is the actual reason you cannot just pay cash or use your debit card ?

Would being able to just pay cash make life easier for you ?

wilsman77

I think they need a credit card so that they can put a hold on the deposit perhaps this can't be done on a debit card. Fred will know for sure.

Albir_Tom

understandable for big companies who have bookings via internet before they arrive at there destination but what about an easy walk in service for ex pats who can simply leave a cash deposit and pay a daily fee for taking a car away there and then ?

people who are in spain for a couple of months here and there who dont want to spend decent money on a used car they can just rent one and give it back instead.

what do you think ?

bobd22

Another odd one I have found re car hire is yes often you can get great deals at the airport depending on time of year. But they will not hire to you unless you can provide them with a flight number. I tried last year as I had rode out on my motorbike and thought when the wife is over I can get the bus and pick up an hire car at airport doing reverse when dropping her off. Not one would entertain it without me having a flight number.

Albir_Tom

So if there had of been a reliable quick and easy cash service to rent a car near to where you live that would have just cut any headache out.

wilsman77

cash deposits are not practical, last time i hired a car they took a Euro 900 deposit, can you imagine how much cash they would have just sitting around. & before you say just put it in a safe most insurance companies woul not insure it anyway.

amideislas

Simple. A debit card can have a balance of zero by the time you return the car. If the car is damaged, try all they want, but they can't get money from a debit card with no balance.

A credit card is a different animal. They can either "reserve" some amount ("block", whatever), or extract it from your credit.

Many car hires have discovered this as a way to increase their take. You either buy their expensive CDW, or they take a large deposit from your card. The smaller less reputable (with cheapest advertised prices) will always find some "damage" to claim after you return the car. Hard to fight at this point, because you're long gone, in a far away country...

bobd22

Yes that is what I did but certainly in winter months I find cheapest at the airport not ones within the airport but off airport ones easy enough to get to but they wouldnt entertain me without flight number. Seems an odd rule?

frigilianafreddy

Just make up a flight number if you want to hire at the airport.

As for the cheapos always finding faults that just not always true. Although i avoid the gold cars and fireflys of this world i know a guy who has rented 9 times in the last year from record, goldcar and firefly each time using his own CDW insurance and never had problem. He even pointed out a srcratch on a goldcar and the receptionist just said no problem.

I think a lot is down to you "meets and greets" you before and after hire, not the company.

As i say, i don't use these companies because i have had problems, but those were all 4 or 5 years ago. maybe the cheapies have improved their customer service since then.

bobd22

I did consider that or using the wife's flight number but got a decent deal elsewhere as it turned out. I always used to use my own annual excess cover and the only company I ever had trouble with using it was Record. The girl spoke perfect English and started the rigmarole re their excess cover. I politely said its OK I have my own which I am happy with so don't need it and I am happy to leave the deposit held on my card. She then went on that my cover may not be this or that I again politely said no it's OK the policy covers me for any excess for anything. She then lost the ability to communicate in English pointing to where I had to sign. I have never been back with Record.

amideislas

Just a few samples of what people say on TripAdvisor. Couldn't be arsed to put up the 500 or so thread links about car hire ripoffs.


Warning - Goldcar

Car hire warning - record

Car rental ripoff

Goldcar ripoff

Albir_Tom

Would it be possible to buy a fleet of decent used cars make sure they are all above board, rent them out for cash on a daily basis for a small cash deposit ?

Would the insurance hammer me ?

Got the idea from a fella in Ibiza who had around fifteen, ten year old fiat pandas, they wasn't in immaculate condition but more than road worthy, by all accounts he had all of them rented out to young lads for 25€ per day and they was all paying cash, my friend who I was visiting there was one of the lads who was renting one and at the time I didn't really think about doing it myself but now I think about it.... It seemed so simple and easy passport, driving licence and a small cash deposit and they was on there way.

Is it that simple though ?????

la mancha

I have had many years’ experience of Goldcar and found them friendly, honest and accommodating. Many complaints about them come from people not reading the small print (re fuel charges and insurance) in the comfort of their home when booking. The airport is not the place to argue the point. Everyone; them, you and other customers are all irritated and want to get where they are going.

amideislas

Well, that's it isn't it? The fine print:

We, car hire ripoff Ltd. reserve the right to add any charges we feel like, for whatever reason we want.

Funny, you don't find these complaints about some others, such a Sixt. Yes, they are more expensive, yet often less expensive than the cheapest after you consider the "fine print".

johnnyone

[QUOTE=frigilianafreddy;11777959

I think a lot is down to you "meets and greets" you before and after hire, not the company.

[/QUOTE]
I think that's true. I have an annual policy and on two recent occasions incurred some damage to the cars whilst parked which is pretty typical..
On the first occasion the guy said he could charge me but didn't. On the second occasion I was charged but recovered this cost within weeks from my annual insurance policy without any fuss much to my surprise.
Both bookings were with Firefly.
I am considering going back to the car hire companies insurance simple for the convenience of being able to drop the keys off without having to check the car over.