Economy car hire experience

A

alexderu

Registered User
Messages
4
Hi everyone,
just want to share my recent experience of renting a car through Economy car hire.
Car provider was Multiauto (Portugal).

Car itself was not very fresh, just 80.000km on the clock.
The company which provided the car does not any office ( at least I did not see any, as I have got the car and gave it back by meeting representative).

The cigarete lighter did not work (small thing you say-NOT REALLY, if you use satelite and lost in Spanish midlands just before darkness. When I called to Multiauto they said I have two options: 1. to bring car back :)), 2. to find Opel garage, ask how much it will be to fix it, call them back, and MAYBE they will allow to proceed with fixing: just what people looking for during holiday: spending day, another for finding Opel garage and fixing the car.
Luckily I had laptop (and extra battery for it) with me , so managed to connect to satelite nav. and my wife was holding laptop during 3 hours while I was driving.

In two days (car was on car park during that time) car engine while hot just stopped working (while in neutral gear) a few times (this was the issue till last day of using the car).
Called to Faro phone number (as Multiauto has got ONLY three points of contact) and lady on the phone said to me : "What do you think we will replace car for you?"
Left it like that as did not intend to drive plenty last a few days.

Described everything when returned the car-I do not think it will affect company policy renting rubbish.

Regardless happy end for this story, I should really think before renting car for cheap, could cost more after.

Regards.
 
Every time I pick up my cheap hire car on holiday,I then drive around for 2 weeks looking enviously at the pristine brand new hire cars from the expensive companies and realise exactly why my deal was "cheap"
 
Economy Car Hire are agents using a number of providers. I've used them about 15 times and I've never had any problems. Did you go back to ECH and tell them what happened?
 
Just back from Turkey and hired a "car" from "Kusadasi Cars". Because they were cheap!!

You get what you pay for, I got a Fiat Linea with 115,000Km on the clock.
After two days the Air Con gave up the ghost, was without the car for 3/4 of a day and they used my diesel to drive to Ismir and back to have it repaired!!
Four days later the left half shaft had a row with the differential and decided to part company with it, dragging a few bits and bearings from the diff with it as it made a leap for freedom onto the road.
The following day the "heap of junk" was replaced with a newish Renault Symbol which ran alright for the remainder of the holiday.

When I complained about the time and the fuel lost over the rental period, I was told I could keep the €36 I owed them (as the rep didnt have change on the first day of hire), between the heat and the language barrier, I just left it at that.

So my advice would be, if you want reliability and service you have to be prepared to pay for it!

BTW. I thought the Italians were mad drivers but they have nothing on the Turks!! Now trying to wean myself off the Valium.
 
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