car hire January 2012

[Smiddy]

just looking at prices for our visit in January
has anyone used 121carhire.com
appear to be very cheap
been quoted under £40 for 10 days ford fiesta
but then if it looks too good to be true usually is

 

[Rosie34]

just looking at prices for our visit in January
has anyone used 121carhire.com
appear to be very cheap
been quoted under £40 for 10 days ford fiesta
but then if it looks too good to be true usually is

Hi Smiddy

We booked our car with them for next May but when the voucher came through - we would have had to take a bus to pick it up at Hiper. We prefer to pick up in the terminal. We phoned the company dealing with their bookings online (Cartrawler) and cancelled and have now rebooked through them with Interrent (206 euros for 14 days next May). 121 gets quite good reviews on a 'review' site.

Good luck!
Rosie

 

[Nick]

I was just going to start a topic on much the same thing.

I normally use Travelsupermarket.com to search and book cars and there are certainly cars on there for just under £40 for a week so this price sounds about right to me.

My question is this. When I book via an agent, is there any way of finding out who the rental company will be before I go through all the rigmarole of filling out the quote?

Any suggestions please.

 

[Smiddy]

Hi Smiddy

We booked our car with them for next May but when the voucher came through - we would have had to take a bus to pick it up at Hiper. We prefer to pick up in the terminal. We phoned the company dealing with their bookings online (Cartrawler) and cancelled and have now rebooked through them with Interrent (206 euros for 14 days next May). 121 gets quite good reviews on a 'review' site.

Good luck!
Rosie

Haven't used them for a few years, but by saying bus do you mean you had to make your own way to Hiper? They always used to pick you up from the airport, which wasn't really a problem.

 

[Smiddy]

I was just going to start a topic on much the same thing.

I normally use Travelsupermarket.com to search and book cars and there are certainly cars on there for just under £40 for a week so this price sounds about right to me.

My question is this. When I book via an agent, is there any way of finding out who the rental company will be before I go through all the rigmarole of filling out the quote?

Any suggestions please.

Does seem rather cheap! A bit puzzled as to why Winter rates seem to have halved, while Summer have doubled

 

[Rosie34]

Haven't used them for a few years, but by saying bus do you mean you had to make your own way to Hiper? They always used to pick you up from the airport, which wasn't really a problem.

No - we didnt have to find our own bus! They do use a shuttle bus - its just that we prefer to walking straight to the desk and do the pick up in the airport.

Also it looks like you usually dont know who the hire company is till you have booked -(although one site does show them upfront as it were - but cant remember which one - I've looked at that many)For the past few times we have used Economy to book through and always got Auriga Crown which we were happy with,but they are not using them now.

 

[Smiddy]

I remember, years ago, we got picked up in a stretch limo

 

[Smiddy]

still confused and havent booked yet,
prices vary so much and trying to establish if insurance is
sufficient in the low prices, we have used carjet in the past but
they are quoting about £63 with 3rd party cover
Record are quoting about £37 comprehensive but
not covered for windscreens tyres mirrors etc
need to get this sorted we arrive on Friday 13th

 

[sws97sdg]

Something else to confuse you about insurance, we paid extra for Carjets extra insurance to cover everything including wheels etc, but when we picked the car up from Europcar he stated that we would have to pay upfront for any such damage and claim the money back from Carjet, its only when you get the hire cars all inclusive insurance that you will not have to pay money up front, not sure if this is true for all on line companies?

 

[Lorenzo]

Car Hire in January 2012

Yes it's very tricky trying to evaluate one hire company against another. The bug bear with a lot of the lower priced deals is that they charge for a full tank of fuel and you are expected to take the car back empty.
So in reality that just adds to the cost as it's virtually impossible - unless you are very brave! - to take a car back to the airport with virtually no fuel left in the tank. The risk of running out is just too great.
We have used Hiper for rental and the shuttle bus provided at the airport to their depot was very quick and efficient as was the handing over of the car. The car was also in good nick and very clean inside. However, it was pretty slow when handing the car back - adding a bit of unnecessary stress to getting back to the airport. So if you opt for them, do allow a bit of extra time.
We are using Sixt this week - reasonable price out of season - and no queuing anywhere - well I hope not anyway!

 

[Smiddy]

Thanks for the replies folks! We're just going to book with Record, have used them before, but not directly, but don't envisige any problems. Not often these days you get a bargain, but around 40 quid for 9 days is very good. That, plus the improving r/e is very good news. Just hope the car compnies are not now attending the Michael O' Leary school of economics. That'll be 50 quid for a steering wheel, Sir!

 

[clinkham]

Regarding the extra insurance the rental companies stick you with at the desk - consider using Insurance4carhire.
See down the left of this page - 'Before you go' > Car Hire.
Used them for the first time last year and they paid the claim promptly. A snip at £49 for 12 months cover.
You have to be prepared to pay any excess when you return the car - and the hassle of receptionist checking the car, but Insurance4carhire paid out promptly - certainly before the credit card bill was due to be paid.

If you decide to try them, link through from their advert on this site.It may generate a few pennies for the site.

See earlier thread re Insurance4carhire http://www.forum.puertopollensa.com...orca/4324-excess-insurance-annual-policy.html

 

[Nick]

You'll be fine with Record but you won't end up paying 40 quid.

At least 75 euros for fuel (Fiesta I had) then extra insurance to cover tyres, windscreen etc. unless you opt out and then have to leave a deposit or credit card number.

Still, not bad though.

 

[ray]

Europcar are advertising that they'll mathch any like hire cost

 

[Smiddy]

You'll be fine with Record but you won't end up paying 40 quid.

At least 75 euros for fuel (Fiesta I had) then extra insurance to cover tyres, windscreen etc. unless you opt out and then have to leave a deposit or credit card number.

Still, not bad though.

Nick, i expect the fuel costs, but never take out any of their offers of additionals, been driving in Majorca for over 20 years and never had a problem.

 

[Nick]

I'm assuming you mean insurance by "additionals" Smiddy?

It's great having 20 years problem free driving but the worry is this might be the year when you don't !!!!

Don't know if I could risk it but yes, it is a bit of a con.

 

[Smiddy]

Nick, 20 year record still intact! 40 euro, 9 day hire + 63 euro fuel. They tried to sell me all sorts of additionals, tyres, windscreen,additional driver, additional insurance. i returned it with about 40 euro,s worth of fuel, but that's my choice, if the weathers poor i'd use it all, if it's good (it was) than i don't do too much driving. I made sure they checked the car when i returned it, all ok. But your right i was more aware this might have been the year when something went wrong.

 

[Belladonna]

Crikey Smiddy, it comes to something when the additionals are tyres and windscreen, our car hire provides them automatically - wouldn't leave the car park without them!

 

[Lorenzo]

Car hire desks

Whilst on this subject, the car hire desks are now outside in the arrivals hall in Palma airport - ie not near the luggage carousels at the present time.

Lots of work is still going on in the terminal so this may ony be a temporary measure.

 

[El Gordo]

Whilst on this subject, the car hire desks are now outside in the arrivals hall in Palma airport - ie not near the luggage carousels at the present time.

Lots of work is still going on in the terminal so this may ony be a temporary measure.

Thanks for that Lorenzo....will have to rethink the way we pickup the car with the better half getting the luggage while I sprint to the hire desks!!!

Having said that, have opted for Hiper this March as got a good deal via Auto Europe with them, 22 days for £67!!!! (less a further £5 via a cashback site!!)

Lookig for a good deal now for late April/May 6 weeks Any suggestions?