Car Hire Portugal

vkid

Hi folk,

Need to rent a car for a week in Portugal. Can anyone recommend a good car hire company.

Also does anyone know what kind of pre-auth they put on your credit card? Just need to keep an eye on the finances

Found this thread but a few years old so looking for any updated info

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055968116

Any info appreciated.

Peppa Pig

I use http://www.arguscarhire.ie/. They are a comparison website but I've never found anyone cheaper. They are a no frills operation as against Avis or Hertz etc. but the cars are the same and i've never had an issue.
You can buy insurance for the full excess directly off them, it's dearer than shopping around.
This year I used http://www.carhireexcess.ie/# instead of the argus one , it was half the price.

They will charge your credit card about a grand when you get the car. If you have an accident they take from your credit card and you claim off the excess insurance policy.

vkid

Thanks Peppa, was hoping the pre-auth wouldnt be that high, but will figure it out.

makfli

Just back from Portugal rented car for 5 days through Argus. The company was Goldcar. I was shocked when charged an additional €90 for a full tank of petrol. There is no refund for unused . I was only there for 5days and used only a third of a tank, thus the cost of hire was almost 100% more than expected. The policy was expressed in the fine print of the agreement but of course I didn't read it . I expected that I would pay for what I used, ie leave the car back full. Make sure you check the fuel policy as it can make a big difference.

dohouch

makfli wrote: »

Make sure you check the fuel policy as it can make a big difference.

As a frequent renter in Spain, was p!$$ed myself when I got the fuel thumb-screw from "Interent" at Tenerife North. About €85 for a tank that would not not hold more than about €45. Fuel is cheaper on the Canaries. The actually add €18 for the work involved in filling.

I use http://www.carhireexcess.ie/ myself, but be warned, and I checked this with them. You are not covered for breakdown recovery. When refusing their own offer, "Interent" car hire at Tenrife added "Recovery on the motorway will cost you €200, and our extra insurance covers that" I now try to check if the "Breakdown Recovery" is included in the base car hire price. Recently when hiring at Biaritz, through "Arguscarhire", I noticed "Europcar" do state this.

On further research I now notice that what "Euorpcar" say is

If your vehicle breaks down, breakdown assistance has been included in your costs

and breakdown assistance might not mean recovery, it might just mean they will talk to you on a 24 hour Emergency Number.

P.S. Never had any car problems, fingers crossed

wdmfapq4zs83hv

We have been using Farocar for years, never any problems

keithclancy

makfli wrote: »

Just back from Portugal rented car for 5 days through Argus. The company was Goldcar. I was shocked when charged an additional €90 for a full tank of petrol. There is no refund for unused . I was only there for 5days and used only a third of a tank, thus the cost of hire was almost 100% more than expected. The policy was expressed in the fine print of the agreement but of course I didn't read it . I expected that I would pay for what I used, ie leave the car back full. Make sure you check the fuel policy as it can make a big difference.

Always return the car full.
Otherwise you pay the extortionate standard refill price.

If its a 'return empty' deal I don't rent with the company.

razorblunt

Bumping this incase anyone is trawling the forum looking for advice, do not use Goldcar, the have some hughly dubious practices. Unfortunately when using argus you don't see how it's with until it's too late.

Layinghen

Razorblunt would agree 100% with you. Gold Car at Faro airport are an absolute disaster to deal with. We had to stand in a Q for two hours before we could get our car. Every single customer had a problem with them.

Jocelynel

The BEST car hire imo is https://www.economycarhire.com

I'm a regular to the algarve and on the albufeira forum, it's the preferred one for many of us regulars

cruhoortwunk

Wish I saw this thread before booking a car for Malaga. I always use hotwire for car rental as their prices are the best.
But this time the provider I picked (as it seemed to be the cheapest) was Goldcar. €55 for 5 days for a Polo. I know it sounds too good to be true, but I was blinded by the bargain!
Scam artists set their prices lower than the competition but they charge you for a full tank at an inflated price. And if you return any, they don't refund you anything for it.
Absolute scumbags. I have never been scammed like that before.
I will continue to use Hotwire, but won't touch any of the lesser known companies unless I get a recommendation.

razorblunt

Jocelynel wrote: »

The BEST car hire imo is https://www.economycarhire.com

I'm a regular to the algarve and on the albufeira forum, it's the preferred one for many of us regulars

Yes agreed, I regret having left them. The companies they use are smaller, but I'ver never had any hassle with them.

cruhoortwunk wrote: »

Wish I saw this thread before booking a car for Malaga. I always use hotwire for car rental as their prices are the best.
But this time the provider I picked (as it seemed to be the cheapest) was Goldcar. €55 for 5 days for a Polo. I know it sounds too good to be true, but I was blinded by the bargain!
Scam artists set their prices lower than the competition but they charge you for a full tank at an inflated price. And if you return any, they don't refund you anything for it.
Absolute scumbags. I have never been scammed like that before.
I will continue to use Hotwire, but won't touch any of the lesser known companies unless I get a recommendation.

Yep the full tank is a scam and their €900 deposit or €10 a day is a farce also.
We got lucky I guess though, read TripAdvisor for some horrible stories.