4 ms·

Spain could also look into fining all these scammy car rental agencies that operate at or near airport. They are totally abusive and should be not just fined bu

Spain could also look into fining all these scammy car rental agencies that operate at or near airport. They are totally abusive and should be not just fined but fined to death. It's these kind of things, as in TFA, that makes life miserable for tourists.

Xenoamorphous 2y ago
I’m curious, how are those scammy? I always rent the car in advance and never had any issue, I’ve done that in Spain several times but only in the islands (Canary and Balearic).
- oliwarner 2y ago
  They're thieves, hiding behind walls of small print. We booked one in France through Avis. Rocked up and they wanted either a €2000 refundable deposit or a €350 non-refundable waiver. We were deep into a home renovation, couldn't afford the refundable option if we also wanted food on holiday, had to take the hit. That's over the top of a €950 10 day rental for a 3 year old Seat, its gearbox nearing the end of its short cruel life. And we were treated like this because we'd used a reseller. The person before us didn't have our experience and the guy there was happy enough to explain how they hide details like this from comparison websites and everyone assumes they'll get the standard rental agreement. Loads of people get stung on the waiver.
  - drukenemo 2y ago
    This is almost to the letter what happened to me in Spain. What you described is real.
  - fy20 2y ago
    A deposit for car rental is normal. If you provide a credit card they reserve the amount without actually charging you. But if you only have a debit card or your credit limit is too low, they cannot do that. So you have to pay upfront, and they will refund you after the rental. I'm guessing the 'waiver' is for their enhanced insurance, which means you don't pay anything extra if there are any damages. I've rented hundreds of cars in Europe over the past two decades, and never had an issue. I booked through whatever site is the cheapest (which often is their own site, once you sign up for the loyalty programme). Never took the extras they try to sell. Car seats are carried by airlines for free (even Ryanair), so you don't need to pay for those.
    - oliwarner 2y ago
      A deposit is normal, and yes, if we had the money (pre-approved or real) we'd be €350 better off. What made it feel like thievery was we knew nothing about it until we were in France with two kids who had just had enough of travel, and we were already an eye-watering sum on that we wouldn't get back if we tried to shop elsewhere. Again, the direct customers didn't have this. They had been asked these questions, made these choices as part of the initial order, where they had time to prepare financially, or shop around. It's in this way very similar to how some airlines feel they can double your flight cost as you are literally stepping onto the plane. You have no choice.
      - MichaelZuo 2y ago
        By definition a reseller is adding at least an extra layer of legal paperwork. Especially for car rentals where even a single paperwork error can cause a huge problem if an accident occurs.
  - zeagle 2y ago
    I never understood why these companies aren't politely taken out back by the local business association. The biggest rental scam I've ever seen was in Costa Rica with their mandatory insurance that doubles the cost. I expected it but saw them working the others waiting in line and thinking of taking my tourist dollars elsewhere in future on principle. Plus the traffic cops take the plates if you park like the locals adding to a fee dance.
lkdfjlkdfjlg 2y ago
I'd like to hear more about this. It's always been unpleasant interacting with them, but I haven't seen anything abusive. Usually I'm told I either have to leave a huge deposit or buy insurance. Is this what the abuse is supposed to be? I don't love it, but I can't say it's a crazy notion.
- FireBeyond 2y ago
  Even in Alaska, if you go to Anchorage you’d be well advised to take an Uber to a car rental place at least a couple of miles from the airport. All sorts of BS, like “we have to phone your insurance company to verify your coverages” (at 11pm), or same with credit card, etc, to be “allowed” to waive their insurance. Oh, and the regular car you reserved, and several of them you can see on the lot? They’re unavailable. And the manager isn’t here to authorize a discount on a larger or premium vehicle. And so on.
  - hammock 2y ago
    Lol they do that at Denver too. You have to be an assertive kind of personality to get thru that. Or just don’t book with one of the discount desks and stick to hertz/alamo
    - FireBeyond 2y ago
      Never Hertz again. Not to mention their recent "stolen car" debacle, Hertz pulled their own even shadier shit on me in Washington. "Sorry, our security system was unable to verify you." No explanation of what that was, or meant, or what was being verified. Despite dozens of incident free rentals in the past, etc., no issues on my license, etc. "We are not going to be able to rent to you." Hand over my credit card and start pulling up an Uber to go to a nearby Enterprise. "Fine, whatever, just put my refund back on this card." "Sorry, prepaid rentals are non-refundable." "I didn't get to rent anything, as you just pointed out." Had to go to Corporate to reverse that one, was about 2 minutes from a chargeback.
      - 2y ago
anonzzzies 2y ago
We have had some bad issues with them with people coming to visit us so now we just take them to a rental outside the airport (there are enough very close by). Solves the problem. Get a taxi or Uber there and done. But agreed; should be (probably is) illegal.

Xenoamorphous 2y ago

I’m curious, how are those scammy? I always rent the car in advance and never had any issue, I’ve done that in Spain several times but only in the islands (Canary and Balearic).

oliwarner 2y ago
They're thieves, hiding behind walls of small print. We booked one in France through Avis. Rocked up and they wanted either a €2000 refundable deposit or a €350 non-refundable waiver. We were deep into a home renovation, couldn't afford the refundable option if we also wanted food on holiday, had to take the hit. That's over the top of a €950 10 day rental for a 3 year old Seat, its gearbox nearing the end of its short cruel life. And we were treated like this because we'd used a reseller. The person before us didn't have our experience and the guy there was happy enough to explain how they hide details like this from comparison websites and everyone assumes they'll get the standard rental agreement. Loads of people get stung on the waiver.
- drukenemo 2y ago
  This is almost to the letter what happened to me in Spain. What you described is real.
- fy20 2y ago
  A deposit for car rental is normal. If you provide a credit card they reserve the amount without actually charging you. But if you only have a debit card or your credit limit is too low, they cannot do that. So you have to pay upfront, and they will refund you after the rental. I'm guessing the 'waiver' is for their enhanced insurance, which means you don't pay anything extra if there are any damages. I've rented hundreds of cars in Europe over the past two decades, and never had an issue. I booked through whatever site is the cheapest (which often is their own site, once you sign up for the loyalty programme). Never took the extras they try to sell. Car seats are carried by airlines for free (even Ryanair), so you don't need to pay for those.
  - oliwarner 2y ago
    A deposit is normal, and yes, if we had the money (pre-approved or real) we'd be €350 better off. What made it feel like thievery was we knew nothing about it until we were in France with two kids who had just had enough of travel, and we were already an eye-watering sum on that we wouldn't get back if we tried to shop elsewhere. Again, the direct customers didn't have this. They had been asked these questions, made these choices as part of the initial order, where they had time to prepare financially, or shop around. It's in this way very similar to how some airlines feel they can double your flight cost as you are literally stepping onto the plane. You have no choice.
    - MichaelZuo 2y ago
      By definition a reseller is adding at least an extra layer of legal paperwork. Especially for car rentals where even a single paperwork error can cause a huge problem if an accident occurs.
- zeagle 2y ago
  I never understood why these companies aren't politely taken out back by the local business association. The biggest rental scam I've ever seen was in Costa Rica with their mandatory insurance that doubles the cost. I expected it but saw them working the others waiting in line and thinking of taking my tourist dollars elsewhere in future on principle. Plus the traffic cops take the plates if you park like the locals adding to a fee dance.

lkdfjlkdfjlg 2y ago

I'd like to hear more about this. It's always been unpleasant interacting with them, but I haven't seen anything abusive. Usually I'm told I either have to leave a huge deposit or buy insurance. Is this what the abuse is supposed to be? I don't love it, but I can't say it's a crazy notion.

FireBeyond 2y ago
Even in Alaska, if you go to Anchorage you’d be well advised to take an Uber to a car rental place at least a couple of miles from the airport. All sorts of BS, like “we have to phone your insurance company to verify your coverages” (at 11pm), or same with credit card, etc, to be “allowed” to waive their insurance. Oh, and the regular car you reserved, and several of them you can see on the lot? They’re unavailable. And the manager isn’t here to authorize a discount on a larger or premium vehicle. And so on.
- hammock 2y ago
  Lol they do that at Denver too. You have to be an assertive kind of personality to get thru that. Or just don’t book with one of the discount desks and stick to hertz/alamo
  - FireBeyond 2y ago
    Never Hertz again. Not to mention their recent "stolen car" debacle, Hertz pulled their own even shadier shit on me in Washington. "Sorry, our security system was unable to verify you." No explanation of what that was, or meant, or what was being verified. Despite dozens of incident free rentals in the past, etc., no issues on my license, etc. "We are not going to be able to rent to you." Hand over my credit card and start pulling up an Uber to go to a nearby Enterprise. "Fine, whatever, just put my refund back on this card." "Sorry, prepaid rentals are non-refundable." "I didn't get to rent anything, as you just pointed out." Had to go to Corporate to reverse that one, was about 2 minutes from a chargeback.
    - 2y ago

anonzzzies 2y ago

We have had some bad issues with them with people coming to visit us so now we just take them to a rental outside the airport (there are enough very close by). Solves the problem. Get a taxi or Uber there and done. But agreed; should be (probably is) illegal.