The carhire company, Goldcar, will be charging for every extra driver from 1 November 2009. In my experience carhire companies have always allowed the first extra driver to be added free of charge.

Regards, Chris

I understand that there maybe further carhire problems this autumn / winter and into next year due to lack of new cars and lack of necessary funding (again) by the Banks in Spain to purchase new cars.

Has anyone had problems recently with getting cars in Valencia ?

Regards, Chris

Just back from Valencia. GOLDCAR charged 70€ for fuel for a standard Ford Fiesta !!!

Goldcar have now come up with a new charge. The new cost is a 'refueling service charge' of approx. 10 - 15 euros and that is on top of the usual inflated cost of the fuel.

They also tried to charge 5€ a day for the tyre/window insurance.

I have just cancelled next months Goldcar booking and going with somebody else. They told me 70€ is the cost regardless who you book with or even going direct to Goldcar.

Regards, Chris

Has anybody done a longtern carhire in Spain ? ie 6 months etc ?

I was planning to take my UK car to Spain in April by ferry and leave it in Spain until September and then fly in/out during these months and use my car rather than take a hire car.

My UK car insurance company will allow overseas insurance cover for 180 days so this shouldn't aspect be a problem. Getting to / from the airport is not a problem as friends will pick us up.

I'm just trying to understand the benefits of both taking my car and getting longterm carhire, hopefully at a good rate due to the length of the hire.

I'm waiting for details of costs for a long hire from one of the hire companies that I have used before and will be using again next month and in Feb.

Regards, Chris

Just noticed that Solmar are now doing full/full fuel on all hire periods. Previously this was only for hire of 3 days or less.

For those of us renting for longer than 3 days, only using a drop of fuel and returning the car with 3/4 or more fuel and still having to pay for a full tank it was like being conned and very annoying.

Well done Solmar and we will start to get the benefit on our next visit next Thursday !

Chris

AurigaCrown have now followed Solmar in providing the option of full/full Petrol on all rentals.

Chris

Anyone heard news regarding Auriga Crown being sold off ?

Chris

Have family out with us in Valencia and have recently booked and paid for a hire car using DoYouSpain (DYS), the car provider was Advantage (Hertzs own low cost provider). At Valencia they have a van in the airport carpark to do the paperwork, hand out keys etc rather than use the Hertz desk which is in Arrivals.

The DYS confirmation mentioned various extras, ie driver, topup insurance, child seat etc and petrol. The costs for many were listed on the confirmation.

However, what is didnt say is that all these costs do not include IVA (Spains VAT) and you find you are paying an extra 18% on top of the costs quoted, there is no mention of this tax or extra costs - you only find out after you have taken them. I havent had this with an other carhire company from Valencia airport, prices quoted with them were the actual costs charged.

I should have known this is what they would do as when we have booked cars with Hertz when we have gone back to the UK for short breaks this is how they offer extras ie forgetting to mention its an extrra 20% for the VAT - clearly had my holiday head on on this ocassion !

Be warned. Have written to DYS for their comments.

Chris

A few weeks ago I booked carhire for a few days in Spain in April using DoYouSpain and they changed supplier from GoldCar at my request (dont do them due to they exceptional charges) to AurigaCrown.

Got an email from DYS yesterday saying they have had to change suppliers and Im back with GoldCar !!! Tried to book with AurigaCrown using BravoCarhire but all AurigaCworn cars fully booked ! Have tried to book cars for the family (x2 different dates) when they come and see us in August with AurigaCrown and shows all cars fully booked !!!

A friend has just got an email from DYS saying a carhire company in Spain is on the verge of going bust and carhire prices are about to go sky high. If this is true they havent mentioned who its going to be - given my experience today I can guess who it is.

Hopefully Aurigacrown are in business tomorrow as we pcik up a car from them in Valencia !!!! I wlll have a chat with the Auriga Crown staff at the airport desk and see what they say.

Regards Chris

Staff at Auriga Crown confirmed that the business will close in a few weeks - no firm date available. Cars are already being returned when their leases expire (and of course not renewed) and staff are preparing to go.

If you want to book cars for the summer etc get in now before prices go up even further than they are now.

Chris

anybody else heard the whisper about SOLMAR closing down prior to this summer ?

Booked a car from Solmar Barcelona Airport Spain.(we travel abroad and hire cars at least 3-4 times a year) car rental from Barcelona Airport 24/08/2016 for 8 days, paid the rental price via 'Do You Spain'
Arrived on time at Barcelona airport and followed poor directions to bus stop (where there is no indication that it is for Solmar) to meet our transfer bus which Solmar said would be 'waiting' for us. What a joke !
WE waited one hour and twenty five minutes for transfer bus to arrive in 30+ degrees heat, we watched other rental companies (i.e. Gold car) transfer buses come and go (3 x for one company !)
When the driver finally came after 5 phone calls to Do you Spain, we and another French family asked him where had he been, he insisted he had been at the pick up 35 minutes previously, this was total rubbish !
Transferred to car pick up reception area and one man initially serving a very frustrated business man who Solmar said was not the person who booked the car and hence he was denied a vehicle. The very cocky and rude reception man finally turned to us and started to process our rental, at the same time the French couple where having difficulties with their rental with another rude man who could not find their rental agreement on his computer and was insisting they have a different car and probably pay again!
We where then told that we have to pay another 144 Euro for THEIR insurance and 25 Euro to have them fill the the tank plus pay up front for a full tank of fuel and then a 1500 Euro block on our credit card (even though it says in all their literature and the sign in their office for the type of car we were trying to hire was 1000 Euro) Which we refused, We phoned DO YOU Spain whilst in the office and explained the situation and Do you Spain confirmed the 1000 Euro block etc and i even handed my phone to the reception man, who was insisting that it is now 1500. I walked behind his desk and pointed out the sign behind him, at this point he said he was cancelling the booking!!! that was it !
Three separate customers in the office and all three having problems !! I rang DO you Spain again and explained that Solmar are now not going to rent us a car and was apologized professedly and promised refund of initial monies paid (now 5/09/2016 and no refund as yet)
To recap car hire was advertised at 87 pounds, what you have to actually pay is
87 pounds Sterling Car hire
140 Euros Their Insurance or 144 Euro for better insurance
25 Euros to have the tank refilled
50+ for fuel (can have refund on each quarter of a tank that remains (so they say))
1500 block on your credit card

So this company is not cheap at all, hidden costs which you feel you have to accept as you are so far from the airport you have to accept.
We did not, and were left stranded with children in 30+ degree heat in a foreign country, this is diabolical behavior by this RIP OFF company.
We managed to get a lift from another kind shuttle driver (NOT SOLMAR) back to the airport and went to SIXT car rental and for the total of 140 Euro we had a car within 10 minutes, and only 280 Euro block on credit card and can use external insurance. The difference between the companies is light and dark.
BE WARNED, DO NOT USE SOLMAR YOU WILL REGRET IT.
They were happy to strand a family with children !!!!
Go elsewhere, anywhere, read the reviews, Why DO You Spain is associated with this RIP OFF firm is a mystery, they will be getting a letter of complaint as well about this company they are advertising.
I have video footage of all the people complaining and having problems in SOLMAR offices which i will post when we have checked the legal implications.