Or you could try http://www.amigoautos.com

Have booked with them for August, pretty good prices.

HTH

Jeff

Cheers phil68618 and emmrecs. Yes, I tried both of those, as well as DoYouSpain, Poppy Cars, Autos Momple, Owners Cars, SolCars and half a dozen others ... but I might be sorted as I got an email from another firm this evening saying that they have a cancellation ... so fingers crossed, as I contact them now...

Cheers people!

Hi DD,

I have also used

http://www.autospons.de/autos_uk.htm

who are based in Ferreries and as a local set up may have cars all year.
Hope you get sorted, I cant imagine anything worse than not being able to get about to some of my favourite places.

Phil

Hi Phil! .. Confirmed this afternoon that I've got a car! It's a weight off my chest, I can tell you! ... BTW, wanna share some of your "favourite places" ?

There are endless places to visit i.e Cuidadella,Mahon,Fornells,Cala Galdana,Cal'n Bosch.Arenell Den Castell plus many more you will be spoilt for choice.

Maryb

Thanks Mary B! ... It's about 9 years since my one and only visit to Menorca. We stayed in Cala'n Bosch then... minus a car! ... and the only trip we made was the short hop on the bus to Cuitadella. It was lovely. However, this time, we've rented a private villa for the first time ... and I can't see me getting my 2 boys out of the pool, let alone on any excusions... but I'll try. I definitely want to go to Fornells, Son Bou, Arenal and Cala Galdana....

BTW, if anyone is still having probs with cars, I've had a few other places contact me this evening, saying they've got one left for next week (26th - 3rd)... Rentacar S'algar have a Seat Cordoba... Menorcacarhire have a Ford Galaxy ... Solcars have one I think ... and National/Atesa have a few... hope this helps someone!

Hi, glad you are sorted with a car

We visited the places you listed last year (our first year in Menorca with a car) and would say they are all worth visiting. Cala Galdana is stunning (going there this year) and so is the beach at Son Bou. We also visited Santo Thomas which was lovely too.

Places on our list to visit this year are Binibequer, Punta Prima, and also want to take a look at some of the smaller beaches if we can get to them. Will definately visit Son Bou again (weighing up next years hol options!). Also thinking of visiting Fornells one of the evenings for a meal.

You won't regret having the car...we thought it made our holiday last year and now we wouldn't be without one - availability allowing of course!

nicJW ...availability allowing of course!

... Of course!

I'm getting excited now! ... I got the satnav out last night and programmed in a big supermarket as my first stop, to stock up with essentials for the week! ... I chose that one which seems to be in an industrial estate area a couple of miles north of the airport.... Then on to Son Parc!

Likewise, I'm gonna check out some reviews of restaurants in Fornells for a decent meal out.... 'tho I know the kids will want me to bbq at the villa most nights!
I must say that I'm relieved that Menorca should at least be easy driving! I remember the first time I hired a car abroad, in Gran Canaria about 10 years ago, and the wife wanted to go to the weekly market in Mogan! What a sweaty palm, fear inducing drive that was around the mountain, looking down at a sheer drop of hundreds of feet, just inches away ... It still gives me the willies thinking about it!!!!

Hello,

We have just booked for Calan Bosch in July.. and it is so hard to find a car to hire under £300!!! It's also a nightmare as there is 6 of us.. so do we go for 2 small cars or one large 6 seater?... Either way cars in Menorca are in short supply!

Claire

Just another thought - Do you think it would be easier to just wait until we got there? As they may have had cancellations ect?

Can you hire cars in resorts rather than at the airport? Were staying in Calan Bosch so there maybe somewhere to hire cars there?

Cheers Claire

Hi, yes there are several car hire offices in Cala'n Bosch, but I would advise you book before you go. The ones I recall are Owners Cars, Avis, and Economy. We booked last year through Holiday Auto's who sourced the car from Owners Cars. Definately wouldn't leave it til you get there as they were fully booked last year when we went and the situation seems worse this year.

Cosmicbabe ... the only thing I would say, is if you wait until you get to Cala'n Bosch before you hire the car, you will then have to pay to get from the airport to resort in the first place ... and back? You will need to price around for the transfer cost, but I am assuming it could be as much as 80 euros each way!!! So hiring the car from the airport would actually be more economically viable!

Also, it will undoubtedly work out dearer to hire 2 cars, particularly when you factor in fuel costs ... but with 6 of you, even a 7 seater might be cramped when you add in luggage. My Brother in-law has a Ford Galaxy and when all 7 seats are in use, there is pitifully little space left in the back for a few carrier bags, let alone luggage ... and he had to buy a roof box for any trips. However, you are essentially only making the one return trip from airport to Cala'n Bosch, so you would probably make do... just!

Yeah the only problem is that if we book a car from the Aerport I can only find one costing £416.. and we would need 2 to fit us all... The 7 seater is £1000.... Unfortunatley we do not have this sort of money.. even to split between 6 of us...

So it looks likewe will have to get a shuttle service from the airport to the resort.. although I have no idea what that actually is?? I assume it means a Taxi? I have a quote for 6 people of 100 euros which is alot better than hiring a car I think...

What dates are your holidays, cosmicbabe?

Hi,

My dates are 12th July - 26th July

Was just looking around a few carhire sites Cosmicbabe, and really can't find a 7/8 seater for less than £1000 for your dates! Crazy!!!

I now understand you thinking of going down the road of transfers to/from the resort and maybe hire locally for a few days... that's what I would do!
Personally, there's no way that I would part with that amount of dough for a vehicle to be effectively sitting parked up for 90% of the time! ... But, the shortage of vehicles means that some people obviously do!
I hope you get sorted/or make the decision you're happy with!

Thank you for taking the time to have a look also

You are also right that although I really want to hire a car the expense is just too much... I would want to go out for Road trips everyday to justify it!! I will try and hire one for a few days or I now know of a Moped Hire place in the Marina so will try there

Claire

Yes there are problems...a car hire/lease firm has pulled 400 cars off the island. You will be better off using a smaller firm. Try autosvictoria or poppycars, both have websites. Another one of the larger firms is Record hire which is a spanish firm so might have more cars or owners abroad.

I have found over the last few years that the larger firms are now ripping you off on petrol whereas the smaller firms just ask you to top up the tank to how it was.

Let me know if you have probs.

I have left it very late and am now worried! I am struggling to hire a car for weekl com 17/07/2009 - anybody got any suggestions?