General Motors was a brand name that had been around for years! And it's just occured to me (and brings me almost back onto topic) - didn't they own a large part of Avis??

We recently reported a shortage of hired cars in parts of Spain and the Algarve, due to rental suppliers being unable to increase fleet stock levels as a result of the current economic climate.

This has since been borne out by members finding it difficult or impossible to rent cars at their holiday destinations.

However, we now know of at least two members who had successfully reserved cars with Auriga Crown in Majorca and Valencia, but have now received emails informing them at very short notice that their bookings have been cancelled due to the non-availability of vehicles. No alternative options were made available to them and it seems the only option may be public transport.

We are not suggesting that any or all bookings with Auriga Crown are at risk but anyone holding reservations with that company, either directly or through a car hire broker, may like to keep an eye on their email inboxes or spam folders for any unexpected or unwanted news.

David

David the reviews on Auriga crown arn't very good look at this link
http://www.reviewcentre.com/reviews51875.html and here is a link to their terms & conditions http://en.aurigacrown.com/conditions.html Personally I wouldn't touch them with a barge pole.

We've just returned from 2 weeks in Lagos. We hired our car as usual from economycarhire, this time it was a Travel Rent booking. Hubby checked car etc after tips from here to do so and everything was fine until he went to fill up with diesel after the first few days. It was then that he luckily realised the car was petrol! We'd booked diesel as we always do but I do wonder what the complications to us may have been had he not noticed in time. (I don't drive so don't know if it's an easy thing to spot)

I don't drive so don't know if it's an easy thing to spot)

did it have a rev counter if so it will red line around 5000/5500 for a diesel if it revs over 6000 then it fair to assume its petrol

Most [not all] diesels are marked on the back tdi dit cdti tidc or similar

most diesels have a bloody great sticker inside their filler cap cover which says Diesel only [if a vauxhall/opal/saab/chevolet the diesel has a red tag round the neck of the filler cap petrol is green]

fords cock everything up as they do not always have a badge on the back and all the filler caps usually say is BP fuel

you can hear a diesel ticking over from outside, petrol cars usually tick over around 1000rpm diesels around 750

thats how we spot the difference

wizard

Oh dear Glynis, they surely would have had to take the blame for that with ordering a diesel & getting petrol instead, but saying that they cover themselves by making you sign the white sheet with terms and conditions on, stating about checking the car before driving off, that could have been their cop out clause.Good job your hubby was alert and on his toes & noticed it though.I would also think you would pay more in hire fees for a diesel car, so maybe you could have applied for a refund.
Just realising, dont diesel cars have a glow plug light on the dash which you have to wait to go out before turning key to ignition, or is it not so on new diesel cars.?
I think, but not 100% sure it is a big big problem if you put diesel in a petrol car rather than visa versa. Hubby only a few weeks back put petrol in his diesel car,it was only around 2 litres though & the mechanic at the garage next door said it will be fine, he said just go and put some more petrol in so it will mix in, bingo he had no problems touch wood.
Hope you had an enjoyable holiday.

Not sure Brian as I don't drive but hubby has a diesel van. He said he never even noticed the 'sound' difference due to the air cond being on automatic (plus he has poor hearing in one ear due to him working in construction).

I'm going to phone economy tomorrow as, looking through the Travelrent documentation it states:-

Fuel - If a client or driver use a different type of fuel to that used by the vehicle they shall be fully liable for the cost of replacing all the fuel dismantling and cleaning the tang (? think they mean tank?) tuning engine and any other damage caused to the vehicle without questioning the amount involved.

Have spoken to customer relations at economycarhire who have apologised and state that they've been informed by Travel Rent that they cannot any longer guarantee diesel cars and that they (ECH) had sent out email notification to their clients. We, however must have not been sent this email as nothing has been received. Neither were we told at Faro by Travel Rents representatives that the car was actually petrol.

Glynis, glad to hear your husband realised before filling with fuel. I can also say that I never received the email advising no guarantees regarding diesel cars............................

As you all know I had problems earlier this year with Air Auto via ECH, and my latest rental was with TravelRent via ECH, and unfortunately this car it had an attempted breakin. Damage occurred to the drivers door, I presume a failed attempt to steal the car, in that a hole had been punched through the door in order to push the inside door handle outward in order to open the door.

I spoke TravelRent's office who advised me that as the car had not been broken into, nothing was stolen and the lock undamaged, that there was no requirement to report this to the police, I offered to return the vehicle to Faro airport so they could view the car, this was declined. I also called ECH's office to advise of this fact and the conversation with TravelRent.

On returning the car to Faro, I was met by a very charming lady who checked over the car, who was then joined by an overly aggressive man, who demanded €180.00 euros for a replacement lock. I advised of my conversation with their office and that I didn't agree with the demand as the lock was undamaged, and fully operational, which was agreed with the representatives, but nevertheless the money was still demanded.

I called ECH to ask advice, as I assumed the fully inclusive insurance would be activated, ECH in turn tried to speak, unsuccessfully with TravelRent. The male representative then snatched all the paperwork, visa receipt included, from the lady we were dealing with, got in his car and drove off.

The above happened on the 3 July, and I have just this week had a reply from ECH saying that no charges would be levied against me and that "albeit I did everything expected of me, should anything like this happen again, I should drive the car to the Police station and report any damage and get a crime report".

I will continue to use ECH, but after having two "events" with hire cars one after the other (the only common denominator being ECH), I would say that they appear to have no control over the hire companies in Faro airport that are essentially representing ECH as third party suppliers and ECH have not convinced me that they care either.

Like lots of things in life, you never know how good a supplier will be until you have a problem!!!!

I understand your concerns Scoya as, after my discussion with the CR lady she told me that had we put diesel in the car instead of petrol then ECH 'would have done our utmost to assist us with any charges'. I really wanted to hear 'don't worry we would have ensured that you weren't charged'.

I told the lady that I had posted this problem on here as a warning to our members to not only check the car but also double check the fuel.

Our documentation clearly stated diesel and my husband wasn't told when he 'checked in' at the car park booth nor when given the keys in the car park 'slot' that the car was petrol. Nor is their anything on our TR slip.

Seems things are getting rather laxed at ECH. I wonder how many disputes they have with their car hire companies.
As you know Travel Rent now make you sign a terms & conditions sheet which states you are liable for theft & any damage caused whilst parked up, I am sure ECH have been made aware of this through complaints. If you have booked through ECH customers should not have to sign this, especially when they advertise no excess insurance. Maybe its time ECH got their act together, they have had many many recommendations from this website

Jay she asked which website and I gave her address and she was going to get someone to come on and take a look as they like to keep note of websites.

Have received an email from ECH apologising again and offering 10% discount on our next booking along with the usual 5%. They did state however that they were made aware of a problem with diesel cars from TR but we missed the emails as they went out 13th July.

TR state that their representatives were informing people of the petrol/diesel change on arrival. Am sorry but definitely not the case with us. My husband wouldn't then go and intend to put diesel in the car had he been told petrol - no-one would.

ECH have now removed the diesel option from their website.

Scoya ,did travel rent actually take the amount from your credit card,or was it put on hold until the dispute was resolved with ECH?

Jayjan, I was so angry at the way the guy treated us I phoned my CC company and cancelled the card......... I decided that I would refuse to be the "victim" of an over zealous and very angry car hire rep.

To be honest, if he hadn't been so rude, if he'd only been more reasonable and approachable I'd never have cancelled the card. However, the young lady we were dealing with did say that no funds would be taken until "the matter had been resolved" and actually suggested that I cancel my card. She said it was something that they always advised clients to do if a dispute arose.

Hi,

I have always used ECH with no problems although it has been off peak, have they still got a desk in the airport?

Thanks

SB

SB, they now work out of a large white portakabin style building in car park 4, along with a number of other car hire companies.

Scoya, I am glad you have got the problem sorted, but obviously you will be very wary in future of any other problems arising.I cannot understand why Travel Rent are making people sign this terms & conditions sheet when they have booked with ECH,which contradicts there full insurance coverage, its only this last 12 months that you have had to sign anything other than the rental contract, seems they are covering every angle, and maybe some renters won't dispute a problem should one arise & just pay up.
Sorry folks about the treble post, I don't know what happened there, obviously an internet/website problem.

There is a further story from BBC News today about the car hire shortage problem and the reasons behind it, etc., ... please click here.

David