Reduction in Quality? - Spanish Hire Cars

[Ian_Fearn]

Just booking a hire car in Spain. Any idea what this lovely looking machine on offer is?

 

 

 

[SiC]

Looks a lot like a Proton Saga to me

 

 

Reduction in quality??! Pah! Looks like prime quality AutoShite hire material to me.

[Tamworthbay]

It's even the right colour!

[doobietoo]

We got a diesel VW in October.... guy at the hire place reckoned VW were paying them to have them as hire cars....

[Ian_Fearn]

PROTON SAGA BOOKED. 

 

I'll be gutted if i don't get one now.

[pshome]

Did you ever get the car pictured?

[Mally]

I've never got the car I booked. Always 'Or similar'. 

Only way is if it's outside the shop with a big 'Hire Me' notice on it. Go in and say I want that one.

[AlabamaShrimp]

Once stupidly went for the smallest car option in southern Spain one year and got a tiny engined Kia Picanto, the whole car jerked and lost a ton of speed if you put the aircon on..

[Junkman]

Booked the smallest car in Hell A. They didn't have one of those in stock when I arrived, so they upgraded me to a Mercury Sable at no extra charge.

That got rear ended at a red light two miles down the road by a Mexican in that motherless Seventies Olds Cutlass k00p of his.

Despite the damage was minimal, they insisted that I return it. They didn't have another one that size, so they upgraded me to a bigger car at no extra charge.

That turned out to be a white Crown Vic, the best car you can have in the US of A. Everyone else getting a glimpse of it slams the brakes and lets you through

and when you're on the freeway and they see you in their mirror, they almost lose control over how quickly they change the lane to get out of your way.

On the downside, I too winced each time I saw its reflection in a shop window.

[Rave]

The Goldcar rep at Malaga airport gave me an annoying amount of grief when I declined their excess insurance as I already had my own. Then when he'd finally decided he wasn't getting an extra 50 euros out of me, suddenly snapped back into being charm itself, and the car was fine.

 

Personally I always rent a 'Kangoo or similar' type people carrier van when in Spain, they are usually a similar price to a supermini, and a lot cheaper than a Focus/Golf sized car. I've never actually had a Kangoo, it's nearly always been a Berlingo of some description, though last time I got a 1.6 JTD Fiat Doblo which was, surprisingly, very good despite being ludicrously tall. I even got a Citroen Nemo once, it swallowed four suitcases and sat four people in reasonable comfort. I'd buy one as a runaround here, but they hold their value too well. 1.4 TCDI was a bit lethargic though.

[eddyramrod]

Just booking a hire car in Spain. Any idea what this lovely looking machine on offer is?

 

Chinese Effort.png

Something way too small for me to even consider booking!  Scroll on to the Chevy Suburbans....

[r.welfare]

Some friends maintain the position that you should always book the smallest, cheapest car because you are more likely than not to receive an upgrade. Personally I lack the balls to do this. Anyway, were Protons sold in continental Europe?

[JohnDeere]

You can't beat car hire in American airports. Walk up to the rows of cars sitting with the keys in. Pick the one you want in your category and drive off. Yes, I fancy a Chevy Blingerado V6 with sparkly paint and fake-leather seats, thank you very much.

 

None of that sinking feeling you get at the desk in Europe when the assistant shakes the key out of the envelope only to reveal the VAG key. Great, another soulless 600 miles in a MQB-mobile (the world's dullest vehicle platform to drive).

 

There are probably countless tourists who think that Similar is actually a make of car in Spain.  Look love, we're getting either a SEAT or a Similar.

[cort1977]

Was delighted to get offered a choice that included a crown Vic hiding in the corner a few years ago. Family distinctly unimpressed with it and my constant wittering about how it was the last of the breed and the end of an era but I loved it.

[catsinthewelder]

The Goldcar rep at Malaga airport gave me an annoying amount of grief when I declined their excess insurance as I already had my own. Then when he'd finally decided he wasn't getting an extra 50 euros out of me, suddenly snapped back into being charm itself, and the car was fine.

 

Personally I always rent a 'Kangoo or similar' type people carrier van when in Spain, they are usually a similar price to a supermini, and a lot cheaper than a Focus/Golf sized car. I've never actually had a Kangoo, it's nearly always been a Berlingo of some description.

Please convince more people to do this, we struggle to rent our Blingo out to anyone. Even the car thieves brought it back and nicked a van instead.

[eddieirvine]

I was driving from Las Vegas to San Diego and has specified a corvette convertible with sat nav *guaranteed

 

Pick up was from my hotel in vegas and they said oh sorry but the corvette isn't available we can give you a mustang.  I wasn't too chuffed as the mustangs are pretty common rentals and my sister already had one over there.  Asked to speak to the manager who was at another hotel and they said they had a corvette at the hotel next door but it didn't have sat nav.  They ended up giving me $100 to buy a sat nav and a free tank of fuel.  Still got the sat nav somewhere.  Only had the car for a days hire to drive one way to san diego.  Between the free fuel and the $100 for the sat nav I think it cost me about $30

[Lacquer Peel]

Some friends maintain the position that you should always book the smallest, cheapest car because you are more likely than not to receive an upgrade. Personally I lack the balls to do this. Anyway, were Protons sold in continental Europe?

 

I was upgraded* from a Suzuki Swift automatic to a Mitsubishi Colt when I complained about the wheel bearing noise. I think it was the road surface near the airport rather than the wheel bearings. The Colt had ABS issues, I think because the tyres were different sizes on the back. Cyprus hire cars are not great.

Recently closer to home I got an upgrade from "mingebag" to "mingebag+", Skoda Fabia estate instead of a Fiat 500 or similar.

[angle]

I got 'upgraded' from a Kia Picanto to a Daewoo Lanos. Automatic. In 2013. This makes me wonder exactly how bad a Picanto can be...

[AlabamaShrimp]

Rented a Starlet in Malta once, everything was shagged, one of the best cars I've ever driven!