webmaster

Wednesday, 26 February 2014

Which? survey reveals the best and worst car hire companies

The UK Consumer Affairs organisation Which? has just published its survey of "Best and worst car hire companies".

 Auto Reisen has topped the survey achieving a customer satisfaction score of 89%,  The Spanish car hire firm Goldcar came bottom, scoring just one star across seven of  the 10 categories.

Which also looked at "Car Hire Brokers", these are companies like Holiday Autos and Economy Car Hire. In the survey Economy Car Hire was rated top with 75%, scoring five stars for the ease of its online booking and the clarity of its pricing.

They also listed the "Top five car hire pitfalls to avoid" - All of these we too have been stressing on this blog and on our car hire excess waiver insurance site for a long time.


1. Damage charges
Protect yourself against charges for pre-existing or fictional damage when you pick up and drop off by being vigilant and taking photos to prove the condition of the car.

2. Excess waiver fees
Take out a third-party excess policy in advance and bring the details with you. If you’re asked to buy more cover when you pick up the car, ask what this actually covers and show the agent what you’re already covered for.

3. Fuel options
The biggest fuel trick to watch out for is being charged for a full tank of petrol, at a price set by the hire company, and being asked to return it empty with no refunds for unused fuel. Once you have a quote, call the hire company before paying to check what its fuel policy is.

4. Automatic toll payments
If you’re offered a car with toll collecting equipment fitted; ask about the rental costs, whether it’s a legal requirement for the country, and whether it can be turned-off at no cost to you.

5. Unauthorised payments
Check your credit card bills or bank statements carefully after hiring a car. If you’re faced with unexpected charges, complain to the hire company – many of the cases we’ve seen have been resolved this way. (Source Which? 26-2-14)

To view their report follow this link

No comments: