Auto Europe - Scam?
May 7, 2010, 2:31 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: BCN
Programs: BA Gold · A3 Gold · DL Gold · VY apologist
Posts: 8,545
Auto Europe - Scam?
These guys came up in a recent search on Kayak for a rental in TFN. The price was half of what the usual suspects were charging, so I went for it. Huge mistake.
On their web site, they offer a specific make and model of car (with photo!) and a specific price. There's an option to add on the CDW, which I chose.
I put in my CC details, and it gave an error saying the card was declined. Odd. I put in another card, it also was declined. I called my bank and they said neither was declined, though they had put a fraud-block on both cards as a company in Germany had tried to charge the same amount to both cards multiple times. Were I not stupid, I would have stopped there.
I figured instead it was just a glitch, had the bank remove the block, and tried again the next day. This time it went through without a hitch, and they charged the full amount to the card. While awaiting my confirmation mail, I passed the time wondering if TripIt would be able to import automatically.
Instead of a confirmation mail, I got an email from "Last Minute" (not lastminute.com mind you) telling me that at the moment, Auto Europe has the offered price in their system, but that please keep in mind my reservation is pending. And that "as soon as the rental company confirms with them, they will send me a voucher".
So they're not even a rental company but a blind voucher-selling operation, like Hotwire or something. My trip starts in a few hours and I still have not received a voucher. A quick check with Google tells me that there are hundreds of people who were double-charged by various rental agencies, that in some cases the vouchers weren't accepted, and in all cases they were required to pay extra once they did get the voucher accepted. Two emails to their customer service have gone unanswered.
I should have known better. I should have researched them. But I didn't. Luckily I can cancel the charge with my bank. Here's hoping others will read this before they get taken as well.
I just reserved a similar car from Hertz for nearly triple the price quoted by Auto Europe. I guess you get what you pay for.
Edited to add: while I was posting this I got an email from them telling me that they already sent the voucher. Not buying it.
On their web site, they offer a specific make and model of car (with photo!) and a specific price. There's an option to add on the CDW, which I chose.
I put in my CC details, and it gave an error saying the card was declined. Odd. I put in another card, it also was declined. I called my bank and they said neither was declined, though they had put a fraud-block on both cards as a company in Germany had tried to charge the same amount to both cards multiple times. Were I not stupid, I would have stopped there.
I figured instead it was just a glitch, had the bank remove the block, and tried again the next day. This time it went through without a hitch, and they charged the full amount to the card. While awaiting my confirmation mail, I passed the time wondering if TripIt would be able to import automatically.
Instead of a confirmation mail, I got an email from "Last Minute" (not lastminute.com mind you) telling me that at the moment, Auto Europe has the offered price in their system, but that please keep in mind my reservation is pending. And that "as soon as the rental company confirms with them, they will send me a voucher".
So they're not even a rental company but a blind voucher-selling operation, like Hotwire or something. My trip starts in a few hours and I still have not received a voucher. A quick check with Google tells me that there are hundreds of people who were double-charged by various rental agencies, that in some cases the vouchers weren't accepted, and in all cases they were required to pay extra once they did get the voucher accepted. Two emails to their customer service have gone unanswered.
I should have known better. I should have researched them. But I didn't. Luckily I can cancel the charge with my bank. Here's hoping others will read this before they get taken as well.
I just reserved a similar car from Hertz for nearly triple the price quoted by Auto Europe. I guess you get what you pay for.
Edited to add: while I was posting this I got an email from them telling me that they already sent the voucher. Not buying it.
May 7, 2010, 6:13 am
#2
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: UK
Programs: BD (RIP); BA
Posts: 135
I have used them a number of times for US rentals and they have been absolutely fine. Yes they are a 3rd party site using various rental companies and they have some of the best all-in rates for the US booking from UK.
You should also have no problems calling them (again atleast from UK)
You should also have no problems calling them (again atleast from UK)
May 25, 2011, 2:02 am
#3
Join Date: Apr 2011
Posts: 2
I always book with AutoEurope, and have been doing so for several years now. Never had a single problem, and never experienced an "on hold" booking as you describe - but it might take a while (1 hr) for the voucher to go through sometimes, which is why I never book the same day.
May 29, 2011, 10:48 pm
#4
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: BNE
Programs: QF,US,ANA
Posts: 323
I have also used them several times in Europe without any problems.
There prices are very good , I have had cars from Europcar and Alamo when booking through auto europe and they work out a lot cheaper than booking direct with the hire car company.
There prices are very good , I have had cars from Europcar and Alamo when booking through auto europe and they work out a lot cheaper than booking direct with the hire car company.
Jun 12, 2011, 2:01 am
#5
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: London, UK
Posts: 1,095
So this is a thread from the past... I'd be curious to know what alanw's final experience was. I've used AutoEurope several times around the world and have, so far, had no problems. This is a company that's been operating for decades and always offers very competitive prices for longer term rentals.
It's not like Hotwire, in that you can cancel your booking at any point until a couple of days before the rental; and if you look carefully the description will say e.g. VW Golf or similar, just like any other rental firm.
As someone who's had plenty of bad rental experiences over the years, I'd praise AutoEurope (and carhire3000 in the UK) as one of the best.
It's not like Hotwire, in that you can cancel your booking at any point until a couple of days before the rental; and if you look carefully the description will say e.g. VW Golf or similar, just like any other rental firm.
As someone who's had plenty of bad rental experiences over the years, I'd praise AutoEurope (and carhire3000 in the UK) as one of the best.
Jun 12, 2011, 2:30 am
#6
Join Date: May 1998
Location: australia
Posts: 5,762
A matter of YMMV. I have had one experience with carhire3000 and was most unimpressed. I was charged UKP180 as a cancellation fee even though I cancelled 2 days before their cut-off date. I then sent 5 emails to their customer service department and they didn't respond at all.
Jun 12, 2011, 2:37 am
#7
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: London, UK
Posts: 1,095
YMMV indeed, car rental is a miserable business. My satisfaction with carhire3000 is born from their relatively small size and helpful customer service team who have been proactive in solving problems for me; however, no service is perfect. I'm not a paid advocate!
Nov 14, 2012, 2:49 pm
#8
Join Date: Nov 2012
Posts: 1
Just came back from a trip to Tenerife where we hired a car through Auto Europe. We chose them as they were the cheapest. Big mistake. During booking trhough Internet the price for 11 days was 110 EUR and it was instantly charged from my credit card. When we went to pick the car up the longest queue was in front of Goldcar who handles Auto Europes practical details. After waiting for over an hour I was asked if I want to pay a huge deposit or take an additional insurance, which the clerk said would cost only 7 EUR. Of course I took this, gave him my credit card he asked for and signed the papers. When arriving home I found out that they had charged the Debet side of my Visa card with an additional 165 EUR. When complaining they supplied a breakdown:
Prepaid fuel: €79.30 EUR
Upgrade: 4.41 EUR
Seguro RElax, optional insurance: €61.67 EUR
VAT on above items (13.5%): €19.63 EUR
In other words they charged close to 90 EUR (79,30 + VAT) for filling the tank of the Renault Megane (some 80 liters with Spanish fuel prices) and charged close to 70 EUR, instead of the promised 7 EUR on the insurance. When complaining I was just sent copies of the documents I had sadly signed myself without reading the fine print.
Prepaid fuel: €79.30 EUR
Upgrade: 4.41 EUR
Seguro RElax, optional insurance: €61.67 EUR
VAT on above items (13.5%): €19.63 EUR
In other words they charged close to 90 EUR (79,30 + VAT) for filling the tank of the Renault Megane (some 80 liters with Spanish fuel prices) and charged close to 70 EUR, instead of the promised 7 EUR on the insurance. When complaining I was just sent copies of the documents I had sadly signed myself without reading the fine print.
Nov 15, 2012, 9:09 pm
#9
Join Date: Jun 2001
Location: London, UK
Posts: 1,095
Gardbla,
Welcome to Flyertalk. I'm no apologist for Auto Europe but I think that, rather than a scam, you haven't read your voucher and contract carefully. I too have been hit by the fuel charge on a Goldcar booking, but it is stated clearly on the voucher so there is no backing out of it.
That said, I was also confronted with a very long Goldcar queue in Italy and unhelpful customer service, so if I booked with Auto Europe again and saw Goldcar on the voucher, I'd cancel it.
Welcome to Flyertalk. I'm no apologist for Auto Europe but I think that, rather than a scam, you haven't read your voucher and contract carefully. I too have been hit by the fuel charge on a Goldcar booking, but it is stated clearly on the voucher so there is no backing out of it.
That said, I was also confronted with a very long Goldcar queue in Italy and unhelpful customer service, so if I booked with Auto Europe again and saw Goldcar on the voucher, I'd cancel it.
Nov 30, 2012, 3:05 am
#10
Join Date: Nov 2012
Posts: 4
I have used AutoEurope before and everything was ok.
Jan 18, 2013, 10:26 am
#11
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: eastern Europe & NC
Posts: 4,527
Auto Europe is a consolidator and I have used them numerous times for European rentals with no problems, although lately the consolidator I tend to find the best deals with is Economy Car Rentals
Jan 18, 2013, 10:31 am
#12
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: eastern Europe & NC
Posts: 4,527
Goldcar is a scam, not only for the fuel ripoff, but they add extra charges, and they impose an awful Dynamic Currency Conversion scheme that they do not tell you about and will not reverse. However, Goldcar is used by MANY consolidators, so you have to be careful of any consolidator you use for Spain. Always tell them that Goldcar is unacceptable. There are some good independent car rental companies in Spain, one was something like Autoreisin, but definitely NOT Goldcar.
Gardbla,
Welcome to Flyertalk. I'm no apologist for Auto Europe but I think that, rather than a scam, you haven't read your voucher and contract carefully. I too have been hit by the fuel charge on a Goldcar booking, but it is stated clearly on the voucher so there is no backing out of it.
That said, I was also confronted with a very long Goldcar queue in Italy and unhelpful customer service, so if I booked with Auto Europe again and saw Goldcar on the voucher, I'd cancel it.
Welcome to Flyertalk. I'm no apologist for Auto Europe but I think that, rather than a scam, you haven't read your voucher and contract carefully. I too have been hit by the fuel charge on a Goldcar booking, but it is stated clearly on the voucher so there is no backing out of it.
That said, I was also confronted with a very long Goldcar queue in Italy and unhelpful customer service, so if I booked with Auto Europe again and saw Goldcar on the voucher, I'd cancel it.
Jan 18, 2013, 7:33 pm
#13
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: New Jersey
Programs: Credit Cards
Posts: 3,009
Has anyone had luck with them in Australia?
I'm contemplating cancelling my $180 AUD five day rental in SYD for a $136 USD Auto Europe booking found on Kayak
I'm contemplating cancelling my $180 AUD five day rental in SYD for a $136 USD Auto Europe booking found on Kayak
Jan 19, 2013, 8:47 am
#15
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Norway
Programs: Priority Club, Eurobonus, Hertz Gold, Dollar Express, Club Carlson Gold, Accor Plat.
Posts: 152
We have used AutoEurope in the past with no issues. Although, the past few times we have rented a car we have found cheaper prices during a sale or thru alamo.co.uk/brits