Avoid auto europe at all costs...

Old Oct 20, 2016, 1:05 pm
  #1  
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Join Date: May 2004
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Avoid auto europe at all costs...

Just had the unsatisfactory experience of dealing with this company from Maine, so this is a warning to all FT'ers. Avoid like the plague.
Booked a vehicle in Madrid for 3 days.
Got the rate and the Hertz confirm # as well.
Show up at desk, I am told there is a 50E charge for picking it up at the airport.
I show them my Auto Europe voucher that says I have $0.00 owing, but they insist I have to pay an extra 50E as an airport pick up charge or no car.
I'm stuck so I sign off on it.
I call Auto Europe to get the mistake rectified, and they state that not on the voucher but on page 2 of a 4 page PDF attachment they sent along with the voucher states that 50E charge.
Their voucher says $0.00, and they stick this surcharge on the legalese that comes with the agreement.
Yes I should have read everything, no a company should not operate in this manner.
It's underhanded knowing most people wont read through 4 pages of legaleze.
Avoid!

Last edited by IAHtraveler; Oct 20, 2016 at 7:24 pm
HomerJ is offline  
Old Oct 21, 2016, 11:10 am
  #2  
 
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Poland
Posts: 869
Thx for the heads up. I'm still hunting like crazy trying to figure out a deal on an Ireland rental. It is crazy expensive.
TravelingNomads is offline  
Old Oct 23, 2016, 8:01 am
  #3  
 
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: CPT,AMS
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Out of interest, what did you pay for those 4 days and what time did you arrive?

I tried making a dummy booking on the website for 4 days in November, I got prices ranging from 11€ to 97€ with Hertz.
The Hertz rate clearly specify it includes airport fees/surcharges, the one for 11€... well, you get the picture.

Always always read the fine print about what is and what is not included in the price you get.
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Old Oct 23, 2016, 11:25 am
  #4  
 
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: Chicago Illinois
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Although I once had a similar surprise charge using Auto Europe, it was still cheaper than I could have gotten elsewhere.

I'm just speculating here, but it may be that third-party cannot pay certain fees and they have to be collected locally. This once happened to me on a hotel in Belgium involving VAT. But they often do hide this in the fine print.
After my original expereince with Auto Europe, I carefully read the "What it includes" and "What it doesn't include" descriptions on the web page and haven't had any other surprises.
sosafan is offline  
Old Oct 27, 2016, 5:06 pm
  #5  
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Join Date: Mar 2000
Posts: 17,375
Originally Posted by HomerJ
Just had the unsatisfactory experience of dealing with this company from Maine, so this is a warning to all FT'ers. Avoid like the plague.
Booked a vehicle in Madrid for 3 days.
Got the rate and the Hertz confirm # as well.
Show up at desk, I am told there is a 50E charge for picking it up at the airport.
I show them my Auto Europe voucher that says I have $0.00 owing, but they insist I have to pay an extra 50E as an airport pick up charge or no car.
I'm stuck so I sign off on it.
I call Auto Europe to get the mistake rectified, and they state that not on the voucher but on page 2 of a 4 page PDF attachment they sent along with the voucher states that 50E charge.
Their voucher says $0.00, and they stick this surcharge on the legalese that comes with the agreement.
Yes I should have read everything, no a company should not operate in this manner.
It's underhanded knowing most people wont read through 4 pages of legaleze.
Avoid!
You can get good rates with AutoEurope -- especially if you call them and ask them to beat another rate you found -- but you MUST read the fine print related to the rentals. Surcharges can vary a lot in Europe, and the agents aren't always knowledgeable.
iahphx is offline  

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