S. Z

Reviews by S. Z

Routes Car Rental

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Oct 9, 2024

£343 Europcar Rental Turned Into Nearly £800 – AVOID!

I booked a Europcar rental through Routes for £343, with collision damage insurance clearly included in the booking. However, at pick-up, I was forced to pay an extra £30 per day in hidden insurance fees. I mentioned to the staff that insurance is already included in my online booking, but he simply says its not showing up in their system therefore its invalid. The Europcar staff even threatened to withhold the car and refuse a refund if I didn’t comply. This added £400+ to my total, turning the cost into nearly £800. The so-called “deposit” was used to cover these hidden fees, none of which were disclosed upfront. I’ve escalated this to both Europcar and Routes, but still no response. Be warned – this feels like a scam between the companies to lure you in with low prices, then hit you with surprise fees.

Europcar UK

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Oct 7, 2024

Please beware! Paid £1,400 for a £580 Europcar Rental: Misleading Deposits and Hidden Insurance Costs

Please beware! Paid £1,400 for a £580 Europcar Rental: Misleading Deposits and Hidden Insurance Costs I initially booked a 2-week rental for what seemed like a great price—£237 in total. The pick-up process went smoothly, and I was asked to pay a “deposit,” which I was told would be refunded if the car was returned intact. However, at no point did the staff mention any additional costs beyond what I had already paid online. Fast forward to the end of the two weeks—I needed to extend my rental, but it wasn’t possible. No big deal; I returned the car and booked another one for £343. This time, I noticed that they had sneakily added a £30 per day insurance premium. To my shock, this same hidden charge had been applied to my first rental as well, even though it was never communicated to me. Now, here’s the real kicker: the so-called “deposit” isn’t a deposit at all! They cleverly call it that to make you think you’ll get the full amount back, but in reality, they deduct the insurance charges from it. It’s a deliberate tactic to keep the insurance cost as hidden as possible until it’s too late. When I asked if I could opt out of the insurance, they refused to give me a car and would not refund the £300+ I had already paid. In the end, what was meant to be a straightforward car rental turned into a financial nightmare. For four weeks of car rental, I spent £580 on the online booking, plus an outrageous £800+ on insurance, bringing the total to nearly £1,400. It’s clear that Europcar’s strategy is to lure customers with attractive online rates, and then, after you’ve paid the non-refundable fee, hit you with surprise insurance charges—last minute—leaving you with no choice but to accept. If insurance is mandatory, why isn’t it included in the advertised price so that customers can make an informed decision? This is blatant false advertising. Europcar has lost me as a customer forever, and I strongly advise anyone to steer clear of this company. In all fairness, the cars themselves are clean and good, but their deceptive, scheming practices make for a truly awful experience.