I'm looking for the same information. I read a bad reveiw on the net but that is all.
Anyone out there has used Holidaycars?
I just had a bad experience with HolidayCars that started with a request for a quote for 15 days in Lisbon and Spain over the Dec/Jan time frame. I received a quote almost immediately. The email said that the quote was good for 30 days, after which it would not be. To make a reservation simply required clicking on a link. The email alleged no obligation or fee for a quote.
But in the meantime, I read comments on Rick Steves and decided that I didn't want to use a consolidator. Turns out that HolidayCars uses subcontractors, and some of the comments about their suppliers were not good (car in bad shape or mechanical difficulties, etc.). I decided to go with a known, international car company.
However, HolidayCars later sent an email saying that they used their own "initiative" to reserve a car for me". Since I didn't want a reservation or a car from them, I sent a reply to that effect, which then triggered a Cancellation Notice and charge for cancellation for a reservation that I didn't make. They claim that there is no charge for cancellation, but one showed up. Nor do I recall providing a credit card for only a quote. I think this practice is unethical and I will contest any potential charge to my credit card.
So even though the rates quoted are considerably lower than from regular car rental companies, which makes it temping to go with a consolidator, I will stick to the known companies. Hope this helps.
I am just researching car rental in the UK & I have come across this one as well. Actually, it was more expensive. There are also too many complaints about the co. Thanks Ellensol for sharing your experience..
I reserved a car of category A last year in Creta. At the arrival in Heraklion, there was no representative nor office under this brand. No mail, no sms, no answer at my call in stress. None of the companies of car hiring on the airport had any file at my name. Two days after the arrival HolidayCars argued that they had tried to contact me (FALSE), because there was no more car of category A (FALSE). And they had taken the money on my credit card. They reimburse two or three weeks later but refused to pay back the taxi that I had taken between Heraklion and Rethymnon. In fact they are a broker with a very bad organization and a very bad customer service.
My case is not a signgle case : DON'T SIGN WITH THEM !!!
I used Holidaycars.com and they put me through a rental agreement with Europcar. my experience to say the least was not pleasurable.
I sent an email twice to them but had no replyto either. If you venture to use this company, which is based in the Netherlands I hope you have a better experience than I did.
Here is my letter:
First of all I would like to take this time to thank you for your promptness in retrieving the credit card funds from my wife’s credit card after the booking of the vehicle through your website. This promptness shows well, your customer appreciation. Especially before all pertinent information is supplied to the customer by your office. It also shows well, your excellent business ethic, to which I will be sharing with all whom I know and they in turn share with all they know.
Further, it is with great enthusiasm, that I received an email on the 6th of June offering a 5% discount, because of any technical problems or difficulties I may have experienced, on my next booking by clicking on the link provided and entering code “_______” into the booking panel.
Allow me to get to the point so you may better understand my subject line and rest assured Eurocar will be hearing from me as well as from my lawyer (and legal action is the last thing I would want but am not opposed too). Please note, I have all documentation to support this email and any or all documentation can be provided upon legal request.
On the above mentioned “booking date”, as you can verify in your computer records, a rental agreement was made between my wife and I with your online services. The rental agreement stated that we were to obtain a rental car from a company not owned by you, called Eurocar. Again I am sure this can be verified in your computer system.
Shortly after making the online request to rent a vehicle through your company via your website, holidaycars.com and our credit card number was supplied we received an email to my "______" account stating that an advanced payment would be made by us and that a charge for a “national one way fee” would be calculated by you and added to the invoice you would later supply in a separate email. It was stated in your email that this invoice would have all fees added and a total amount would be shown and of course paid by us.
In fact I did receive an email (at the same address) with an invoice (Invoice_781336-1) and another email (at the same address) with a voucher (Voucher_781336). After reading and re-reading carefully each piece of mail and the attachments there was absolutely no mention of a “national one way fee” drop off charge. This led us to believe, because of all the information you presented, that the final and total bill was what was written on the invoice. We learned through Eurocar that this was not the case and that in fact, we had to pay a drop off fee of nearly $100.00 American Dollars on top of what we already paid you. Further to this, and though at this point not your companies doing, we were told by Eurocar that we could pay this fee in cash at the drop off site. This we did but it seems it was not sufficient enough for them because they have now charged this exact amount to my wife’s credit card, making us in essence pay twice for one drop off. The shame to this aspect is we have a signed statement from Eurocar that they would not charge our credit card for any charges what so ever, because we paid in cash (receipt provided).
Given that you have aligned yourself with such a company like Eurocar, allow me to tell you briefly of my continued experience with them. When we arrived to pick up the vehicle at their office, the individual representing Eurocar (in Chetumal, Mexico) made a convincing argument that, should we decide to cancel our contract with you, our fees dealing directly with Eurocar would be much cheaper including the inflated drop off price (which we have now paid for twice). We contacted your office by phone (0031 1252 343202) and spoke with a representative (named Caroline) who was kind enough to inform me that if she received a cancelation email from Eurocar on our behalf, that a refund of the total amount already paid to you would be returned to us. After again re-reading the fine print of your contract, where it states clearly that you do not offer refunds, we decided to continue with our original contract with your company, given we did not know whether to believe the fine print of the contract or your customer service rep (you can understand the dilemma we were faced with when it comes to having all of the information clear and concise, supplied by your organization).
Once we received the vehicle (after two and a half hours of dealing with Eurocar about our contract) we were off and on our way. we started to experience mechanical issues with the car during our trip and when we were in Tulum, Mexico we telephoned Eurocar who informed me during that conversation that they would have a representative arrive at our hotel with a new car within half an hour of that conversation. Needless to say, it took three phone calls in total and four hours of our time, making us late for a business appointment in Playa Del Carmen which is less than two hours drive away from Tulum, to wait until our vehicle was replaced.
We arrived in Playa Del Carmen to the drop off point for the vehicle, paid in cash the drop off fee that you failed to add to the invoice you supplied originally and our trip came to an end with our eventual return to Italy where we have, as stated earlier, paid again for a drop off fee we already collected a receipt for.
In short. I am a Canadian born citizen, living in Italy, with business adventures in Mexico. My wife and I travel on a regular basis and as stated earlier in this writing, all whom I know will know of this adventure and they will be left to their own decisions as to whom to rent from or deal with for their travel needs and I can assure you it will not be with either company mentioned in this email unless either company is willing to stand up and take responsible action for their actions.
Edited: 13 years agoWe flew from the Netherlands to Nice for a week with Transavia Airlines. We tried to make a reservation with Europcar through the Holidaycars.nl website on internet. That did not work and Holidaycars told us it was not possible. So we booked with them a Hertz class B car and paid in advance. Arriving in Nice, the car was good and available. We used it and turned it in without any problem.
We discovered that the Hertz booking included an own risk of Euro 800. However, Holidaycars had stated that there was NO own risk: Full damage waiver. Apparently they insured the own risk separately. Has anyone experience with this arrangement when the renter did get damage on the car? What happens when the car is turned in with damage?
I have used holiday cars many times the US, Mexico and Europe (at least 50 times). I have only positive things to say about the company and never had any complaints. I just do not understand the negative comments because they book with reputable companies (in my case usually Alamo in the US and Europcar in Europe). They even give you a choice. Now do not expect from them things they are not responsible for. If the car is not in good condition or if there is nobody at the arrival desk it is the fault of the car rental company not of Holiday cars. All Holiday cars does is to re-group purchases to get good prices and to insure you. They are NOT a car rental company having their own cars or destination offices. But I always get really cheap prices
Don't touch them. When I tried to cancel a prepaid car rental agreement, I was expecting them to keep the money I paid, but I didn't expect them to charge my card an additional cancellation of 50 euros. I'm trying to claw the money back, but I'm not holding out much chance.
they are full of it.
I rented a car with them. no worries. added NO RISK WARRANTY to be on the safe side.
when i got to the rental shop, they wanted to authorise my card for over 1000 euro for any excess. I said to them i have already paid for any excess, they said my agreement is with holidaycars. if anything happens, they will charge my card then I have to claim it back with holidaycars.
not haveing 1000 eur available on my card, i went for another protection with the rental company, agreed on excess of 250 eur. thinking... nothing ever happens.
Second day into the rental, someone breaks into the car. Window broken.
I have to pay to the rental company, have all my paperwork ready for my claim with holidaycars.
I did everything they wanted me to do, sent everything to them, but still, 2 months later I have not got my money back.
No one replys to emails. Then, I tried to contact them from another email adress, with a random question and surprise surprise, there is a reply.
I started asking what happened to my original claim and since then, no replys again.
So I called them this morning. Got through to some woman, who told me I could not speak to anybody, as everybody is in the meeting.
What a load of bollocks.
BE CONFIDENT to book with them, but FORGET THEIR NO RISK WARRANTY as it is useless and you still have to protect yourself with the rental companies!!!!
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