Easycar - Others experiences?

HexusOdy

Hi Guys,

First off DO NOT EVER USE EASYCAR!

I recently booked them not realising they do nothing but act as a broker which disguising the fact and washing there hands of anything. They wanted £600 cash from me when I went to pick my Honeymoon car up that wasn't mentioned before.

I've since read many stories like this, wanting €2000 upfront at Dublin before they would release a car for example. Bare in mind no other car hire company does this.

If you have a problem they just refer you to the broker they use. If you try get money back they quote T&C's. If you email they ignore them.

All in all a complete nightmare who just take your money and do nothing in return. Literally, as the cars aren't theres.

Has anyone else had a similar experience? Could we all get together and get them on Watchdog as they are the worst company I have ever dealt with and a complete bunch of cowboys.

malkie76

I tried to use them once. I had a car booked at a train station, however when I arrived the only staff member was sick, hence there was no one there to issue cars. I called them and asked if I could collect a car from their next location (about a mile away), but was told this wasn't possible.

I was stuck in an overseas country with no transport and accomodation a few hundred miles away.

I guess they are cheap, but if something simple goes wrong then you are on your own.

richardw

HexusOdy wrote: »

They wanted £600 cash from me when I went to pick my Honeymoon car up.

Did you have a credit card for them?

HexusOdy

richardw wrote: »

Did you have a credit card for them?

Well this was one of the bones of contention. I booked using a VISA debit card and like most people I consider it acceptable worldwide for anything as its VISA. And they wanted a credit card for a deposit, not debit. But they would also accept €600 cash, but wouldn't just take it off my card.

They actually lied to me and said it was Italian law and they HAD to have a credit card for deposit. It was only when I went round the 10 other car hire companies there and they all told me that they didn't require any deposit and Debit cards were fine that they admitted it was their own policy.

The thing is, I'm pretty sure its an Easycar scam. I had full insurance on the car so no deposit should be required to cover damage, and I've read numerous stories since I got back about all Easycar bookings requiring a deposit no matter which local agent they use. Ranging from €600 to €2000.

So for every car Easycar hire they seem to have €600 minimum in their bank for at least 2 weeks. Not bad for cash flow. As I've said, nobody else asks for this.

Add in the fact that the local agent takes the money, but they don't give it back. You have to get in touch with Easycar to claim it back when you get home. If the agent reports a dink your screwed.

richardw

Seems clear here http://easycar.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/easyrentacar.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=65913&p_created=1158163005&p_sid=IQwni6Ij&p_accessibility=0&p_redirect=&p_lva=65706&p_sp=cF9zcmNoPTEmcF9zb3J0X2J5PSZwX2dyaWRzb3J0PSZwX3Jvd19jbnQ9MjcsMjcmcF9wcm9kcz0mcF9jYXRzPTAmcF9wdj0mcF9jdj0mcF9zZWFyY2hfdHlwZT1hbnN3ZXJzLnNlYXJjaF9ubCZwX3BhZ2U9MSZwX3NlYXJjaF90ZXh0PWRlYml0IGNhcmQ!&p_li=&p_topview=1

HexusOdy

Yes it is clear there. But it doesn't make it clear debit cards won't be accepted, especially when I paid on debit card.

It should be abbundantly obvious and state debit cards won't be accepted because I like the 2 people in the queue in Italy in front of me. Don't own credit cards.

But thats not the point. The Scam here is asking for large sums of money on deposit when you have already paid for full insurance.

It's asking for large sums of money at every single easy car collection when no other company asks for deposits in the same way. They use many different agents all of which ask for at least €600 upfront for Easycar bookings when normally they wouldn't.

They also don't make it clear on their site they are using agents until after you have paid.

They must have millions in free cash at any one time from deposits, and they don't provide half the services booked because of the deposit issue. There were 3 in the hour I was trying to collect my car.

richardw

easyCar were fine when I hired a car from them in September 08 with my credit card, 600 Euro weren't asked for.
Car hire is very complex and you have to read absolutely everything.
I didn't use easyCar when I hired a car in Trieste, Italy because I was driving to non EU Croatia and they wouldn't let me drive it out of the EU, it wasn't abundantly obvious but was there.

LondonDiva

Dodgy as heck.

Picked up a car that was filthy with no petrol - pointed it out to them & told no problem. i insited on them noting every scratch, dent and muck in the sign ofrf sheet & the level of petrol.

Came back, only for them to try to charge me for cleaning, and a full tank - they's 'lost' their copy fo the form and tried to take mine away when I prodiced it. I refused & copied it for them myself and showed the timestamp on my camera with which showed him standing next to a mucky car.

Avoid - I'd rather walk to my destination than use them.

tekton23

Hi,

Same here experience here, fell foul of not having a credit card having gladly paid off all debts recently and sworn never to use them again.

Yes it is in the t's and c's, but it is not made clear when making the booking. It is then stated in the confirmation document but not in the receipt.

I was made to sign a refund form in Paris during the argument, but easycar are not respecting this and have said they will not be refunding.

It was christmas eve and my girlfriend and I were due to drive south to Toulouse for christmas with my family there. As Alamo/Easycar did not issue us a car we were not able to arrange alternative travel as everything was booked or extroadinarily expensive given the time of year. We spent xmas in a hotel in Paris, there are of course worse places to be stuck, however what was meant to be a cheap trip to stay with family,; quickly became every expensive. Not what I need after just financially recovering from 6 months of redundancy. To add to this my birthday is christmas day! So yes only one present from easycar, one big screw-you!

Why do they accept a booking on one card when they know full well they'll be taking a deposit later on another?

I am exploring the option of going to a small claims court. Are there any guides on this process? Any similar cases? Any advice? I suspect however that easycar will have there own salaried legal team, who will be a tricky force to contend with.

T23