WARNING! CarTrawler / Argus Car Hire - PepeCar AVOID!

Alaa_Halawi

I had the worst experience with Car Trawler even BEFORE I used the car. Their customer service number for MENA (Middle East and North Africa) is not busy, not a web of instructions. it is simply OUT OF SERVICE.
This way they guarantee that you will never get your money back since you cannot cal them to cancel or modify your booking.

The car rental company (Budget) were amazing, yet they told me they have no power to do anything about it.

Avoid Car Trawler at all costs.

Fight_for_your_rights

I would like other forum members to be aware of our experience with the firm CARTRAWLER in July/August 2013. Despite assurances from 3 members of the car trawler team and an email confirming that once car hire had been booked the car hire operative at the airport would be there to deal with us. This was not the case and we were left stranded. I booked car hire for our arrival at Dinard airport in France and the car trawler booking clerk assured me that the desk at the airport would be open to meet my flight at 19:25. When I received my booking confirmation I noticed that the time of pick-up was 18:00 so I contacted the team to amend the booking, which they did not do. So I phoned and spoke to 2 further operatives who assured me that my booking was fine it was just that the computer system wouldn't change the time to a time after 18:00. Although assured at the time as my travel date drew nearer I became anxious and phoned again to get further confirmation. The girl I spoke with checked the records under my booking ref and told me that it was fine and the desk would be open. I asked her to send me an email to confirm this, and she did so. I felt a little better and tried not to worry despite my booking slip stating the wrong pickup time. When we arrived in Dinard, the desk was closed. There was a note with a phone number to phone which turned out to be an answer phone message which said that the office was closed and would re-open on Saturday morning at 10:30. I was unable to continue on my journey and my wife and I had been left stranded at the airport. After trying to get assistance from car hire firms who were open and airport staff who were reluctant to help as the airport was closing for the night and they wanted to go home, my wife and I were left outside in the dark and cold. My wife was in a wheelchair and I was looking after our luggage and trying to get a taxi to take us to a hotel. The airport is 2 hours away from our destination and miles away from the nearest town. We didn't know the district and our French is not good, but at 22:30 I managed to get through to a taxi firm who arranged hotel accommodation and took us there. I had to get another taxi to take us back to the airport the next day. There was no apology from the Citer booking clerk and when we returned home to the UK I complained and asked for compensation as I had additional expenses due to this problem. I have received 2 unsatisfactory emails from Rubina Marona at their customer services dept. She has totally ignored the assurances I was given and the confirmation email and states that the pickup time was 18:00 and as we weren't there the desk closed!!!! Never use this firm. They told us a pack of lies to get our booking. They are not to be trusted.

richardw

http://www.citer.fr/node/9?ville=SAINT+MALO+Dinard+a!roport&type_agence=aeroport&type_vehicule=tous&x=66&y=8 close at 18.30

IMHO car trawler shouldn't have accepted your booking. Perhaps discuss with the credit card company that you booked with your dissatisfaction with car trawler.

DIY_holiday_maker

I have just returned from a golfing trip to Florida. Had booked an Intermediate size car to be collectedin terminal at Tampa airport through Argus car hire. When email booking voucher arrived it said I was to collect my car from SIXT on 5th level of terminal. I have travelled through Tampa airport many times and never seen a SIXT desk. Transpired their office was 2 miles from the airport with a shuttle service to their office on W Cypress Street. When I arrived they said they had no intermediate cars available, only car they could provide was a Dodge caravan! Travelling on my own this was not acceptable and I refused. They then suggested a Nissan Verso which "had just been returned". How convenient I thought. They also put a charge on my credit card to cover for possible excess in event of damage to the car although they were aware that I had insurance cover for this. I then had to negotiate my way to their office again through very busy traffic when I returned the car at the end of my holiday. I have to say the return was very efficient and I was taken by shuttle bus to the airport. However I had specifically booked to collect my car in terminal to avoid the delays and difficulties of waiting for shuttle bus etc. After a long day travelling I did not appreciate the almost 2 hours it took to get on my way to my destination.
I have sent an email complaint to Argus Car Hire/Car Trawler but so far had no response.
I would add my name to the others on this forum who advise you avoid Argus Car Hire. Surprised that with so many complaints about them, they are still included on Money Supermarket web search list.

tommyzulu

I had an awful experience with Argus Car Hire/Cartrawler, too and they just don't give a damn.

My strong advice is don't necessarily go for the cheapest deal. Car hire is a jungle - and these beasts are among the worst.

Annoyed_Car_Hirer

I recently picked up a car booked through Car Trawler at Alicante airport. The initial price through CarTrawler was £80 for 7 days hire that included the usual Collision Damage Waiver, theft protection etc....a very good price!
When we arrived at the Budget desk we were charged an additional £316! Astonished I asked why and was told that these are the agreed charges with CarTrawler. The alternative is to be charged an excess of £1500 to cover any damage to the vehicle. Left with no choice in my mind I complained bitterly and was told to take this up with CarTrawler on my return.
Once back in the UK I made my complaint to CarTrawler and was told that since I had agreed to the charges at the Budget desk they are unable to refund anything.
I am amazed and am still trying to recoup some of these charges.. after all I wanted to hire the car not buy it!!
My advice just don't use them. There are plenty of posts on forums warning you but up to now I have not accessed them...I will in the future

papachristie

They say "unlimited milleage, no extra fees" ...be extremely careful!!!!! I had lots of hidden fees but when I called them they sounded disinterested and told me to contact the car hire company Awful customer experience. I will certainly stay away from them. I recommend going direct to the rental car company instead. Peace of mind.

Jackal42

I booked a hire car through CarTrawler (badged as 121carhire.com) at Barcelona airport. They in turn booked me with "FireFly" who are apparently owned by Hertz. I arrived at Barcelona at 2pm on 2nd August 2014 to find the Firefly desk out in the blazing heat, mobbed with very grumpy people and operating a ticket system. I got ticket C65. They were currently serving B23 meaning that there were 142 people in front of me in the queue. They seemed to be serving around one customer every 5-10 minutes. Calculating I wasn't going to get a hire car that day I rented a car in less than 15 minutes for about the same money from EuropCar in the blissful cool of the airport.
Now CarTrawler are telling me that because I asked for a full refund 5 minutes after the allotted collection time (never mind that the agency they selected was incapable of delivering) I am not eligible for a full refund. We'll see....

daniel777au

This company is very dishonest. They quoted me the full price in $AU, then charged me in EURO's, after I made the choice and paid based on being quoted in $AU. (I have documented proof of all this, which I sent twice to Argus/cartrawler)
Then, at Avis at Dubrovnik 'double charged' me for the rental and more.
When I complained to Argus, and sent they all the documentation and proof, Pedro Benza emails me after weeks just sending me the Avis receipt, and did not address anything I mentioned, writing he hoped 'it was to my satisfaction'.
Then I rang him, explained things, and resent in 'point form' so that he could understand, and then still did not address the issues and both times totally ignored all the proof and evidence stating he hoped it was to 'my satisfaction'...
This company and those they deal with, are very clearly dishonest and are scamming the public. I lost $AU370 on top of the 'full price' I paid allegedly to Argus, which was $AU264, but was quoted $AU169.
If you want to be 'nicely and politely' scammed by some oily sleazy company, then use them.
I will be taking it further, there must be some authority I can complain to, as I have all the documented proof...

leighz

Out of them all, CarTrawler is the worst. I cancelled the booking with the car rental company Avis, and the hell CarTrawler company just does not refund me saying Avis did not cancel the bookings with them. !!!!!!