Car Hire In Spain - No Credit Card - Help!!

mike266

Hi All,

First thanks for a very informative thread - it has given me hope of renting a car as we have just realised our credit card has expired!!

I was wondering if bobfidler had any luck with valuecarrentals.com as I have just called and left a message asking them to get back to me.

I will let you know how it goes - as we definitely need a car else we may have to walk from Palma to Pollensa - It's only about 60km I think :-)

Anyone recently had any joy in Mallorca with renting without a Credit Card? I do have a VISA.

All the best and wish me luck!

Mike :-)

Aimeesmum_3

Hi All, have been reading through this and other threads, but to no avail! I am trying to find a car hire company willing to accept debit cards that operates in Tenerife (sol-mar don't I'm afraid!)

Any ideas???

misfire

Spain - car rental is a law unto itself - even the large well known companies. I worked as a manager in car rental for 3 years our policy was NO credit card no car - spain contract manager rule to... but the desk would often hire with a debit card which cause no end of issues. - the problems are (IMHO)

1. With debit card the money is 'taken' or 'frozen' many times the money doesnt go back on properly or isnt put back (often through mistakes) people then have to chase for there money between the car rental and bank. If foreign phone calls are involved its expensive. Standard amount for most companies is £500 more for premier cars of 7 seaters so its alot to chase.

2. PLEASE do not leave cash- even if they say its fine you have no proof with cash. One of my customers left £500 CASH... on return the desk gave them £300 cause that was ll they had in the till promising they would send a cheque for the rest...that was in spain... took months to sort out..... clients very nearly didnt get there money back (at first rental desk denied all knowledge then assured me they gave back the full amount). Client got there money back after much stress and me getting our top bloke out there involved - and it still took ages.

3. The credit card thing is because it also leave a bigger 'paper trail' to track you down if anything dodgy occurs.


At the end of the day it is industry standard to have a c.c deposit in the drivers name. Most large companies have had this policy for many years (its over 3 years since i was in rental).

The major reasons for clients not getting cars were (1) no credit card in drivers name - it can't even be a spouses or travelling companions card must be the drivers (2) new photo licence taken with them WITHOUT taking the paper endorsement part you need both parts to hire.

Debidoo

Hi there Money Saving Fans.
We sought help in booking Car Hire in Sapin (Murcia) with only a debit card. Valuecarrentals were very helpful. Took the booking, charged the debit card and all was supposed to be ok. I even rang Head Office and the lady said "you have no worries a note has been put on the booking that ou have a debit card only". Different matter when we got the Murcia Airport!! Sol Mar were not happy with a debit card, kept us waiting for ages whilst the huffed and puffed, but we stood out ground and said we had been promised all would be fine. Took about an hour for them to finally let us have a car - how embarrassing.
Since we returned from Holiday I have emailed Valuecarrentals regarding our experience and I have to say they have replied very quickly, were very surprised at the problems we had and confirmed that a note was put on the booking. They are contactng SolMar for their comments and we wait to see what happens next. We are going to Spain again in October and want to book car hire again but at the moment we are reluctant!! Will let you know how we get on with the email reply. Take care all.

woml

Ooh, let us know what valuecarrentals say!

We have booked through them and picked up cars with only a solo debit card and never been a problem (valencia and murcia airports). I wonder if there are new staff at Solmar? Or maybe Solmar have changed their policy (hope not). Let's hope they get it sorted because they were a lifeline before.

Let us know how you get on.

ioksane

It might be a good idea to try a comparison site this will ensure that you can check many different companies policies.

here are a few;
compare car rentals
compare car rentals uk

Give them a try and see what you find!

digibanger

Sorry if someone has posted this before.

Last minute holiday - leave tomorrow - have debit card, friend has credit card not doesn't have the pin number.

Emailed lots of spains ch companies and their uk brokers.

Just got this back from quite a large company, branches all over, and they are very competitive!!!!


About your questions for the payments yes you can pay with visa electr!n, visa debit or credit card , we dont need the pin code For the payment.Thanks for your trust in our company Kind regards Silvia Goldcar rental www.goldcar.es

smashin'

linsonix

4 days until we leave for Majorca to find out the whole "no credit card, no car" predicament. Tried valuecarrentals first due to the helpful posts on this forum: they said that at Palma airport we would have to take a taxi as no firm would give us a car without a credit card at the airport and we would have to try to persuade a local firm in Alcudia the resort near where we are staying. Oh dear...

So then I tried ringing the Goldcar.es office direct in Spain to have a lovely English-speaking, helpful lady tell me that it IS possible to hire a car with a debit card (I stated it was Visa - I don't know if that helped) BUT we were liable for a 22Euro charge for extra insurance. It was not possible to book online because a credit card would be needed but it was perfectly fine to reserve over the phone. No card details were taken over the phone - just a reservation with reference number for pay on arrival with debit card.

Total cost for two weeks: 222Euros

We are hoping and praying it works!!

Blingbailey

Hi, I am travelling to Spain in 5 days and was panicking about car hire as I have no Credit Card only a Visa debit card.

I found the site Carjet.com incredibly helpful. If you tell them that you do not have a credit card they'll tell you the companies they use that do not require one. I paid for my car hire with debit card and the car hire co is called Goldcars. Cost me a total of £77 for 8 days hire. All I have to pay for is the tank of petrol!! :j

Dunno_2

Thanks for the carjet.com suggestion! Spent the morning frantically trying to find a car, after having read the small print on my previously booked car from S*L-M*R.
(I am travelling in 48 hours!) They DO NOT accept debit cards. Just taken a 25Euro cancellation hit from them. D'oh.

Rang around for two hours trying loads of companies to no avail, till I typed "no credit card car rental" in the search here, and up came carjet.

Explained the situation of NO credit card. Not a problem. Used my Visa Debit.

77 Euro for 6days in Majorca. Maybe slightly above the going rate, but... they saved my skin!