HOLIDAY AUTOS - avoid!

Jinch

Just to warn anyone thinking of booking car hire...

I prepaid in full for a car rental with Alamo via Holiday Autos in July in Tampa. After returning home, I discovered additional charges had been taken from my works credit card with no explanation. Despite repeated pleas for an answer as to what the charges even were, despite promises by email to investigate and despite threats by me to leave truthful reviews like this, Holiday Autos / Alamo have not (a) refunded me (b) explained what the erroneous charges are (c) cared that one of their customers has been hassled and embarrassed by their ineptitude and disinterest in helping.

How difficult is it to call Alamo in Tampa and ask them what they have charged me for? Pathetic.

***** Avoid like the plague, unless you want to help these two companies boost their own profits by helping themselves to your own money*****

ic

Raise a complaint with your CC - they're equally liable, if not more so than Holiday Autos.

I've used Holiday Autos many times without issue, just to apply balance. I do find however you have to watch the car rental companies like a hawk, and be prepared to ask lots of questions. There's an extra for everything now - its very easy to "opt-in" to things like fuel filling fees, extra insurance, etc - even if you've already paid for it and don't need it.

richardw

Years ago Alamo made an error at Miami, I called them and they refunded the money.

cubegame

How did you return the car?


Alamo normally give you a receipt showing no charges.

Bri1

Email or call Alamo Direct in the US, if no joy put in a dispute via credit card provider, my experience of UK brokers is that they have already had your money so have little interest in what they believe is your fault for signing at pick-up for extra's, this happened to me twice with Dollar who fraudulently added charges after going out of my way to refuse any extra's at pick-up with a witness to verify this, Dollar refunded me direct & CC company refunded me other as well

wroughtironron

Holiday Autos used to be ok, but were bought by Car Trawler and if you google the reviews of Holiday Autos, you'll find that they are pretty rubbish.
We used them last Xmas for a car in Madeira owned by Goldcar. They were dreadful, bullying customers who had bought excess insurance in the UK, to also buy their own excess insurance, charging for "quick return" (35 euro when there was nothing quick about it) and overcharging for fuel.
We complained to Holiday Autos and they just ignored us.

headpin

If you were driving in Florida then like most car rental companies Alamo automatically include the Toll charge automatic payment system (Sun Pass) as part of the rental agreement.

You will be billed on return after Alamo get the their bill for your car from the Toll company. They will then charge your CC for both the Tolls as well as a fee for providing the service.

As indicated above, this is the same system as used by the majority and certainly all of the major car rental companies in Florida.

I would expect the cost to be somewhere in the order of £25 - £50 depending on how long you were there and how many Tolls you went through.

See https://www.sunpass.com/rentalcar for more details.

It may be something else but this is probably what it is.

Tazarooney

Don't ever book with Holiday Autos, they lie to you about their costs.
I booked a week car hire in Italy in October 2014 and paid £106, plus the extra excess insurance. This should have ensured no further charges in Italy.
How wrong was I! Upon arrival I was told that I had to take further insurance or I could not have the car. I asked if I could refuse and go elsewhere, and was told that I would not get any refund if I did, as I was inside the pick up time. (this was due to a three hour flight delay).
I ended up having to sign an Italian agreement and paying extra which resulted in a final bill of £427, a major difference!
I have been constantly trying to get my money back and now have issued a court judgement against these people. They have rejected all my recorded delivery letters and have no interest in customer care.
Avoid at all costs.