Booking directly with goldcar?

Strainea

We are travelling to Italy during the summer holidays and I have just been researching car hire. I came across Goldcar. The website was really easy to use, the prices are very competitive and you can add on the excess damage waiver insurance to reduce the excess to zero (which we always like to do). However I have been reading reviews about goldcar and there seem to have been lots of issues when people have booked through third party websites. I'm keen to hear if anyone has booked with goldcar directly. If we take out the excess damage waiver insurance, what else could go wrong?!??

leylandsunaddict

If you go on to Trip Advisor there are so many threads on various forums complaining about Goldcar. Plenty of which have booked direct. They're not a company that gets recommended anywhere that I have seen, and on TA when anyone asks about car hire it's always 'avoid Goldcar'. If you've thoroughly read their terms and conditions and are happy with them then it's just down to personal choice whether to go ahead or not.

richardw

Do you like queuing at a rental car office and listening to the arguments in front of you?

Moto2

I've had more hassle in Italy with hire cars than anywhere else in Europe. Do yourself a big favour and save a whole pile of grief by going to one of the majors.

pollypenny

There was a complaint about Goldcar in yesterday's Guardian Money. The reply said that it receives regular complaints about the firm.

cubegame

I've used Goldcar a few times without issue.

The same caveat as any cheap car hire applies. If you give them an inch, they will take a mile. They know not to rip off savvy customers and will aim to exploit those who don't know the "rules".

Strainea

Is there a car hire firm in Italy you would recommend? Also looking at Enterprise but can't find confirmation of the excess waiver insurance..

Caz3121

you don't need to buy the excess insurance from the car hire firm, you can buy a separate policy for a fraction of the price (look for 'car hire excess policies')
Martin's guide is here http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/travel/cheap-car-hire
Also watch out for fuel policies:- some are prepay a tank and return empty (not best value)..I tend to stick to full to full only

SabG

I had a very similar experience with Goldcar in Pisa, paid for everything ahead of time and then they would not let me have a car for not having the 'right' licence. Walked to the next desk and hired a car at double the price but no problem with licence. Later in the holiday I stopped two different sets of traffick cops and shoed them my licece. They said it was fine. After three months Goldcar has refused to give me my money back. DO NOT USE THEM