Ryanair's Goldcar offer

codger

Probably too much to expect a leopard to change its spots but Ryanair does nothing to persuade that it nowadays does genuinely care for its customers when it's assiduously promoting Goldcar as a preferred car hire partner.

An email newly landed in my inbox from the airline proclaims: ROLL ON SUMMER! CAR HIRE SALE! with the come-on "Car Hire. Made Simple: Guaranteed best price: find the same car cheaper and your car hire is FREE."

Accompanying this text are examples of car rentals available via Ryanair at Seville airport, into which we're flying next month, the most notable of which are Goldcar 's Opel Astra or similar, £8 per day (20% off) and Goldcar's Fiat 500 or similar, £5 per day (20% off!)

These, Ryanair gushes, are "sizzling savings" likely to be appreciated by customers who, the email informs me, have already had this to say about say Ryanair Car Hire: "A lovely experience. The staff were excellent. Very friendly and helpful."

Aside from the inconvenient truth that Ryanair has never hired out a car in its life but merely rakes in commission from third-party suppliers, what's really irritating here is the airline's promotion of a Spanish car hire firm that consistently stands head and shoulders below all others in its contempt for its customers and its seeming determination to screw 'em over wherever and whenever it can.

Anyone who falls for Ryanair's witless hype that cheapest-is-best when it comes to car rental, and who really believes that a mere £56 will buy a week's hire of an Opel Astra, needs his / her head examining.

Some may have no option but to use Ryanair for a European flight, but there's certainly every reason not to use Goldcar. Though the snake oil that is this airline's promises is bad enough, the delivery of Ryanair customers to the snake itself is infinitely worse. . .

cubegame

There is every reason to use Goldcar, as long as you go into it with your eyes open and you know how to handle them.

richardw

cubegame wrote: »

There is every reason to use Goldcar....

Very long queue times to pick up a car is a perfect reason not to use them.

bagand96

As you say OP, Ryanair have never hired a car to anyone. Their car hire site is just a branded version of CarTrawler. Many companies do exactly the same with CarTrawler - they offer "white label" car hire websites.

So yes - although Ryanair do put their name to this - I think you're maybe being a bit harsh here - unless it's just another good reason for a good old MSE Ryanair bashing.

PeacefulWaters

bagand96 wrote: »

As you say OP, Ryanair have never hired a car to anyone. Their car hire site is just a branded version of CarTrawler. Many companies do exactly the same with CarTrawler - they offer "white label" car hire websites.

So yes - although Ryanair do put their name to this - I think you're maybe being a bit harsh here - unless it's just another good reason for a good old MSE Ryanair bashing.

By many accounts, Goldcar aren't exactly angels of the highway.

bagand96

PeacefulWaters wrote: »

By many accounts, Goldcar aren't exactly angels of the highway.

I know - I'm well aware of how bad Goldcar are!

But plenty of car hire websites, comparison sites etc list them... I'm not sure why Ryanair specifically need bashing for it.