Argus / Car Trawler - Report Bad Experiences Here!!!!!

Masch7588

Hi,
CAR TRAWLER and INTERNATIONAL CAR have stolen over £600.
I have hired a car through Argus car hire and therefore through Car Trawler and then subsequently through 'International Car' at Faro Airport, Portugal. On collection of the car on 19/06/12, 750 Euro's was charged to my master card as deposit. On returning the car on 26/06/2012 it was checked by a representative and a refund receipt given to me showing a 670 Euro refund. The difference being the charge for the hire. The 670 Euro's has not been refunded to my account and it is now 11/07/2012. I initially got a response from Car Trawler who requested a scanned copy of the documents including my bank statement. This was sent to them on 02/07/2012.
Since this date I have not had ANY response from them despite me sending them 4 emails. I have now been to my bank and reported the matter as Fraud. As far as I am concerned Car Trawler and International Car have stolen my money. They have ignored my requests and are probably profiting from the money in terms of interest.
CAR TRAWLER and INTERNATIONAL CAR do not know the meaning of customer service.
I dread to think how many other people are being ripped off by them and treated so poorly.
DO NOT USE CAR TRAWLER AND INTERNATIONAL CAR!
Andrew

ruth56_2

I have just reported Car trawler (Argus/ carrentals) to the local trade descriptions. I booked a vehicle through Argus (via Quido 15% cashback) and the website stated that thyere was an offer for free additional driver in Portugal. Clicked right through the offer link and booked the car. The option of extra driver was not offered on the final booking. When I got the confirmation it said there was an extra charge £15 euros payable in portugal for the driver. Queried this by email and car trawler said it "was not shown on their system" so it was not valid! Rang Argus who said the same thing till I told the rep to try it himself, when he agreed it did seem to offer free driver. Would not validate the offer though..has put a "case" through to his supervisor who will "let me know". I have asked that they confirm the free driver in the next 48hrs as the price of hire is going up with each delay and I don't really want to cancel..just want the offer! Rang Trade description who agree that the company is in breach of contract with me and the offer is misleading. But will only take it further if there have been other complaints. So if anyone else has found this, suggest you contact them also. Had already noticed that carrentals made many offers through quidco which did not get actioned when I went to the website...I have been in touch with quidco about this.

l28mmy

Both these companies and many more are active in the egregious "take it full and bring back empty" fuel rip off. There are descriptions in the t & c's worth reading so you can cancel before being ripped off by these people. The idea that you pay for a full tank regardless of how much you use is insidious enough but they can hide behind the published t & c's but the really sickening aspect is that not happy with this greedy insult to your wallet they then charge you an obscene per litre rate for the whole tank, a reality that you have no control over. Majorca Airport seems to be the epicentre for this compunction free policy. We were charged €97.00 for a 55 litre tank, €1.76 a litre, and we only used 1/4 of a tank. It is nice to know our governments allow these practices to go on. Both the above companies have a complaints procedure that does not allow you to speak to a human. The on line procedure is so vague you just waste your time filling out a form that gives you no indication or confirmation that the complaint has been registered or sent. Unsurprising really when you see the masses of complaints on many sites about these companies. The only thing you can do is not use them, they really are digesting.

Obviously_the_best

jeppy wrote: »

At Malaga we were told that we did not have comprehensive insurance. I tried to explain that we did, I had even paid extra to delete the excess!! They told me that this was not the case. If I wanted to include insurance for the vehicle I was hiring I would have to pay an extra 30Euros.

We didn't really have an option. We don't speak Spanish and he insisted that if the vehicle was damaged or stolen then we would be responsible for all costs.

When I returned home I checked the website and was confident that I had paid to include comprehensive insurance. I spoke to cartrawler, who said I had to put my complaint in writing, which I did.

I was then told, tough we paid for the extras and this was our choice.

I am concerned that as a broker they simply don't care that someone had sold an additional ins (we never found out exactly what the extra cover was!), under false pretences. - ie fraud!!

I would never use them again. I do intend taking the matter further. I know 30Euros is small fry, but to me it isn't, but more so I cannot stand the dishonestly and then the shrugging it off attitudes!!

When you buy that insurance its a separate thing, you pay the car rental guy then claim back from the insurance sold by car trawler, it wasn't them mis-selling, it was you mis-understanding. The car insurance guy would have known nothing about your third parrty insurance

vensac

I rented a car in Bordeaux from this supplier. I booked in their exoctic/ special class a mini. When the booking came it then said it was a Citreon DS3. Well I thought its not what I booked but its similar.
When I arrived they gave me a C3 picasso. I refused the car and asked where the car I booked was? They told me this was all they had take it or leave it. Of course Argus had already had my money by this point.
I tryed to complain when I got back after being forced to take the car. Its an email only complaint/ hope you will get fed up and we can just rip you off , type service.
They after a month finally replied telling me that this picasso/ postman pat van was more expensive to rent and impying that I got a good deal. Just like to point out a c3 picasso costs about £10000 and a DS3 about £14000. So they are talking rubbish. They offered me £15 as a goodwill gesture/ insult.
These people are taking money for cars they dont have to rent and then fob you off with junk cars that nobody else wants to rent.
Think twice before you book with this lot!!!!!!!!:mad:

nikaso

The whole experience with Marbesol (Argus's agent in Malaga) has been an example of horrific customer service, we had to go out of our way to find the agent waiting for us as he was lounging on the rail talking to his friend then we discovered we had to take a courtesy bus to their rental offices rather than on site provision (this was not sufficiently clear on booking). At Marbesol's offices we were effectively held to ransom, yes we could have the original booking price but we would have to pay 92 euros upfront for a tank of fuel and also an 800 euro deposit to cover damages! The alternative was their 'fully comprehensive insurance package' which got us a free second driver and a full to full fuel policy but most importantly no 800 euro deposit needed due to the fully comprehensive insurance. It was sold to us as no costs or excesses to pay in the event of an accident and we felt no choice but to take that option. This doubled the original cost to 145 euros.

On the second day of rental (Monday) I had parked outside a branch of Cajamar bank whilst I went inside for a meeting, upon returning to the car I discovered someone had reversed into the front passenger wing damaging two panels, horrified I rang Marbesol straight away (and took pictures of the scene and damage) to inform them as stated in their accident procedure . The first woman who answered could not understand me so passed me to a male colleague who just told me they would look at it when I brought it in at the end of the rental.

Reassured I was covered by the insurance package I had been recommended I continued to enjoy my holiday until today when I returned the car, the woman doing the car check seeing the damage took me back to the office and said I had to pay a 3 day 105 euro 'freezing charge' . I was shocked and asked about the full insurance package to which she replied that we weren't paying for the repairs just a 'freezing' charge !

Argus's website won't accept any email complaints at the moment either!

snowoman

I'm having awful problems at the moment getting a refund for a car that wasn't even released to me in the first place. Apparently the documents stated on the 'checklist' are not the only documents you have to provide. READ THE SMALL PRINT.
I'm awaiting a refund after missing my friends wedding day due to not having the car. They seem to think that they can treat it as a cancellation! and are only offering 1 days refund out of the 4 in return for a car I didn't even SEE!!

Rubbish.
People in the call centre have been lovely, yet offering no solution.
I'm battering my head against a brick wall!

henrymoore

Hi Booked Argus Car Hire who use Marbesol. At airport 30mins wait for mini bus which was then full. Marbesol office 1 person and queues of people. overcharged massively on tank of fuel. On returning car, was signed off and told we could leave as deposit had been done on lap top. Never got 800 euro deposit after loads of emails and calls. Since found they do this to everyone. Argus car hire useless told to go through credit card comp