daveesl

First, this post is about Auto Europa and NOT Auto Europe.

As many of you know, I have promoted Car Rental Express/Cars Italy & Tours/Sicily by Car/AutoEuropa on this site for over a year now.

Well, that stops now. They finally did to me what they have done to so many others, ripped me off.

Car Rental Express is a broker. One of their associated brokers in Italy is Cars Italy & Tours. These two have great rates through several agencies, primarily Sicily by Car, which is part of AutoEuropa.

So, I rent the car for 3 days at FCO with a return to Ciampino. I tell the FCO agent that I leave CIA at about 8am and need to return the car early. They tell me not to worry, to drop off the car in the Rental Car lot and drop off the keys in the box by the office IN THE AIRPORT.

I get to Ciampino about 6am. I find the lot, right in front of the airport and park the car. I go to check in for the flight and then begin the search for the rental company. The airport information booth lady doesn't speak English, but with my broken Italian I get it across what I am looking for. She tells me there are no rental car companies in the airport.

Now, the AutoEuropa paperwork clearly says that the office is inside the terminal at Ciampino. I look everywhere, nope, no agency desk. So, with time getting close for departure, I go out to the car and put the keys under the seat.

As soon as we arrive in Frankfurt, I call AutoEuropa in Rome. I get a nice guy on the phone, tell him the entire story. He says "No Problem", the office is actually about 6 blocks away from the airport and lots of people do this. I figure everything is fine.

This week I get the $235 charge from them. No explanation, no itemization, no nothing. I have written to them and called them, as well as Car Rental Express. No reply from either.

So, without further ado, I WILL NEVER USE EITHER OF THESE COMPANIES AGAIN!!! I am sorry that I ever recommended them, on this board and hope my recommendation hasn't caused anyone any hassles.

Auto Europe - the good company from Maine-- I'm so sorry I ever stopped using your fine services. Trust me, I'll be back and will not stray again.

Dave

LoveItaly

Yikes davessl, that must have been so stressful at the time and shocking when you received the extra bill. You no doubt put this rental on a credit card. Have you called your credit card for assistance. If not I would.

daveesl

I'm topping this, because now, almost 22 months later, someone from CRX wrote something in reply on the board. This is to "help" them out, they way they "helped" me out.

dave

cmike

I have slightly different experience. And unfortunately it's also negative one.

I took a car in Auto Europa / Sicily by Car Malpensa Airport, and bought additional insurance policy Insurance4car (AEG) through the same Internet site.

It happened front bumper has been scraped, just scraped, without any deformation etc.

Having got back from vacation, I have found out they charged my credit card firstly for 178 Euro, then this sum has been returned back, and finaly they charged 538 Euro. The also sent me registered letter where they informed me about 178 Euro (and not about real one - 538 Euro) and attached some document in Italian, that looks like a description of all what was done to fix damage.

They did not respond on any my request to clarify the situation - to me it looks doubtfull to eliminate a scratch may cost 538Euro ???

I have passed all the documents to insurance company. I had to send each scanned page by separate E-mail, since their Mailing system just silently filters out messages with large attachment.

Finally AIG responded me, that they cannot handle my Claim since they are unable to find Accident Damage Report in the set of documents I sent them. And AtouEropa customer service does not respond neither on my E-mail, Faxes nor even on phone calls.

darkman_lv

I have the same problem. I was in Milan in October 2010. I got a car from Auto Europa Silicy by car company. It was Nissan Micra 1.2. 7 days car havent got any damages and problems. We was in many cities in Italy, about 2000 km was done for 1 week. After we gave car back (i gave keys in office to a man, he said nothing needed more, we dont checked car, it was 2 hours on parking when we waited for office opening) and when we arrive to out home country i checked internet bank and saw that there were charged 860 EUR more (first 1200 eur charging was still there, not unblocked). I called to Auto Europe and they said that car was damaged and this 860 EUR deposit is for repairing. After 2 weeks they unblocked money but not all, minus 380 eur for mirror repair.

Also i find real prices for repair. They prices are fake. Mirror cost is only 80 eur in Italy not 180 Eur like they send me some fake papers. You can see them in attachment.

So i recommend to all people, if you get car in this company you need full insurance + photo car when you gave it back + check car with office man so they can`t charge you more and damage car after you gave it back like it was with my car.

http://www.darkman.lv/autoeuropa.jpg