Ever rent a car from AutoEurope?
#3
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Hi Lori+ <BR>I have used them about 3 times. Each time I had a 'blip" in the experience. I had posted my trip under germany but I will tell you: <BR>1. Best prices for rental cards, that is for sure! <BR>2. Make sure you confirm your car BEFORE you go. Even that does not work, sometimes. Bring all Paperwork!! <BR>3. When returning the car, fill it up at the airport, and SAVE the reciept!! I had been charged in Italy for a full tank..and had no reciept for the record. <BR>4. Helpfull people at AE, I will use them again even after the mistakes <BR>JOHN
#4
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Lori <BR> <BR>We used Auto Europe for the first time in Italy last year and are using them in France and Germany next week. Very satisfied with the experience. Flexibility is great. You can make changes along the way without penalty. And no, I don't work for the company. <BR> <BR>
#5
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My understanding of the situation is that Auto Europe is a broker who looks for good rental car deals. I have used Auto Europe twice, with a third engagement forthcoming. The two previous times I actually rented the car from Avis. So Auto Europe is only the deal facilitator; not the deal consummator. Because of the service of Avis, I decided to take Avis again in Lausanne this time around even though there was a better (i.e. lower) priced car. The cost difference, however, was relatively trivial. (I know exactly how to find the Avis office in Lausanne, etc.)
#6
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We've used Autoeurope for the last 15 years, no problem, "except" when we picked up the car in Munich, at the Bahnhof. Autoeurope's agent was Europcar. When we got to the office no one was there, they were on a lunch break but that was no big deal. Clerk finally shows up, give him the voucher and sign the contract. Get to the Austrian/Czech border and we have a problem, the Europcar clerk neglected to note on the contract we were taking the car into the CR. VERY nice border guard made a few calls and after an hour away we went. This was certainly not Autoeurope's fault, it was clearly noted on the voucher that the vehicle would be driven in the CR.
#7
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We used AutoEurope last year, picking up a car at the airport in Rome. It was a great rate, but the only problem was one of clarification - it wasn't made clear that we had to leave the airport to get the car. This resulted in us walking what seemed like miles to the car rental area only to have to walk back to the baggage area to get the shuttle (which, on the positive side was very easy, once we were in the right place and saved us the airport tax normally added to renting a car at the airport). It was a 3 minute drive to the rental car office (Europcar) and quick and easy once we were there. Additionally, as a plug for Europcar, we called their office before our return as at the last moment we needed a hotel for one night near the airport and they were terrific - booked us into the hotel next to their office (Hotel Mach Dui) at their rate ($105US). <BR> <BR>I would definitely use AutoEurope again, but I would seek greater clarification about the location of the rental car agency.
#8
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I was one of those people who posted a question like yours a while back and received many of the similar answers. Having just returned from England I have to say that my experience was not that great, and whether or not Autoeurope are just the brokers doesn't much matter to me when I'm standing at Heathrow with 20 people behind me and the fellow on the Europcar counter doesn't speak very good English and doesn't know how to work the computer. Even though I had prepaid the entire cost except for the road tax and airport tax ahead of time - and I did that because Autoeurope tried to make me pay more than the original quote because the rates had changed in England - I was still charged 182 pounds - they even charged a tax on the free upgrade! In order to get out of the airport in under 2 hours I took the car but made sure I kept a copy of my original voucher. Called Autoeurope on toll free # and they said they couldn't help me until I'd actually been charged something - when I checked the car in at the end of the trip - but they would open a file on me. When I returned the car - I was so grateful I kept a copy of the original voucher! - I had to wait an hour and a half while they cancelled my original booking, rebooked the car, credited me with what I'd paid, and calculated what I'd owed. Needless to say they didn't access any Autoeurope file to sort this out, it was my sheer determination to get it resolved before I went home. This meant many trips to a back room where another computer was and many hushed conversation with the supervisor. But I wasn't leaving until they did it properly. In the end I paid exactly what I expected but no one reimbursed me for all the wasted time I spent arguing and being frustrated - on my holiday. I won't use Autoeurope again. Even though when I finally spoke with a supervisor in the States they were friendly enough, I expect that as a minimum, not an extra.
#9
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so does AutoEurope REALLY give you a SUBSTANTIALLY better deal than by just dealing direct with, say, Avis?? <BR> <BR>for exmpl, I priced a 1 week rental in Greece this summer w/ Avis. Without "add ons" it's about $270/week for some generic economy car. <BR> <BR>I'm still waiting for an AutoEurope quote, I'm skeptical that Autoeurope could be SUBSTANTIALLY cheaper. A $20-30 difference just isn't worth the hassle of having yet another middleman to potentially muck things up.
#10
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We used AutoEurope last year for three weeks in Germany, saving over a hundred dollars from the next best deal,several hundred from two others, and we had no problems. The car was clean and ran well, and I only wish I'd had time to fill the gastank before I took it back (ouch!).
#11
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<BR>I have used Autoeurope many times and have always got the best rate from them, as well as good service. As with anything, I have had a couple of small problems, but they were looked after quickly. I also had a problem with one of my bills and was told it would be corrected on my next visa bill when I returned home. I believed them and sure enought, it was taken care of as promised. I will always use Autoeurope (as long as they continue to have good rates and good service!)
#12
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We've used AutoEurope the past two years in Italy, and am using them again this year. They've been very good to use, even when I brought back the car after a "close encounter" with a medieval wall! The only "glitches" I find is the pickup/dropoff times. When we returned the car in Milan, the office was closed (even though we'd been told it would be open), and the sign said to return it to the underground garage next door. We did, and had no problems.
#13
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We just returned from France where we had rented a car through AutoEurope. The company with which we actually dealt was Europcar; we were most pleased. The Charles de Gaulle airport office was open when we arrived at 6:30 a.m. The staff was efficient and helpful; the price was fair. I highly recommend AutoEurope.
#14
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We used AutoEurope in Italy, picking the car up in downtown Rome and returning it at the airport. <BR> <BR>The pick-up was great, but the drop-off was a disaster. No one seemed to know where the AutoEurope return point was, and we almost missed our plane trying to find out where to leave the car. Hertz had a big sign on their desk saying , "Welcome AutoEurope customers," but then refused to take the car. It was pretty frustrating, and when we eventually did find the office, the person in charge admitted that we had received inadequate directions from the downtown office. They were nice about it, and I would probably use them again - but make sure you get VERY explicit instructions!
#15
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I would get a quote from "Paris Plus". <BR>We rented a car in May last year and they were by far the cheepest. They are in Texas I think. Try www.parisplus.com <BR> <BR>I'm not sure if they have a web site or not. They got us the best deals on every thing, and we had absolutly no problems.
#16
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Lori, <BR>We used them last year with only one small issue that was quickly cleared up by AutoEurope. We rented a car in Frankfurt and dropped it off in Paris. When we arrived in Paris, they charged us for the drop charge that was already paid when the reservation was made. When I arrived back in the states, I called them and they quickly credited me for the amount. <BR> <BR>We are using them again in September as we were happy with the service.