Rental Cars
 

We're going to rent a car at the Malaga Airport for 6 days and return it there. I've checked several websites and find that some of the rental agencies aren't actually located at the airport. Due to time condstraints, we want one that is, need an automatic transmission, not-too-small vehicle (not a hatchback either) with no added insurance required. Anyone had any good or bad experiences with this? What's a reasonable per day rate?

We've rented at the Malaga airport, and yes, you pick up the cars there. We were happy with autoeurope.com., but had a real nightmare with Hertz. Autoeurope will match any quote and I believe most credit cards cover you for extra insurance (our AMEX does--check you credit card company on this).

Expect to pay a premium to rent a car with an automatic, as they are still not very common in Europe, except for certain makes of vehicles, mostly premium cars. If you plan on visiting any of the smaller villages, which includes just about every village in this area, do not rent a car larger than a Renault Megan or you will find it difficult to maneuver through the narrow streets, or to find a place to park. Auto Europe is a broker and can usually match other rental agency prices, but you should check with National Atesa (www.atesa.es) which has cars available in the area.

In addition to the rental cost, be prepared to pay at least 29.00 euros to pick the car up at the airport. I would also advise purchasing the additional rental insurance offered by the rental company. Visa and AmEx Platinum cards will cover a certain portion of any damage the car may experience due to an accident, but the deduction is fairly high and amount depends on the value of the rental car, but credit cards no longer cover the cost of road damage; flat tires, blowouts, rock damage to the windshield or body, etc. Note that there is a lot of road work going on in this area.

If you pla to rent an automatic, be aware of the countless stories of travelers arriving to the car rental counter, only to hear "sorry, the ONE (and only) automatic car available in our fleet hasn;t come back yet". Remeber, car rental customers CAN decide to keep it another day.

Rent an automatic withOUT a plan to be able to drive a manual transmission car at your own risk.

With a sympathetic friend, you can learn to drive a manual transmission in a single weekend - - a week before the trip - - and it's a skill that will serve you life long.

Best wishes,

Rex

You can always rent the standard and follow my mother's advice which was if you can't find it grind it. :-)

Thank you all. I'm not going to be driving a stick shift due to my sciatic nerve. But I appreciate all the good advice. Will follow up on all your other suggestions.