Have used them in the post without a problem and am about to book for this summer - what went wrong??

YEP have used them quite a lot also and when everything was plain sailing they were as good as the rest ..when i ran into problems(not of their making) they excelled themselves...so i too would like to hear your problem.

Come on then Mike tell us all about it....
I must say we have always had top class service from them, great cars at great prices with no hassle.

Susie

This is an extract from an email sent to Steen on 24th Feb:

Everything was OK at the Airport and having booked a Group B and although I could have got a Group B by booking a Group A it was a pleasant surpise to get an upgrade.

Our week was planned around viewing different areas and properties and we were out from first thing in the morning to late at night. We decided to take a day off on Sunday and at about 5.00 pm I received a call from reception that someone was there to change the Hire Car.

Without explanation our car was to be exchanged for a Group B car. Could not really complain because I had booked a Group B. As I had put fuel in the night before and the "new" car was on almost empty it was taken to the nearest garage (about 1 km away) and filled to the same level as the previous car which no doubt had a bigger tank. Probably lost about 5 Euros on this deal which would have been sufficient for a Group C car for the week.

We agreed on the damage to the new car, virtually every panel and the front and rear had scratches and scrapes and the front number plate was buckled. My comment was this appeared to be from "Rent-A-Wreck"

The next day we get to drive the car with the following observations:

54,000 + km and 2 years old, this was probably highr than the cumalative mileage from all the cars hired in the Algarve.
Dirty ashtray and smoke film on the windscreen.
Thought this was dirt on the outside so when travelling tried to use the screenwash which was empty. This resulted in having to lift the bonnet of a hire car for the very first time from hiring cars anywhere in the world.
No aerial and therefore no reception for our preferred station(s).
Rear parcel shelf damaged so when the tailgate was opened it had to be held up to get things in and out.
Rubber seal around the nearside reardoor hanging down on the inside.

Todate no acknowledgement of my email (in which I asked for comments) has been received. I therefore assumed that this is the normal standard to be expected.

Mike D.

I would just like to say here that Steen replies to all emails as soon as he is able to. He is often unavailable for a few days at a time, but I am sure he will be in touch as he takes these matters very seriously.

I find it a little hard to believe that you ended up with something like this. I am currently hiring a car from Algarve Driver (about car number 5 - not to mention those booked by friends and family) and booked a group A and got a group C. I usually book a group E or F but have found the smaller car to be fine. We have never had a problems with the cars at all.

Please let us know the outcome.

J

I agree with the general comments on this post, we have hired cars from Algarve driver with no problems at all, ok sometimes we don't get an aerial, but is that really important, the only thing I would say is that there should be a spare one in the boot. The cars have always been good to drive, and have given us no problem. I don't think you can find a hire car that doesn't have a scratch or bump on it.

I do understand your frustration at having the car changed, this has never happened to us. And I am sure Steen will come back to you as soon as he can, he is always very fair.

I would much rather give the local person a go, than go with the large car hire companies, many of them we have had some big problems with, one time we had to change the car four times in two weeks because of mechanical problems.

So come on be fair give them a chance.

Please excuse the delay in answering, but I am out of office these days.

First I would like to point out that I replied Mr. Dickinson by email to *@btopenworld.com the 24/02/2005 15:23 less than 4 hours after having received a message through the forum.

Mr. Dickinson having booked a group B car received a free upgrade to group D. Unfortunately the car was recalled by Hyundai and YOR urgently had to replace a number of cars, the replacement vehicle was the best available at the moment; another Group D car with A/C. These things are beyond our control, as much as we regret them happening. The petrol tanks on both the Hyundai Getz & Accent hold the same quantity: 45 litres. According to YOR the vehicle had two scratches on the rear.

I am very sorry about the incident and we're ready to offer a rebate on a future booking.

Thanks for all the kind words!