Car Hire

Post by **Steen Jakobsen** » Thu May 19, 2005 6:14 pm

Using our advertisers do help to cover the costs of running this site.

www.algarvedriver.com will match any quote forwarded by email or as found on the Internet.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri May 20, 2005 8:09 am

It is very difficult to compare car rental prices on a "like for like" basis. I have received "nearly new" cars and some "pretty awful" cars for the same price from the same supplier.
Generally I think you get better more modern cars from the big companies, Avis, Hertz etc. but you pay a premium.
The small guys like Algarvedriver have less control over the quality of service and tend to run older cars at a lower cost.

Gambrinus · Post by **Gambrinus** » Fri May 20, 2005 8:15 am

We have worked with the "smaller" companies for many years now.

They always work on a buy-back basis with the car manufacturers/representatives enabling them to run new models which they can return to the manufacturers at the end of the season.

So aside from having a brand new fleet every year (albeit a lot smaller than the large companies), they are also capable of offering a more personalized service (delivery/pickup at the accomodation, independent transfers, etc.)

*edit* Large companies are able to sustain their own fleet - I have seen big companies run cars that are 2 or 3 years old in the past, once a car was delivered to a client of mine with 120k kms and malfunctioning breaks

Lesley Jean · Post by **Lesley Jean** » Fri May 20, 2005 12:38 pm

All I can say is that I was out last week and used Algarve driver (YOP) and had a brand new Ford Fiesta which had only done 3,000 Km was very pleased as always with the service and the car.

davidhar · Post by **davidhar** » Mon May 23, 2005 10:59 am

Sorry to report Stein that we got a very poor car last August. It was a Kia Rio Estate which I was informed was group F (Estate Cars) in fact it was more like a Group B car. Inside it was in poor condition with bits missing from the console. It's battery died the first night when we stopped off to do a shop at Continente - not good with three tired kids in the back. The assistance people sent the recovery truck to the wrong shopping mall and only for a passing repair truck we were knackered. The car was replaced a couple of days later when the battery died again in CVO. The replacement car was the same model and slightly better but marked on the outside. Got a three week rental of a Focus Estate through eBookers & Hertz this year for EUR796 - not bettered anywhere else.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Thu May 26, 2005 5:02 pm

On a slightly different note, has anyone any experience with a company called "Auto Algarve". Just been offererd this as a alternative to the normal company due to running out of cars for the period concerned! Mike.