# Car Rental - Malaga (AGP)



## equitax

Hi all - Travelling to Marriott Marbella Beach Resort in Mya- Was wondering if anyone could reccomend car rental options or warnings on who to avoid.

Thanks,

Robert


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## Bwolf

Bob:  Three year's ago this week we went to Marriott's Marbella.  We used Carjet.com.  We had no problems with them and the price was very good.  We did book several months in advance.  YMMV.


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## Jimster

*carjet*

Yes, i give a second vote for carjet-insurance is included.


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## Pompey Family

We picked up a car from Malaga two weeks ago using Sixt.  The cars are all new and in very good condition whilst rates are very competitive.  There are cheaper options but with the lower prices comes a reduction in quality and hidden costs.

When we arrived at the car rental section there was a huge queue for Goldcar, there must have been approximately 150 people lining up, no exageration.  Goldcar are one of the cheapest companies but their cars reflect that.  The one's I saw in the parking bays looked like they'd been around a bit.

Budget used to be cheap and reputable however their prices have been increasing recently although they're still a good bet.

Avis and Hertz are not worth bothering with unless you want a particular high spec car or their loyalty program is worth the extra cost.  If you're a Marriott Rewards holder then Sixt will give you Marriott points on your booking.

There are other bargain operators but I've been stung in the past so I stick to Sixt and Budget.  The old axiom, 'if it's too good to be true...' remains very apt when it comes to car hire.


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## Pompey Family

Jimster said:


> Yes, i give a second vote for carjet-insurance is included.



Insurance is always included whichever company you hire from.  It's the additional insurances that all the companies try to upsell such as tyre and glass protection etc.


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## Carolinian

Carjet is a consolidator.  I have used anonther consolidator in Europe, that has in most instances worked out well, www.economycarrentals.com

However, with a consolidator, you might be stuck with a bad local company like Goldcar, a true bunch of scam artists on many fronts.  Do a search on them.  I think all of the consolidators use Goldcar, unfortunately.  They also use other companies.  Try to specify that you do not want Goldcar.

One local Spanish company that gets good reports is Top Car Auto Reisen, which usually has low prices but not the multiple scams of Goldcar.  I do not know if they are in Malaga or not, but if I was renting in Spain, based on what I have experienced with Goldcar compared to all the things I have heard about Top Car, I would try to deal directly with Top Car Auto Reisen and not play the consolidator crap shoot.  Spain is one of the few European countries in which I would stay away from consolidators, and Goldcar is the reason.


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## Passepartout

We had good success with carjet in Portugal. The car DID come from Budget. You might also check Europcar. I see they have a Malaga airport location and have had good reviews.


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## PStreet1

We used Sixt, and were really happy with the whole experience:  people, vehicle, help offered, price.  Sixt was just about half the price of the other companies, and insurance was included.  We also got American Express' extra coverage ($25.00 total for the entire rental period) to cover hospitalization, stolen articles, additional coverage of vehicle, etc.

We rented at Malaga and turned the car in when we got to Madrid.

I also recommend getting a Garmin that takes a chip and buying the chip for Spain and Portugal (it was inexpensive, around $40.00), and it took us everyplace, even to tiny little streets that would never be on any map you would buy.  It even avoided the areas we couldn't drive in because we were non-residents of the neighborhood.


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## GetawaysRus

We used a consolidator that we found mentioned in another (older) TUG thread:
http://www.doyouspain.com/

We ended up with a rental from SixT.  No problems with SixT.  Rented an automatic in Malaga and returned in Malaga.

We have a TomTom GPS.  I purchased Spain maps from TomTom and loaded them prior to our trip.  Our timeshare stay was at Playa Andaluza, and the TomTom took us to the wrong place (into the town of Estepona rather than to the resort).  Had to call the resort to find our way.

The GPS also failed me in Seville.  Our hotel was very close to the center of Seville.  I think that this was because the streets in the old section are so narrow, and the space between buildings so tight, that I lost the GPS signal several times.

The TomTom was right on the mark for Cordoba, and got us quite close to our hotel (within a block or two) in Granada.  

The GPS then got us back to the Malaga airport without any problems.

One more thing to mention:  we were warned by someone before our trip that we would not see any cops on the road in Spain.  This person told us that there are cameras (or did he mean radar?) clocking you, and if you speed you will have a surprise citation in the mail when you arrive home.  We never did see any cameras and we never did see any police.  I don't know if this is true or not, but we took the warning seriously and didn't overdo it.  By the way, Spain's expressways were in much nicer condition than our freeways at home in California.


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## classiclincoln

We used doyouspain.com and ended up with Goldcar.  Problem was that there was a HUGELY LONG LINE at the airport picking up the car.  They charge you for a full tank of gas up front and you bring it back empty.  That's good if you plan on doing a lot of driving.  Drop off was strange, they were busy and didn't check the car.  I made them because I didn't want to get hit with any surprises.  Would not use them again.


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## GetawaysRus

Since doyouspain.com is a consolidator, searching for a rental can take you different places at different times.  On my initial search (well in advance of our trip), it landed us with SixT and I held a car.  I went back later and searched again thinking that I might find a lower rate, and this subsequent search ended up with Goldcar.  The price for the rental through Goldcar was marginally lower, but I had read some negative comments about Goldcar on the Internet and decided to pass.

It doesn't hurt to search on a number of occasions over several months.  Rates fluctuate quite a lot.  Keep what you like the best.

In the end, it is definitely not "what you see is what you get."  My suspicion is that most European rental companies stock primarily manual cars.  If you are trying to rent an automatic (as we were), there's a fair chance you may get "upgraded" to another vehicle upon arrival.  That did happen to us with SixT.


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## Suebe

We go every year to Spain and have used Doyouspain in past years, but not recently.  The car hire companies located in the airport terminal often have long queues (we waited over an hour one time!!) and often charge for a full tank of fuel on top of the rental fee.  You have to bring the tank back empty.  Total waste of money unless you are intending to do a lot of mileage.

There are a number of car hire companies that have offices off-airport and who provide transfers to their premises usually in mini-buses and only a few minutes away.  Some of these do not charge for full tanks of petrol/diesel - instead you bring back your vehicle with the same amount of fuel as when you first take it.

Some companies will include fully comprehensive insurance in their fees (but does not cover windows, and tyres) - others will try to get you take out additional insurance.

Sue


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## Carolinian

classiclincoln said:


> We used doyouspain.com and ended up with Goldcar.  Problem was that there was a HUGELY LONG LINE at the airport picking up the car.  They charge you for a full tank of gas up front and you bring it back empty.  That's good if you plan on doing a lot of driving.  Drop off was strange, they were busy and didn't check the car.  I made them because I didn't want to get hit with any surprises.  Would not use them again.



Goldcar also uses Dynamic Currency Conversion (DCC) which is a real ripoff. They refused to budge on this in the Canaries.  On the full tank of gas they charge you for, the problem is not just unused gas, but they charge a lot more for the gas than the going local prices.  They are also notorious for false claims of damage to the car, which they hit you with after you leave (fortunately, I did not have this last problem with them but lots of people do)


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## Carolinian

Major car rental companies do not require the full tank of gas scam, and neither do the reputable local ones like Top Car Auto Reisen.



Suebe said:


> We go every year to Spain and have used Doyouspain in past years, but not recently.  The car hire companies located in the airport terminal often have long queues (we waited over an hour one time!!) and often charge for a full tank of fuel on top of the rental fee.  You have to bring the tank back empty.  Total waste of money unless you are intending to do a lot of mileage.
> 
> There are a number of car hire companies that have offices off-airport and who provide transfers to their premises usually in mini-buses and only a few minutes away.  Some of these do not charge for full tanks of petrol/diesel - instead you bring back your vehicle with the same amount of fuel as when you first take it.
> 
> Some companies will include fully comprehensive insurance in their fees (but does not cover windows, and tyres) - others will try to get you take out additional insurance.
> 
> Sue


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## amycurl

equitax said:


> Hi all - Travelling to Marriott Marbella Beach Resort in Mya- Was wondering if anyone could reccomend car rental options or warnings on who to avoid.
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Robert



We just got back from Spain on the 15th. In the middle of our week, decided to rent a car for just a few days. Found a great deal with EuropCar online, and paid in dollars via credit card (no conversion needed) and got Hilton points! Picked it up in downtown Marbella and dropped off at Malaga train station (we were taking the high speed train from Malaga to Barcelona.) Drop off would have been easiest ever, if we had managed to remember to ask *specific instructions* on where to drop the car off. Finally found the space (in the underground garage of a random hotel across the street) and were able to just drop the keys in a box, but almost missed our train (having circled the station numerous times looking for the drop site for about 40 minutes, and getting wrong instructions twice from folks--non-Europcar--who should have known...) For your purposes, the Malaga airport is a breeze to navigate and the Europcar desk is right there. 

We *loved* the new Renault we got; too bad you can't really find Renault in the states anymore. Integrated in-dash navigation system for no additional cost, and included the ability for English-language instructions and voice.

No hidden fees, no lines, no hassles. Since we didn't see (or speak to) a person when we dropped off, we checked the Europcar desk at the Barcelona train station when we arrived (since we literally had to walk past it to leave the station) and found that everything had been taken care of. And we just received a written receipt in the mail. Really, one of the better car rental experiences I've had (the drop off situation was really just a matter of us not asking the right question at the right time...)


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## Carolinian

We careful of this ''paying in dollars'' business.  It is almost certainly what is called Dynamic Currency Conversion, and it is a ripoff on two fronts.

Firist, it does NOT avoid extra fees from your bank.  Some years ago banks went from a foreign currency conversion fee to a foreign usage fee.  You get charged the same fee by your bank for using the card overseas whether it is in dollars or local currency.  The way to avoid this fee is to get a card with one of the handful of financial institutions like CapOne that do not charge them in the first place.  It is not whether you pay in dollars that avoids fees, it is whether your card is with the right financial institution.

Second, Dynamic Currency Conversion gives absolutely horrible exchange rates.  In comparision, if you pay in local currency, credit and debit cards process that at the mid-market interbank rate, one of the rest rates out there for consumers.

Unless you like getting ripped off, always avoid paying in dollars in a foreign country.  More and more hotels, restaurants, and car rental companies try to do this claiming it is a ''convenience'' but I am sure they are getting a cut of that exagerated exchange fee.  If you object, they have to bill it in local currency, which you should always do if presented a bill in your home currency.

Dynamic Currency Conversion is one of the ripoffs of Goldcar (and they are the only ones I have seen violate the law by refusing to change it), and their conversion rate, if memory serves was something like 7% worse than the mid-market interbank rate.  Because walkup rates at competitors at that point were brutal, I accepted the rental anyway and then challenged the exchange rate successfully with my bank later.




amycurl said:


> We just got back from Spain on the 15th. In the middle of our week, decided to rent a car for just a few days. Found a great deal with EuropCar online, and paid in dollars via credit card (no conversion needed) and got Hilton points! Picked it up in downtown Marbella and dropped off at Malaga train station (we were taking the high speed train from Malaga to Barcelona.) Drop off would have been easiest ever, if we had managed to remember to ask *specific instructions* on where to drop the car off. Finally found the space (in the underground garage of a random hotel across the street) and were able to just drop the keys in a box, but almost missed our train (having circled the station numerous times looking for the drop site for about 40 minutes, and getting wrong instructions twice from folks--non-Europcar--who should have known...) For your purposes, the Malaga airport is a breeze to navigate and the Europcar desk is right there.
> 
> We *loved* the new Renault we got; too bad you can't really find Renault in the states anymore. Integrated in-dash navigation system for no additional cost, and included the ability for English-language instructions and voice.
> 
> No hidden fees, no lines, no hassles. Since we didn't see (or speak to) a person when we dropped off, we checked the Europcar desk at the Barcelona train station when we arrived (since we literally had to walk past it to leave the station) and found that everything had been taken care of. And we just received a written receipt in the mail. Really, one of the better car rental experiences I've had (the drop off situation was really just a matter of us not asking the right question at the right time...)


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## classiclincoln

"The way to avoid this fee is to get a card with one of the handful of financial institutions like CapOne that do not charge them in the first place. "

Not true.  No credit card is going to covert foreign currency to US dollars for nothing.  You're either gonna pay a flat fee (typically 3%) or they'll hit you on the conversion rate.


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## Carolinian

classiclincoln said:


> "The way to avoid this fee is to get a card with one of the handful of financial institutions like CapOne that do not charge them in the first place. "
> 
> Not true.  No credit card is going to covert foreign currency to US dollars for nothing.  You're either gonna pay a flat fee (typically 3%) or they'll hit you on the conversion rate.



VERY TRUE.  My Cap One does not charge at all, and that is true of all versions of CapOne cards, and they convert at mid-market interbank rates. 

The Cirrus and Plus networks charge a flat 1% for doing all the conversion work, and that is passed on by most but not all banks, CapOne being one of the exceptions.  Many banks, especially the big ones tack on an additional 2% junk fee for doing absolutely nothing (since Plus or CIrrus has done all the actual conversion work).  So if you are not smart, you do get stuck with a total of 3% for currency conversion.

CapOne and a handful of others do not even pass on the Cirrus or Plus 1%.  Many others, especially credit unions pass on the 1% but do not add the junk fee.  My two credit union cards thus charge 1% which is why I always use my 0% Cap One cards when I am outside the US.


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## amycurl

No, there wasn't Dynamic Currency Conversion. We checked. Extensively. Before paying online. It was no different that purchasing any other product online with a credit card in US dollars. Price quoted was only quoted in dollars. Price we were charged on our credit card statement was the same price we were quoted. No other fees on the card statement attached to this transaction. Good deal all the way around.


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## Carolinian

amycurl said:


> No, there wasn't Dynamic Currency Conversion. We checked. Extensively. Before paying online. It was no different that purchasing any other product online with a credit card in US dollars. Price quoted was only quoted in dollars. Price we were charged on our credit card statement was the same price we were quoted. No other fees on the card statement attached to this transaction. Good deal all the way around.



Try priciing it in local curency and then looking up the conversion rates at midmarket interbank rates on a site like xe.com  DCC never shows up as a seperate charge on your credit card statement because it is an internal conversion before it ever hits the card system.  Some US based companies may have a decent dollar price for US customers that never goes through a conversion process, but many play the DCC game if who you are really dealing with is their foreign affiliate.

Being charged the same amount in dollars as you were quoted in dollars means nothing, as the first price quote likely already incorporated DCC.

Airline websites in Europe often ask what currency you want to use, and if you click on dollars, they will indeed bill your card at the amount they specify.  However, if you check the rate in local currency and price the mid-market interbank rate, the exchange rate built into the airline system (which is DCC) is a dreadful rate.

You now even have to watch this on ATM's.  I ran into this extensively in Poland, where they offered to bill your account in dollars, but if you priced it out even at the rates of local exchange houses, they were giving an awful exchange rate.  You only got the good rate by hitting the button to have it transmitted in local currency (zloty) and having the Cirrus or Plus system do the conversion.


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## Jake50

*Very good service*

I´m going back to Malaga again on Tuesday next week. I have been going a number of times a year for the last 12 years. Always I have used rentacarspain.com There prices are good, there is service is quick and easy and I have not once had a problem.


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## optimist

We will be in Malaga in January and I am looking for an automatic transmission car and finding that either the choice is not offered or the prices are crazy high.

Does everyone who posted their experience drive a stick shift?  If not, any recommendations for an automatic rental at Malaga airport?


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## PStreet1

We got an automatic from Sixt.  We sometimes take a stick shift, but the automatic was very little, if anything, more than the price they quoted for the manual transmission.  We had an almost new Renault--loved it.


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## bobpark56

*Renting at the airport may not be best*

I suggest considering off-airport rentals, especially if you will be renting for more than a week. We have found it useful to pick up our cars at the train station...or to take the airport train to Fuengirola and pick up our car there. Intermediate points would likely work as well.


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## Doogie

Jake50 said:


> I´m going back to Malaga again on Tuesday next week. I have been going a number of times a year for the last 12 years. Always I have used rentacarspain.com There prices are good, there is service is quick and easy and I have not once had a problem.



I just checked pricing for Rentacarspain.com for a week in February 2014 and they wanted Euro 36 for an economy car.  Price seems too good to be true.  Are you aware of their cancellation policy?  I emailed them and they have not responded.


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## Carolinian

Avoid Gold Car rentals in Spain, a real rip off operation.  Unfortunately, many of the rental car consolidators will put you with them.  All of the consolidators I usually use - AutoEurope, EuropebyCar, and Economy Car Rental, will all put you with Gold Car in Spain.

Top Car Auto Reisen has gotten good reviews on prices, service, and honesty on European timeshare boards for Spanish car rentals, but I have never used them myself.


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## optimist

I initially booked the only reasonable automatic I could find with Doyouspain.com for 356 euros for 12 days.  It was a huge price difference between that and the stick shifts that were going for around 75 euros for the period.  I tried off site and didn't find a better deal for automatic.

Based on Doogie's last post, I requested a quote from Rentacarspain and they quoted me 73 euros for the entire time for an automatic!
How could there be such a HUGE price difference between one company and another?

How will I know if they assign me to Gold car?  What happens with Gold car?
If I am aware of the potential rip offs, can I protect myself?


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## Doogie

optimist said:


> I initially booked the only reasonable automatic I could find with Doyouspain.com for 356 euros for 12 days.  It was a huge price difference between that and the stick shifts that were going for around 75 euros for the period.  I tried off site and didn't find a better deal for automatic.
> 
> Based on Doogie's last post, I requested a quote from Rentacarspain and they quoted me 73 euros for the entire time for an automatic!
> How could there be such a HUGE price difference between one company and another?
> 
> How will I know if they assign me to Gold car?  What happens with Gold car?
> If I am aware of the potential rip offs, can I protect myself?



Optimist,

I suggest you try out Sixt.  I ended up booking with them after they were recommended by the Marriott Abduluza where I am staying.  The Sixt rate for an automatic ranges from Euro 125 to 145 for a week.


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## optimist

Doogie said:


> Optimist,
> 
> I suggest you try out Sixt.  I ended up booking with them after they were recommended by the Marriott Abduluza where I am staying.  The Sixt rate for an automatic ranges from Euro 125 to 145 for a week.





For the time I am going, the first two weeks of January, their quote is $350 to $400 (two different models).  I am ok with paying that, if I know that the 75 euro quote is not legit.


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## fluke

Years ago I rented from Malagacar ( http://www.malagacar.com/) and had a great experience.  It was much cheaper than other options and they had a plentiful amount of automautics (at the time it was very expensive to rent automatics from the major companies).


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## Carolinian

Here is the Trip Advisor thread on Goldcar.  Look at the pages for the last two or three years to get a good picture.  If you don't want unexpected charges, do not use them.

http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopi...sta_del_Sol_Province_of_Malaga_Andalucia.html


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## Suebe

optimist said:


> I initially booked the only reasonable automatic I could find with Doyouspain.com for 356 euros for 12 days.  It was a huge price difference between that and the stick shifts that were going for around 75 euros for the period.  I tried off site and didn't find a better deal for automatic.
> 
> Based on Doogie's last post, I requested a quote from Rentacarspain and they quoted me 73 euros for the entire time for an automatic!
> How could there be such a HUGE price difference between one company and another?
> 
> How will I know if they assign me to Gold car?  What happens with Gold car?
> If I am aware of the potential rip offs, can I protect myself?



For the past few  years, I have used a company called Economycarhire.  They are very popular, have won prizes for their service and I have had no problems with them.  They use a variety of car hire companies - some in the airport but also a couple just outside the airport (mini-bus picks up and takes you to their office and garage - 3 minutes away). You can go on to their website and register with them,  and when you put in the details of what you want, they show which car hire companies they are using.  Some have a 'fair fuel policy' which means that whatever is in the tank when you take it, you have to bring it back with same amount in.  Others companies charge you for a full tank which can add another 80euros or so to your bill, and you bring the car back empty -if you haven't used all the fuel, you don't get a refund.  That's sometimes why some of them start with really low prices!!

You need to check what insurance you are getting with your deals.  'Fully inclusive' is best and covers  you for most things - in UK we call it fully comprehensive insurance.  Only thing it doesn't cover are tyres, window screens, replacement keys if you lose the key, etc.

Never looked at prices of automatics as they are not so widely used as in USA.  But usually a lot more expensive I would think.  That price of 73 euros seems way off the mark.

Good hunting

Sue


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## RAMBO

I rented from NATIONAL and had no problems. I would take my own GPS.


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## DebBrown

We are flying into Malaga but out of Granada due to flight schedules.  I wanted to rent from Hertz because they have a good deal on an automatic BUT it seems Hertz doesn't have a Granada airport location - only one in the city.  Anyone have any experience with this?  Should I just use a different company?

Deb


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## optimist

We are in Marbella now and ended up renting from economy car rental in the end. I really wish I had stuck with a name brand company. The extra you pay for turns out is for good reason.  
We had trouble finding our luggage and waited in line to report it as lost for a good while before finding out that the luggages arriving on transfer go to a special carousel. So almost an hour after landing, we started to look for the car rental desk. Economy does not have a desk with all the other car rental companies at the airport but I was glad to see that there was someone holding up a sign with my name when we exited the airport. We followed him for about 1/4 mile schlepping all our luggage, found the car, loaded it up only to find out that he was not from economy car rental, but from yougospain, even though they had never confirmed my reservation so I thought it was cancelled.  So we had to walk back to the airport, look for the guy from economy, who was nowhere to be seen. After fifteen more minutes and asking many people if we could use their cell phones and being refused, we just turned on our U.S. phone and called him. He had left the airport. He agreed to come back and we had to schlep, one more time, to a location 1/4 mile away to find the car. The car was old and full of scratches but at this point we didn't care, we just wanted to be on our way.  But just one more thing, he wanted to get paid. But I had already prepaid, I said.  Ah! This was for the gas!  At that point I realized why there was such a long thread about car rentals in Malaga. 

If I were you, I would stick with hertz and take a cab to the airport from the Granada location in town.


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## abdibile

Carolinian said:


> Avoid Gold Car rentals in Spain, a real rip off operation.  Unfortunately, many of the rental car consolidators will put you with them.  All of the consolidators I usually use - AutoEurope, EuropebyCar, and Economy Car Rental, will all put you with Gold Car in Spain.
> 
> Top Car Auto Reisen has gotten good reviews on prices, service, and honesty on European timeshare boards for Spanish car rentals, but I have never used them myself.



I just had a great experience with GoldCar in Malaga.

I paid about $50 a week in January for a Citroen Belingo incl. insurance through a consolidator.

No lines at the GoldCar counter and a positive surprise: You still have to pay a lot for the gas (around $150 incl. Diesel surcharge) but they now have a FlexFuel policy meaning you get a partial refund for unused gas.

I dropped off the car early in the morning before they opened using the safe and got an eMail confirming my gas refund a few hours later.

Overall I paid around $170 for driving around 400 miles incl. gas.


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## greenfrog

*Malaga car hire*

Its that time of year when I look to sorting out my car hire for a Christmas trip to Malaga.

Sixt is looking unusually inexpensive (£127 for 14 days), though it's a company that I have not previously used and unsure if I am overlooking some obvious add-ons that pop up at some later date.

Are they reputable and reliable ? Any thoughts, as usual, are appreciated

Thanks


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## PStreet1

We rented from Sixt in Malaga and turned the car in Madrid.  They were less than half the cost other companies were charging without insurance--and Sixt included the insurance.  They were very easy to deal with, and the car was a practically new Renault.  We wanted a car that would hold our luggage (and we had quite a bit because we arrived in Malaga via a trans-Atlantic cruise) and keep it out of sight because we were warned that luggage theft is a real possibility in tourist areas in Spain if the luggage is visible.  I don't remember the model, but it took all the luggage, and we liked the car a lot.  It had a GPS, but we used our own, partly because we were familiar with it already and partly because the built in one either functioned sporatically or I was using it incorrectly.  

At any rate, we were very pleased with Sixt.  You'll need to take a cab to get to their office.  The employees were very pleasant and all spoke English.  If you aren't turning the car in where you rented it, get detailed instructions for how to find the correct spot in whatever city you'll turn it in.  In Madrid, it wasn't where other rental car turn-ins were (that, of course, is one of the major reasons the price is so much lower), and we would have been in real trouble locating it if we had not had the assistance of the native we were renting an apartment from.  Even he had trouble finding out where we were supposed to go, and he decided it would be best if he led us there to make sure we did actually succeed in turning the car in.


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## Pompey Family

greenfrog said:


> Its that time of year when I look to sorting out my car hire for a Christmas trip to Malaga.
> 
> Sixt is looking unusually inexpensive (£127 for 14 days), though it's a company that I have not previously used and unsure if I am overlooking some obvious add-ons that pop up at some later date.
> 
> Are they reputable and reliable ? Any thoughts, as usual, are appreciated
> 
> Thanks



We always use Sixt in Malaga, never had a problem with them. The cars were all new and of a reasonable price. Staff were professional and there were none of the large queues and hidden extras that the budget operators had. I won't use anyone else.

I'd imagine the price is a reflection of a slow period.


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## greenfrog

Thanks for both of the very helpful replies

I am going to give Sixt a try and will report back in December


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## barto

greenfrog said:


> Thanks for both of the very helpful replies
> 
> I am going to give Sixt a try and will report back in December



Just looking to rent a car in Malaga (late February) and saw this thread... any update on your experiences?

Using the 'Cars' link from the Veuling website (using them to fly from Paris to Malaga and back), they're showing some insane deals... Marbesol has a "Mini" (Kia Picanto or similar) with unlimited mileage for 29 euros for a whole week...including the collision damage waiver, apparently.  

We're happy to cab it to an off-airport site to save some good money on a week's rental... just sounds too good to be true.  

I would book it and think later, but you have 48 hours to cancel for free.  After that it's a 20-Euro penalty.

Any other thoughts/suggestions?

I was looking to book a timeshare at Las Mimosas Beach Club but can't find much for reviews (none here, 3 on Tripadvisor) so I'll start a new thread for that one at some point.


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## barto

I'm seeing a company called "Marbesol" offering a week's rental of a Kia Picanto or similar for 29 Euros, incl. unlimited mileage.  And CDW insurance.
Am I likely to be hit with the fuel 'scam' on this, or some other nasty surprise?
(late Feb., Malaga pickup and return)

I would have 48 hours to cancel with no fee, or have a 20-Euro fee to cancel after that.

Anyone had experiences with Marbesol?

Thanks...


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## greenfrog

Update as promised

Our rental from Sixt went like a dream. We hired a 2 door economy car but received a 4 door compact, approx. 4 months old, clean and in perfect condition. As mentioned by previous posters, the 3 members of staff we dealt with (on pick-up and drop-off) were very helpful, professional and easy to deal with. We never felt at any point during the rental that a problem was lurking around the corner.

Definitely would recommend them and would make sure that they were the first hire company I would get a quote from next time round.


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## Pompey Family

greenfrog said:


> Update as promised
> 
> Our rental from Sixt went like a dream. We hired a 2 door economy car but received a 4 door compact, approx. 4 months old, clean and in perfect condition. As mentioned by previous posters, the 3 members of staff we dealt with (on pick-up and drop-off) were very helpful, professional and easy to deal with. We never felt at any point during the rental that a problem was lurking around the corner.
> 
> Definitely would recommend them and would make sure that they were the first hire company I would get a quote from next time round.



That's good to hear. Always use Sixt in Spain, never had a problem and very good rates especially if you are able to pick up from a non-airport site.


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## Pompey Family

I've never heard of them. The fuel scam is quite prevalent within Europe with many of these budget companies. If the deal looks too good to be true then it probably is.


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