CarTrawler
Reviews and Complaints

I complained to Ryanair - this is their reply:

"Dear Customer,
Thank you for your email.
I would like to inform you that Ryanair as being an airline does not offer extra services like accommodation, car hire or airport transfer however we are contracted with different companies to advertise their own services on our website.
You will be able to manage your car hire reservation on the following website: www.cartrawler.com/ryanairmanagebooking or you may contact the provider directly by calling +[protected]
Should you have further questions please do not hesitate to contact us.
Kind regards,
Hadee
Ryanair Customer Service"
……………………………………………………………..
My complaint to them was:

"Hello
We hoped we would have no problems as we booked our car hire through you, but it really made no difference - the company still tried to ‘screw' us.
I was sat there in an airport wheelchair, having had a good flight - on time, so as we thought we could get to our holiday apartment for around 11.00pm.
A few minutes into the paperwork being done the woman behind the counter said she needed €117 for the insurance. Thinking this was for the excess damage waiver insurance, I responded by saying I had already taken that out in the UK (with Axa), and I showed her the documents. She went on and on and on about needing this €117, and I likewise insisted I already had this cover. It must have been at least 15mins later when she asked me for my passport again, which she opened and stabbed her finger at the photo page saying, "You are 71."
I hadn't a clue what she was talking about, but I immediately responded by saying that, "I am NOT 71!"
She said again, "You are 71."
I again said, "I am NOT!"
"You are!"
"I'm NOT!"
This went on for a few minutes when I added to my response, " … I am 70."
She had looked at the year I was born (1947) and had subtracted this from the current year, and came up with [protected] = 71). She didn't look at the birthday, which is in September - so I'm 71 in September, and currently I'm aged 70. She knew I was correct, but did I get an apology - not a ‘cat-in-hells' chance (she had got very aggressive).
I still had no clue as to what she was trying to get over to me. I must have asked her why that was a problem, and she (without saying a thing) started to search around on her computer. A few minutes later she had found what she needed, and turned the screen towards me. She pointed at a ‘condition' that said that drivers aged 70 and over are not allowed to hire their vehicles. It must have been that they are not allowed to hire their vehicles unless they pay an extra fee of €117.
My immediate response was that I had no knowledge of this - my age or birthday was not asked of me when I made the booking. The booking was accepted, and I still was not asked. I kept asking her to show me where I was asked my age, and she kept looking blank at me. She couldn't!
Well, you can imagine, there was a lively debate. She kept making some weird gesture, which is difficult to describe, but I'll try: she tucked in her elbows to her waist and extended her forearms outwards to the side, with the palms of her hands facing upwards - her head was tilted backwards slightly, and her eyes looked upwards and were moved slowly from side to side - her shoulders were moved a small amount side to side, at the same pace as her eyes moved - no sound was uttered. (I should have videoed this!). this was repeated over and over again, and I at one time said, "I haven't a clue what that is, " coping the gestures she was making to my best ability.
My wife had to take on the hire - she has never driven on the right - she has never driven a left-hand drive car. She was scared stiff, but if we were to ever escape Malaga Airport, then she had to do it. She was traumatised. I am not just saying that for effect - she really was.
By now we had been there for an hour - the fella from the special assistance people, who was there to push the wheelchair, patiently waiting to take us to a car. I am sure he had other jobs to do - other special assistance people to help.
We got to our holiday apartment after midnight … knackered, worn-out, and still upset (to say the least).
So, what have you to say in response to the above? Why don't you ask the age of the customer? Why do you use ‘Cowboys' such as RecordGo?
It was an experience we hoped we would not encounter. We know car hire companies are ‘a-law-unto-themselves'. It is only people like Ryanair who can make a difference by dropping them from their recommendation list.
I look forward to your reply.
Tim Wilbraham
[protected]"
……………………………………………………………..
My booking ref: ES908025280
From 27Jun-4Jul
……………………………………………………………..
Thus, can you please look into this?

Tim Wilbraham
[protected]

In relation to my booking n. US966594120, I inform you that the provider (reference number 1217367) was not at the airport JFK, terminal 4, at 9 pm on July 1 2018.
> I arrived at the pick up area at 8 pm and I waited for him until 10 pm. I tried and phone the number showed in the voucher but it was not available.
> So, I had to take a taxi to go to Manhattan and I had to spend 70 USD.
>
> Having said that, I ask the refund of 56, 39 EUR paid by credit card.

Hi

This is my 2nd experience with Cartrawler, the last one was in south africa when i wanted to extend my rent a car, no one was helping out and i spent so much money on phone calls and was charged double for the rental.

This time its about shuttle, I would like to cancel my shuttle facility in lisbon and have tried trough mange booking, email but nothing seems to work.

I am also going to write to EK to stop dealing with you as there is no service.

Could you please cancel my shuttle booked under NIlofer Lalani, PT [protected], its for 6th July.

Kindly reply.
thank you

Nilofer Lalani

Head of Travel

The Aga Khan University

43 Pinewood Green Avenue
Balbriggan, Co Dublin

Subject: Requested refund / Final Complaint Letter (Res no: IE854727720)
30/06/2018

To Whom It May Concern,

I would like to outline the situation what happened on 9th December 2017.
My partner Wayne Reilly and myself Judit Filipas booked a car together with my credit card online.
We paid 66 Eur online as we planned to take our children to see Santa down the country.
I work at Dublin Airport so we wanted to collect the car that we paid for from the airport. When we arrived to Hertz at Dublin Airport with our 3 children we were told that we can`t have the car.
The staff member was very unhelpful and not even willing to give us any advice what to do or not even offering any other possibilities like that we could pay insurance per day.. so nothing at all. When I asked him to make phone calls to solve the situation he refused it and when I asked for my refund as I have already paid for the car for 2 days that we did not receive I was told I can only do that by email or by post but not with him.
It was such an unpleasant and inconvenience situation for us being demeaned so much in front of our children. The children were very upset and we did not receive any help or any car at all. I would like to emphasize that there was no cancellation from our side! We needed the car that we paid for. So we got no service no car but we were still charged. Now I am looking for a full refund for the 66Eur and also for my credit card fees that I had been charged for. Also I am looking for an apology from your management for all the stress and all the inconvenience that this situation caused for me and my family. I would like to advise you that there was no alternation or cancellation made (from the customer side) after collection as there was no collection of the car as we were not given any car. There was no service provided at all by Hertz!
I am entered into a contract of service and terms & conditions are attached to it. Both consumer and trader are bounded to it. At the review at the terms & conditions the trader is failing to act inside them.
I am viewing it as a breach of a contract. I am looking to have the above mentioned refund by the latest 10th July 2018.
I have been in contact with the CCPC and I am looking to raise this with the Car Rental Council of Ireland . I am also looking to put a claim to the Small Claims Court.
My email address is: [protected]@gmail.com
Mobile: [protected]
Looking forward to hearing from you.

Kind regards,
Judit Filipas

Dear sir or madam

We sent the following email to your address at [protected]@cartrawler.com on 11 June 2018, but to date we have not yet received any response from CarTrawler:

"We recently booked a car through your company for collection at Olbia Airport in Sardinia on 23 May, to be returned to the same venue a week later. See your email confirmation below, dated 16 May.

Three days later, you sent us a reminder (attached hereto), informing us of the ‘mandatory documents' necessary to produce when collecting the car:

"Without these mandatory documents you cannot collect your car

-
Credit card in the name of the lead driver, with a large enough limit to cover the excess ( EUR 2500.00 )

-
Full driver's licence in the name of the lead driver

-
Valid photo ID (i.e. passport)

-
Present this email at the desk when picking up your car

Please see your voucher for the full list of mandatory documents."

You did not inform us that, in addition to these documents, an international driver's licence would be required. It is true that this is mentioned by the car rental company in their voucher. However, in the light of our own experience in various parts of the world, including the USA and Europe (Greece), we never imagined that this would be regarded as a ‘mandatory document' in rural Sardinia. We were fortified in this belief by your communication quoted above and hence did not bother to obtain an international driver's licence prior to our holiday.

We were wrong. Not only did the car rental company refuse to hand us the car in the absence of such international driver's licence, but we had to forfeit an amount as EUR 50 as a cancellation fee, as well as the amount of EUR 44.96 paid to your insurer, Chubb, as standard car rental excess insurance for the rental period. Fortunately a potentially disastrous start to our holiday was averted when we were able to obtain a similar vehicle from a large competitor at the same venue — without the requirement of an international driver's licence.

In the light of these facts and on reflection, it appears to us that the penalty incurred by us are therefore inappropriate and unjustified. We accordingly call upon you to refund to us the amounts forfeited.

We look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,

Judge B M Griesel (Rtd)
37 Buxton Ave
Gardens
Cape Town 8001

Tel +[protected]
Cell +[protected]
E-mail [protected]@iafrica.com

Had a car rented at the pittsburgh, pa airport on june 10 for one week. When I arrived, I discovered that I had forgotten my driver's license. They would not rent the car to me. That much I understand. But my fiancé was there with me and we attempted to complete the rental using her driver's license and she would be the driver. They would not complete the original rental, but they turned around and rented us another car using her driver's license. Then I was billed for the original rental plus the one my fiancé rented. Why? Why could you not have completed the original rental? Your rigidity in following some stupid regulations has cost you a customer, as I will never rent from any company using cartrawler and I will inform all my friends and post complaints to your website and to companies who use your services whenever I get the urge. There is something called "common sense", which you obviously don't understand or choose to ignore in order to make a few extra dollars. I can only repeat that my fiance tried to complete the reservation using her driver's license, but was unable to do so. I was right there with her. Please explain why that was unsatisfactory without quoting me some arcane regulations that should not have applied in this case. Why is it more important to you to make a couple hundred extra dollars instead of making a satisfied customer who would use your services again? I do not understand your logic. Also, when I originally filed a complaint, I was told a "customer care representative" would be contacting me to "give me regular updates".
Never once heard from anyone until tomasz sent me an email with the results of your "investigation". This whole process has been a not very funny joke from a company that has no idea what constitutes fairness.
Booking ref: us9911260444

Booking Ref: ES950536680
Booked a car from Menorca airport foe an unbelievable price. Checked out all of the reviews and decided Holiday Autos were a reputable company as they scored highly. Arrived at the public meeting zone on the car park as per the instructions and there was no sign of Holiday Auto's. Asked the other companies who were there and they said that yes this was the right place but they had not seen anybody from Holiday Autos that day. Called the local number to which there was not reply, waited and kept trying the local number. After about 6 calls it was answered and I was told the shuttle bus would be with us in a few minutes. Over 20 unanswered calls and 2 hours it became apparent that the shuttle bus was not going to turn up. Ended up hiring from Europcar in the terminal, more pricey but at least they had a car. Was willing to give Holiday Autos the benefit of doubt on the basis they had good reviews. Reported this on return from holiday and was told a resolution could take up to 20 days which has now passed and I have heard nothing.

I booked a car hire deal through Ryanair in April 2018, when also booking flights, for July / August at Mallorca.
I selcted this online booking for the car hire from 26.7. to 6.8.2018 and paid with this booking an amount of 157.61 Euro, net of transfer fees.
When I had receivecd the confirmation of this booking / payment I discovered that the system had booked for a 7 day hire period, not as I had asked, as above, an 11 day hire period.
I addressed that by ringing your helpline and was told that extra money would be payable to make up for the shortfall. I authorised for this to take place using the credit card details that had been used to make the booking in the first place. I took it that I was now paying the balance. When the voucher for the correct hire timing arrived I discovered that the total payable was 303.86 Euro. I expected thus that I had paid the balance of 303.86 minus 157.61, i.e. 146.25 Euro. This seemed excessive since the hire period of 7 days for 157.61 was a lot lower per day of hire than 146.25 Euro for the remaining 4 days. In any event what I then discovered when the credit card statement arrived around 7. May was that I had been charged not a total of 303.86 Euro but a total of 365.87 Euro.
From our nominated credit card account cartrawler withdrew 62.01 Euro more than the hire voucher states.
Please explain why!
Booking Number: ES962530400

Kurt Nesseler

this is details emailed to Cartrawler on 02.05.2017 on my return, I am still waiting for an reply - Ryanair customer service provided the service as the booking was made through the Ryanair website at time of booking flights.

From: Carroll, Angela
Sent: 02 May 2018 14:21
To: [protected]@cartrawler.com
Subject: car hire reference IE951999720

I booked a car through you for my trip to Ireland with Ryan Air on 29.04.2018 - Hertz the car provider were unable to provide the service as they did not have a machine to accept chip and pin credit card - and were not able to accept any other method of payment - I had then to approach another car hire firm who had the facility to accept chip and pin - for this reason I would like a refund - [protected]@gmail.com.

Mary Angela Carroll
[protected]

I selected a Mercedes Vito on the website and paid the booking and was then confirmed as a Renault. I went on the website and tried to change the vehicle but the price for the Mercedes was now nearly twice the pre booked price.
Feeling ripped off I went to cancel and was presented with a web chat option that didn't work. I tried the Cartrawler phone number in Dublin which didn't work and then the London number which just rang out.

Cartrawler - please contact me to remedy what might be a mistake otherwise I have jus been conned by you !

I have all the screenshots to back this up...

Advantage car rental us839519080, I hired my car on may 11 and returned it on may 25, on may 28 a charge of £46.40 was put on my credit card this was no problem as I was due to pay road tolls.

But on june 5 another charge of £175.52 was put on my card with no explanation as to why so I have no other information I can add to this complaint,
James hill hyslop
53 cuthelton street
Glasgow g31 4ny

I have paid for rent a car in manila by avis. The car compani reject this deal because of my driver licence from Norway. He do not understand Norwegen but it is a legal driver licence and he told me I should get my money back. I have tried to connect by CarTrawler my Booking nr. is PH930703960 . I do not get rent this car and i do not get any answere on my e-mail adr. [protected]@hotmail.no

Hello,
we went through your services last May for the rental of a vehicle to palermo.
Only, after having been debited 64.96 by your services, I was then surprised to be debited 73.20 per Hertz.
I therefore contacted them to have a relboursemebt and according to them they are not entird and the request for preliminary contact. can you tell me why I paid twice my bill.
Thank you for speedy return.
Thank you to read the attachments and emails exchanged with hertz
I am reachable at [protected] (France)
Mrs clary audrey

- Booking Reference: AE979589080
- Pick up point: Dubai international airport (Terminal 3)
- Pick up time: 20:30, May 27 2018

Hello, I am really upset with your taxi service I have booked through Emirates website. I have never heard of your company name & just booked airport pick up service through Emirates. I could use Uber taxi but I wanted to minimise the waiting time that is why I booked the service in advance.

The flight arrived on time, but I could not find my name among taxi drivers.
I waited almost 30 minutes with my family (I have a little baby too) and eventually I had to call the taxi company.
I am told by them I have to wait another 30 minutes. What an absolute joke!
So I said no way I will spend another 30 minutes, and instead I had to book Uber.

This is 100% your fault that the taxi driver did not turn up on time & did not advise the passenger about the delay.
If I did not call the taxi, I would probably wait who knows how many hours...!

This is my first visit to Dubai, and you absolutely ruined my 1st day in Dubai.
I got blame from my family for this... Why should I get the blame for which I did not do?

Anyway, after arriving in the hotel, I tried to log my complaint through your website and system error keep occurred!
And now I have managed to find this email address that is why I am emailing you now.

I have not heard anything from you after the incident & I want full refund ASAP!

On 5-23-18 I noticed that the pickup time cartrawler had listed for me to get my rental car at Reykjavík airport on 5-26-18 was incorrect. The agent I spoke to told me he needed to cancel that reservation and give me a new one at a price of about 527 USD. I had previously paid 475 USD for the original reservation. He said the 475USD would be rolled forward onto the new reservation, leaving me a balance due of about 52 USD. But at the airport the Budget agent had no record of this rollover payment and forced me to pay 527USD and extras. It seems Cartrawler had booked the first reservation with a different agency and Budget had no knowledge of that. In addition Budget said it doesn't even recognize or deal with Cartrawler. I am demanding to find out whether I was charged twice for this rental due to the Cartrawler agent's error. If so I expect a full refund of the original charge on my card. The first booking number was IS795841760. That should've been canceled. The new booking number with Budget is IS830411090. Please confirm my first booking was canceled and I was not charged twice!from marguerite skorepa and James l lewis 2020 east reserve circle Avon Ohio 44011 email is m.[protected]@gmail.com cell is [protected] another email is [protected]@gmail.com

I want my $235.88 reimbursed. Car trawler scammed me and I will not stop fighting this. I was supposed to pay a remainder of $96 when i went to go pick up the car at Thirfty on January 13, 2018, with the fact that i paid the prepaid amount of $235.88. When i got there the desk at thirsty said that prepaid amount has nothing to do with them. I to upset and called Cartrawler saying i won't get the car. I believe the way i spoke made the situation more confusing. The agent i spoke to understood i didn't get there car. I did get the car, that isn't the issue. The issue is, i was charged the full amount when i got to thirsty, so i want to know where di my $235.88 prepaid amount go? Car trawler stole it! I rent cars all the time and would never pay the amount that i did. When asking the desk at Thirfty they told me to call car trawler and work it out. So i had to pay the full amount if i wanted the car. I spoke to many agents at Cartrawler and no one is getting back to me. Sneaks and snakes these workers at Cartrawler are. If they had nothing to hide then why isn't customer service calling me back, when told by agents i will get a call from customer service. Trust me when i say, i will not stop fighting until i have whats right, my $235.88 back.
Thank you. If i don't hear from you, you will hear from me.

Sophia Marrapodi
[protected]@gmail.com)

Ref IT962688240 Fox Transfers
When I completed the details I was asked for pick up time which I put as our flight time (as was the information required when picked up from the airport to the hotel. I stated in the 'comments that this was the flight time as the transfer company always calculates the pick up time as I have no way of knowing traffic etc. Having not had any confirmation I rang the evening before the pick up was due only to be told that our pick up was the flight time. Having spoken to 2 people I was informed that the time could not be altered and I and my 3 fellow passengers were left stranded in Lake Garda, and they refused to refund my money. Had it not been for the very helpful hotel we may well of missed our flight and I am now 160 euros out of pocket.
In twenty years of booking transfers I have always had to give the flight time and the company calculates the journey time. If this was different then why did nobody read my comment and question it. What is the point of a comments field if no one reads it. I feel that I should be entitled to at least a refund!
D Curtis

I attempted an on-line booking for a pick-up at rome airport on the 18th september 2018. Car trawler took a £20 deposit. However, we never received an email confirmation. Waited several days and became nervous. Eventually contacted american express to retrieve the £20 deposit.
In the meantime we have organised another car hire.
American express advised me that the booking was legitimate and provided me documentation from yourselves with a booking reference - it923917440. Booking made under my son-in-law's name as he is the lead driver. Email address [protected]@gmail.com.
I have tried to access the booking using all the relevant information and your system does not recognise the booking.
I need to cancel this booking please? And the original £20 deposit returning.
We made the reservation in good faith and somehow your system has not worked on this occasion.
I look forward to hearing from you.
[protected]@gmail.com

Copy of screen print provided showing problem of accessing booking

I rented a car through your service from 5/2 to 5/19. The car was rented in Rome with Locauto and paid in advance. I returned the car on 5/17. Locuato refused to give me a refund for the 2 days not used. It does not seem fair that Locuato has the car that I paid for those 2 days and could rent it to someone else. As a result getting double payment on the car. You should not do business with a company that has this unfair business practice. I would like to have a refund for the 2 days not used. Please help me get that refund. MY email is [protected]@aol.com.

Thank you.

I booked a car through Ryan Air to collect at East Midlands airport. When I arrived at the airport, despite numerous calls to the office of Esirent no-one was available. As it was about 9.30pm I had to take a taxi to my accommodation which cost me 25 sterling

The following morning I called the office a number of times and finally had to call customer service. I was unable to collect the car until about 11 am and had to take another taxi back to the airport.

I have made a number of complaints to the company directly but have had no positive response.