GoldCar Rental
Reviews and Complaints

I rented a car from the 29th of March to the 2nd of April 2023. Paid a deposit for fuel (€82) and toll (€150). As of today, neither has been refunded.

For the toll they should refund the deposit minus what I used. Instead I got an email saying they tried to charge my card for the toll and failed so I need to make the payments with Portuguese highways directly. First I see no reject payment from my bank, second they should use my deposit as stated in the contract.

I called customer support to sort out and someone called Leila picked up: she could hear me fine and confirmed so, as soon as I explained the issue, she hang up on me. I called again twice, same person answered and hanged up as soon as they recognized my voice.

I rented a car on Tenerife in advance. When landing, I needed to wait in line for 1 hour to be served. While being processed, they added terms that were included in the email PDF "contract". There were new restrictions to the usage of the car, e.g. not changing the island. Despite debating for another 45 minutes with them, I took the car. It is parked 500 meters away from the check counter. So all the issues with the car are not checked before you sign the contract!

The car itself was a wreck. Totally demolated. Even the document said it was demolished, but there was more than marked. I tried to tell the local clerks, disrupting their chat breaks 5 times. Then one lost his patience with me and said "take a pencil and just mark the issues on the document here and leave". I did just that. After returning the car, they wrote an email with "new" issues on the car. Nothing was new. They claim they never receive fotos from me, which is a lie.

After 2 months, they withdrew money again without consent. My insurance will cover it, even I didn't do anything. Worst car rental ever experienced. Lowest.

To whom it may concern;

I would like to file a complaint regarding our contract [protected]

We rented the car in Malaga airport. When we got to the car we checked it and took pictures we noticed several damages/marks that were not on the condition report. We went back to the counter, where the person requested we bring the car to the counter and when showed all additional existing damages/marks on the car we were dismissed that all this is nothing and he turned around and went back to the office. He would not add it to the condition report.

When we returned the car at Alicante airport there was no one to inspect the car, the lady at the counter insisted that she can not leave her post and that it is totally fine to leave the car and return the key.

10-15 minutes later we received an email stating that our car was damaged and that we need to sign accident report and additionally we received documents stating that they will keep 200,78 eur of excess deposit. I am attaching their photo of the returned car.

I am also attaching photo (time stamped 27/04/23 at 16.26 geolocated at the airport parking at Malaga) of the car in the condition before starting the rental contract, where you can clearly see the same damage on the edge of headlamp and dent that your report is insisting was caused during our rental contract.

We are not responsible for that damage and can not sign the accident report as we did not cause it. Signing accident report for damage that was existing before our rental would be fraudulent and illegal and would be participating in committing insurance fraud.

I think keeping our money for damage that was existing before our rental contract is illegal and fraudulent.

On March 18, 2023, I made a car reservation through the Booking.com portal and the car was to be picked up at the Goldcar counter at Tenerife South Airport. The cost of the reservation shown online was 137.06 Euro.

When I arrived at the Goldcar counter and presented my reservation number from Booking.com, I was presented with a contract in Spanish, which I do not understand, to sign. The amount on the contract was for 219.69 Euro. Additionally, they charged me a deposit of 118.00 Euro, which should be fully refunded if the car is returned fully fueled.

My account was charged as follows:

• 219.69 Euro by Goldcar

• 118.00 Euro by Goldcar

• 189.78 Euro by Cars on Booking London

I do not understand why my account was charged twice for the same service by two different companies.

As a customer reserving a car through Booking.com, I expect the car to be rented at the price shown in the online application

I returned the car washed and tanked fully, and of the deposit of 118.00 Euro so far, only 94.46 Euro has been refunded.

To my online complains by Goldcar there is no answer since 3 weeks!

Cannot believe something like that is possible now a day in Europe.

I complaint also to Booking, and they answered that I not necessary signed new contract, and they also refused to return my money!

What can I do now?

I hired a vehicle (via DoyouSpain) from Goldcar out of Alicante airport. When I arrived to pick my vehicle up I was informed that the contract had been cancelled and that I had to take out a new contract. The contract had not been cancelled! The new contract that I had to take out was €347. The original price I had already paid was €229. When I complained Goldcar would only refund me €52. In reality I should have been refunded €347.

An underhand way to increase profits! If you can't afford to honour the prices you quote then you should not quote them.

We came to Alicante Airport getting a car from GoldCar rental and with the car key was the previous damaged report of 2 small scratch and dent on back bumper and mirror housing.

If we find any other small fault: Take picture and send e-mail to [protected]@goldcar.com, it will be dokumented, it's "GoldCar procedure" Told us by GoldCar front officer Joxxxxn 31/3-2023.

We find 14 other scratches and irregularities not mentioned in GoldCar check-out list. We send 7e-mail with 17 pictures + updated check-out list as requested and gave good dokumentation for them to prosess.

We trusted GoldCar professional service standard which they claim they have.

After renting the car and deliver it before opening hours as planed, in the right place, at the right time, we go over the car and there is no additional damaged made to the car.

When GoldCar office opens and the car is checked* We get a e-mail from [protected]@GoldCar.com the car we rented has been in a traffic accident, we have 48 hours to report back with damage report!

I send e-mail responding off course we have not been in a accident and is suspicious the pictures we took and the additional damage previous rentals was not possessed correctly.

Customer service at GoldCar is now telling us to send pictures to 2 different e-mail adresses and because we did not buy extra expensive innsurace with GoldCar they can not help out at service desk level and no office manager take phone calls, (goldcar prosedure) further information given us is the [protected]@GoldCar.com will be using up to 30 days to reply, giving us no time for the previous 48houre claim from first e-mail to get this matter out of order.

We are accused with no dokumenting or pictures of damaging GoldCar Rental property and is not getting swift service resolving this matter.

We do not like this at All!

Arrived at Malaga Airport after a lengthy flight delay so 6 and a half hours late for my car rental, and was told I couldn't have the car as I was too late. This appears to be the gold car policy. Which is a disappointing but understood.

I had spoken to the goldcar customer services call centre prior to my flight, knowing the delay, who told me that the car would not be held, but if a car was still available then the booking value could atleast be used towards a new booking.

Upon arrival a very rude assistant dealt with me by abruptly telling me my booking was no longer valid, when I explained my previous conversation with customer services, I was flat out lied to and told there were no cars available, (a fact I can prove was a lie by the fact I hired a car with a fresh booking on the spot), the staff member then walked off leaving me alone at the counter not knowing what was going on.

My wife, a native Spanish speaker then told me what the conversation the staff had had in Spanish was about. Assuming we as English speakers couldn't understand them, a colleague told the woman dealing with me, Estafania, that she she could let my original booking stand, but she rejected that, she accused me of lying about the call to customer services.

At this point I managed to speak to a different member of staff, who said 'of course there are plenty are cars', again proving the earlier blatant lie. Then proceeded to offer me a new rental for just £440 (the original was £142), with zero discount or money back from my first booking, and he got particularly angry at me when baulked at this offer and rejected it. I guess they thought they had the opportunity to REALLY rip me off.

Needing a car and seeing no help coming at the counter, I made a fresh booking online for £142, a third of that offered at the counter.

Unfortunately when returning to the counter with a new booking I was dealt with by Estafania again, she was again incredibly rude, virging on abusive, she eventually, and reluctantly honored the new booking making very clear she was not happy to do so. She accused me of faking my own signature amongst other dramas and when I asked if the name of who had served me was on the paperwork she shouted 'dont worry, I won't be hearing from you, you don't scare me'. At know point did I try to 'scare' her or act threateningly, but I guess this was a reaction to knowing a complaint was coming against her. But it seems she is confident that when she acts like this noone from goldcar customer services takes any action against her.

Overall, the worst customer service I have been subject to, possibly in my entire life, an absolute disgrace.

And this is on top of feeling ripped off by the policy and implementation related to the delay. I will be chasing that up separately.

Goldcar Car Hire Alicante Airport. Pick up 16th March return 23rd March 2023.

Seat Leon Agreement No. [protected]. My complaint is after returning the vehicle I was emailed to say my car was involved in an accident and was sent a form to complete within 48 hours or be charged 94 euros. I immediately replied stating that I had not been in any accident. I also received a check out form indicating areas of damage on the car that I strongly dispute. It also mentioned no luggage cover in the car. When I picked up the car there was definitely no luggage cover in the car. On the 24th March my Barclaycard has been charged £214.90 with no detailed explanation as to why. I would also add that I took out the maximum insurance cover of Mega Relaxed Cover in order to safeguard myself from any charges relating to damage to the car. I would stress that the car had been in no accidents and was well looked after to the point where I even washed it before handing the car back. The car was in the exact same condition when I returned it as it was when I picked it up. I have photographs of the vehicle at drop off.

I rented a car from Goldcar at Marseille airport from 9-13th March, 2023.

Contract number: [protected]

On the morning of the 13th we had an emergency and realised we would have to extend our stay until the 14th. We emailed the Marseille agency at around 9am saying that we had a situation and would need to keep the car a day longer. We had no response. We also tried calling and got no answer. Later that day when I finally got through, I was told I would need to bring the car to the agency to extend the booking or run the risk of a fine. This is an insane rule, given that many customers will be very far away from the agency where they hired the car. Given the emergency situation we were not able to drive all the way back to Marseille so had to keep the car regardless. Every other hire company allows you to change the booking online so I don't see why Goldcar does otherwise. I am happy to pay for the extra day hire but not for the late return fee given that I tried to contact you several times regarding this.

Then, I was charged an additional €72 cleaning fee. Again, every other company I have hired from cleans cars inside and out post hire. This amount is totally excessive.

The worst is that I was then charged at least €260 for an incredibly faint and shallow scratch on the rear of the car near the bottom. I used the car twice, once to drive to my destination and once to return to the airport. If a small stone hits the car whilst driving, what is the driver expected to do? This is entirely unpreventable, and I have received no evidence of the scratch still being there after the car was washed. Can you provide evidence of it still being there? Regardless, the fact that you are charging people this excessively for normal wear and tear is absolutely unethical and frankly disgusting.

You also didn't communicate the final charges or breakdown of costs. It is through sheer luck that I checked my bank statement for something else and saw the nearly €600 charged to my card. For a rental which was meant to cost €108 to now cost 600 because of some mud and an unavoidable (and not proven scratch) is absolutely absurd. I will be taking this as far as possible in order to get the refund I am due.

I recently ordered a Citroen DS3 from Tenerife (there was 2 of us and a set of golf clubs). I arrived at the airport only to be "greeted" by possibly the rudest lady I have ever met and I got the insistence that I have to take out the very expensive insurance or give them over 1K as a deposit. They would not let me get my money didn't have a choice. They presented me with a Fiat 500 that was covered with dents and had 94K on the clock. This was a 3 week rental but after the first week the breaks started to make a grinding noise and the brake pedal went soft. The engine warning light also came on. I had to call a recovery truck and hang around for the car to be recovered. I said I wanted my money back as they wanted me to go to the airport (and waist another day of my holiday). Why can they rent out an un roadworthy car?.

The issue that I have experienced was: I was charged an amount in GBP when I picked up a car (1408.43GBP), but when I returned the car I was refunded an amount in EUR (1531EUR) which equates to approx. 1358.31GBP.

After raising the issue with Goldcar Customer Service, I was informed that a currency exchange rate and commission was included in the payment I made initially, but not included in the refund upon return of the car. I never agreed to such a charge and the Rental Agreement I signed (of which I have a physical copy) doesn't include any details about exchange rates or commissions. I should have been charged the amount in EUR to start with.

This meant that I ended up paying for a currency exchange rate and commission which I didn't agree with, which set me back approximately 50GBP.

I booked and paid €425.72 for a car on the April16th. It was booked with Rentalcars.com and to collect the car on Thursday 16th June at Marseilles Airport and returning on the 23rd June.
Goldcar account number 02231-01 and confirmation number was [protected]

I forgot to change the time on my booking which was 1000 hrs and did not arrive until about 1600 hrs. I was advised that due to this, my car was given to someone else... I can understand that. When I asked for another car, it was too expensive and I could not afford it.

As you gave my car to someone else, you do not need to get another payment for the same car from me when I didn't get it.
I am not looking for a refund, but rather a credit note so I can use to rent from you again.
If you need any more information, please ask me
I made the same complaint in July 2022 but I received no reply.
I look forward to you hearing from you

I hired a car from goldcar in Lisbon airport in mid-November, I paid a large fuel deposit of over 110 euros that would be returned if I gave it back with a full tank of diesel, which I did.
I also paid 75 euros deposit for electronic toll pass on the understanding what ever I didn’t use got returned, I’ve since been told I used 33 euros and the rest will be returned.

Unfortunately after 2 months of many emails, phone calls and very few replies that’s helped very little I still have no money returned and no idea if I will get it back.
The last email I received from goldcar was a payment code they said to give my bank as they have paid it and my bank must be blocking the payment, I’ve spoken with my bank and they have no records of anything being blocked and the code does exist on their system.

Soon after speaking with my bank, I emailed GoldCar informing them of what my bank said and have requested an invoice for some sort to show my money being returned and proof they have done so.
After 2 weeks, still no reply. Terrible service who have scammed me of over 150 euros

Breaking of contract. Car was deemed dangerous to drive and taken back to Tenerife South airport On 22.01.23 and even though the rental period was until 25.01.23, no replacement car was provided. After a two hour wait at the airport and a queue of another 3 hours ahead of us at the Goldcar desk in the airport, we tried to hire another goldcar online but none were available according to the website. We were forced to hire the last car available with euro car to be able to get home and to attend booked and paid for events - and we are now going to return the euro car (87 euros) to the airport and this time hopefully be able to collect our replacement goldcar. We have lost hours of our holiday time, ruined my son’s last night in Tenerife, and had to spend €87 on a euro car because Goldcar hired us a damaged vehicle, took it away and did not provide an immediate replacement. Please refund us the €87. We saved the company paying for a taxi to the airport so the least they should do is refund the cost of the temporary hire car.

Jozef Verleysen
Contract: [protected]
Codigo cliente: [protected]
I hired a car at Goldcar Alicante (33d time) from november 13-december 11
All former times the "Deposito Combustible" -this time euros 152 !- was correctly refunded, even before we arrived at home !
This time, after 4 weeks, I didn't receive a single euro.
Greenshot: Square Advocaten
Ministerie Economische Zaken-Consumentenbelangen

Dear Sir/Madam

We hired a car from Goldcar, Son Sant Joan Airport, Palma de Mallorca, Balearic Islands from 27/10/22 to 4/11/22.

Booking Reference Number: ES632581800

Confirmation no. [protected]

GOLDCAR reference [protected]

Our hire terms included Super Relax insurance cover which included cover for loss of keys. On returning the car, we failed to post the keys through the return box (Airpods posted instead of keys) and we returned to the UK with the keys.

Despite having insurance cover (through Goldcar’s policy) for loss of keys, without any correspondence or agreement, Goldcar took £104.09 from our account on 10/10/2022 and £1194.44 from our account on 15/11/2022. Further withdrawals were made by Goldcar but were subsequently reimbursed (although we were subject to international transaction charges).

We raised a complaint with Goldcar but our complaint has been marked as finalised despite not hearing anything from Goldcar.

Goldcar have, at their own will, taken money from our account for a matter we had insurance cover for. Despite having the relevant insurance cover, in good faith and to assist Goldcar, the keys were subsequently returned to Goldcar.

We would be grateful for your assistance in returning the money which has been unlawfully taken as a matter of urgency.

Full copies of correspondence and transactions can be provided as required.

We look forward to hearing from you.

Yours faithfully

Rachel and Fergus Russell

re rental dys [protected] made via doyouspain in which i took out extra excess insurance:

date of rental from malaga airport 14 to 22 september.

The car accident was on 16th, and i telephoned goldcar , spoke to manager Julian who arranged for recovery of the vehicle.

2 weeks after returning home £1630 has been taken from my credit card with no notification from goldcar contrary to Ts and Cs. without this notification i cannot claim the money back.

I do not have the rental agreement, and you did not email me with details prior to taking £1630 off my credit card.

there is also a bill of 250 euros for damage to third parties property.

I rented a car with GoldCar through Booking.com and was surprised when collecting the car with many mandatory extra fees that I was coerced to pay or the attendant would not give me the car keys. I was forced to pay:

- €14 cargo oficina premium fee that was not previously mentioned anywhere.

- €59,71 cobertura super relax + €12,36 smart return + €11,57 mega relax cover fees that I was forced to buy even having the full insurance bought previously from Booking.com as can be seen in my reservation documents.

- €33,06 entrega fuera horario oficina that I was unfairly charged as I arrived before 11pm at the Goldcar counter as I can easily prove through the arrival time of my flight (public information available). The counter was full of people with only 3 people attending and the queue was huge, so it took me a lot of time to be attended although I had arrived at the counter way before 11pm (as I can prove).

Furthermore, I'd like to include the fact that I was forced to be alone at the counter, my wife could not join me as only the driver was authorized to be there and I don't speak Spanish, so I was attended by a person that spoke to me in another language and refused to give me the car keys without signing and paying for all these abusive charges that I couldn't even know what were about.

Contrato: [protected]

I want my money back from all these abusive charges.