21 June 2024 , 23:01
1294
0
Holidaymakers are being urged to swerve a car hire company which flunked a Which? consumer survey.
Goldcar was awarded just two stars out of five for value for money, car description matching reality, record given of damage and customer service. The outfit, which operates in Spain, Portugal, France and the US got an overall satisfaction score of just 52%.
One-fifth of respondents who used Goldcar disliked their car’s condition and 23% reported being charged extra either when they picked up or returned the vehicle.
Which? said its previous investigations found cases of the business engaging in “pressure selling tactics” to encourage customers to buy extra insurance at the desk.
The car hire company with the second-lowest overall score was Dollar, followed by Record Go, Budget and Sixt. Two brands based in the Canary Islands had the highest scores – AutoReisen and Cicar – while the top-ranked broker was Zest Car Rental.
Best and worst holiday package providers ranked with some big names falling down
Rory Boland, editor of Which? Travel, said: “Booking car hire should be straightforward, but all too often it feels like the wild west, with travellers lamenting fraught experiences, poor customer service and spurious fees.
“Goldcar in particular is best avoided.” The firm, owned by Europcar Mobility Group, said it was “disappointed” about the results.
“The company takes customer care very seriously with a code of ethics for counter sales and a guide of good sales practices, both of which are reviewed annually,” a spokesman said.
“We are committed to investigating any incidents where a customer believes they have received a service that does not match expectations.”