Car Rental loyalties tested

[TomUK]

Sorting out a car for our May visit. Used AlgarveDriver via this site for a while now and can't fault their service. However, looking at their prices for this year I see that the price for the same two weeks as last year has jumped from €173 to €230.This is for a small Group A1 vehicle. A rise of €57 seems a bit steep. Had a word with Steen who tells me there may have been a special offer in 2013, and tells me that should the price fall before May, I would only pay the lower price. Fair enough, but I thought I'd check other companies which get good reviews on the forum. Economy Car Hire charge €191 (£160) and other firms have similar rates.
So although I would prefer to stay with AlgarveDriver, a €40 saving is tempting me to change.

[Lamby]

Economy Car Hire every time for me. Always the best price and great service. Cars collected at Car Park 4. Already made three bookings with them this year.

[sam]

Economy Car Hire every time for me. Always the best price and great service. Cars collected at Car Park 4. Already made three bookings with them this year.

Agreed. They also do a loyalty scheme. Points kept for 2 years and if you have 100 points or more you get 10% discount, so even cheaper once you hit that. I can confirm they honour the 10%.

[raggy]

We've used algarve driver for the last 8 years but price in July was so high we've had to look elsewhere and have booked with zit autos for about £160 less

[TomUK]

We've used algarve driver for the last 8 years but price in July was so high we've had to look elsewhere and have booked with zit autos for about £160 less

ZitAuto don't display prices until you fill in their online enquiry form and submit it. I have now done this twice and have yet to receive a reply from them. First one sent last week and latest one three days ago. How long do they normally take to reply?

[snaj1]

Raggy,
likewise. We always book Algarve Driver but the prices are really expensive this year. We've booked with zitauto this year. Cheaper by around 160.00 too

[andara]

Going on previous recommendations for Zitautos on this forum, I requested an online quote and received a response within 24 hours. However, I wasn't sure that the car offered would suit my purpose. I telephoned them and spoke to a very helpful lady, who gave me another quote for a more suitable car. The price was very acceptable and I asked for and received an email confirming the offer.

Very satisfied so far. Will see how it works out in June when we collect the car.

[TomUK]

Perhaps Steen should have a quiet word with YOR (AlgarveDriver).
From posts on here, it seems I'm not alone in thinking their prices are no longer competing with those of ECH and Zitauto.

[ceh]

I've used algarve driver 4 or 5 times a year for the last 7 or 8 years but having looked at prices for ealry June,I may book with Economy Car Hire. I've already booked with algarve driver for easter and July but having started to make comparisons, my loyalty is also being tested.

[MaisieK]

We also always use Algarvedriver but we are also having second thoughts about the prices this year there is such a big difference with other
companies, our main concern is being hit with having to pay 90 euros for a tank of petrol which is what happened to a friend of ours and he
was also told to bring the car back clean or otherwise he would have to pay 6 euros for cleaning!!! We would prefer to stay with Algarvedriver
and YOR.

[Mike Banks]

We''ve used Zitautos for several years and always had good service and good cars from them. Their fuel policy is return with the same amount as when you picked it up, and that has never given me a problem. Also, I''ve never had to wait more than 24 hours for a reply to an online enquiry.

[thefellon]

Likewise , we have used algarvedriver for last 15 years, but prices are too much of a difference now (even with loyalty points, free extra driver etc) , we have used Economy Car Hire last few times with no problem and heck of a site cheaper, quicker, with arguably better cars. The algarvedriver out of hours charge for when we normally arrive at 10:30pm also hits the price.

[Lamby]

Wow! This is all pretty damming for Algarve Driver. I always found them expensive and their web site very dated. Economy Car Hire have a very user friendly web site and are consistently cheaper. Plus, if you become a "member" you can accumulate loyalty points and gain significant discount and get to choose the car supplier at Faro Airport. Travel Rent, Drive 4 Fun etc...... I wanted to book ECH for my car in New Zealand, they were very helpful and gave me 10% discount without even using my loyalty points. Plus, when I said this was our "holiday of a lifetime" and both me and my wife celebrated birthdays while in NZ, they have guaranteed a new, top of the range vehicle in the class of car chosen and sent special instructions to the car provider at Auckland Airport to "look after" us.
Economy Car Hire every time for me. I will be collecting my car from Drive 4 Fun booked through ECH on Saturday. Happy days.

[Alison]

We have used Zitauto for many years - always get an answer to an email enquiry within 24 hrs and we like the no nonsense petrol workings (just return it with whatever was in it when you pick it up). We have had occasional blips with minor key fob/central locking problems but otherwise reliable, good cars.

The only issue that Zitauto seem to be avoiding so far is the one of transponders in cars to deal with motorway tolls which is fine for us as we just ask someone to pay the return toll fee for us after we've left but this isn't practical for paying punters in our villa so we explain the toll options to clients and give them the option of which company to go for. (Look forward to hearing when motorway tolls can be paid online, as opposed to current limitations of a post office or the Intermarche supermarket newspaper shop)

We get a Zitauto Christmas card every year enclosing their car hire rate sheet for the forthcoming year so we can advise rental guests what they should expect to be paying.

[EMM]

We have stuck with Algarve driver for our next trip albeit we have downgraded fom our usual grade of vehicle saving a not insignificant amount.
With the proposed changes at the airport will Zitauto and those others who still have reps inside the terminal at desks by the coffee shop be allowed to continue.?
If not then the queues at the P4 hut will only get longer.
We have never had to wait more than 10 mins with YOR to collect our vehicle rather than the 40mins plus we have heard of during the main season from the crowds milling around the hut.
However if the price difference continues to rise we may have to re think.