Europcar Review

Overall 4.00 of 5 (by 1 user)

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Writer

mrkstvns
Austin, TX

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Straightforward Deals on Really Nice Cars

practical, NOT going to pay a lot for a rental car, into occasional luxury, appreciative of good service

Pros

good cars, straightforward prices

JAN

2008

I used trains to get just about everywhere during my recent holiday through the Alps, but we wanted to do an excursion into Bavaria to see Neuschwanstein, the fairy tale perfect castle of "Mad" King Ludwig II. Train schedules were beyond impractical for us, so the rental car was the easy backup plan. I'd scoped out prices before I left, and was figuring I could probably get a car in Innsbruck for about 70 euros. I didn't book it though because I wanted flexibility in the schedule, and when I got to Innsbruck and tried to book the cheap car (not through Europcar), I couldn't do it. A call to Europcar a couple days before I wanted to drive got me a reservation for an Audi A3 for a day --- though at a price about 50 percent higher than I could have gotten if I would have booked elsewhere back when I was first setting up the trip. Even still, I consoled myself knowing that Hertz would have charged even double Europcar's rate, so I didn't get reamed even though I didn't get a bargain either.

I liked that the Europcar price I was quoted was a "bottom line" price, not a "come on" price that would be later inflated with fees and nonsense. It included required insurance protection, and the prices listed in the paperwork at the rental pickup site matched what I had been given when I reserved the car. If you're not renting at a major airport location during typical daytime hours, check the drop-off terms: our contract specified that the pickup site closed at 4:30 each afternoon, but we could return up until 10pm, but with extra charges.

The car itself was excellent. Low mileage and very clean. I just loved getting a car with a 6-speed transmission. It's always next to impossible to get a car with a stick when you rent in the U.S., it's refreshing to go elsewhere and find that the automatics are the cars you can't find. Especially in winter weather, I'd far rather have the extra precision and control of a stick than the unpredictable behavior of an automatic (those things are just SOOO complicated, aren't they?).

The A3 is a wonderful car to drive, with soft leather seats, a good sound system, and a quiet, solid ride. At 102 euros per day, it was hardly a bargain, but I can't really complain.

Europcar gave me an excellent car and was up-front and honest in their pricing and rental agreement. There were no surprises at pickup or dropoff, and I'd use them again in a heartbeat.