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car rental company complaint

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  • 15-06-2011 11:46am
    #1
    nottooxabi
    Registered Users Posts: 54 ✭✭


    Hi,

    just looking for a bit of advice here.

    I used arguscarrentals.com to book a car for a holiday in portugal recently.
    I think the website uses the cartrawler search engine.

    I ordered a "ford focus/VW golf" - as there was a good deal on it.
    When i arrived I got a clio estate ? (clio exception i think)

    I should have complained there and then but with an 11 month old in tow I just wanted to get to my accomodation.

    I contacted the arguscarrental company to explain that i didn't get the car i ordered. I dont know too much about cars but i think the clio is in the class (super mini?) and is certainly not in the same class as a ford focus or vw golf.

    I've asked them for compentation or some sort of discount of my next rental as in my opinion i didn't get what i paid for and only ordered the focus cause it was a good deal advertised on their website.

    Anyway they are not playing ball and are pretty much fobbing me off.
    My brother and a mate of mine have had similar issues with this website in the past.

    I put a simple comparison to them :
    e.g. if i ordered an iphone 4 off the web and received an iphone 3 I would expect my money back or replacement of the product.

    anyway would be interested in hearing your thoughts and if i should keep chasing them up.

    “Under the Sale of Goods and Supply of Services Act 1980, anything you buy from a retailer must be: as described, whether the description is part of the advertising or wrapping, on a label, or something said by the salesperson.”


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    #2
    Paulw
    Registered Users Posts: 13,381 ✭✭✭✭Paulw


    nottooxabi wrote: »
    I ordered a "ford focus/VW golf" - as there was a good deal on it.
    When i arrived I got a clio estate ? (clio exception i think)

    I should have complained there and then

    I put a simple comparison to them :
    e.g. if i ordered an iphone 4 off the web and received an iphone 3 I would expect my money back or replacement of the product.

    anyway would be interested in hearing your thoughts and if i should keep chasing them up.

    Yes, you should have done it there and then.

    If you ordered an iphone4 and got an iphone3, used it and then attempted to complain you wouldn't have a leg to stand on.

    Sorry, but you should have highlighted the issue at the counter, and not after you've made use of the service.


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    #3
    ballsymchugh
    Registered Users Posts: 7,937 ✭✭✭ballsymchugh


    who did you rent the car off though? argus car hire are just an online broker. your issues are really more with who they put you on to i think.

    car rental groups are based on engine size mainly for the small to medium cars. i've found that if i book a medium compact car i'll get a 4 door fiesta that has a 1.6 engine, whereas an economy car may be a 1.2 clio. both cars are pretty much the same size though.
    usually a friendly word with the person at the desk at the airport will get you a more preferable car, which doesn't have to be an upgrade.


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    #4
    nottooxabi
    Registered Users Posts: 54 ✭✭nottooxabi


    Paulw wrote: »
    Yes, you should have done it there and then.

    Thanks pauly... however argus car rentals uses the cartrawler engine to search availability with loads of different car companies..

    On the rental voucher it said "ford focus or similar".. but i didn't get this.
    So I went back to the company that I made the original order through and complain that I didn't get what i ordered from their website. It
    should be up to them to resolve this. Not up to me to deal with some portuguese dude at 10pm at night.


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    #5
    ejmaztec
    Registered Users Posts: 24,089 ✭✭✭✭ejmaztec


    My experience with Argus is that the OP will get nothing from them. Argus has had its cut from the transaction, and that's it as far as the company is concerned.

    As Paulw has said, it should have been sorted at the pick-up point.


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    #6
    nottooxabi
    Registered Users Posts: 54 ✭✭nottooxabi


    It was a brand new car i think thats why i didn't complain too much.. but yes i should have.. It wasn't in the same class as the car i'd ordered..

    the rental company was AirAuto


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    #7
    ejmaztec
    Registered Users Posts: 24,089 ✭✭✭✭ejmaztec


    nottooxabi wrote: »
    It was a brand new car i think thats why i didn't complain too much.. but yes i should have.. It wasn't in the same class as the car i'd ordered..

    the rental company was AirAuto

    It seems to me that whatever class a car falls into, is open to interpretation by the car-hire companies, and then there's the language problem with some of their staff. Sometimes you feel lucky to actually get a car with four wheels on it.

    The only time that I could prove that a car-hire company had allocated the wrong car to me was at Prague airport a couple of years ago, and that was because the invoice was about €100 more than I'd agreed online. They had me down for an automatic, so I told them to change it. After a 15 minute argument, they found me another car with a proper gear lever.


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    #8
    jor el
    Closed Accounts Posts: 16,713 ✭✭✭✭jor el


    Car rentals are never guaranteed for a particular vehicle or type, and the rental companies have themselves well covered in their terms and conditions. They offered a substitute vehicle, and you accepted it. You should have refused the substitute, and forced them to substitute a higher spec car instead.

    You won't get any further with this, and I don't believe that quoting from the legislation will do any good, since you accepted what was offered at the point of sale.


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    #9
    keithclancy
    Registered Users Posts: 9,208 ✭✭✭keithclancy


    As far as I know a Clio/Fabia Combi is above a Hatchback Golf/Focus with Sixt anyway.

    Should say the class on your Rental Form.


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    #10
    roamabout
    Registered Users Posts: 1 ✭roamabout


    Most car hire firm have small cc diesel eco type cars now and that puts them at an advantage. The manuals are usually away in the glove compartment with Diesel marked on them .This is how the <SNIP> works they tell you use petrol a few times at the car pickup depot and unless you check the manual or refuel looking directly at the back of the fuel tank outer cover in a well lit fuel station you might take the car hire guys word for it. Then you pay, because the hire contract clause conveniently will not mention the fuel type.


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