My experience with car rental GOLDCAR Spain
In July 2024, we went to Mallorca, Spain and, as usual, rented a car. Unfortunately, the choice fell on GOLDCAR. It turned out to be a bad choice, these are scammers who will try to rip you off for as much money as they can. Therefore, avoid them and you don't have to read any further :-)
Or maybe take a look at their Facebook, where it is full of comments about what scammers they are. Too bad I didn't find it earlier :).
What tricks can you expect?
We ordered the car online, it was supposed to be picked up at the airport in Palma na Mallrc (but this Schmejd rental company operates all over Spain and elsewhere). It was by no means my first rental car, so I know they are always trying something.
The car was supposed to cost €200 for a few days including insurance, I know there is always a catch, but I was still surprised when, without any documents (!!!), a person behind the counter gave me a terminal that showed €512 and let I will pay in a hurry because they have a discount.
I refused that, saying that the car was supposed to cost €200. He explained quite angrily that I can have what I ordered for €160, then €152 will need to be added as a deposit for petrol (if I didn't top it up) and then they want €1400 as a deposit for damage to the car.
But what he offers me is a special "full cover" insurance, I can return it to them no matter how broken it is and it won't be a problem, moreover they won't want €1400 as a deposit for the fruit. €152 as a deposit for petrol will remain.I decided that haggling with them for the €120 return wasn't worth it (previously, as a student, I always risked it with smaller cheap rental companies and it always turned out well...), moreover, I definitely didn't want to sending them more than absolutely necessary - in the "cheaper option" with a deposit on the car it would be €1712 - and in the end I gave him €512 (with a €152 deposit for gas), knowing that at least I would have peace of mind. It did not happen :).
The car itself was quite fine, we were probably lucky here. After a few days, we returned the car to the airport in Palma, filled with gas (there are several gas stations right near the airport). As a precaution, I took a photo of the dashboard with a full tank and the location, I kept the gas receipt (more like an accident) and, moreover, I paid everything with Revolut. Some guy walked around the car, didn't say a word, smiled and took the keys (if you return the car after work, you just throw the keys in the box...)
The attentive reader has probably already understood where the furnace will be buried - the scumbags from GOLDCAR have no intention of returning the deposit of €152 and sent the final invoice, which shows that €151.92 was the cost of petrol + a fine for not refueling...
They do not respond to complaints, or they confirm that they will take care of it and then of course nothing. So I recommend avoiding these scumbags in Spain and everywhere else. Alternatively, just count on the fact that once you send them, you will never see them again - they are thieves.
But otherwise, Mallorca is fine and even these scumbags didn't spoil the impression of my vacation (€152 isn't such a problem, but it's a matter of principle). That's why I decided to write these few lines to discourage them as many customers as possible and my stolen money cost them much more :-).
Michal
Sorry for the mistakes, the text was translated by machine.