Goldcar - fuel logistical fee

A snowHead

I've booked car hire from Malpensa through Goldcar for 11 days in March for €73.

I know they are dodgy but have used them before and while they weren't great, they were good enough that I am willing to book with them again. With separately-purchased car hire excess insurance of course.

Anyway - I wanted to highlight a new charge in the Ts&Cs which I haven't seen before: a "fuel logistical fee" which has to be paid for at the desk and is obligatory regardless of the rental's fuel policy (Full to Full in our case). Doesn't say how much it is. Reviews suggest it's not a massive amount, but sounds a bit ridiculous! Laughing

Anyone come across this before?

A snowHead

Is it a refuelling fee?

Surely that would only come into play if you returned it with less than a full tank?

It'll be interesting to know the answer as I've spotted that Goldcar and a few other smaller companies have some very low headline rates at Barcelona for my trip to Andorra in Feb.

Companies with low headline rates usually find a way of making up the difference. I noticed cross-border fees (to Andorra) in the small print of the deal I saw.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

@denfinella, Goldcar have a bad reputation based almost entirely on fact.

I wouldnt touch them with a bargepole.

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Goldcar are a bunch of crooks. Scammed £100 off my credit card for premium insurance once when I explicitly asked the person at the desk if it was just a holding payment (which of course they said it was). As I’d signed I had no ability to challenge. I can only assume their employees are targeted on upselling insurance as that’s where they make most margin.

Personally I’d rather walk than hire another car from them. Just wish I’d written their car off (given it was now fully covered with no excess) to inconvenience them.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

It's notionally the fee for them filling the car up for you. €30

€73 for 11 days sounds a good start if you have your wits about you and are aware of their various scammy traps and how to avoid them (seems like you are)

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I thought that Goldcar had gone out of business due to their dodgy practices a few years ago. Before they did I also used them from Malpensa, where they added a refueling charge before rental at a high rate. the amount was fixed no matter how much fuel was in the tank. They tried telling us that the customers prefered this by not having to fill the car up before returning it. I have never used them again and beleive the booking agent I use, Argos, removed them from their books as well.

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

This is quite a common issue at Malaga. You have a rough idea what the fee is and, as long as you assume, it is the equivalent of an additional rental charge and, when comparing rental prices, then OK.

To check the reasonableness of hire prices I always use Zest or equivalent which make very clear what charges are and are not included.

Tbh E73 plus a refuelling charge stills seems more than reasonable for 11 days - just make sure you check everything including the less obvious - windscreen, alloys, undersills, underbumpers, inside the doors and door edge and hatchback edges and all are marked on the damage report

After all it is free

*Ski* the Net with snowHeads

It’s not beyond them to charge you the €30 just to take it to the pump, then what ever price per litre they then think they can get away with…

snowHeads are a friendly bunch.

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I should have clarified that the logistical fee is in addition to a refundable fuel deposit, the latter of which is returned as long as the car is brought back with a full tank.

The logistical fee might be for "checking the car is full", i.e. getting in the car and looking at the fuel gauge...

I'm OK with paying that fee because even though it's a silly one, it was listed in the T&C's and doesn't appear to be a lot of money.

Last time I used Goldcar they tried to add various unexpected charges at the desk, but we stood out ground and eventually they magically disappeared. And our deposit was returned without quibble at the end. I expect that'll be the best case scenario for March too (and could be worse), but will report back!

I think at these sort of prices they are worth a punt as long as you are armed with robust excess insurance, knowledge of the Ts&C's, have time to politely reject any scams at the desk, and take lots of photos of the car before and after hiring.

@denfinella, how much cheaper are they compared to other suppliers to make the risk worth it?

You know it makes sense.

I'll go to all sorts of lengths to save money, but when it comes to hire cars I bite the bullet and use someone like Enterprise or Hertz.

However if you're thick-skinned enough to deal with the likes of Goldcar, and won't let it ruin your holiday, then fair play. Please report back how it goes!

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

Did I mention that the £73 figure is for an SUV class vehicle? Laughing

Apologies - it is £ not €.

@geoffknight, the cheapest "reputable" company (Alamo) is £100+ more for Economy class. Or a lot more than that for larger vehicles.

A snowHead

I think at the low prices above 11 days for 73£ , Goldcar and similar make very little on car rental . I think their business model is to charge richly for add-ons ; Their own insurance, fueling charges , vastly inflated damage fees etc

I generally choose lower cost car rental companies (Autovia etc) , but I do so in the expectation , they will attempt to add on . So far, I have never had to pay an add on

A snowHead

As Denfinella says as long as you understand the process Goldcar are fine, I've used them lots, probably 20-30 times, without issue and often had cars from BCN for £2/3 a day in winter, free basically. Had one breakdown and they sent someone in another car for us, painless.
If you are relying on your own excess insurance then take a pile of photos and a video and email them to Goldcar on pick up. If you book direct with them and take their all inclusive zero excess package you don't have to bother with the photos etc, works out more than using your own excess policy but eliminates the hassle of having to make a claim if they try anything.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

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Update on this: happy to report that Goldcar at Malpensa didn't charge the fuel logistical fee in the end.

Help!!

Goldcar - fuel logistical fee

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