| Out of season you may be lucky to pick up a car without a reservation, but
to be absolutely sure, we recommend you book first.
Many places on the
internet are actually agents and they just find the best deal they can with
any company – including the bad ones. It seems that the cheaper the car
hire, the longer you have to wait for your car (often well over an hour!)
and the more extras they charge. We are dismayed to hear from guests that
many hire car companies are charging for a full tank of petrol at premium
rates, and then asking you to bring it back empty … and many only having
used a quarter of a tank. Check the small print carefully!
A Berlingo, Kangoo
or Doble ("white" vans with high clearance) are good vehicles for up here - a lot of the locals use these types
of vehicle as they are cheap to buy and have good ground clearance plus
loads of boot space. Failing that, Ford Focus and Renault Clio are fine. However,
I don’t think anyone actually gets the car that they request! Don’t worry
too much about it – so long as you don’t go for one of these new cars which
don't have a spare wheel (such as Kia Picantos) or anything too classy
(especially anything with low profile tyres!), you’ll be just fine.
Yes, a 4x4 would be great fun, but they are expensive to hire and not
needed. Our Peugeot 206 takes just about anything we throw at it!
|
| Having not felt we could reliably
recommend any one particular company before, we think we have now found a
firm that, whilst perhaps slightly more expensive at base level, it
guarantees no extras. Several guests have now commended Top Cars, so we have
been in touch with them and managed to get special prices and insurance for
our guests - but you do need to use the log in (click link below). For more details
on "Top Cars", please click here:
Top Cars
There are many hire car companies represented at Malaga airport and you
should have no problems. |
Recommendations: "I
just wanted to let you know that we were very
impressed with the car hire company. It was quick, the people were
very efficient and friendly and excellent English speakers. We got the
car within minutes on arrival and they took us straight to the airport when
we arrived at their office to depart. The office is also very easy to
find and very close to the airport. He drove us in the same car to
save messing around with luggage etc. And the final point, which
impressed us was that he said that as we had left the tank 3/4 full of
diesel, if we returned he would make a note of it and not charge us for the
fuel. So we were pleased all round."
Hilary and Richard Rogers,
3rd Jan to 10th Jan 2008.
As a regular visitor to CENCERRITA I
would like to recommend Top Cars car rental. In Malaga. I was most impressed
on my visit a few weeks ago, one of their staff was waiting when I came
through from the customs area. He took my trolley & was pleasantly surprised
to find him French speaking ( I live in the French speaking part of
Switzerland ) The car was waiting just across the road, so I just signed the
papers & gave details of my card for payment & off I was up the road to my
favourite hideaway in the sun.
On returning the car there was a big
jam on the motorway turnoff for the airport, so I was running a little late
on arriving at the TOP CAR offices, I was no sooner out of my car than one
of the staff greeted me & said are you in a hurry, he jumped in my car &
dropped me at the Airport in front of departures, also fetching me a
trolley.
Top cars are a little more expensive
than certain other companies, but everything is included there are no hidden
extras, Also they give you the choice of bringing the car back Full, ½ full
or empty There are plenty of garages on your way into Malaga to fill up , &
then you are only paying the fuel you use & at normal prices.
This is a big advantage because most
companies charge up front for the full take, & ask to bring it back empty,
this is where you pay a very high price for the petrol.
Sylvia Cox, September 2008
|
