auriga crown car rental Mallorca
So, it was our turn again to come over a not very serious rental car company. As we normally do we rented the car throw auto Europe, how normally subcontract there rentals throw Europe car or National or other big, well known car rental companies. For Mallorca we got sent to auriga crown.It started all in the Mallorca airport where we the auriga crown representatives told us to wait for a van that takes us to auriga crown office, this was not a big inconvenience, however, always nice to have the rental car company on the airport.We signed for the car and they asked for a deposit of 55 Euros for petrol, and that we should return the car empty. Very hard to plan to leave a rental car empty. This is also quite expensive for petrol. They also asked if we like to sign an additional insurance for tires and windows, the insurance cost 20 Euros and we said yes.Leaving the auriga crown office going on the motorway from Palma de Mallorca to Alcudia the car feelt a bit wobbly on the road, we also noticed that the windows was not properly cleaned. We did not take much more notice since we were eager to get to our hotel in Alcudia.Next day we decided to take a trip on the island. On the return to the hotel in Alcudia we noticed that the right back tire was flat. We called the auriga crown road side assistance, how said we should change the tire to the spare tire, and that if they should come and help us they would charge for this. We called the auriga crown Mallorca office and they said that it would be no charge for this. So we decided to wait for the road side assistance.After waiting for 2 hours and they did not show up, I decided to change the tire myself. The tire was a normal tire and not an emergency tire that usually is a spare tire. The spare tire was not full so we decided not to take the car on the road the next day and wait to see the tire could hold the preassure. When the spare tire change was done we called auriga crown Road side assistance and canceled the call (Actually we called the road side assistance how said the call could only be canceled if the repair man had not left. We called this number and since they had not left, we could cancel this call without charge.).When it was time to have another trip we had to take the car to fill up the spare tire before going. When we had planned the next trip and sat down in the car we saw that the spare tire auriga crown had provided us with had a no air in it, and we had to go to the garage and fill it up. In the garage we could not find the sticker that describe what pressure to have on the tires. I measured the front tire that was 2.1 and filled the spare tire up with the same pressure. When checking the other tires I found the preassure to be 2.5, 1.7, 1 on the other tires. When checking the one I just filled up I found the preassure to have gone down to 1.9. Filled it up again and waited 5 minutes. Same result. Filled it up again, and as I was finished, I could hear the air leaving the tire again. This means the car we rented had 2 bad tires. Unbelievable but true.We called again auriga crown road side assistance. This time they said we had already changed the tire and that we did not have money to pay for the change. We tried to say to them that we had canceld the call and they never came, but they refused to understand. We said our problem, and they would again send someone to look at the problem. We called them at 11 a clock in the morning. The guy that was going to look at the problem arrived at 3 a clock in the afternoon. 4 hours waiting. When he came, he said he did not have a spare tire with him and he could only drive the car back to auriga crown’s office in the airport. He offerd us to come with us, but since this was the last day we said we did not want to waist 2 hours driving back and forward to the airport and we would find other means of transport to get back to the airport the next day.Trying to sort out everything we called auriga crown’s office in Palma de Malorca to see how to solve the situation and say we where not happy with the car rental. They said we would have to pay 110 euro for the road side assistance if we like a new car and that they would pay for a taxi to the airport for us to pick up the new car. We said we did not like a new car, so they said we did not have to pay the road side assistance.What we did not like is the followingOnly be able to use the car for one day of our holiday, having to spend one day in the hotel waiting for there road side assistance. We had to pay taxi back to airport.They provided us with a punctured spare tire. We where accused for not having money to pay for the road side assistance for the call we canceled.The contract states that the client has to pay for road side assistance in case of accident or inexperienced driving. We where not in an accident and we where only driving on main roads. The road side assistance should be free.The road side assistance only spoke Spanish, if the hotel would not help us we had no way of understanding what he was talking about . On an so touristic island as Malorca I would assume they should speak English or German atleast.We also don’t like the way the auriga crown sales and management talked to us. They kept accusing us for doing something wrong.Following the bad service I recommend no one to use auriga crown car rental company.
October 1st, 2007 at 11:29 pm
Well good to know, we were just going to hire car from these company-auriga crown. Thanx for the message. We will be willing to go to some worldwide hire car company.
October 23rd, 2007 at 6:10 pm
Ditto the last. We rented from Auriga Crown in Malaga, and despite their website stating “no hidden costs”, we were slapped with a 50 Euro fuel prepay. (I let the tank go to near empty during the week and put 15 Euro fuel into it and it took it to nearly 3/4 full). So we had to prepay for two full tanks of fuel. Also, OUR extra insurance policy offered was for the CLUTCH and windshield. (20 Euro). (I did NOT take that.) Apparently they charge “extra” insurance for different parts of the vehicle at different locations.
November 14th, 2007 at 7:55 am
crown-auriga malaga the same bad service, so is you can don’t rent a car here. 50 euro’s for gas in a ford ka tank can hold only 40 liters *1.07=43 euro . if you are able to push the car totaly empty to the airport. if not there is always a few liters left. crown-auriga steal from you at least 15 euro !!!
so if you can rent a car somewhere else , you may have a nice holiday
exit crown auriga a loser is born also under the name auriga crown
January 27th, 2008 at 10:38 pm
Once upon a time there used to be a really good car hire company along the Costa del Sol called Crown. Hired a car from them at Malaga aiport on numerous occasions and had no hassle.
Then they got took over or merged with Auriga. Thw whole things gone down the pan.
Hired a car from them at Girona aiport last year and got stung with the prepaid fuel charge. (Previuosly Crown operated on the take it out full/bring it back full policy.) Had to pay a lot more than the car could hold, with the fuel costing about E1.50 p.ltr when the garage price was less than E1 p.ltr. So no matter what the car you are hiring you’ve got to add in E20 for the fuel rip off.
Also got hit with additional insurance charges of E6 p.day for taking the car into France, despite the fact that Girona is only 50kms from the border.
Hired another car from them in December 2007. Despite their website saying that for hire of three days or less they don’t charge for the fuel if you bring the car back full I was debited for the fuel on the day I picked up the car. The fuel charge was recredited when I brought back the car but it still meant I had had to pay Visa’s exchange rate fees (2.75%)
The prepaid fuel racket seems to now be endemic to Auriga Crown though I would add that they arn’t the only hire company at Malaga running this scam. Think I’ll stick to Hertz.
February 21st, 2008 at 5:01 pm
Auriga 8 day rental £88.00 Peugot 307(or similar)
Hertz 8 day rental £166.60 Ford focus ( or similar )
Even factoring in the fuel scam there is still a huge difference in price.
I know where I’ll be going.
Hertz have also ripped me off in the past..when they botched my booking..I had hired 2 cars..they thought it was a mistake so only had 1 car ready. They then “offered” me another more expensive rental car for the same price. It wasn’t until we were back home that I discovered they had charged my credit card the full cost of the more expensive car.
September 7th, 2008 at 4:00 pm
Nice article, thanx!
Just back from Mallorca, rented a Ford Focus from Auriga Crown. Got it for EUR 129,- / week (the car was upgraded from a Peugeot 207, lucky me). I had to pay EUR 75,- for the gas and it is nearly impossible to drive that car empty on this island - nice deal for Auriga Crown. Windows were dirty, no water at all filled in to use the windshield wiper system. The guy wanted to sell me a EUR 20,- extra insurance for tieres and mirrors, I looked into the contract I got from the agency in Germany and it included a full insurance. He said that mirrors are not included in that, I asked him if he has some more surprises or if he simply wants to hand me over the keys so I can start…
They are cheap but it might be an idea to think of Sixt or Avis or others…
September 12th, 2008 at 12:22 pm
I hired a Hired a Renault Clio through CarJet Travel networks and was directed to Auriga Crown, their chosen hire company in Spain. On arrival I was told that no cleo was availiable, but I could update to a VW Polo for the additional cost of 50 Euros plus I was told I needed insurance for tyres and clutch. I noticed on all other windows there was the same sales method all where urged to update as their model was not availiable. I declined but was asked again then there was some frantic phonecalls and I got a Nissan Note allocated. I then proceeded to the carpark kiosk and was told abruptly “Wait a minute” by a bloke who had a face like frozen henmuck. Outside the car pick up point where two more couples wating for their car well over 20min. After 15 min I went into the kiosk and asked if their where any sign of my car. I was told in no certain terms “I told you to wait a minute” I pointed out that I have better things to do than wait for a car and be treated without curtesy. On exeting I was told to close the door behind me, I did not do that and the gentleman followed me and closed the door with an sarcastic “thankyou very much”. The car arrived
and I asked the driver who spoke little Spanish, no English, no German, no French, that I wanted to inspect the spare wheel. I found it myself.
On the return a receptionist went over the car like a fine toothcomb. That would indicate if there is a slightes thing wrong with the car I would have been charged. she filled out a ticket which I had to hand over to the kiosk. No such inpection took place when I collected the car. Be warned in my opinion the company operates with unpolite staff. Is not punctual and does not have the cars which you book in the first place. And the inspection proceedure is in their favour as no inspection is made on collection, There is no proof that a fault or dent is not there on collection. Under no circumstances will I hire from Auriga Crown again. I recommend Victoria Car Rental
September 12th, 2008 at 12:25 pm
please list the previous comment under Alicante Airport thank you