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    Rentalcars.com

Rentalcars.com

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Overview

Rentalcars.com has a rating of 1.1 stars from 1,140 reviews, indicating that most customers are generally dissatisfied with their purchases. Reviewers complaining about Rentalcars.com most frequently mention customer service, credit card, and cancellation fee problems. Rentalcars.com ranks 240th among Car Rental sites.

  • Service
    378
  • Value
    354
  • Shipping
    193
  • Returns
    263
  • Quality
    308
Positive reviews (last 12 months): 3.3%
Positive
1
Neutral
0
Negative
29
View ratings trends
128
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How would you rate Rentalcars.com?
Top Positive Review

“Very good”

James M.
12/25/19

Used rentalcars.com on my vacation to the UK. They were great and went above and beyond to make sure I was a happy customer Will use them again

Date of experience: 12/24/19
See positive reviews
Top Critical Review

“Deposit hasn't paid back on time”

Deren I.
10/25/23

We haven't received any payback yet. It has been 17 days that we returned the car. I have never have such problem with other companies. I will certainly not recommend this company to anyone. Their explanation was not enough and didn't satisfy. I have all rights to write about this awful experience to online comments in every car hire platform..

Date of experience: 10/25/23
See critical reviews

Reviews (1,140)

Rating

Timeframe

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Reviews that mention popular keywords

credit card (199) customer service (228) car company (90) debit card (43)
Thumbnail of user jamesb449
GB
1 review
6 helpful votes
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November 4th, 2016

The desk had closed ten minutes earlier after we arrived after a delayed flight. Rentalcars had my flight number. Manager refused to speak to me and they kept the full booking fee including insurances. Why would I ever use this rip-off merchant again?

Date of experience: November 4, 2016

Thumbnail of user shirleye674
Mozambique
1 review
0 helpful votes
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December 30th, 2022

We had to cancel our reservation for a rental car in Cape Town. Could not do so online, as their site made this impossible. We tried to call but could not get through to anyone. Finally managed to get someone on chat, who ensured that a 80% refund would be possible. However, no refund was made. When we emailed them, they said that they had given us the wrong information, and could not refund. Beware of this business - go straight to the car rental companies' websites themselves - you will get much better rates and better service.

Service
Value
Returns
Quality

Date of experience: December 30, 2022

Thumbnail of user douglasn26
California
1 review
0 helpful votes
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November 15th, 2018

I made a reservation with them at least a month in advance for a weekend in Florida. Upon arrival in the airport, the rental car company told me they had run out of cars and would have to cancel my reservation - say what?

It's now been over 40 days since that happened and I still haven't seen my money back, neither have I seen the difference of the super expensive rental I had to make, because this company doesn't give a damn to their customers.

You may be left stranded!

Date of experience: November 15, 2018

Thumbnail of user farhadf5
Sweden
1 review
11 helpful votes
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July 20th, 2020

I booked a car to pick-up and drop-off in different locations.
Few hours before departure #rentalcars called me and told you have to pay more than 50% of the initial fee, otherwise we cancel your booking.
It's the most non-sense and non-logical thing I got. To me it's sound like a robbery from a customer which have no other solution. It was the most unpleasant and ridiculous experience I'd ever had.
It's better to walk all the way to the destination, instead of getting service from this company!

Date of experience: July 20, 2020

Thumbnail of user alejandrog46
Missouri
1 review
1 helpful vote
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June 19th, 2019

This company is a "middle-man" with misleading fees. I was charged a $200 deposit, which I'm fine with. However, at no point during the checkout was I informed that they would be adding an additional $100 "Car Hire Charge". This is on top of what I'm already paying the actual car rental company. Such a scam. There is no other booking company (Kayak, Expedia, Priceline) that charges some sort of middle-man fee. Go elsewhere.

Date of experience: June 19, 2019

Thumbnail of user nichealm
GB
1 review
0 helpful votes
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September 10th, 2019

Rental Cars has been nothing but problematic for me. I would never recommend this company to anybody. I was incorrectly sold full protection cover, and they DID NOT provide me with a refund despite probably about 8 attempts on my part to contact the company for my 68 euros back!
My advice is pay slightly more and because it isn't worth the stress and goose chase for nothing back.

Date of experience: September 10, 2019

Thumbnail of user lisac4240
Hawaii
1 review
0 helpful votes
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March 11th, 2023

The "total" price quoted and listed in the voucher does NOT include all the fees and taxes (so in my case that added $111 more to the total. Very deceptive. And voucher was for Thrifty (one of the worst) which isn't revealed until after you pay (non-refundable). I will never use this company again

Service
Value
Quality

Date of experience: March 11, 2023

Thumbnail of user billies150
Georgia
1 review
4 helpful votes
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January 3rd, 2022
Verified purchase

Booked a car. Company had told me after I paid them that I was unable to pick the car up because I am a resident of the state in which I had requested it. They informed me they were unable to issue me a refund on my transaction time and I would be forced to wait till my drop off time a week later to submit a claim. Customer service was useless and claimed they had no way to help resolve the situation. Awful company. Just rent from someone else.

Tip for consumers:
Can't rent a car from some companies through their website if you are a resident and it's hidden in a wall of text behind a link.

Products used:
None. Refused to let me rent the car.

Service
Value
Shipping
Returns
Quality

Date of experience: January 3, 2022

Thumbnail of user patrickc861
Tennessee
1 review
0 helpful votes
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September 7th, 2021

What a nightmare, I truly do not know where to begin with this review. Just do yourself a favor & search for a rental car on another site. They will cost you delays, inconvenience & financial ruin. RUN!

Tip for consumers:
RUN!

Products used:
Rental car

Service
Value
Shipping
Returns
Quality

Date of experience: September 7, 2021

Thumbnail of user gregoriom32
Greece
1 review
0 helpful votes
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November 14th, 2022
Verified purchase

I booked a hertz cart trough rentalcars.com. After finding out i couldnt get the car due to not having an international drivers permit, i asked for a refund, they said there was a cancellation fee for the FULL AMOUNT, even though hertz cancellation fee is for 95 euros only...
So these brokers dont have to pay hertz and they dont refund your money back either, lol.
I lost 500 euros because of this.
After talking to their customer service, they proposed an alternate "solution", to book a new car for 3 days, pay those 3 days and then they would give me my money back for the old reservation, lmao.
Shady shady business, do not rent trough them, rent directly with the car rental company, dont use brokers.
See all the other reviews similar to mine, if something goes wrong with your booking, your money is gone for ever.

Tip for consumers:
yeah, dont use them.

Date of experience: November 14, 2022

Thumbnail of user pieterp11
Florida
1 review
1 helpful vote
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February 8th, 2022

I booked a rental car through Rentalcars.com and upon arriving at the airport I realized there was a double booking. Rentalcars.com does not have a phone number on their website so I immediately informed the agent at Europcar about the double booking and to cancel my reservation. Rentalcars.com still charged me the FULL 5 week rental fee! Not very happy with Am Ex either as they obviously backed up the company from which they make more income than me. I will be happy to provide documentation - booking reference *******

Date of experience: February 8, 2022

Thumbnail of user vannyc3
Australia
1 review
0 helpful votes
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March 14th, 2022
Verified purchase

These guys are complete muppets.

I booked a hotel through the booking.com app, and through the app I was offered a rental car. Thinking it made complete sense to keep my bookings in the one place, I organised a rental car through the booking.com app also, and it was only after I booked that I realised that it was organised through rentalcars.com.

They cancelled my booking 24 hours beforehand, but deducted money from my bank account immediately after booking. Now I'm left without a significant amount of money I'd budgeted for a rental car, with no rental car.

Useless morons. Customer service is a joke too. These clowns should not be able to operate.

Tip for consumers:
Avoid like the plague and book direct. Scum have taken my money with no sign of a refund a week later.

Products used:
Rental Car

Service
Value
Shipping
Returns
Quality

Date of experience: March 14, 2022

Thumbnail of user robynw190
Canada
2 reviews
5 helpful votes
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March 7th, 2022

I went to rent a car through rentalcars.com, and paid for my rental. They automatically enter your country of residence based on the IP when you book, then voided my reservation as a result. I am now stuck paying 3x the price, and the customer service ppl were beyond nasty on the phone. When I asked if I could escalate the call I was told that it was not company policy to provide additional assistance. Worst car rental company ever!

Date of experience: March 7, 2022

Thumbnail of user katrinac256
Ireland
1 review
0 helpful votes
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January 9th, 2023

Rental cars.com accepted our booking online. Our plane was slightly delayed by 20 minutes. Rental car company desk was closed when we arrived. Spent 8 hours in airport on New Years Eve with 3 children. We will never use this company again. Customer service was appalling.

Service
Value
Shipping
Returns
Quality

Date of experience: January 9, 2023

Thumbnail of user lixinz
Kentucky
1 review
1 helpful vote
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August 6th, 2017

I booked a car months before in New York. They told me to pick up the car on 2 Spruce street at a Hertz store in Manhattan. But when we got there, there is no Hertz store at all! It took us hours to reach the agent and the funny thing is that they still insisted there is one store there even I said I had confirmed with Hertz. Stupid! Anyway, my travel trip was ruined and I wasted hundreds of money. Never recommend this stupid company! I can't believe this is from Priceline!

Date of experience: August 6, 2017

Thumbnail of user lewish45
GB
1 review
0 helpful votes
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June 13th, 2018

We've been left stranded with 2 young kids in geneva after a rental car.com booking for Hertz/Thrifty refused to accept debit cards (or cash) as a deposit for a PREPAID rental with prepaid, fully comp insurance. I've never owned a credit card in my life and dont believe in spending what you dont have. It does say they only accept credit cards in the t&C's but I was told on the desk they could take debit cards but didn't like to. No refund and thoroughly unimpressed

Date of experience: June 13, 2018

Thumbnail of user tedc67
Illinois
1 review
2 helpful votes
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August 24th, 2018

I booked a car ahead of time thru them / but did not look at the reviews. Got to the Orlando airport Green motion was the rental car company. To get that pre-booked price, I had to show Proof of full coverage insurance! I gave them my insurance company name my agents name and all information including my insurance policy #. They wanted to see my insurance contract to get that price! I left and went next door to another rental car company with no problem. Days later after my phone call, they refunded all but a $37.58 cancellation Fee. I'm still fighting that! Nothing on either web sight said anything about PROOF OF INSURANCE! So stay away from rentalcars.com

Date of experience: August 24, 2018

Thumbnail of user magnolob
California
0 reviews
0 helpful votes
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January 10th, 2022

I had a reservation that was cancelled so the nice folks at National suggested I use Rentalcars.com.
It was the worst mistake I've made. I was charged $488,75 for two days for a Hyundai which I drove for less than. 30 miles. The total came out to over $500 for two days. This company is a scam. Stay away from them!

Tip for consumers:
Stay away from this company

Service
Value
Shipping
Returns
Quality

Date of experience: January 10, 2022

Thumbnail of user austins442
Tennessee
1 review
7 helpful votes
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April 14th, 2022

I showed up a few hours late for an 8 day reservation, and they cancelled my reservation and made me make a new one on site. I didn't get the refund, because I didn't have service in São Paulo, Brazil to call them right then and there. I then paid for the same reservation again through the actual rental company and paid less than through Rentalcars.com. It's a scam. Don't use it. I proved to them what happened when I returned home, and they "solved" my claim by telling me it was too late to fix it.

Tip for consumers:
Don’t use Rentalcars.com

Products used:
Nothing. They cancelled it and still took the money even though I showed up on the same day for an 8 day reservation. No refund. I paid less the second time i made a reservation through the store front without Rentalcars.com’s help. They stole my money for no service.

Date of experience: April 14, 2022

Thumbnail of user paigek89
Minnesota
1 review
0 helpful votes
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December 28th, 2021

Complete bait and switch going on with this company. They make it look like you are getting a great price but really all they are doing is charging you extra and then the actual rental company is going to jab you a huge amount on top of what you already paid. THERE IS NO DEAL HERE. Looked like I was getting my car for 394. But then when I returned the car I was charged 200+ more. No where in the agreement with rentalcars.com does it give you a cost breakdown, nor does the fine print tell you that you are going to pay all taxes and fees outside of the price they gave you. Run away and go directly to the source. Might seem like you are paying more- but I can promise you that you are not. You will pay the price later using this site.

Products used:
renting a car for wayyy more than I would have had I gone to the car rental place itself

Service
Value
Returns
Quality

Date of experience: December 28, 2021

Thumbnail of user markf388
Massachusetts
1 review
0 helpful votes
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December 4th, 2018

Even though they admit that I am due a refund of my deposit (about $200 USD), they have refused to refund it for more than three months despite my constant demands. They constantly engage in evasive tactics, including writing to you from e-mail addresses that they say you can't respond to. So how are you supposed to respond? The point is that they get you make a deposit with no intention of ever giving it back. It's theft, plain and simple.

Date of experience: December 4, 2018

Thumbnail of user letoula007
Ukraine
1 review
2 helpful votes
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September 7th, 2023

I do not recommend using this service. I rented a car and my deposit has not been returned for the fourth month (€230), I contacted customer support, they corresponded for a very long time, asked for additional documents, I sent everything, in the end they said: we can't help. It's just terrible, so much of my time was taken and with zero results

Products used:
Car

Service
Value
Shipping
Returns
Quality

Date of experience: September 7, 2023

Thumbnail of user canc4
Turkey
1 review
2 helpful votes
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October 31st, 2021

Trying to get a proof of purchase (since they state they will provide it upon request on their website) for 2 weeks now. Sent e-mails, opened cases. Nothing. I had rented a vehicle during my business trip and obviously I would have liked to charge this rental to my company. Without a proof of purchase I need to pay for it myself.
Will never book again from these crooks and I will spread the word to anyone who would think about doing so.

Service
Value
Shipping
Returns
Quality

Date of experience: October 31, 2021

Thumbnail of user johnm511
Canada
1 review
2 helpful votes
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July 28th, 2015

I booked a rental for our vacation in Alberta. I arrived at the rental agency a the time and date that was on my booking, and confirmation. The location was closed! In fact, they are not open any Sundays! I travelled over 3,400 km's only to find I had no rental! I was forced to find a rental on my own. I paid more money, for a smaller car, and rentalcars.com basically washed their hands of the whole incident. They booked a vehicle that I could not pick up! Don't ever use this company, and tell everyone you know! There is nothing more frustrating than being lied to.

Date of experience: July 28, 2015

Thumbnail of user calm25
GB
1 review
1 helpful vote
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July 15th, 2017

This company along with their sister companies Priceline and Booking.com are in business to rip you off. I don't use them any more. I truly believe they are run to screw you out of extra cash at any given opportunity. Definately managed and owned by a bunch of crooks.

Date of experience: July 15, 2017

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