An Auto Europe Vacation Rescue Story

Vacation Rescue: An Auto Europe Miracle?

There's no better vacation abroad than a exploratory road trip through undiscovered European destinations. Without the hassles and headaches of public transportation, you can craft your ultimate vacation itinerary and travel the country with ease, returning home feeling rejuvenated, refreshed, and inspired.

It's trips like that, that inspire Auto Europe to provide all of our clients with a smooth rental experience. Exploring new countries with a rental car is easily one of the most freeing, exciting ways to discover new destinations, understand new cultures, and enjoy a relaxing vacation with your family. Part of out commitment to providing a smooth rental experience is our lowest-rate guarantee, and industry-leading customer service to match! Take a look at a couple of the example scenarios below, comparing the experience of clients who have worked with with Auto Europe, and those who book with the other guys.

 

*The following is based on true events. Supplier name and clients name have been kept confidential.
  Client A booked a car rental through someone other than Auto Europe.

Booking with Supplier Directly	Booking with Auto Europe
Overview: Client A booked a car rental through someone other than Auto Europe.	Overview: Client B contacted their local Travel Agent and booked a rental car through Auto Europe.
Problem: Their vehicle broke down mid-rental and was no longer drivable.	Problem: Their vehicle broke down mid-rental and was no longer drivable.
Overview: Client B contacted their local Travel Agent and booked a rental car through Auto Europe.
Problem: Their vehicle broke down mid-rental and was no longer drivable.	Problem: Their vehicle broke down mid-rental and was no longer drivable.
Client Action: Client A called the local supplier for assistance.	Client Action: Client B contacted Auto Europe for assistance.
Resolution: Client A had to wait 3 days for a replacement vehicle, and received a smaller category vehicle then what they originally paid for.	Resolution: Client B received a new rental vehicle, same category as originally reserved, within 24 hours, and was able to proceed on their vacation.

Our 24/7 call center will work with you every step of the way to ensure a Smooth Rental Experience

Client Action: Client A called the local supplier for assistance.

Client Action: Client B contacted Auto Europe for assistance.

Resolution: Client A had to wait 3 days for a replacement vehicle, and received a smaller category vehicle then what they originally paid for.

Resolution:Client B received a new rental vehicle, same category as originally reserved, within 24 hours, and was able to proceed on their vacation. Our 24/7 call center will work with you every step of the way to ensure a Smooth Rental Experience
 

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Choosing the Perfect Car Rental with Auto Europe

Sam books a "mid-size" car rental online for his groups vacation to Italy. He's hasn't heard of the rental supplier he books through, and there aren't any many reviews online, but the price is significantly lower than the other offers he found online for a "mid-size" vehicle, and payment isn't even needed until he goes to pick up the car at to the rental desk in Italy. What Sam doesn't realize is that the vehicles this company would consider "mid-size" are actually labeled "compact" by most other companies. Needless to say, this will a huge hassle when Sam tries to fit his 3 checked bags into the trunk of a Volkswagen Golf, when he reserved, and was supposed to receive, a WV Passat Station Wagon!

Paul booked his rental car with Auto Europe. He found that same lower rate that Sam found with the other guys, too, but an travel expert Auto Europe agent explained to him that the type of vehicle he would get there would be a Volkswagen Golf or similar, while the "mid-size" options from more reputable rental suppliers would be an VW Passat Station Wagon or similar. The agent described Paul's options, and helped him through the booking process. Paul ended up finding an intermediate wagon with a reputable company through Auto Europe, at the same price as the supposed "mid-size" from the other guys. Paul received a great rate, and the wagon category afforded him plenty of space for him, his family, and luggage.
 

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Additional Travel: Know Before You Go

When Sam went to book his car rental from the other guys, they didn't even bother to ask whether or not he planned on driving his rental outside of the country; the fact that only domestic travel within Italy was allowed, was buried deep in the terms and conditions of the rental contract. Neither did they make note of the extra fees and taxes, totally nearly $200, that would be due upon pick up of Sam's vehicle. Not an ideal situation for Sam.

Paul called Auto Europe, and during the call, the agent asked him whether or not he would be driving the rental car outside of Italy, and made sure to confirm that his rental permitted travel to other countries. Before finalizing the booking, the agent detailed all local car rental fees and taxes that would be due at the desk upon pick-up to Paul. Turns out Paul's rate through Auto Europe was still lower than the other guys' after factoring in the additional costs  and fees to be paid upon pick up. French Riviera, here we come!
 

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Pick-Up Procedures with Auto Europe

Sam arrives at the Florence airport in Italy and has some difficulty finding the desk to pick up his car rental. Turns out the other guys happened to have booked him at an off-airport office without notifying him of the discrepancy, so Sam has to take the shuttle bus to get there. When he finally arrives, exhausted but still on time, Sam is told the rental supplier no longer has any vehicles available in the category he reserved; Sam can either wait several hours until one becomes available, or pay a higher price to take an upgrade. After arguing to no avail, Sam finally spends the extra cash in frustration, just to get on his way. To add insult to injury, those extra $200 in fees and taxes get added on before he signs the contract, making the price Sam actually ended up paying more than double what he originally saw online.

Paul arrived at the same Florence airport and was surprised by the convenient location of the supplier's rental desk; right in font of the arrivals terminal! Since Paul prepaid his reservation with Auto Europe, he was able to rest easy on his flight knowing that he was backed by a Ready-to-Go Pickup guarantee. He signs his car rental contract, being sure to decline any additional car rental insurance, since he got a prepaid deal with full zero-deductible coverage when he booked his car rental in advance through Auto Europe. His car is waiting for him in the airport parking lot where he's sure to note and take pictures of any existing damage, as he was advised to do by his Auto Europe agent.
 

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Auto Europe's 24/7 Support Hotline

We all know that unfortunate circumstances can come up while traveling abroad, which is why it's important to have a support system you can rely on around the clock. While en route to Rome, Sam's car gets a flat tire and he's stuck on the side of the highway. After finally getting through to an English-speaker on the local company's roadside assistance number, he's told that he'll have to pay for a local tow truck and new tire, all out of his own pocket. Since the small local company only has a single office in the major cities, there's nowhere nearby that Sam can escape to for the night. A whole day of traveling is lost while finding a local mechanic and repairing the vehicle.

When Paul's rental car gets a flat tire, he calls Auto Europe's 24/7 toll-free number from Italy and is immediately put in contact with an English-speaking agent from the states. Paul explains his situation and the agent contacts the car rental company, on behalf of the client, to arrange a solution. Turns out the company Paul booked with through Auto Europe has rental offices all over Italy, including one in a nearby town. The rental company itself sent out a tow truck and ended up replacing the tire on the spot at no cost to Paul. Now that's the value of good service and support!
 

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Great Service Before, During, and After Your Rental

Nearly a month after the end of his trip to Italy, Sam notices unknown charges on his credit card from the local rental company. Sam attempts to dispute the charges with his credit company, sending dozens of emails to the rental company as well. After nearly a month of no responses, the rental supplier finally sends an invoice revealing that he was deemed responsible for nearly $1,000 in damages caused to the rental vehicle. In the end, the rental supplier claimed that Sam had caused a large scratch along the side of the vehicle and, since Sam had no proof that it wasn't his fault, the charges were sustained.

Paul returns home to find that his credit card was also charged more than expected. He calls Auto Europe customer service and the agent pulls up Paul's invoice from the rental company. Paul was also charged for damages that he hadn't caused, but thanks to Auto Europe's close relationships with rental suppliers, they were able to have the charges reversed in no time. Paul was elated over his positive experience with a car rental abroad and couldn't wait to plan out which European country he would explore next.
 

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The Auto Europe Advantage

Take the experiences of Paul as an example of what you can expect when you book your car rental with Auto Europe, the most trusted name in the car rental industry for 60 years now. With tens of thousands of locations available all over the world, and tight-knit relationships with the best car rental suppliers, you'll be sure to have a wonderful time with your car rental, and all for a price that can't be beat - we guarantee it!