Renting a car in Mexico is a rip off. Once you think you have secured a rental fee you get hit with not only one type of insurance coverage BUT 3. So your rental ends up being very expensive. If you have a credit card that can cover your basic needs, IT IS NOT ENOUGH to satisfy the do call coverage. In addition, they send you a letter telling you that because of high demand your vehicle is not available, BUT they a wonderful upgrade for 3 or 4 times as expensive. We ended up renting from a different vendor, and ended up being less expensive and my credit card satisfied the basic coverage. However, we had to sign o declination on all other additional BS.
Pros:
drop off was easy and when shuttle was going late, the guy offered to drive me to terminal, but then the shuttle showed up.Cons:
1. They forced me to buy the more expensive insurance. They wouldn't rent the car unless I did. Another lady refused and they let her go, so my rental ended up costing 3x. 2. It took forever to get the car because they kept forcing the up-sell, while the family was waiting. It felt like a mafia run rental agency. 3. The car didn't have a front license plate and instead had this big piece of paper pasted to front windshield that obstructed passenger view.Pros:
OK priceCons:
Slow check in and out, forced to buy insuranceIt was one of the worst experiences I’ve ever had let alone with a rental car company. I travel more than half of the year for work and personal reasons and I’ve never had such a terrible experience with an employee as I did at Europcar Cabo with a man named Eduardo Garcia (had a shaved head and ponytail and the supervisor and he told me that was his name, which I cannot confirm and wouldn’t be surprised if he was lying). He was extremely rude to me and the 3 women I was traveling with from the first experience at pickup where he came out and rudely said move the van now. We said one person is just jumping out and we’ll leave and he said “no you need to move the van right now” His tone and shortness was uncalled for and rude. We moved the van and when we went inside I then dealt with the supervisor (he told me at pickup he was the supervisor and had glasses) who was very friendly. When I returned the car he said “let me do my job and I’m going to check the car. It will take approximately 5 minutes” I said ok He then took over 20 minutes to check the car and pointed out some damage on the car to me. I assured him it was there from previously. He then said “do you have a picture of it though?” I said yes I do. He said “I need to see that picture then to prove it” I asked if they had their own pictures and report of damages and he said “well it’s your responsibility to have pictures of it. Let me do my job.” I asked if he needed to see them now and he rudely without looking at me said “let me do my job.” He took another 5 minutes going through every centimeter of the car then went inside and called out someone who had a blue shirt on from another car rental service. He also came out and then he proceeded to go around the entire car again pointing out all the damage to the other guy. I asked how long it was going to take since it had already been 30 minutes and they told me “sit down and let us do our job” At this point I felt that was unnecessary to speak to anyone in that way and I felt sure the two would not speak to any man in that way. But of course that’s just my feeling. I said I’m fine standing and would like to know when they’re done what they’ve found. They told me “lady just sit down and let us do our job” refusing to tell me how long it would take (I had a flight to catch) and refusing to tell me if in fact there was any damage or if he still needed my pictures. I then went in and asked for the manager / supervisor at which point a man with glasses said he was the supervisor. I explained to him what was going on saying that he was being extremely rude, telling me to sit down, refusing to tell me how long it would take, saying I needed to show him pictures because there’s damage but then not telling me if he did actually need the pictures. At which point he came over and loudly and rudely interrupted me saying very loudly “she’s not letting me do my job. Lady you need to let me do it.” I asked him, yet again please not to call me lady and I didn’t appreciate being told to sit down and being spoken to how he did. And to please let me talk to the supervisor. He then switched into Spanish and started saying to the supervisor I was asking questions and not letting him “do his job”. He didn’t know I spoke Spanish clearly but that is also rude. He laughed at me when I said please don’t call me lady and I don’t think you’d speak to men like this. He then sniggered and when I asked what was funny he just laughed louder. Sexism at its absolute best. The supervisor then cut in and said yeah ok you can make a complaint. Eduardo then presented me with a tablet and said rudely “sign this.” I said what am I signing? The contract For what? For the car rental. I then asked so what did you find? He said “no damage” I said so after 40 minutes of you harassing me about pictures you needed to say, refusing to tell me how long it will be because of my flight and bringing out yet another guy to discuss things with, there’s no damage?! Unbelievable. I said I’m going to file a complaint. They supervisor said to Eduardo in Spanish clearly assuming I didn’t understand “no importa. No pasa nada” don’t worry. Nothing will happen. I said in Spanish “si pasa algo” yes something will happen and walked out. A terrible experience and case of sexism and I will complain to Europcar HQ as well since my partner has a prestige account with Europcar and will also complain.
Pickup took a long time. Rental agency charged me $160 for the most basic insurance and said it was mandatory. I paid $23 through Kayak.
The biggest problem is the bait-and-switch between the reservation price (which was supposed to be $33 total) and the actual amount I needed to pay including required insurance ($180). I have rented many cars and I do understand that, outside the U.S., I sometimes need to add insurance beyond my own personal car insurance and coverage provided by my credit card. But it shouldn't be almost 6 times the quoted price. Kayak really should ban this kind of behavior onits platform. Additionally, the inside-the-store shop was disorganized and confusing. (I live in Mexico and speak Spanish, so this isn't a language issue.) The woman outside who processed the drop-off was friendly and helpful. EuropCar is clearly a lower-tier rental car company.
