Centauro Rent A Car

I rented with Centauro through Discovercars and was planning on declining the insurance and paying the 1400 EURO security deposit. When I got to the counter at Centauro in Valencia the rental charge went through, but the Security deposit was declined. I called the CC company who said they see the Rental charge coming through, but not the security deposit and to talk to Centauro about the issue. The agent said she would try again at another station, but got the same result. She then said if I bought the insurance she's sure it would go through. I didn't want to buy the insurance and asked why would the insurance go through, but not the security deposit if it's a problem with my CC? She asked if I have another CC and I said yes, but my wife would have to bring it. My wife arrived in a taxi with 3 additional CCs that all have limits well above the rental and security deposit. Each one processed the rental charge, but was immediately declined for the security deposit. All the cards were from different banks and all the banks said they see the rental charge coming through, but not the security deposit and haven't declined any charges. After 1 1/2 hours I had no choice but to buy the insurance and just like that the rental charge went through and then the insurance charge went through using the first CC I tried. The next day I reached out to Centauro for an explanation and requesting a refund of charges I shouldn't have incurred and they said I signed the contract and shouldn't have if I disagreed with the charges. They took no responsibility for their system not processing the security deposit and said I should take it up with Discovercars. Discovercars said they reserve the cars, but all payments are done by Centauro and I should talk to them. This is either a system bug at Centauro or setup by design to sell more insurance, but be careful renting with Centauro through a third party vendor if you don't want the insurance. The agent said it happens when people don't book directly with Centauro.

I wish I could write a review with negative stars. If you are thinking to rent, please think again. They spoilt my whole trip. I travelled to Spain, Seville, the instructions to collect the car are totally wrong. I can provide photos. The 'Meeting Point' doesn't exist where they said, it is in different location. Bus never came for almost 2 hours. I was for almost 2 hours awaiting for the 'yellow' bus, after we had been 9 hours travelling, until I finally decided to cancel the booking after 3 calls. They kept telling me to wait, and wait and wait and they had no idea where such Meeting point was. At some point the guy at the other end of the phone hang on me and blocked my calls. So I had to take a taxi to Sevilla train Station, get a hotel and stay overnight as the time was too late to drive to my final location. Totally spoilt my honeymoon.

Then I received a note apologising and a 'cupon' expecting some polite gift for future use. Actually it was a 'voucher' instead of refunding my money. DISGUSTING. TOTALLY C***AP company.

We rented a vehicle from Centauro at the Athens airport location (ATH) via EconomyBookings. We have no complaints about the vehicle.

1. We were charged a €152 deposit for fuel and told that the tank was full. The tank was only 1/4 full (we did not notice this until the next morning). We returned the vehicle with the tank 1/2 full but only €76 was returned, a loss to us of €76.

2. We were charged €324 for Smart Cover. I later found out from Centauro that we should have been given the option to either put a hold on a certain amount in case of damage, or to purchase Smart Cover. The agent at Athens did not present the first option. We would not have purchased Smart Cover if we had known we could put a hold on a safety deposit instead.

So all told, we paid €400 more than we should have paid. We will not be using this service or company again.

I rented a small car from Centauro at Malaga Airport. It had seven minor dents and scratches and no rear wiper, but I've had worse rentals, so accepted it. I have my own insurance policy so didn't need to take their cover. On returning the vehicle, I was accused by the returning inspector of scraping the front plastic rim which I'm pretty sure I didn't cause. However, as I didn't have that particular wheel in the set of photographs I had taken on collection of the car, I was deemed guilty and charged with a 180 euro fine. Its laughable, the scratch was so small. I was told it was my responsibility to have taken a photo, but Centauro equally couldn't prove that it wasn't scratched when I took the car out. I feel swindled/cheated, but I can't prove it. I suspect Centauro will dab a little silver paint on that hubcap without even taking it off the wheel and send the car out on the road again. I've learnt my lesson. I will not use Centauro again. There are so many other better car rentals at Malaga Airport.

AVOID CENTAURO CAR HIRE!!

During the summer, I hired a car from Centauro, who on return of the vehicle, deducted 575 Euros for damage to an alloy wheel that I did not cause, and even if I didn’t the cost of repair would not have been 575 Euros. Having been caught out by unscrupulous car hire companies before, I now take pictures and videos of every panel and wheel of the vehicle on collection and return to protect me from this type of behaviour but on providing this evidence to Centauro, they have now ignored SIX chase up emails over 4 weeks, and have held my money from 7th August.

Luckily, I have an ‘excess refund’ policy so will be able to recover my losses.

I'm only posting this because I don’t want anybody else going through this type of situation…..AVOID CENTAURO!!

Flight delayed, no transport to vehicle provided fair enough. But to say we had to come collect the car by 9am the next morning, when our flight got in at 12am and it was a 2 hour 130 euro taxing to our hotel, sleep for a few hours then another 2 hour taxi...

The audacity to give that deadline.

Shame they are a regulated industry!

On collection at the Centauro desk in Alicante airport I was told all paperwork re car condition would be in my emails. Fitstly, the car given was in a lower category & much smaller than I wanted.

I photographed every possible aspect of the car before driving off. Nothing received by next day so sent email asking for this, no response!

On return I was immediately confronted by a man with a torch who I told I had not be given any paperwork, his response was that’s ok!

He then proceeded to check car in minute detail then shone torch all round the underneath! I was horrified to be told there were scratches under front bumper.

I absolutely had NOT incurred any damage & had been so careful with my minimal use of the car. I told him I suspected they must have been there before ! He took photos of the underneath of the car, then just said OK.

On my return I was horrified they had charged €270 for damage & had already taken it from my account.

I immediately sent emails to the various contact addresses for the company, most of these bounced back but eventually I got an acknowledgement with a ticket number telling me to expect a reply within 12 days. It is now 18days since and I’ve heard nothing!

I contacted stressfreecarrentals who I booked through but so far they have not been able to get any response either!

This has been a thoroughly stressFUL experience for me, I am a single lady travelling alone and have already had the bad experience of being driven off the road by a group of men who tried to rob me! I naively thought I would not be so unlucky to have another bad experience of driving in Spain. 

A fost 0 experienta foarte bună. Vom mai folosi serviciile voastre.

Very bad service. They try to make people look cheap and take all their money. Don't believe it. When you pick up the vehicle, they block £1000 or extort £189 without giving it back. Don't be fooled, you will be the victim. Ryair, please do not send anyone to this company. Please be careful.

We rented from them in Greece. Our car died and we were left on the road waiting for the tow truck, which took 2 hours to come. We had to take a taxi back to the city we were staying which costed us over 170 Euros but the insurance company isn’t reimbursing us at all for that. Then, cause only 2 people ever work at Centauro at a time, it took forever to get a replacement car. The reimbursement is the issue. Every other company would have covered the full cost but not this one. I would never use them again