The reserved car was not available, so we had to take a downgraded one with a huge price difference! Offering a tank of gas doesn't make up for it! Absolutely disgusting!

Because we were a group of five, considering the number of people and luggage, we rented a Toyota Kluger. The seats were spacious, and the trunk was large. When we arrived at the EUROPCAR near Melbourne airport, the staff told us that the previous renter had not returned the car yet and suggested we rent from Budget, claiming it would be $100 AUD cheaper. When we arrived at Budget, it was indeed $100 AUD cheaper in rental fee, but EUROPCAR included comprehensive insurance. Adding the same insurance coverage at Budget cost an additional $49 AUD per day, making the insurance from our previous contract not applicable there. After more than an hour of communication, we returned to EUROPCAR and explained the situation to the staff. The staff then communicated with Budget again and offered us an upgrade to full insurance for an additional $40 AUD, to which we agreed. However, when we finally picked up the vehicle, it was a Jeep, which was very narrow. Three women in the back seat felt cramped, and the trunk was small. With three 20-inch suitcases and two 24-inch suitcases, it was completely full. Backpacks and other items had to be placed under the seats, making the already cramped space even more crowded...

Excess human involvement. The process could be significantly more electronic or simplified. They had to shuffle through keys thrown in a draw for 5-10 minutes before discovering they didn't have the car model ordered so they provided a suitable but very different alternative.

The experience of renting through a rental broker and not directly from a rental company was a little uncomfortable at first (is this transaction legitimate/am I getting ripped off) but in the end the cost saving was worth the third party being involved in the process.

Good

Easy to book

The system automatically gives Europcar 10/10 based on the answers I gave to the questions about Europcar. However I would like to say that for overall rating, I think Europcar deserves a 7.5 out of 10 and that was because they upgraded me from an intermediate (I had booked a Toyota Corolla) to a SUV, a Holden Equinox, and charged me for the upgrade. When I asked the staff on duty, they said they did not charge for the upgrade. However when I received the invoice the extra that I paid was listed as upgrade of car. I feel that this is not very ethical of Europcar. They should give me the same class of car that I booked or if they are unable to, to give me an upgrade with no extra charge. I have no complain regarding the car itself. My issue is the ethics of Europcar rental policy.