1 reviews | Active since Apr 2010
R 20,711.84 for a 15 day Ford Focus Estate car hire in Portugal
Centauro Rent a Car have debited my credit card with various amounts totalling R 20,711.84 for the hire of a Ford Focus Estate (Group F2) car for 15 days in Portugal.
The original contract which I paid in advance on 17 August 2018 was for € 201.26 (R 3,435.69).
The final invoice (which adds the charges for the Via Verde system) comes to a total of € 244.36.
The balance of € 977.20 which was deducted from my credit card remains unexplained despite the query sent via e-mail to Centauro Rent a Car 10 days ago. The email was read, an automated reply was sent to me but I have not been extended the curtesy of a reply. I put my trust in Centauro Rent a Car when I signed next to “My signature authorizes for any charges arising from this agreement and I accept the terms and conditions stated on this page and overleaf”
Centauro Rent a Car betrayed my trust and have treated me with a total lack of concern or professional decency.
Three things are for certain: 1. I will not use Centauro Rent a Car again. 2. I will not give up until the excess charges have been refunded. 3. I will share my story extensively as it may help others avoid the stress that I am going through right now.
For those of you who like details, I have shared them below:
On 17 October 2018 at 13h21, I picked up a white Ford Focus (registration 81-UI-52) with 16480 Km – Booking PR ********** 5
On 28 October 2018 at about 16h40, the car suffered a mechanical failure which rendered it undrivable. The clutch stopped working as I was entering highway A3, leaving Porto (Latitude 41.1713; Longitude -8.5957). I had to phone the emergency number 3 times and it took over 2 hours for the tow truck and taxi to arrive and take us and the broken-down vehicle to the Centauro Rent a Car location near Porto Airport. The car was transported by Paulo from Seprama who drove a flatbed truck with registration number 75-LD-58. Paulo and I took photographs of the car prior to it being loaded onto the flatbed truck. There were no damages to the bodywork before the car was loaded onto the flatbed truck.
On 28 November 2018 at about 19h30, I was given a replacement vehicle, a black Ford Focus (registration 15-UO-88) with 20117 Kms. Mr João Canavarro who attended to me at Centauro Rent a Car near Porto Airport insisted that he needed to block a further amount on the credit card for the replacement car. It was late, I was stressed and tired, with my family and luggage and needing to get to Guimarães so I consented. Another € 1200.00 was blocked on my credit card severely limiting the amount of money left for me to spend on this credit card. Bu this lack of concern or sympathy was the attitude that I experienced and am still experiencing from Centauro Rent a Car.
01 November 2018 at 12h15 – I returned the replacement vehicle (Ford Focus 15-UO-88) with a full tank of fuel and without any damages to the same location where I had picked up the first vehicle, Centauro Rent a Car near Lisbon Airport.
Why the additional € 977.20?