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1.1 467 Reviews

CarTrawler Complaints Summary

12 Resolved
455 Unresolved
Our verdict: If considering services from CarTrawler with a critical resolution rate, extra caution is advised. Examine detailed customer feedback to understand the severity and nature of unresolved issues. Be prepared for the possibility of unsatisfactory responses and have contingency plans, including seeking assistance from consumer advocacy groups if necessary.
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CarTrawler reviews & complaints 467

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K
6:43 pm EDT

CarTrawler not refunded money for the reservation

I booked 2 cars with CarTrawler cartrawler.com one from the 7th-14th December in Cape Town and the other immediately after from 14th-24th December in Johannesburg. When we arrived in Cape Town, we were asked to put down a R10, 000 (1, 000 Pounds) deposit for the excess. I assumed this would just be authorized by the bank but we were told this would be a holding deposit and would be blocked on our credit card.

We were fuming but handed our credit card over. On the return of the Cape Town car, we asked when the deposit would be released as we were renting another car in Johannesburg and would not be happy having 2x R10, 000 held on our credit cards with the same company. We were told that the money would be released immediately, however our bank would only release this in about a week. We were fuming as this would mean that approximately 2, 000 Pounds would be blocked on our credit card by the same company.

I then called CarTrawler (as this is who we booked the car through to get this sorted). They were highly rude and told me that they could not help me as it is up to the car rental company. I explained that it was ridiculous that they could not just hold 1x deposit for the two reservations. The customer service advisor (if that’s what you want to call them) then went on to tell me that I did not have a reservation for Johannesburg during that time, but the reservation was for September. I was shocked. When I have booked the cars I had called their company to find out if I could make a block booking for both the CT and JHB cars or whether I would need to do them separately.

As I was on the phone already the advisor made the bookings for me. After about 2 hours of trying to get this resolved, I was called back by a supposed “manager” who went on to tell me “this is not my fault and I did not take you hand and make you click on the wrong dates”. I explained that I did not make the reservations and that the advisor had but he would not have any of it. We then had to book another car which cost us more money and CarTrawler have not refunded us the money for the reservation which they made for September.

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faris rasheed
Portsmouth, GB
Apr 10, 2012 8:46 am EDT
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Hi,
this is faris rasheed the money has been refunded to me and they charging me £25 for cancelation charge and the agent said to me its been cancelled and that did not happend dont ever trust agent they are fraud call straight customer service they will sort the problems out . many thanks for customer service they sort my problem out

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faris rasheed
Portsmouth, GB
Apr 04, 2012 8:15 am EDT
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hi,
my name is faris rashed
reservation no=GB270065370
i didn't receive my cancellation money
plz u can help me because when i take booking online
I'm gonna call agent straight away he said dnt worry i can cancel Ur policy
but after 7.8 days I'm check my account then no receive any money I'm try to contact but still nobody Can sort out this is not good please sort out this thing i really thank full to you
my email address is farisali786@yahoo.com

ComplaintsBoard
D
5:42 pm EDT
Resolved
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.

CarTrawler rip off

Very bad company. Hidden in the small print that you take the car full and have to return empty with no refund. This turned my £40 hire into nearly £200!
Would strongly advise everyone to go elsewhere - the price you see will be nothing like the price you pay, and customer service is basically "tough luck pal". Bad, dishonest, uncaring and disinterested. Hope they go bust sometime real soon and save everyone the sort of distress and cost I've been caused.

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2:31 pm EST
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CarTrawler overcharged

Car Hire Detective (ERS)/ CarTrawler promised the lowest price for one week rental. Under 200 Euros. But when I arrived at Geneva Airport I had to pay over 300 Euros. Beware, don't fall for the same trap!

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MANUEL MALDONADO
Deltona, US
May 03, 2011 5:32 pm EDT
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They just want me to pay for an insurance I didn't need.They want to gave them a credit card an I do not have one I gave them my debit but they said I need a credit card or pay for the insurance.they told me I could not rent the car without the credit card so they cancelled the reservation.

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MANUEL MALDONADO
Deltona, US
May 03, 2011 5:22 pm EDT
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I WENT TO PICK THE CAR.I GOT INURANCE WITH GEICO.

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MANUEL MALDONADO
Deltona, US
May 03, 2011 5:19 pm EDT
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On april 15 I went to pick my that I make my reservation on thrifty an I cancelled the reservation because they want me to pay for insurance when I do not need insurance because I'm got insueance with geico an I got all the information necessary of my insurance.I call my bank and they do not received the $250.01 back on my account from you.My name is Manuel Maldonado my reservation #PR263794040 the reservation date of the charge to my bank was 4-4-2011 the dates of the reservation of the car was from [protected] to [protected] please return the money to my bank as soon as possible because we need the money.THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

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CarTrawler Support
, IE
Mar 03, 2011 3:33 pm EST

Dear Car Hire Detetective,
I am the Director of Customer Operations and I am sorry you feel you did not have a good experience when booking through our booking engine. Many times customers forget to factor in fuel policy or take out optional extras at the rental desk that they dont recognise on their final invoice. I'm happy to investigate the descrepancy between your rental voucher price and the price you were charged, if you care to send me the details at customer care@cartrawler.com I will look in to the matter on your behalf.

Kind regards
Paul McGovern

ComplaintsBoard
E
6:52 pm EST
Resolved
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.

CarTrawler cartrawler car rental

I have rented a small car in Nice airport from march 3. to 7th 2011. Unfortunately the mail containing the ticket is lost. I have paid with visa/dankort 145 Euro Nota nr 50539. On my banknote it says cartrawler car rental, dublin 6.The money is dramn fram my account december 29th 2010. I hope You can help me by ssending a new ticket otherwise i must ask the bank to help me get my money back and try again.
So this is not a complaint - it is a cry for help.

Yours sincerely
Eva Biehe
Halkevadvej 2
4200 slagekse DK [protected]@biehe.dk

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f lennon
, IE
Dec 28, 2012 7:35 am EST

hi i had booked a car for 3 days on 23-12-12 wen i arrived at Leeds airport was asked for 600 pound more to get car i was over to see my partner with two kids as she in in hospital with cancer was left stranded and then told by CARTRAWLER could not get a refund would not recommend this company to my worst enemies, , , , ,

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w a trainor
birmingham, GB
Jun 29, 2011 4:26 pm EDT

quite surprised how they were able to do this without me!

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w a trainor
birmingham, GB
Jun 29, 2011 4:23 pm EDT

I have booked return ticket birming ham/west knock &have been charged £104 for car hire I did not book

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w a trainor
birmingham, GB
Jun 29, 2011 4:19 pm EDT

could you explain to me please, how you have booked me a car on23june ?

ComplaintsBoard
W
9:24 am EDT
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CarTrawler insurance tricks

I only can support the warning for CarTrawler. We just made a short break in Dartmoor, UK, with a CT manged car from local rental. We felt sure to be insured because a collision damage waiver was made by CT. Unfortunately we had a minor scratch on a back road, worth ~700 BP (~1000 €) . Claiming the costs we were surprised to find a small article on page 3 of (in 2 points script) that the waiver covers only UK residents. So a thirty pounds were wasted on top of the damage cost. Nice suprise - or jut dirty tricks ?

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G.A.Janssen
, NL
Jun 16, 2017 3:58 am EDT
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PT721331480 my name is, George Janssen,
I have a car rented from 12-06-2017 to [protected], 131, -- with an extra insurance 52, -- euro AXAHIRCAR.
When I was in Faro arrived late was my foucers already torn and I had a much more expensive insurance is mandatory, and when I got my vougers back early, he had already torn up and in the trash thrown.
I had an insurance policy from him which are much more expensive.

301, -- for Super relax 186, 95 Taxa local 29, - Mega relaxation 29, 27 Tax IVA 56, 40. total so 301, 00 euro.

Internet already paid 131, 00 insurance additional 52, 00 euro = 301, 00
min had already paid, 183, 00
======
paid too forced, 118, 00 euro

since I am just a 70 year old AOW'm there is that, for me, a lot of money.

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Eastrop
Hook, GB
May 05, 2011 6:19 pm EDT

I experienced something similar as I took out an insurance waiver for £ 34.00. My front screen got damaged and I had to pay Avis £ 275.00 for it and she enjoyed it. It was extra cash for them. No worries as I though I would use the insurance through a company called mondial that was sold to me. After 6 weeks and 3 letters they made me aware that the insurance was only valid if you had picked up the car at least 150 kms from your home address. I told them I lived in Basingstoke and Cartrawler told me to pick up the car at Avis in Basingstoke. They just missold me this insurance and it is a scam and the e-mail from the insurance company tells you to check if the insurance is suitable to you. Do they expect me to read all the details. I can strongly recommend you to go to your local car hire company where you can look someone in the eye. I now try to get my money back through the small claims court and I will do my utmost to get justice. One advice ' Dont' use CARTRAWLER' as they are rip off merchants.

ComplaintsBoard
S
9:20 pm EDT
Resolved
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.
Featured review
This review was chosen algorithmically as the most valued customer feedback.

CarTrawler - overcharged

I was charged $380.00 AU on the internet when I booked a rental car through thrifty. When i picked up the car I had to pay the full fee and thrifty informed me they do not charge any fees over the internet, nothing should have been charged to me credit card. So I then had to pay out the full fee -$730.00 AU. Where is my $380.00.

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ComplaintsBoard
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6:51 am EST
Resolved
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.

CarTrawler utterly disgusted

I booked 2 cars with CarTrawler - 1 from the 7th-14th December in Cape Town and the other immediately after from 14th-24th December in Johannesburg. When we arrived in Cape Town, we were asked to put down a R10, 000 (£1, 000) deposit for the excess. I assumed this would just be authorised by the bank but we were told this would be a holding deposit and would be blocked on our credit card. We were fuming but handed our credit card over.
On the return of the Cape Town car, we asked when the deposit would be released as we were renting another car in Johannesburg and would not be happy having 2x R10, 000 held on our credit cards with the same company. We were told that the money would be released immediately, however our bank would only release this in about a week. We were fuming as this would mean that approximately £2, 000 would be blocked on our credit card by the same company.
I then called CarTrawler (as this is who we booked the car through to get this sorted). They were highly rude and told me that they could not help me as it is up to the car rental company. I explained that it was ridiculous that they could not just hold 1x deposit for the two reservations. The customer service advisor (if thats what you want to call them) then went on to tell me that I did not have a reservation for Johannesburg during that time, but the reservation was for September. I was shocked. When I have booked the cars I had called their company to find out if I could make a block booking for both the CT and JHB cars or whether I would need to do them seperately. As I was on the phone already the advisor made the bookings for me. After about 2 hours of trying to get this resolved, I was called back by a supposed "manager" who went on to tell me "this is not my fault and I did not take you hand and make you click on the wrong dates". I explained that I did not make the reservations and that the advisor had but he would not have any of it.
We then had to book another car which cost us more money and CarTrawler have not refunded us the money for the reservation which they made for September.

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Ezra Stein
, US
Oct 11, 2023 12:26 pm EDT
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Booking done in August. Not confirmed until today. 25 CHF were charged to my account.

Please confirm asap or reimburse me.

Z
Z
Zach Scofield
, US
Aug 27, 2023 11:52 pm EDT
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

booked today 8-21-23 then needed to cancel right away due to something else, and now i cant cancel it or even get a refund!

have had terrible service, no one speaks english and nothing is being resolved!

US783390340 is my confimation #

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DONTDOBUSINESSwithCARtrawler
Seattle, US
Feb 28, 2023 6:57 pm EST

Why does this business continue to operate? Nobody has recieved any type of resolution. Every single review on Yelp, Tripadviser, Better Business Bureau, Complaints board, Facebook give this company the lowest possible rating. And, they still keep ripping people off.

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Martins@1962
Linmeyer, ZA
Jan 16, 2023 7:43 pm EST
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

Hired a car in 14.12.21 Airlines cancelled flights due to Covid.Was told I could use it Dec 2022 Got to Portugal and was told No I must get my refund.

PT568682600 BOOOKING NUMBER PAID R5596.10.

Please can I have my refund FERNANDO MARTINS

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siulze fernandes
São Paulo, BR
Jan 12, 2023 12:28 am EST
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

We Rented one car and when do pickep up I have to pay U$146,72 of insurance and I just pay one U$33.00. Please I would like a refund .

Actually , we were forced to pay . I had payment it.

Thank you

Siulze Fernandes

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P1968H
, US
Dec 07, 2022 12:33 pm EST

I cancelled the car hire on their website before collection time but got no confirmation of cancellation.

Now they are saying I didn't cancel, and it is considered a "no-show" and are unwilling to give a refund.

Customer service is bad. No phone number on their website, and were only available for chat on Whatsapp number.

J
J
j.m.crepaldi
Barueri, BR
Sep 27, 2022 10:05 am EDT
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

I booked a car with EUROPCAR in Sicily, through Cartrawler. I had a wrongful cancellation by Europcar and so far I haven't been able to get my money back.

This company is not to be trusted. Stay tuned.

K
K
Kim McCullen
, US
Jun 22, 2022 9:24 am EDT

I requested to cancel my booking for July 9th, well within the cancellation period and was denied because it was “tied” to June 18th (which was canceled due to a flight cancellation beyond our control within 20 hours of the booking). So for a technicality of 4hrs we are denied a cancellation or rebooking of the June 18th rental. I am putting out a memo to our company’s travel department to immediately cease utilizing Cartrawler. If your company can’t work within a business model where there are always going to be flight delays or cancellations we can’t utilize such an inflexible service. DO NOT BOOK WITH CARTRAWLER. SCAM

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Mike Wing
, US
Nov 13, 2019 10:24 am EST

Booked a car through cartrawler on the Emirates website. When I arrived in Dubai Europcar would not honour the booking. Cartrawler charged me for the booking and insurance as well. No apparent customer service available. Total scam.

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Edward Dunbavin
, US
Oct 27, 2019 4:35 pm EDT

Can I ask, that when I can go on line to hire a car utilising 40% discount, I can get an Economy car for £100.00 for the 14 day holiday in January... 18th - Feb 1st.

But when I go on the site to use my discount code, it now
reads £132.00?

Please explain, or have I misunderstood the information?

Kind regards,
Edward Dunbavin

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