Avoid Europcar at all costs; this company is essentially a scam! I rented cars from them in both Ireland and Scotland, and the tactics were the same. When you arrive, the car you booked is never available, and they pressure you to upgrade for an additional fee. Then they inform you that if you use domestic insurance, they’ll require a high deposit at the counter. In my experience, a high deposit overseas always comes with hidden risks, so I had to purchase some insurance at the counter to reduce the excess amount. Later, I realized how crucial it is to avoid unscrupulous rental companies! In Ireland, the excess amount was zero, so when returning the car, they couldn’t find any issues with the vehicle itself. Instead, they claimed my fuel tank wasn’t full and directly charged my credit card for an exorbitant fuel cost and an extra refueling fee! I booked the Irish rental through a platform, and thankfully the platform helped me successfully recover the money—kudos to them! In Edinburgh, I booked the car directly. This time, Europcar was even worse. The minimum excess amount was set at £100, and when returning the car, their inspection was absurdly meticulous. They found a minor blemish on the tire that couldn’t even be captured during a pickup photo. I asked the inspector about it, and he said it shouldn’t be an issue requiring compensation. In a rush to catch my flight to Ireland, I signed off on the report. After returning home, I received an email stating they charged my credit card £380 for damages! I emailed them to dispute the charge and mentioned that the inspector assured me it wouldn’t require compensation. They replied, saying they reviewed all terms and contracts, and insisted I owed the money. I pointed out that my excess amount was £100, and then they responded with, 'Oh, sorry, I missed that; I’ll adjust it for you.' This was clearly a deliberate attempt to exploit foreigners. I find it hard to believe someone assigned to process claims—who claims to have reviewed all terms and conditions—could overlook such a basic detail regarding the excess amount. If you don’t argue carefully, you’ll end up paying way more! Absolutely a shady operation; avoid Europcar at all costs.

To not get the Europcars extended insurence as I feel it was way pricey then it should have been

Great upgrade deals available

Tried to make us buy the most expensive insurance without discussing it with us.

Like: No real hard sell, just good negotiating