New car, good service, convenient, no hassle with the return process.

I rented a car at Frankfurt Airport in Germany from Dollar Rent-a-Car, sharing an office with two other rental companies. There were few staff members, and the queue was very long, taking three hours to rent the car. We traveled through four countries: the Czech Republic, Austria, Switzerland, and Germany, and had to pay an extra 50 euros for crossing borders (this was not a highway toll but an additional fee charged by the rental company). This fee was not mentioned in the rental agreement.

The company is not trustworthy, and the car's condition was average. I rented a mid-size estate car, specifying a model like OPEL VECTRA EState / FORD MONDEO ESTATE/OPEL insignia estate which should have had space for 2 large suitcases and 1 small suitcase. I also requested a diesel version. However, at pickup, Dollar handed me the keys and informed us that the car was a small one, with very limited space that couldn't fit our luggage (one 26-inch large suitcase and two 20-inch small suitcases). After much discussion, they were very arrogant and told us not to hold up the line and to step aside. We were very angry and spent over 20 minutes negotiating. Eventually, they said we could have any car in the model group, but then they claimed the rental price was too low for those cars, especially not for a diesel, and if we wanted a better car from that group, we had to pay an additional 10 Euros per day. My wife and I, having lived in the US and rented cars before, had never encountered such a situation. Worrying about the car's condition and unfamiliar roads, and after almost 40 minutes had passed, we decided to pay the extra amount. Then, they tried to sell us full insurance and additional services, warning of severe consequences if we didn’t buy them. We informed them we had insurance from Zuzuche, but they dismissed it and were visibly upset when we insisted on declining. They reluctantly handed us the keys without telling us where to pick up the car. The car we got was an OPEL Astra Estate, which had less space compared to a MONDEO ESTATE. It barely fit our luggage. During the handover, we insisted on inspecting the car and marking all scratches on the form, which proved useful later when they tried to charge us for damages during the return inspection. About 80 kilometers after picking up the car, an oil warning light came on. After checking, it was clear the car was low on oil. Contacting DOLLAR was a hassle due to language barriers. Initially, they told us to refuel, but later they understood and asked us to find a place to repair the car and keep the receipt. Due to language issues and being a Saturday, it took us 2 hours without finding help, so we continued driving cautiously. More warnings appeared, advising a service station visit, but again, communication failed, and we were told to ignore it. Even the hotel owner couldn't find anyone to help. Multiple calls resulted in no resolution. Luckily, the car didn't have major issues, though the fuel consumption seemed high. By the time we returned the car, the oil level was at 40%, and we had another lengthy argument with DOLLAR staff.

The car was new and in excellent condition! It was very comfortable to drive. The staff was professional and friendly. Communicating in English was not an issue.

Due to the Munich Beer Festival, I couldn't pick up the car on time. Overall, I am quite satisfied.