I went to so much trouble to ensure I book a Ford Mustang (which is celebrating its 60 year anniversary in 2024) as a surprise for my wife who happened to turn 60 on the 29th September 2024. Needless to say it was impossible to find another Ford Mustang an hour before I was to book out of our hotel so we trundled along in a RAV 4 which I would not drive if you paid me back in Australia. As you can imagine it was an absolute mood spoiler on what should have been a HUGE surprise. I understand that cars get damaged (which is what I was told) but to then offer an entry level RAV 4 as replacement is a slap in the face – I would have thought that the least your company could have done was to offer us a complimentary upgrade – what I would have expected of your company was to advise me upfront that the vehicle was not available, when it became evident – but I guess that is too much to expect given the volumes of customers you deal with.

The Europcar counter is right in the domestic arrivals hall. We picked up the car around 9 am. There was no one in line, so we were helped immediately. All the counter staff were of Indian descent and had a bit of an accent, but they were very nice. They checked our passport, driver's license, and its translation, asked if we had bought insurance, and then gave us the car keys. We walked to the parking lot ourselves to pick up the car. The parking lot is left when you exit the arrivals hall. Compared to other car rentals at the airport, Europcar has relatively fewer parking spots.

It's okay

I've rented from various companies multiple times, but this was my first and very unpleasant experience with Europcar. First, the counter staff was quite indifferent. Second, despite having fully paid and purchased the super comprehensive insurance via Zuzuche, and having additional travel insurance that covers overseas self-driving, Europcar still tried to push their insurance on us. They initially refused to acknowledge our booking, and only after persistent negotiation did they relent. This already left a bad impression. Third, they pre-charged NZD 200 on my credit card for fuel, which they promised to refund if the car was returned with a full tank. This was acceptable. However, a couple of days later, they charged another NZD 200 without any explanation, causing confusion. Given our ongoing trip and a similar unresolved situation with a friend in Europe, our trust in Europcar was already low. We contacted Zuzuche's after-sales service, who responded quickly. After uploading a screenshot of the deduction, we received a refund roughly equivalent to NZD 200 the next day, albeit with some exchange rate loss. Fortunately, it was a minor loss. The main issue wasn't the money but the unauthorized, unjustified charges, which are unlawful. We appreciate Zuzuche's prompt and effective service, which helped resolve the first incorrect charge despite limited communication options abroad. However, the initial NZD 200 taken at the counter hasn't been refunded yet. We returned the car with a full tank and even confirmed with the Europcar counter, who assured us it would be refunded within 10 business days, pending the bank's process. We are still waiting, hoping there won’t be any further issues.

Europcar Queenstown 034425887 Georgie (Europcar Christchurch airport) who helped us when we collected the car from Christchurch was awesome. She was so friendly and helpful. She allocated a brand new KIA Carnival for us (mileage was only 20 Km) which was a wonderful surprise. The car was so spacious and had all of the safety features that you expect from 2022 model. The ride was so smooth and comfortable for 6 people. I was so reluctant to return it at the end of our trip

Easy booking process. They were so helpful when I had to cancel the booking with one rental company and made a new booking with another rental company.