Outside of high season there should be real car rental bargains to be had in Cyprus - there are loads of cars just parked up waiting for the next season.
Until now. The car rental companies at both Paphos and Larnaca Aiports have discovered some very crafty ways of ripping off the tourists.
It works like this. You book a car on the internet before you go. You probably shop the price to get the best deal you can. You then book and pay before you fly.
That all works just fine, until you come to pick up your car when you arrive. Suddenly there’s a host of extras that get added. Here’s some of them…
- You want a second driver, that’ll be €4 per day please.
- There’s an airport delivery/admin/local tax that applies, typically about €20 please.
- For your convenience, the car is full of fuel on collection, you drop it back empty, and they’ll charge you for the tank of fuel you’ll use. At a truly exorbitant price in comparison with filling up at a petrol station. And then of course it’s just about impossible to deliver it back empty, so you end up paying for whatever’s left in the tank at the end of the rental as well.
Recently we booked a car through Avis. The web price, €135 for two days. The actual price on arrival, €240. Getting on for double. We declined their kind offer, and got in a taxi instead.
In Kato Paphos there’s a load of places renting cars. We had one delivered to our house within an hour, at just €16 per day. All in, no extras, give it back with a similar amount of fuel in it when you’re finished.
The comparison is stark. For the same two day rental, at the airport, €240. In Kato Paphos, €32. Avis are the example used in this, from previous experience Europcar are just as bad.
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If the rental corporation needs to top-off the gas tank following my arrival, you will spend a incredible price per gallon. Often ask how the auto be filled up earlier for your departure, after which provide it back complete of gas. I despise each time car rental agencies try and screw others in any manner they may.