Ridiculous driving experience!

They kept pushing me to buy insurance.

Spanish siesta time is frustrating! I chose to pick up the car at 1 PM on Monday, April 22nd. The booking showed that the store's operating hours were 8:00-21:00. When we arrived at the store with all our luggage at 1:05 PM, the doors were closed! There were no signs indicating a move or closure. After waiting a bit, we met a man who seemed to be returning a car. He informed us that it was a local holiday and the store was closed in the afternoon. Monday, holiday? I couldn't believe it and quickly checked online, discovering that April 22nd was Easter Monday in Catalonia! How would anyone not local know that?! We contacted the car rental company's international hotline, and after some negotiation, they arranged a taxi to another rental company at Barcelona Airport. I had booked an Audi A3, but the company’s new order was for a Golf. The staff said the car they provided was cheaper than the one I initially booked. They promised to refund me the difference. However, to my dismay, I was later informed that they could only refund the base car rental price after deducting the insurance. As a result, the base rental for the Golf was actually more expensive than the Audi A3! The case is still under appeal. My advice is never to rent a car from a city store in Spain; their operating hours are too unpredictable. The car rental company is also highly irresponsible!

There was no queue when picking up the car and the paperwork didn't take long. The staff assisting us was polite. The company might include some insurance in the contract by default, so if you sign without looking carefully, you may end up paying more when returning the car.

This was my first time renting from Budget. Later I found out that Budget and Avis are the same company. Back in 2012, I rented from Avis in the U.S. and had a terrible experience, so I never booked with Avis again. This time, Budget was in downtown Barcelona, and the process was satisfactory. There were no other customers at the time, so it was quick. The staff spoke good English and were very attentive. I had booked a Golf but got a new red C4 instead, which was also nice. Returning the car was even simpler; they almost didn't check it. Oh, it seems they did glance at the fuel level. Overall, it was a pleasant car rental experience.