​Be aware of illegal trade by Goldcar. I'm not sure if EconomyCarRentals is the same company, but their chosen partners, Goldcar in our case, are a really dodgy company.
a) Will deny evrything you booked with EconomyCraRental and will ask you to pay extra Eur 700.
b) will give you a car with a damaged exterior, and after you return, they will file a damage case against you even if you have pictures proving the damage was before you took the car.
Here is our case, and we're going much further than other clients, we'll not allow ourselves to be mocked and abused by GOLDCAR.

I am writing to file a formal complaint regarding the unacceptable and unlawful conduct experienced during a recent car hire with Goldcar Malaga, booked under Contract No. 27518464 via ECONOMYCARRENTALS in Spain.
Despite having booked with full protection, including excess protection, damage and theft protection, and airport taxes, we were shocked to discover upon arrival that your representative denied all coverage and demanded we pay approximately €700 in additional fees for insurance and airport charges. This was in complete contradiction to the written confirmation and Terms & Conditions provided at the time of booking, which we had printed and presented at the desk.
The representative was aggressive, dismissive, and dishonest, showing a complete lack of professionalism. He refused to acknowledge the prepaid coverage, pressured us with threats of denying the vehicle unless we paid additional charges, and created a highly stressful and intimidating environment. This behaviour clearly aligns with what can be legally defined as coercive commercial practice, which is prohibited under Spanish consumer law (Ley General para la Defensa de los Consumidores y Usuarios, Royal Legislative Decree 1/2007).
This experience was not isolated. While waiting, we observed other families being treated similarly—in particular, a mother with children in tears, unable to afford the additional charges she was unjustly asked to pay despite having also booked with full coverage. Another family beside us was refused the vehicle outright unless they agreed to pay a substantial sum on the spot.
This appears to be a deliberate and systematic strategy of upselling under duress, designed to exploit travellers in vulnerable conditions, such as arriving late at night and being left with few alternatives. This not only breaches contractual obligations but also constitutes unethical and potentially criminal behaviour.
After almost two hours of distress, the representative began to realise that we would not fall into his traps, and he started changing what he was saying, pointing out that 'you do have full protection - but not with us, rather with the website where you booked the car.' That was it for us. We said we'll not pay any extra and that we want to take a car.
We received the car and found it to be in poor condition, with multiple dents, scratches, and visible accident damage to the rear left side bumper. We photographed and videoed the vehicle using three phones immediately before driving away. However, no Goldcar staff were available on-site to acknowledge the car’s condition or record existing damage, contravening standard car hire procedures.
Upon return, the situation further escalated. The return agent ignored normal protocol, went straight to the rear bumper, and began recording damage without inspecting the rest of the vehicle. It was apparent he already knew the damage was there, raising serious concerns of intentional targeting of customers for false damage claims.
When asked to sign his tablet, I clearly stated I would not sign anything acknowledging responsibility for damage. He insisted it was just a return confirmation. Nonetheless, we were subsequently sent a damage claim, attempting to hold us liable for pre-existing issues—again, a practice we consider fraudulent.
This case is now being escalated to:
- The Spanish Consumer Protection Agency (Agencia Española de Consumo),
- The Directorate-General for Consumer Affairs in Andalusia,
- And our legal representation through HSBC’s litigation services, which will be involved.