Posted on July 30, 2010 by Fiona Hilliard

Bit of a strange one here – checking you’ve got the right car hire.  You know in your head which one you’ve selected online. You’ve possibly even imagined yourself behind the wheel, but you’d be amazed at how many people get to the pick–up desk and find all of their illusions shattered.

So how do you avoid the shock–horror of showing up at Alicante Airport  only to find you’ve got the wrong car?  Easy, you book well in advance!

Cars are rarely exactly the same as the model displayed in the image on the website. But you should always receive a car of equal size as the one you have booked, otherwise you’re definitely not getting a fair deal.

The car rental company in question might tell you that they were unable to secure the car you ordered and attempt to give you a replacement car. This new car might even be smaller than the model you had dreamt about driving – however, you might still have to pay the same rate you were going to pay before. 

You might even be offered a larger model than the one you were expecting.

If you find you’ve been upgraded, then you might have to pay an extra amount every day for a car you had no intention of renting in the first place.

Know your rights.  If you genuinely booked in good time, then you are definitely entitled to a car of equal size to the one you booked.  The company is obliged to offer you another car if they cannot provide it.  Remember, you do not need to pay anything extra, unless you decide to upgrade on your own.