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Maggiore - a dishonest, disingenuous outfit. Woeful customer service
StarEmpty StarEmpty StarEmpty StarEmpty StarBy -
Rating: 1/51

NAPLES, ITALY -- We booked a car in late 2017 for pick up in Naples. Having booked a long way in advance, we managed to secure a good deal. When we got to the office at Centrale Napoli they maintained that they couldn't find the booking at first. All this despite us presenting hard copies of the paperwork plus emails with our deposit and booking reference numbers etc etc. They bullshited on about their computer system being an issue and that part of the problem was that they'd swapped to a new system a few months earlier in 2018. About half an hour into this ordeal we're told by the male representative on the desk after several phone calls to head office that their system indicated that we cancelled a month before! Despite our vigorous protestations to the contrary, it emerged in retrospect, that they maintained this pantomime throughout the remainder of the 2 hours we were there.

At first we were sympathetic as the two reps (one male and female) appealed to us for some sympathy and understanding that they were the “just the meat in the sandwich”. We insisted we'd received no email from them that the booking had been terminated nor had we received a refund of the considerable deposit. Let's face it, it makes no kind of sense that we would cancel a booking a month earlier and turn up at their office at the beginning of a two month trip in Italy only to have to negotiate a new costlier contract with no surety of a particular car's availability! They said they appreciated this logic and looked on with obsequious sympathy but it sadly said “it's your mistake and now, obviously you must correct this issue at your expense”. It was like arguing with a windmill. Fortunately we had 4G access and established no refund had been received via the credit card company. Initially they refused to accept this and maintained our credit card statements were no proof that the refund had not been paid by them. They contended their computer systems were the arbiter of accuracy in this matter. After at least another twenty minute wait in the queue by the male representative to connect to their “customer service” department they conceded that indeed no refund had been initiated. The male representative delivered this concession with no apology and a straight face and informed us that the refund had now been attented to and that we'd receive this in “the next few days” of course. We are now more than a few days later and, guess what… we've not received our refund.

Our increasingly dawning sense was that this was a well practiced pantomime and was confirmed by the plethora of online reviews of this company that we read while waiting. Let's face it, we were there almost two hours so we had to do something to amuse ourselves! Additionally the increasingly obsequious, disingenuous and shifty behaviour of both the operators was a clue.

They now stepped up a gear and said “because of YOUR actions in cancelling this booking, they would have to issue a completely new deal and contract. They would see what they could do for us “despite of your error”. We were handed repeatedly back and forth from one representative to another and one desk to another as they explained that the two computers they were working from had different access to historical data since changes to their admin systems. Suffice it to say, we ended up paying several hundred euros more for another vehicle. We only found that we'd been handed a new deal for a lower grade car after repeated questioning of the other female representative who looked squeamish and shifty as she read out the terms of the “best possible deal” they could do at this late hour. Prior to this confirmation, she kept ducking and weaving our questions pretending to be distracted by ringing phones, other customers and her bad back. When we finally pinned her down she used weasel words to confirm the increased daily rate, lower grade car hire terms.

We have concluded that this was, in all likelihood, a well rehearsed scam. Basically if cars are in demand around the time you turn up and there is opportunity to make more money by renting the car out at a higher rate to someone by “losing” this booking then it's a no brainer, that a dodgy car hire outfit would do so.

My partner was distraught. Months of careful planning and attention to good communication and detail unravelled before our eyes and our special holiday was spoiled. She began to weep and cry. The female representative looked on with obsequious pity as she explained now where we were to finally collect the car. We said we needed a moment to collect our thoughts, paperwork and possessions before paying attention to her insistent instructions. Throughout this charade of course, other customers who were picking up or dropping off, were asking uncomfortable questions to us about our issue and naturally my partner's upset added to their anxiety also. The male representative then cut in and bellowed at us like a beached walrus that “your mistake really has taken up enough of our time” (we were there almost 2 hours) and that we needed to “hurry up and get out”. This announcement was more for the benefit of the the growing queue of uncomfortable customers than us. The female's sycophantic sympathy evaporated at this point also. Her passive aggressive demeanour surfaced once more and she intoned as she battered her eyelids that we “perhaps are not ready to receive her patient, detailed and helpful directions as to how to pick up your vehicle”.

We left anxious and extremely upset to say the very least. Hardly the introduction to Italy we expected and the way to begin a tense unfamiliar journey on “wrong side of the road” through the middle of Naples northward.

The car when we found it was filthy.

I solemnly wished we'd seen the plethora of like reviews about this company as we'd have not hired from them. I hope this review helps someone to avoid this woefully pathetic company like the plague.

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Poor Customer Service and Overcharging
StarEmpty StarEmpty StarEmpty StarEmpty StarBy -
Rating: 1/51

LA MEZIA TERME -- Arrived at rental desk and was told I had to buy additional insurance despite having paid for this with the rental agency. Staff were rude and threatened to call police! Vehicle was not clean, central locking broken, tyres were just about legal. Vehicle not filled with fuel and I was told it was but that the fuel gauge was broken. First thing they asked and checked when I returned was the car filled with fuel! I would not rent from this company ever again and I rent cars on a weekly basis!! Worst customer service I have ever experienced. Others be warned!!! Do not rent from these crooks!!!

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Poor Customer Service and Unauthorized Charges !!!!
StarEmpty StarEmpty StarEmpty StarEmpty StarBy -
Rating: 1/51

MILAN, ITALY -- We rented a car through Maggiore in Italy. There were multiple issues:

  1. Horn was not working. They offered us to drive the car for an exchange to Milan (2 hours away). This is unfair since it would be at our own expense and wasting our time.
  2. We received the car with 3/4 fuel tank and return it in the same way. When returned the car in Malpensa (Milan Airport) we were told it was fine, but then Maggiore sent me the bill and completed an unauthorized charge for extra fuel and the service of adding that fuel (together over 50 Euros).

We called and complained, but Maggiore does not seem to care about customers. We would NOT rent from them in the future. Other companies seem to care more about customers than Maggiore.

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Do Not Rent a Car Here Unless You Want Your Money Stolen
StarEmpty StarEmpty StarEmpty StarEmpty StarBy -
Rating: 1/51

NAPOLI -- We had made a reservation through booking.com for a car. This reservation went through rentalcars to Maggiore. The car was paid in advance on the credit card. The day of the flight I lost my credit card (or it got stolen), in addition the plane had a delay so I could not call the company. When I arrived I explained them the situation, maggiore said it's not their business that I had to call rentalcars. Rentalcars obviously didn't care. To make the story short, they will not refund me. In the meanwhile they probably rented that car to somebody else the same day.

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Do not use this company EVER!!
StarEmpty StarEmpty StarEmpty StarEmpty StarBy -
Rating: 1/51

BOLOGNA -- AVOID! AVOID! AVOID!!
DO NOT USE THIS COMPANY! They are crooks!
No. 1. We specifically ordered an estate car as we had a lot of luggage. We were given a saloon and told that the only way to get the car type we wanted was to pay an extra E70?! We argued the best we could but got nowhere dealing with a very rude lady.
No. 2 Most worrying of all for is that this company tried to let us leave with a severely scratched car without marking any damage on the form as we were told not to worry as our excess insurance would cover it. Makes me wonder how many times the damage to this car has been paid for already with previous claims. We insisted on marking our documents with the damage we could see. Absolutely no care was taken by Maggiore to inspect the vehicle. Of course, when we dropped the car off the inspection was very thorough!!!
1 star because 0 is not possible!
Absolute cowboys!!

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Fraudulent company - stole money from credit card - AVOID
StarEmpty StarEmpty StarEmpty StarEmpty StarBy -
Rating: 1/51

BRINDISI -- After paying in full for the hire of a car from Maggiore at Brindisi airport in Italy and returning to the UK, I received a notification some months later from my credit card company that Maggiore had subsequently taken quite a substantial amount of money from my account without my authorisation. After several telephone calls trying to blindly navigate my way through Italian speaking recorded messages, I managed to talk with an employee who quite unapologetically advised that this had been due to "a system error", and that the full amount would be refunded to my card. I later found that SOME of the money had been refunded, and as a result of not being able to get in touch with anyone else who could help, and no response at all to any of the many emails I sent them, I therefore was left with no other option than to cancel my credit card to prevent any further funds being taken, and to report Maggiore to the fraud department of my credit card company. I would urge any potential customers to avoid Maggiore at all costs. I suspect they try this scam with many of their customers in the hope they either don't notice the funds being taken, or pay it thinking they may be liable for damage they may not have previously noticed. It really is disgusting to know that some companies think they can get away with such deceitful behaviour.

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Maggiore Car Rental in Rome
StarEmpty StarEmpty StarEmpty StarEmpty StarBy -
Rating: 1/51

ROME -- I DON'T RECOMMEND! We had made a rental agreement from Maggiore Rome Fiumicino airport for Mercedes or similar and had paid for it. We got a Ford Fiesta that was in a very poor shape! Tires were so worn out that it was dangerous to drive in rain. The man on desk just said that there is no other car. We had paid for full insurance... and are sure there was no accident at all. As we returned the car, the guy who came to check it, walked straight to front and kicked the bumper - which was loose but you could only tell when kicking under it... OMG. What a scam! It was clear they used the full paid insurance to fix previous damage.

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Maggiore Car Rental
StarEmpty StarEmpty StarEmpty StarEmpty StarBy -
Rating: 1/51

PALERMO -- MAGGIORE RENT: DREADFUL INCOMPETENT STUPID. Dreadful. Hired a car in Palermo in August 2017. Was forced to take extra protection. When back in UK they charged me illegally €436. Complained via email, Messenger, tweets for 6 months without joy since they even refused to answer my emails after 5 months!

Incompetent. I contacted ECRCS (European Car Rental Conciliation Service) who forced them to refund me the money! Stupid. I reckon that during my campaign in Twitter, national press, Facebook and contacting friends and associates, they must have lost at least 40 bookings. I told them many times about it and they still refused to pay until forced. Very clever management!!! AVOID THESE CLOWNS AT ALL COST!!!

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Try to Scam for Damage on a Rental Car Through Maggiore
StarEmpty StarEmpty StarEmpty StarEmpty StarBy -
Rating: 1/51

MILAN -- At first they charge your credit card for €1800,00 and we have to pay a deposit of €250,00. Arriving at the rental car deck no staff was available. The car was damaged and no damage form was there to check. Also snow chains were missing as promised in their advertisement.

Returning the car after a few days, the one member of their staff claims we caused the damage at the bottom below the door. We repeatedly asked for the damage form where all the damages are noted, but there wasn't any. So we refused to sign a new form, claiming we have caused the old damages. Be warned not to rent through Maggiore or do a extremely careful check up and make sure any scratch is noted and photographed.

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Maggiore Are Scammers - Avoid at All Costs
StarEmpty StarEmpty StarEmpty StarEmpty StarBy -
Rating: 1/51

MILAN -- Tried to scam me for fuel, said the needle was broken. I picked the car up and got me to sign to say tank was full and no damage on the car. Had to walk 10 minutes to then get the car, discovered it was a shed. Made the idiot handing it over sign to say it was damaged while his monkey of a friend made silly noises at my girlfriend. After first refuel found out needle wasn't broken (obviously), called Maggiore who put the phone down 3 times and on the fourth said they were too busy and then tried to pretend the line was breaking up.

Eventually one of them said, "Just fill it to where it was when you got it." When I handed it back I was sent a bill for £103 including a load of taxes, fees and made up charges, two of them being for fuel. Avoid Maggiore at all costs and just go with a reputable company, you'll save time and effort and lots of money in the long run. (P.S. thankfully rentalcars.com listened and refunded me the money for fuel).

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Maggiore Rating:
Star Empty star Empty star Empty star Empty star
1.0 out of 5, based on 15 ratings and
18 reviews & complaints.
Contact Information:
Maggiore
Via di Tor Cervara
225 Roma, 00155 Italy
06-22-935-1 (ph)
www.maggiore.it
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