It feels a little strange asking a car question on a bus buddies forum but it does say driving.

My bus options while staying in Armação de Pêra appear to be  little limited do to the lack of them so I am looking at alternatives. 

Scooters are my usual transport when away but looking at hire costs they are far too expensive and I am used to paying Asia prices.

Car hire I never look at as you hear so many reports of huge bills for dents etc but the hire cost in the Algarve and the time of year have got me thinking.

Any views on car hire and reputable companies you might share would be appreciated.

Thank you

Anthony

Its £20 to buy and about £6 per year. The batteries last about 10 years. When you have to change the transponder, they charge £20 for the new one, but when you send the old one back, you get your £20 back. I've used these for the past 12 years. Obviously + Toll charges.

First off I am truly staggered by how helpful you guys are first Tom with his bus info and now Bunnyrunner !!!!

Okeydokey, Fiat 500 is closest to a moped and easily parked away which was my thinking when I took a quick look yesterday.  

Motorways I am not a fan and Spain will not be a factor as having decided a car is a good idea I will wander north a ways and have a nose around away from the tourist areas. Spain when I come beginning of next year I am thinking.

I had looked at zest car hire yesterday I think they are in the UK but after following your pointers they are priced a little high for a Fiat roller-skate. The other sites you mentioned and hire companies look really promising thank you.

WoW that excess insurance is a bit of a find me thinks. I am assuming not having researched as yet. You pay the car hire price and nothing else, forget about their excess insurance and buy a year excess from Moneymaxim am I right ??

Off for a nose to see what I come up with I will be back with what I find as you know your onions :)

Thank you so much

Anthony

An after thought it would do no harm to buy the transponder if it lasts a year for little money, providing I can work out what it does.

Between Albufeira and the Spanish boarder costs about 6 Euros each way. Its taken from your bank on the following month. Steer clear of the main Portuguese motorway's though as they are very expensive. The last I used the Lisbon to Albufeira it cost me 46 Euros about the same to Porto from Lisbon. I now come to Albufeira via Spain, as there are no toll roads all the way from Santander via Seville to the Portuguese boarder    

As you are not taking full insurance you will need to cover the excess with a pre authorization on a credit card in the drivers name, some don't accept American Express. The excess amount seems to have risen since Covid and it's now closer to €2k whereas before €1250 was about the norm, obviously it goes up with size and quality of car. 

The other quibbles are pre-payments or deposits. The majority will want to pre-authorise your card if you say no to the transponder but a few will actually take a deposit payment. Same applies to fuel, you need to bring the car back with same fuel when you left (photo of fuel guage required) but Centauro charge you 100€ in case you don't re-fuel it. The problem with this is that you then have to look out for it coming on your card statement and chase them if it doesn't, I had to do that with MillionCar Hire last year. An additional problem is the exchange rate, the deposit at one rate the refund at another.

Talking about Fiat 500's, you are highly unlikely to get what you choose online, it says or similar in small print.

Let me know which company you plan to go with and if I've used them, I'll let you know what I think.

@Bunnyrunner

Thank you again for your post.

So I have been looking at the Fiat 500 type car on this search page at euro 105.

https://www.enjoytravel.com/en/Booking/Browse?plocation=2385&pmode=undefined&dmode=undefined&pdate=2023-11-7&ptime=10%3A00&dlocation=2385&ddate=2023-11-28&dtime=07%3A00&old=true&age=0&dc=MADNESS25%20&pc=car-hire&residenceCountry=GB - Choose your car | Enjoy Travel

Looking through I can use my excess insurance from your advice and have to use a card with 1200 excess available.  Anything you can help me with here please ?

Would you know how far okmobility are from departures as my return time is exactly 3hr from my flight departure 

Thank you

Anthony

Personally I would pay the extra tenner and get the C3 but one man's meat etc

As you are approaching the airport you can fill up on the right at a Prias petrol filling station, it's a bit cheaper and has less queues than the Cepsa one right at the airport roundabout.

Have a good trip and if you like a good pub quiz. Come and see us all on a Thursday at the Arte bar in Albufiera. Currently 5.30pm but may be earlier at 4pm when the clocks go back.