When we travel to Lisbon, we usually also rent a car. Our usual place of stay is near Sintra, and having a car handy is quite convenient. Over the last 15 years, we’ve booked our cars through various rental companies but often end up going directly to GoldCar. GoldCar has a relatively new fleet, offers competitive prices, and is conveniently located next to the terminal. However, they can be pushy with insurances and such but if that doesn’t bother you, it’s a good choice.
Approached by DiscoverCars
Last summer, we were approached by someone from DiscoverCars.com. They asked if we’d consider booking a rental car through them and provided us with a credit to use for it. Coincidentally, we were just researching rental cars in Lisbon for October, so we agreed. It’s worth mentioning that DiscoverCars didn’t explicitly ask for a review, shoutout, or anything. Nevertheless, we wanted to share our experiences with them here.
User-Friendly Website
As mentioned, we usually book our rental car directly through the GoldCar app, occasionally using Rentalcars.com, a part of the Booking.com group. I wasn’t familiar with DiscoverCars.com. The website functions like most others. On the homepage, there’s a large search box with pick-up location, dates, and a search button. Simple and clear.
DThe search results load quite quickly, and the filter options are extensive, covering car types, extras, payment methods, and suppliers. This extra search capability is something you miss when dealing directly with a provider. Also, since DiscoverCars is a search engine with multiple rental companies, they offer more options. Plus, on practically all rental cars, you get free cancellation up to 48 hours in advance.
With most car rental companies and rental car search sites, you need to create an account before you can book. That’s not necessary with DiscoverCars. After booking, you receive a reservation number in your email, which you can use to manage your booking. It’s similar to the reservation number you get when booking flight tickets. I appreciate this because it means you don’t have to create an account.
Creating an account is straightforward, though. You can simply log in with your Google or Apple account, which is what I did to experience the full process.
Making Changes
There is a downside to booking through an intermediary. If you need to make a last-minute change, it might not be processed in time by the rental company. We had a late flight that was supposed to land well before midnight (the closing time of Sixt’s desk, the rental company). Due to delays, it got quite tight, and I wanted to inform them of my flight number through the reservation so they would be aware. I couldn’t do that, but ultimately, I arrived with plenty of time, so it wasn’t a big deal.
Added Value of DiscoverCars.com
In the end, we had good experiences with DiscoverCars.com. The real value lies in the extensive search options and the (expected) objective customer reviews. These really help in choosing a rental car, which can be a daunting task. Furthermore, DiscoverCars.com’s site is fast and very user-friendly. The booking process was more than satisfactory, with the confirmation email arriving in our inbox within a minute. The only drawback is that making changes to your booking isn’t always as straightforward with the rental company itself.
Would I book a rental car through DiscoverCars.com again next time? I think so, depending on the deals they offer. Maybe not immediately for Lisbon since we can almost blindly find GoldCar’s counter there, but for destinations other than Lisbon, I would definitely consider it more.
What Works Well
- Fast website
- Extensive choice
- Comprehensive filters
- Clear booking process
- Manage booking with a reservation number
What Could Be Improved
- Updating information
- Prices not always competitive with rental companies themselves
