Europcar and Booking.com Refused Responsibility After Rental Car Breakdown

During our car rental reservation in Munich from February 19–22, booked through Booking.com with reservation number 728227512, we experienced a serious issue.

While driving, the car’s tire suddenly blew out, and the vehicle did not have a spare tire or a repair kit. As a result, we had to call a tow truck, and the vehicle was taken away. After that, we were told that we needed to travel about two hours to another location to pick up a replacement car.

During this process, we contacted both Booking.com and the rental company Europcar, where we originally picked up the vehicle. Europcar told us that the responsibility belonged to Booking.com since the reservation was made through their platform and advised us to resolve the issue with them. Booking.com, on the other hand, told us that the insurance was not provided by them and directed us back to Europcar. However, we had actually purchased full insurance through Europcar. Despite this, both parties refused to take responsibility and kept redirecting us to each other, leaving us without proper support.

In the end, although we did not have to pay additional costs, the replacement vehicle provided was significantly inferior to the original car we rented. We were told that no vehicle in the same class was available, and if we wanted a higher model, we would need to pay an extra fee. Not only was the vehicle class downgraded, but our requests for a proper solution were also ignored.

When we contacted Booking.com customer service, they stated that the matter was Europcar’s responsibility because the insurance was arranged with them. Our requests were dismissed with an unhelpful and dismissive attitude, and no assistance was provided.

As a result of all these issues, our trip was significantly disrupted, we were left without a vehicle for a period of time, and we did not receive the level of service we paid for. Because neither party accepted responsibility and the vehicle class was downgraded, I request that the full rental fee be refunded.