A smooth rental, even when plans went wrong
What was meant to be a perfectly planned Mallorca trip quickly turned into a last-minute car rental mission. A new car needed to be booked at very short notice. Basically this meant that as soon as the online reservation was completed I went straight to pick up the car.
Website and the booking process
After a couple of quick searches on two comparison sites (DiscoverCars.com and Rentalcars.com), I ended up choosing ClickRent. €37.50 per day for a Fiat Cinquecento during high season felt like an acceptable price.
In a previous post, I wrote about the business competitor Wiber, whose goal of offering a better customer experience — partly through modern technology — is already visible on their website.
In the case of ClickRent, the low-cost feeling runs through the entire site and clearly shows that the company has chosen a different business model: attracting customers with low prices. You have to put up with the pink colour scheme, questionable design accuracy, and a strong focus on “adding extras before checkout”.
As is my habit when dealing with new companies, I checked what previous customers had to say. ClickRent’s Trustpilot rating of 2.5 out of 5 did not inspire much confidence. Many customers reported dissatisfaction with extra charges, disputed damage claims upon return, and the attitude of the staff. While the numbers alone are not decisive, customer reviews are a clear indication that expectations were often not met.
So I book Cinquecento for two days, “tarifa basic”, without extra insurance, just to take a chance.
The Clickrent Office
ClickRent is a Spanish company founded in 2011 and now operates 13 offices across mainland Spain and the Balearic Islands. The largest office in Mallorca is located in Polígono Son Oms, just outside the airport. It’s a convenient location with quick access to the MA-19 towards S’Arenal and Llucmajor, as well as the MA-15 towards Manacor, Son Servera, Cala Ratjada, and more. Free shuttle buses run regularly, and the transfer takes no more than 5–10 minutes.
During my visit (Saturday at noon, supposedly peak time), all counters were staffed and the waiting time was just over 10 minutes. Anyone who bothered to look up at the TV screens behind the counters could read useful information, such as which documents to have ready. Not many seemed to do so…
The car
Once I arrived, I realised just how true the saying “it doesn’t always turn out as planned” really is. I had left my Mastercard at home, which meant I had no way to pay the deposit (American Express is not accepted). In the end, I added full insurance, bringing the total cost to €119.
Now the conditions were completely different. With full insurance, no one will react to an extra scratch, dent, or whatever else might happen. So, it won’t be a challenge anymore…
The moment I saw the car, I understood the frustration of some customers who had reviewed ClickRent on Trustpilot. A quick walk around revealed around 15 scratches, dents, and paint marks on all sides of the vehicle. How do you even document all that without missing something? Not easy.
It’s also a mystery how a car can accumulate so many flaws in just under three years — although, to be fair, this is Mallorca. I felt relieved that I didn’t have to document all the damage, but it does make you wonder why none of it is repaired, given the amount of money the company must charge customers. Perhaps a topic for another post.
Inside, the car was reasonably clean and felt fresh. Most importantly, there were no technical issues — which was a relief, considering that just two weeks earlier I had to return a rental car from another company after 75 km due to gearbox problems.
Returning the car
Returning the car was smooth. The drop-off area is clearly signposted, and the entire process took less than five minutes. It was interesting to see how quickly the cars disappear for cleaning after being returned — the next customer is already waiting.
Since the car must be returned fully refuelled to avoid additional charges, the nearby Repsol gas station makes things easy. The staff will refuel the car for you, and you pay at the cashier.
Despite my own mistake, the overall experience turned out okay. ClickRent is a company built around low prices — and they are relatively low if you book a basic car and are willing to take the risk of skipping full insurance. Otherwise, ClickRent doesn’t really stand out, except perhaps for its rather uninspiring website.
Pros:
– Competitive prices, especially for basic rentals ✅
– Fast and efficient car return✅
– Wide availability during high season ✅
Cons:
– Office is off-site, shuttle bus adds time to pick-up
– Low Trustpilot rating and mixed customer reviews
– Cars often show visible wear and tear
– Basic website design and user experience
More insights about the company on Trustpilot
Centauro Mallorca – a good-priced alternative to Clickrent if you don’t mind taking a shuttle bus from the airport to pick up the car.
