AutoClub - www.autoclub-rentals.gr

The owner/manager, took my call from the UK late on a Sunday evening and, though most cars were already booked, quickly found me a nice Golf turbo at a good price, just two days before I was due to arrive in mid-July.

It was a huge relief to get it sorted out at a great rate, but that was not all.

He also personally delivered the car to my villa as scheduled on the first morning of my stay, and was prepared to walk back the two kilometres to town, too.

However, even this is not all. The real test of a car rental company and its insurance/collision damage policy is when something goes wrong.

And, through no fault of mine, a wing mirror was cracked during a sightseeing trip to Heraklion.

Just Google how many rental companies charge the full excess on their collision damage waiver for much, much less. It is a common thing across Europe, and nothing less than an industry scandal.

However, apparently not in Crete; not with AutoClub in Almyrida, anyway!

The AutoClub policy excess is 450 Euros, and that is a fraction of some.

But, after speaking to the owner/manager to give him a 'heads up' that the mirror, though serviceable, would need fixing, and subsequently meeting him to survey the damage, he charged me only 25 Euros, which is no more than it would have cost me to fix it myself.

In short, throughout my stay the owner/manager and his team couldn't have been more congenial and helpful.

It made things that could so easily have blighted the holiday a pleasure.

This was also the case when the Chania airport drop-off car park was summarily and inexplicably closed and every customer return had unexpectedly to be quickly turned around and cleared off site by available staff.

So, if you're looking for a rental car in North West Crete, look no further than AutoClub.

This was the forth time we have rented a car in Crete from this company and we have been extremely happy with them every time.

Great communication via email before departure then a really simple pick up and drop off of the vehicle from Chania airport at a great price (did book early). The car was virtually brand new.

Many thanks to all the team over in Crete for making our car hire experience on holiday a great one...AGAIN.

We have hired a car from Autoclub many times at Heraklion airport. Their staff are really friendly and the cars have always been the same cars that we had requested. Never had any problems!!!!