Very disappointing service, return policy is a scam
I am really disappointed with the service of Carvolution, but as I want to be fair in my evaluations, I wrote down several points as to why I am giving this low score:
-When I moved to Switzerland, I needed a car rather urgently and decided to opt for Carvolution. I contacted Carvolution well in advance and I decided to go for the Audi A4. As the moving date came closer, it appeared that the production date was being moved and I would need to go for a bridging car. I agreed to this as I needed the car urgently. First, I got offered a Ford Puma but after some weeks there seemed to be a technical issue, so the car had to be changed again, this time to a Renault Captur. This all involved a lot of communication back and forth, and because the bridging car was only valid for 3 months, it came at a high monthly price. I believe this should not have been the case as this was out of necessity, and to no fault of my own.
-The car changes required extensive communication and administration, and the payment terms were unclear. I paid a large amount upfront, and later discovered a surplus on my account. I had to remind Carvolution multiple times to deduct this surplus from other bills.
-After a few months, I scheduled a tire change with the agreed-upon garage, confirming with both Carvolution and the garage that my summer tires were in stock. However, when I arrived, the garage sent me home without a tire change, as my tires were not in stock, despite prior confirmation from Carvolution and mentioning the Carvolution-ID in my booking.
-I drove quite a lot each month, and as a recommendation from Carvolution, I changed my monthly kilometer package to ensure everything is covered as additional kilometers at the end of the contract are charged at a higher rate (which is almost double of what a leasing company charges). However, what Carvolution doesn't mention is that if you have a surplus of kilometers at the end of your contract, they do not provide any discount or reimbursement, you just lose the extra kilometers.
-When I inquired about canceling the contract early, I was initially told it was not possible. After insisting, I was informed it was possible but at an additional charge. I wonder why this cannot be communicated transparently from the beginning.
-Upon returning the car, I received an extra bill for minor damages. The amount was much higher than expected, as not everything was covered by the insurance, despite having full casco insurance and paying the full deductible. Carvolution says the assessment is done by an independent expert, so I find it strange that this person can decide on the spot which damages would be seen as normal usage by Carvolution. Even a minor dent or scratch was still charged, and categorised as parking damage, which I was not insured for, although it is impossible to say when these damages exactly occurred. After contacting Carvolution, they were not able to explain to me the details of the repair costs I was being charged for. I believe that if certain costs cannot be explained, they should not be charged. While my support case was still open, their finance team was already sending me a payment reminder. Carvolution only accepted not to charge for a 'strong dirty interior' after I stated that it was clearly shown on the pictures that the interior was in fact not dirty. After several weeks of waiting and communicating, I eventually gave up and paid the bill.
The monthly fee you pay is high, and the big advantage of Carvolution should be that they take care of everything for you in return, but I can only say this has not proven to be true, and the subscription caused me a major headache on several occasions. Carvolution never offered compensation of any sort for all the extra hassle, so looking back at my overall experience, I am very dissatisfied, and would not choose Carvolution again, nor recommend the service to anyone else. I now chose to buy a car, and it took me far less effort to set everything up compared to dealing with Carvolution, and that for a car that I actually own, without worrying about being charged extra for minor damages upon return, disappointing communication and unclear processes.
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