Hire a Vehicle from a more reputable company
I hire cars regularly at Nice airport. I chose Goldcar this time as it was the cheapest. I had not read all the bad reviews. I hired the car for the week, drove very carefully and did very little mileage. The damage report form when I collected the car declared "Damage to Rear Right Wheel Rim". When I returned the car after a week, with no incidents, I was charged 360 euro for "Damage to Rear Right Wheel Rim". I was charged for the pre-existing damage. I did not know about the charge until I checked my emails when I got home. I wrote a complaint to Goldstar's Customer Service, as per their procedures. Receipt of the complaint was acknowledged, but Goldcar never replied to my complaint. I am taking the matter up with the EU's Consumer Complaints Section, if only to raise international awareness of Goldstar's dodgy practices. When I checked other reviews, there were similar complaints of sharp practice by Goldcar and other examples of charging for pre-existing damage. My advice: Book with an honest, reputable company even if it means paying more. It will save you money and peace of mind in the long term.