This Is What I Really Thought About Using Discover Cars
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If you're planning a trip to Europe and considering renting a car, chances are you’ve come across Discover Cars.
I USED THEM ON A RECENT TRIP THROUGH NORTHERN SPAIN AND SOUTHWEST FRANCE.
And after five days of driving from Bilbao to San Sebastián and on to Biarritz, I have a lot to say.
So… is Discover Cars legit?
Is it better than just booking directly through Hertz or Sixt?
And how does it really work?
LET’S GET INTO IT.
This Is What I Really Thought About Using Discover Cars
What Is Discover Cars?
DISCOVER CARS IS AN ONLINE RENTAL CAR MARKETPLACE — OR OTA, IF YOU’RE INTO ACRONYMS.
(It stands for “online travel agency.”)
They don’t own a fleet of cars themselves.
Instead, they aggregate listings from major car rental companies (like Hertz, Sixt, Avis) as well as budget-friendly local operators (like Goldcar or Click&Rent).
They let you compare rates, insurance options, and rental terms side by side.
IN OTHER WORDS, IT'S KIND OF LIKE SKYSCANNER OR GOOGLE FLIGHTS, BUT FOR RENTAL CARS.
How It Works
First, you plug in your pick-up location, dates, and desired car type.
Discover Cars then pulls in listings from dozens of suppliers, which you can filter by:
Price
Rental company
Car type
Insurance coverage
Customer rating
Fuel policy
Transmission type
From there, you reserve the car just like you would on any other travel platform.
Payment is secure, the interface is clean, and you’ll get a confirmation email with all the fine print.
My Honest Discover Cars Review
I BOOKED WITH DISCOVER CARS FOR A JUNE 2025 TRIP TO NORTHERN SPAIN.
We landed in Bilbao, picked up the rental car a day later, and spent five days driving to San Sebastián and Biarritz, France.
The entire experience was smooth and surprisingly affordable — we paid around €200 for a mid-sized SUV for five days.
(That’s less than the cost of a train ticket for two people on some cross-country routes.)
Why I Chose Discover Cars
I’ve rented cars all over: Hertz in the U.S. when I was a regional sales rep, and Sixt in Europe for other trips.
But Discover Cars is really popular among travel bloggers, and so I wanted to check it out for myself.
Booking Process and Pricing
WHAT REALLY IMPRESSED ME WITH DISCOVER CARS WAS ITS FILTERING SYSTEM.
I could filter out airport-only rentals, compare full coverage options, and even sort by the amount of the security deposit.
It’s not that rental car prices were consistently lower on Discover Cars than on other platforms.
After all, pricing is pretty fixed across most rental car markets.
RATHER, THE FLEXIBILITY OF THE DISCOVER CARS PLATFORM ALLOWED ME TO APPLY FILTERS THAT RESULTED IN BETTER PRICED OFFERS.
For example, unchecking the “At Airport Terminal” box and considering off-site providers is one of the easiest ways to unlock cheaper options.
You can also filter by rental companies with lower deposit requirements, or select cars with full-to-full fuel policies to avoid surprise refueling fees.
I also appreciated being able to see real user reviews and star ratings for each rental provider.
Pick-up and Drop-off Experience
I BOOKED THROUGH CLICK&RENT, A LOCAL RENTAL COMPANY LOCATED NEXT TO THE BILBAO AIRPORT.
(We didn’t pick up our rental car until the third day of our trip, so it made no difference that the rental car company wasn’t located in the airport terminal.)
We took a quick Uber from the city center to the pickup location, and the entire handoff took about 15 minutes.
The signage was clear, and the staff was friendly.
There weren’t any surprises at pick-up or drop-off — exactly what you want when renting a car abroad.
I did take a quick video of the car prior to driving off the lot, more for peace of mind in case anything happened.
Rental cars often have dings and scratches, and I never want to be charged for damage that was already there.
DOES THIS VIDEO TRICK WORK? HONESTLY, I THINK IT’S MORE OF A PLACEBO EFFECT.
Is Discover Cars Legit?
Short answer: yes.
Longer answer: yes, and I’d use them again.
Insurance Coverage
You can either:
Decline insurance and rely on your credit card coverage (just double-check that your card actually covers rentals in Europe),
Add full coverage directly through Discover Cars (what I did), or
Wait and buy insurance at the rental desk (often more expensive).
I opted for the Discover Cars full coverage, which was clearly explained and reasonably priced.
Thankfully, I didn’t need to make a claim, but the peace of mind was worth it.
Hidden Fees
I DIDN’T ENCOUNTER ANY HIDDEN FEES, THOUGH I ALWAYS RECOMMEND READING THE TERMS CAREFULLY.
Discover Cars is very transparent in showing the fuel policy, mileage limits, deposit amounts, and what’s included vs. what’s extra.
That said, since Discover Cars is an OTA, and not the direct rental car provider, it’s smart to make sure the local rental desk has your reservation details exactly right.
When we arrived at Click&Rent to pick up our car, I took a moment to pull up my Discover Cars confirmation email and cross-check everything before signing the paperwork.
I made sure the car class matched what I booked, that the fuel and mileage policies were accurate, and that the optional full coverage I added was noted in their system.
It took all of two minutes, and ensured that there wouldn’t be any surprises later on.
Discover Cars vs. Other Rental Platforms
COMPARED TO BOOKING DIRECTLY WITH A COMPANY LIKE SIXT, DISCOVER CARS OFFERED WAY MORE FLEXIBILITY.
I could view multiple providers side by side, compare deposit amounts and fuel policies, and see which companies allowed for full-to-full refueling or unlimited mileage.
Sixt’s site, while sleek, limits you to their own inventory, and it doesn’t always show things like the security deposit amount up front.
When it comes to other rental car OTAs, like Rentalcars.com or Kayak, Discover Cars just had a smoother experience.
I DIDN’T GET BOUNCED TO A SECOND WEBSITE OR FORCED TO RE-ENTER MY DATES ONCE I CLICKED THROUGH.
Everything from filtering options to insurance add-ons stayed right within the Discover Cars platform.
And the ability to customize my search with filters like “off-airport pickup” or “low deposit” made it easier to find a rental that matched both my trip and my budget.
Final Verdict: Should You Use Discover Cars?
If you want a clear, affordable, and customizable rental car booking experience — yes.
I loved being able to optimize for price without sacrificing too much on service.
The filters were incredibly helpful and the insurance options were easy to understand.
I ALSO APPRECIATED BEING ABLE TO COMPARE TRADITIONAL BRANDS WITH SMALLER LOCAL COMPANIES I MAY NOT HAVE FOUND OTHERWISE.
Conclusion
When it was time to return the car, we dropped it off at Click&Rent, and the staff gave it a quick inspection before releasing the credit card deposit.
NO DRAMA, NO EXTRA CHARGES, JUST A SMOOTH HANDOFF AND A SHORT SHUTTLE RIDE TO THE AIRPORT TERMINAL.
Discover Cars made the whole process of renting a car in Europe feel surprisingly low-stress.
The platform gave me the flexibility to find a well-priced rental, as well as helpful user reviews for unknown, local suppliers.
If you’re planning a road trip in Europe and want a rental experience that feels clear and customizable, Discover Cars is a tool worth bookmarking.
Until next time,
Angela 🚗💨
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