Andalucia: Pondering a Very Flexible Rental Car

In southern Andalucia, i want to take a rental car for 1 week or 3 weeks. There are just so many uncertainties and if somehow possible, i would make the final decision only two days before picking up the car/returning it. I will arrive in Andalucia around October 10, but would not like to rent before October 18 or so.

I would like to hear your experiences with certain rentals or brokers. I have no rental experience in Europe so far, only overseas. I have read some threads about car rental in Spain already, also regarding the pre-filled-tank scam, and some experiences about carehire3000 and economycarrentals.com.

Some of my aspects:
- I am not sure now where i would like to rent the car, most likely Seville, Jerez or Cadiz (aware that driving downtown is no fun, will happily try to pick up at airport or elsewhere out of town). But in the first week in Andalucia, i don't need the car.
- I would prefer an open-end rental, i cannot really say if i need the vehicle for 1 week or 3 weeks. Is that doable? (I do have a regular credit card and a V Pay bank card (girocard)).
- Do i have to fix the return city in advance? I would love to have the option of several allowed return cities (including Seville, Jerez, Cadiz and maybe other places in mainly southern Andalucia). Can i decide on the drop-off point (and the drop-off date) spontaneously while already using the car, maybe just two days before drop-off?
- The ideal car for me would be small (1 pax only), with back door, automatic gear, high ground clearance (even if that sounds contradictory), smooth and troublefree. I don't plan (or even like) any offroad driving, but sometimes i get "taken away, discovering" and i feel safer with a hi-legged car. A navigation system would be ok.
- I like a smooth and hasslefree car and service. I happily pay a few Euro more if it reduces the stress just a little. I would also accept to pay more to get the desired flexible arrangements outlined above.

If you could recommend any navigational (GPS) system for Android useful in Andalucia, i would be interested too. I will have a 1:200.000 paper map and an Android phone with OSM and with Google Maps (hopefully mostly online, depending on available Spanish SIM cards). So far, i had great experiences with Google Maps navigating on several continents, but you never know which services they will offer tomorrow – or not – and which ones will be available offline as well. I'd love a system where i can mark my own points of interest by tapping on the phone or alternatively also by clicking the place on a laptop screen. I also need the navigation for city walks.

Thanks for all recommendations and experiences!

All your wishes are possible, but they come with a price tag.
Your cheapest option: rent a car through a broker for the full 3 weeks. I checked rentalcars.com and they can rent you an Opel Corsa for 3 weeks in October for 122 € all included (without fuel, pickup and return at Malaga airport). So that is definitely your cheapest option, even if you don't need the car for 3 weeks. I don't think there would be a surcharge for returning the car early, but maybe check anyway.
If you want an automatic gear, the price for 3 weeks through the same broker increases dramatically to over 400 €.
For a rental tailored to your needs (flexible dates, flexible return cities, specific model, GPS), you might want to contact one of the biggies (Hertz, Avis, Europcar) and then you can decide if you want toi spend the extra money.

Edited by: lilyramone

I did a trip through Andalucia last year , I booked via Autoeurope,com because you can see which Car Hire company will provide the service. I am happy to pay a bit extra for a Hertz or Avis scam free service. Earlier this month I found Hertz to be cheaper for a Bcn pick up and Santander drop off.
Try Locus Maps for offline android maps.
ricio
PS check out El Rocio and drive on sand streets (the near bye Nature Reserve was bone dry and birdless when I visited)

Lily and Ricio, thanks for some useful detailed hints!

Just rented a car from Valencia Airport for 14 days over the net seemed to promise everything I even have car hire excess insurance (purchased for a full year) specifically to avoid all there excess charges.
Initial price was £85 for a Berlingo van like car plenty of space. This is very cheap Turns up its only with third party insurance and no breakdown cover. So as my car hire excess cover had a limit on it and If I used the third party they required Euro 850 deposit which you may or may not get back.

This new deal is specific to avoid people covering themselves with Excess insurance cover which is normally for £5-6000 pounds not up to the full car value. So currently the car hire outsmarts the excess insurance companies and charged me Euro 320 extra (on a hire costing Euro 85) so beware a more reputable company you may pay less total cost. My company were Gold car which I have used cheaply previously using the excess insurance cover . I suggest research on line to find the issues and problems.

Just rented a car from Valencia Airport for 14 days over the net seemed to promise everything I even have car hire excess insurance (purchased for a full year) specifically to avoid all there excess charges.
Initial price was £85 for a Berlingo van like car plenty of space. This is very cheap Turns up its only with third party insurance and no breakdown cover. So as my car hire excess cover had a limit on it and If I used the third party they required Euro 850 deposit which you may or may not get back.

This new deal is specific to avoid people covering themselves with Excess insurance cover which is normally for £5-6000 pounds not up to the full car value. So currently the car hire outsmarts the excess insurance companies and charged me Euro 320 extra (on a hire costing Euro 85) so beware a more reputable company you may pay less total cost. My company were Gold car which I have used cheaply previously using the excess insurance cover . I suggest research on line to find the issues and problems.