Record Go markets itself heavily on price, and the headline rates genuinely are competitive — often among the cheapest options at Tenerife’s airports for a comparable car. What a meaningful share of independent reviews describe, though, is a specific pattern that shows up too often across separate, unconnected accounts to dismiss as bad luck: real pressure at the desk to buy additional insurance, sometimes backed by a suggestion that your deposit’s return isn’t guaranteed unless you do.
Where the Money Actually Goes
- Record Go’s own “Total Comfort” cover removes the excess deposit entirely, but declining it means leaving a deposit that varies by vehicle category — figures of €1,200 and €1,400 both show up repeatedly across independent reviews.
- A specific, recurring complaint describes desk staff suggesting a declined-insurance deposit “might not be returned because anything can happen” — language reviewers describe as pressure tactics rather than a neutral statement of the contract terms.
- More than one account describes being charged for insurance a second time at the desk despite already having purchased comparable cover through a booking intermediary (one detailed case: €108 paid upfront, then a further €182 demanded at pickup for the same cover).
- Fuel deposit refunds are a specific, recurring sore point — several reviews describe returning a full tank with a receipt as proof, only for the deposit to still be withheld weeks later.
- The reviews aren’t uniformly bad — deposit releases within days, friendly staff, and low-mileage, well-priced cars all show up too, so the honest picture is a real, specific risk to prepare for rather than a company to avoid outright.
What’s Record Go’s “Total Comfort” cover, and what happens if you decline it?
Total Comfort is Record Go’s own zero-excess insurance product, and buying it removes the deposit requirement entirely — Record Go’s own site markets this specifically as a solution for renters who either don’t have enough available credit for a large deposit hold or whose card type can’t support one. Decline it, and you’re leaving a deposit instead, with figures of €1,200 and €1,400 both showing up repeatedly across independent reviews depending on vehicle category. This is the same structural pattern covered across most of the international and budget brands on this site — the advertised low rate assumes you’ll either buy the company’s own cover or accept a substantial deposit, rather than Cicar or Autoreisen’s approach of building zero-excess into the base price from the start.
Why do renters describe being pressured with “anything can happen”?
This is the most specific, recurring complaint in Record Go’s Tenerife reviews, and it’s detailed enough across separate accounts to be worth quoting directly. One reviewer describes declining the additional insurance, being told a second time, and then being informed their deposit “might not be returned because anything can happen” — language the reviewer specifically calls out as using “a customer’s own money as leverage to sell an optional product,” rather than a neutral explanation of the contract. The deposit terms are, in fact, set out clearly in the rental contract itself; suggesting they’re somehow uncertain unless you buy an upgrade is the exact dynamic covered in our piece on desk pressure tactics generally — a valid, agreed contract term being reframed as negotiable to create pressure. The reviewer’s own advice afterward is worth repeating: photograph everything, read the deposit terms carefully before you fly, and don’t let the conversation be rushed.
Does Record Go really double-charge for insurance you’ve already bought?
At least one detailed, specific account describes exactly this. A renter who’d booked through Lastminute.com, which offered a “Kasko TOTAL Assurance” package for €108 presented as full coverage for the entire rental, describes arriving at the Record Go desk and being told they needed to purchase the same insurance again — this time for €182 — despite explaining they’d already paid for full coverage through the booking intermediary. The reviewer describes being met with “pressure, scare tactics, and a long list of hypothetical accidents.” This is a related but distinct problem from the general desk-pressure pattern: it’s not just an upsell, it’s a genuine dispute over cover that should already be in place. Bringing clear, printed proof of any intermediary-purchased insurance, and being prepared to firmly cite the specific policy details rather than accepting the desk’s framing, is worth treating as essential preparation if you’ve booked Record Go through a third-party site.
| What renters report | What it looks like in practice |
|---|---|
| Total Comfort cover declined | Deposit of €1,200–€1,400 depending on category |
| “Might not be returned” framing | Deposit terms presented as uncertain unless insurance is purchased |
| Insurance bought via intermediary | Desk staff request payment again for comparable cover |
| Fuel deposit, tank returned full with receipt | Multiple reports of refund still not processed weeks later |
| Deposit release timing | Ranges from within days to six-plus weeks, inconsistently |
Is the fuel deposit refund reliable?
Based on the volume and consistency of complaints specifically about this, it’s genuinely inconsistent. One recent review describes returning the car with a full tank, expecting the fuel deposit back, and — as of the review date, well over a month after return — still not having received it. Another describes the exact opposite experience: fuel deposit refunded in full after returning the tank full with a receipt from a nearby station, with the main deposit hold released within four days. This split outcome is worth knowing about specifically: keeping your fuel receipt as proof, following general fuel policy guidance for Tenerife rentals, and following up promptly and in writing if a refund doesn’t arrive within a reasonable window all matter more with Record Go than with a company showing a more consistent refund pattern.
Is the office actually at the airport, or a shuttle ride away?
Worth checking directly rather than assuming, based on more than one account describing a genuine transparency gap here. One detailed review specifically criticises the lack of clarity that the rental office sits away from the terminal, requiring a shuttle bus that in that particular case had no working air conditioning — a detail the reviewer felt should have been disclosed clearly at booking rather than discovered on arrival. This mirrors a documented pattern at Tenerife’s airports more broadly, and it’s worth checking your specific booking’s pickup location details before you fly rather than assuming “airport” means a desk inside the terminal itself.
What do the positive reviews actually say?
Genuinely positive in a meaningful share of cases, and worth weighing fairly. Reviews describe an easy, straightforward booking process, competitive pricing compared with other companies, friendly and helpful staff at pickup, and — for some renters — a deposit released within four days and a fuel deposit refunded in full without issue. Low-mileage vehicles and good overall value also come up repeatedly as genuine strengths. The honest picture is a company capable of a completely smooth, good-value experience for plenty of renters, sitting alongside a real, specific, and recurring pattern of insurance pressure and fuel-deposit inconsistency for others — making Record Go a harder outcome to predict in advance than Cicar or Autoreisen.
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Should you book Record Go anyway?
If the price is genuinely compelling and you’re prepared to actively manage the specific risks described here, it can work out well — plenty of renters describe exactly that outcome. Go in with printed proof of any pre-purchased insurance, photograph the car and the fuel gauge thoroughly at both pickup and return, read the deposit terms in your contract before you fly so you’re not relying on the desk’s framing of them, and follow up promptly and in writing if a refund is delayed rather than waiting passively. If you’d rather not manage that level of active risk, Cicar or Autoreisen both offer a structurally simpler, more consistently reviewed alternative, even if Record Go’s headline price is occasionally lower.
FAQ
What is Record Go’s “Total Comfort” cover in Tenerife? It’s Record Go’s own zero-excess insurance product — buying it removes the deposit requirement entirely; declining it means leaving a deposit of roughly €1,200–€1,400 depending on vehicle category.
Is it true that Record Go won’t return my deposit unless I buy their insurance? No — deposit terms are set out in your rental contract regardless of whether you buy additional insurance. Reviews describe desk staff suggesting otherwise as a pressure tactic, not an accurate description of the actual terms.
Will Record Go accept insurance I’ve already bought through a booking site like Lastminute or Discovercars? It should, but at least one detailed account describes being asked to pay for the same cover again at the desk — bringing clear, printed proof of your existing policy is worth doing specifically because of this pattern.
How reliable is Record Go’s fuel deposit refund? Inconsistent based on reviews — some renters report a refund within days, others describe waiting six or more weeks despite returning the tank full with a receipt. Keep your fuel receipt and follow up promptly if it’s delayed.
Is the Record Go office at Tenerife’s airports actually inside the terminal? Not necessarily — check your specific booking, since at least one account describes an undisclosed shuttle bus transfer to an off-terminal office.
Are Record Go reviews in Tenerife mostly negative? No — plenty describe a smooth, good-value experience with fast deposit releases and friendly staff; the honest picture is a real, specific complaint pattern worth preparing for, not a uniformly bad company.
Is Record Go cheaper than Cicar or Autoreisen in Tenerife? Often, yes, on headline price — but it comes with a less consistent track record on desk pressure and fuel deposit refunds, worth weighing against the potential cost and stress if things don’t go smoothly.
