Last summer, many popular European holiday destinations suffered from a lack of car hire availability. This year, that problem looks set to continue. Car hire firm Argus has issued a warning to all of its customers through its website that it is already running low on vehicles, and that those wishing to guarantee a car at their chosen holiday destination should think about booking it in the near future.

According to the Argus website, Spain is one of the countries which is really struggling to find enough vehicles to supply to holidaymakers. In particular, destinations such as Malaga, Alicante, Mallorca, Menorca and Ibiza are rapidly running low.

Barry Malone, brand manager at Argus said: “We wouldn’t like to see our customers disappointed so to avoid a repeat of last summer’s severe vehicle shortages, we’re issuing all of our clients with an email warning them about the current low availability situation. We have some great value deals on offer at the moment but these are subject to availability – customers will have to move quickly if they want to get the cheapest rates for June, July and August.”

The global economic downturn is the main reason why fleets in country’s like Spain are so diminished. As lenders became more reluctant to issue loans to car rental firms there was no way for them to refinance and replenish their fleets.

The situation is ongoing, which means for the time being those who want a car when they are away should book early to avoid high prices and disappointment.