Phuket

glassmanengland · #1 30-06-2006, 03:13

On my recent visit to Patong I decided to hire a car for a few days . I was recommended to David Car hire based in Phuket. On Day 1 the car was delivered to my hotel by a thai lady who spent all the time on her mobile phone whilst taking all my details off me (International Driving licence and Credit card details of course). The car was automatic but I had ordered manual.There was hardly any petrol in it even though on the contract form it was showing a third full(Which meant they wanted it back a third full)I never realised this until the lady had gone and I was with the car on my own.

The car a toyota soluna was fine (About 1000bt per day)I travelled to Phang Na and into Krabi District with my girl to her home. The roads were really good dual carriage way all the way and not busy making it a pleasure to drive compared to the UK.

I kept the car for 3 days and on the fourth morning they had arranged to pick the car up at 10 am from the hotel. 2 hours later No sign of them and after a phone call or 2 they eventually rolled up at about 4pm.I had left the keys behind the hotel reception for them. As i was I was in my room when they picked up the keys and the lady on reception called me to tell me this.

I waited in reception for the man to bring the car back (It was parked at end of sansabai-same road as my hotel Yorkshire Inn.He was on the phone and handed it to me when the same woman (I presumed)who delivered the car said 'Sir there is damage to the car'.Expecting a big dent I asked the thai guy to show me the damage to which he pointed out a small scratch .It was obvious they were trying to con me as the car had done over 70k kilometres.
I certanly did not lose face but NO way was I paying for that and I let the thai guy know it as well. After letting my feeling known to her as well The lady said 'OK If you say you dont do it ok No problem'.

He promptly gave me my credit card details back and I paid him in cash(Including a 400 bt pick up charge also I did not know about).No money has since been taken from my credit card.

Lesson Learnt. If you hire a car check for damage when you pick it up.

DAVID CAR HIRE

stevem · #2 30-06-2006, 03:24

There's nothing really in your report to warrant issuing a board WARNING for this company. Checking for damage on a rental car at pickup should be done with any car anywhere in the world.

glassmanengland · #3 30-06-2006, 03:27

Quote:

Originally Posted by stevem

There's nothing really in your report to warrant issuing a board WARNING for this company. Checking for damage on a rental car at pickup should be done with any car anywhere in the world.

My argument is they were trying it on OK

andy50 · #4 30-06-2006, 04:10

Quote:

Originally Posted by glassmanengland

My argument is they were trying it on OK

hire an old jeep(4x4) thats been through the wars
that way theres no argument it,ll have so many dents and scratches already ,that a few more might go unrecognised

shark1963 · #5 30-06-2006, 04:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by stevem

There's nothing really in your report to warrant issuing a board WARNING for this company. Checking for damage on a rental car at pickup should be done with any car anywhere in the world.

Absolute true!! I just see that you made some mistakes at taking the car over:

1. Didn´t read the contract ( very big mistake!!)
2. No control of former damages or malfunctions
3. No controll of fuell

So maybe just the staff who took the car back from the former customer didn´t his job well and after it was you giving the car in that condition back they see it. So i would say mostly your mistakes and i would say also to recommend the company as they didnt charged you. Sorry my point of view

Nautilus · #6 30-06-2006, 07:38

I had bad experience just asking them questions at the airport.

They seemed so "bz" and didnt want to entertain me.

I went off and rented a Jeep fr the hotel reception insted.

LivinLOS · #7 30-06-2006, 09:52

OK so they tried it on but I was expecting far worse.. Trying it on is basically standard procedure in 99% of places..

If anyone wants high end rental my buddy has 2 fortunas.. Fully loaded really nice cars with farang style insurance.. 1700 per day is expensive but brand new highish end cars with insurance.. OK for a few days.

tomyam · #8 30-06-2006, 13:23

Quote:

Originally Posted by glassmanengland

On my recent visit to Patong I decided to hire a car for a few days . I was recommended to David Car hire based in Phuket. On Day 1 the car was delivered to my hotel by a thai lady who spent all the time on her mobile phone whilst taking all my details off me (International Driving licence and Credit card details of course). The car was automatic but I had ordered manual.There was hardly any petrol in it even though on the contract form it was showing a third full(Which meant they wanted it back a third full)I never realised this until the lady had gone and I was with the car on my own.

The car a toyota soluna was fine (About 1000bt per day)I travelled to Phang Na and into Krabi District with my girl to her home. The roads were really good dual carriage way all the way and not busy making it a pleasure to drive compared to the UK.

I kept the car for 3 days and on the fourth morning they had arranged to pick the car up at 10 am from the hotel. 2 hours later No sign of them and after a phone call or 2 they eventually rolled up at about 4pm.I had left the keys behind the hotel reception for them. As i was I was in my room when they picked up the keys and the lady on reception called me to tell me this.

I waited in reception for the man to bring the car back (It was parked at end of sansabai-same road as my hotel Yorkshire Inn.He was on the phone and handed it to me when the same woman (I presumed)who delivered the car said 'Sir there is damage to the car'.Expecting a big dent I asked the thai guy to show me the damage to which he pointed out a small scratch .It was obvious they were trying to con me as the car had done over 70k kilometres.
I certanly did not lose face but NO way was I paying for that and I let the thai guy know it as well. After letting my feeling known to her as well The lady said 'OK If you say you dont do it ok No problem'.

He promptly gave me my credit card details back and I paid him in cash(Including a 400 bt pick up charge also I did not know about).No money has since been taken from my credit card.

Lesson Learnt. If you hire a car check for damage when you pick it up.

DAVID CAR HIRE

i have used David Car Rent on over 30 tours in the last 5 Years and never had a problem with them , i've driven Phuket to Penang , Samui , Nongkhai , Bangkok , Loei(3 times) basically the whole of Thailand and never been hit up for scratches or dents or gasoline.

Tomyam

landofsmiles · #9 30-06-2006, 18:21

>>If you hire a car check for damage when you pick it up.<<

I findit a bit nieve of you not to automatically check round the car for condition before you signed the agreement....it's pretty standard procedure.

Tyfon · #10 30-06-2006, 18:47

I once rejected an AVIS hire car in London because it had a defective rear number (licence) plate lamp (offence under the construction and use regulations). All car hire companies are trying to claw back as much as they can from you and attention to detail is your only, imperfect protection. In addition the police are just waiting out there to add you to their revenue stream.

Hobbsy · #11 30-06-2006, 20:27

best tip for car hire - take pics with digicam or phonecam of all 4 corners of the car especially any damage that exists.

most importantly - make sure they see you do this - they have never 'tried it on' with me since ive done this (and trying it on is common practice).

glassmanengland · #12 01-07-2006, 03:00

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hobbsy

best tip for car hire - take pics with digicam or phonecam of all 4 corners of the car especially any damage that exists.

most importantly - make sure they see you do this - they have never 'tried it on' with me since ive done this (and trying it on is common practice).

Its the first time Ive ever hired a car on holiday.
Yes Ive learnt a lesson from this experience and will be checking which car I hire in the future off whoever.
The purpose of this thread was to warn other members and readers to beware.
Im sure they would have made me pay for the damage if they really thought I had done it !

urtheman · #13 01-07-2006, 16:08

One time I rented a car here for two months.
During that time I taught my teelak at the time how to drive.
Well one day she's drving along and doing well all the way from Patong to Surin we are just pulling into the driveway of the house and I'm giving her praise on what a good job she did and all of a sudden she steps on the acelerator instead of the brake. The car is heading up the stairs trying to go through the house but the undercarriage is holding it back on one of the steps. I quickly put it into park and we get the car stopped.
I look under the car and the power steering and aircon hoses are torn and it looks real ugly underneath but still driveable (but no aircon) and when the car turns left the wheel rubs the fender.
I turn it in two days later and the guys are walking around looking at the car then they see the front of the car then they look underneath and gasp and talk in Thai to each other.
They make a call and then they come back to me and say it will cost me an extra 5000. baht for insurance to fix. I had it ready in my pocket and whipped it out expecting that amount and paid them.

That was the cheapest accident I've ever had and the whole underside was wiped out what a great deal!

In the states the insurance minimum woulod have been at least 20,000. baht for that damage.

Paddy · #14 01-07-2006, 17:47

But you really have got to check it over extremely thoroughly when you take it. A firm in Patong did it to me once, pointing out a tiny tiny scratch about three inches long when I took it back. I didn't think it had happened while I had it but I couldn't honestly swear that it hadn't - I just hadn't noticed it. (I live in an apartment block with a parking garage that's full of ridiculously tight corners and I end up scratching my fender or scraping the wing mirror every now and then, so I suppose I'm not really tuned into it.)

The guy only wanted 400 baht and I gave it to him to save the drama. It probably was a bit of a try-on. But when I've hired one since, I've gone over it with a tooth comb first. No more problems.