Car Rental Rip Off!!!!!!!

bronco

New member
Jan 3, 2006
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I rented a car from Sandro's rent a car in Cabarete. They gave me a piece of crap car with the gearbox that sounded worse than a coffee bean grinder, the battery was no good, and the alternator was also damaged. Since you pay up front, they won't give you a refund and you have to deal with what they gave you. The car broke down, and they gave me an even worse piece of crap, one with an exhaust leak, no brakes (I had to pump the pedal to make them work) and electrical cables all over the dash, of course no radio, no dash lights. Out of four people in the car three got sick from the fumes. These people don't give a crap about you once you pay them. I'll never rent a car from them again, and I suggest to other people to stay away from Sandro's Rent a Car.
:angry: :angry: :angry:
 
bronco said:
I rented a car from Sandro's rent a car in Cabarete. They gave me a piece of crap car with the gearbox that sounded worse than a coffee bean grinder, the battery was no good, and the alternator was also damaged. Since you pay up front, they won't give you a refund and you have to deal with what they gave you. The car broke down, and they gave me an even worse piece of crap, one with an exhaust leak, no brakes (I had to pump the pedal to make them work) and electrical cables all over the dash, of course no radio, no dash lights. Out of four people in the car three got sick from the fumes. These people don't give a crap about you once you pay them. I'll never rent a car from them again, and I suggest to other people to stay away from Sandro's Rent a Car.
:angry: :angry: :angry:

Didnt I just read this somewhere else?????? Chill out guy people will see the 1st post, You dont have to keep posting in every forum
 

Don Juan

Living Brain Donor
Dec 5, 2003
856
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What, you no see?

Bronco, didn't you visually check the vehicle & listened to the engine before paying for it?

If they won't let you test it out first, surely they're trying to hide something. You should have known that! Caveat emptor.:bandit:
 

The Voice

New member
Nov 29, 2005
135
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bronco said:
I rented a car from Sandro's rent a car in Cabarete. They gave me a piece of crap car with the gearbox that sounded worse than a coffee bean grinder, the battery was no good, and the alternator was also damaged. Since you pay up front, they won't give you a refund and you have to deal with what they gave you. The car broke down, and they gave me an even worse piece of crap, one with an exhaust leak, no brakes (I had to pump the pedal to make them work) and electrical cables all over the dash, of course no radio, no dash lights. Out of four people in the car three got sick from the fumes. These people don't give a crap about you once you pay them. I'll never rent a car from them again, and I suggest to other people to stay away from Sandro's Rent a Car.
:angry: :angry: :angry:

Don't ever rent from the locals. Go to Avis, Budget, Hertz...the major car rental places.
 

Kiwicanuck

New member
Dec 4, 2004
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www.kiwicanuck.com
Not sooooooooooooooo

The Voice said:
Don't ever rent from the locals. Go to Avis, Budget, Hertz...the major car rental places.

These is perfectly fine local rental companies that some of us have had absolutely no prolem with.

Lots has been written on this already on these boards.

Kiwi Bruce
 

moviemouth

New member
Jul 12, 2005
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Kiwi's Right

Kiwicanuck said:
These is perfectly fine local rental companies that some of us have had absolutely no prolem with.

Lots has been written on this already on these boards.

Kiwi Bruce

I rented from a local Dominican outfit in Cabarete based on a post in the "Best of DR" forum here and had an excellent experience. I've already been in touch to let them know I'll be making a reservation for my next trip in February.
 

ecarignan

New member
Jan 9, 2003
302
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www.commtech.ca
I've rented many times from Universal Car Rental (locally owned and in Cabarete). They have beat up cars but they work and they are very reliable. I prefer them over Avis and the likes.
 

Peterj

Bronze
Oct 7, 2002
1,461
346
83
Dominican Republic
Brakes that don't work, dead battery, coffee-grinding gearbox...man, that's what I call Adventure-Driving ..and all that for a little money! Great!!
 

NY1

New member
Feb 26, 2002
512
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I usually go with the big name companies. If you rent in SDQ and your car breaks down in STI or POP, your covered. If you get an overcharge or any problem while on the island, just write to customer service when you get back home.
I usually rent with Alamo or Thrifty.
 

JHT

New member
Mar 30, 2004
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I wouldn't be so quick to praise Hertz. The Hertz locations in the Dominican Republic are privately owned franchises and Hertz can do nothing to help you if there is a problem. I am a Hertz #1 Gold Member since 1986 and they could not help me when I had a car accident. I hit a pothole at 15 mph and it caused the airbags to activate as well as putting a crack in the transmission case. I had paid $21/day for full coverage insurance with no deductible and AFTER I left the Dominican Republic they told me the insurance company in the DR would not pay because I did not hit anyone or another vehicle or tree. They said the damage was done by a raod hazard which is not covered under the policy. I tried to fight it with American Express but due to the laws in the DR they could not help me after 9 months of dispute. In the end I was forced to pay $4328 for damage in addition to $210 for insurance which did not cover the damage ($21/day X 10 days). So those of you who think you are protected should NOT buy insurance when you rent the car. I have learned a lesson. What you should do is call your credit card company and tell them that you are renting a car on vacation and purchase the insurance on the car through the credit card that you will be using. That will protect you.

Just my 2 cents worth to all of you.
 

jackquontee

New member
May 20, 2005
453
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JHT said:
What you should do is call your credit card company and tell them that you are renting a car on vacation and purchase the insurance on the car through the credit card that you will be using. That will protect you.

Just my 2 cents worth to all of you.

JHT, it sounds like a good bit of advice. However, how is it possible to go about procuring insurance on a vehicle that you've not yet rented and, therefore, don't have information for, i.e. VIN #, registration #, make, model, etc? Do they just provide you some type of balloon coverage for a vehicle?
 

rellosk

Silver
Mar 18, 2002
4,169
58
48
jackquontee said:
JHT, it sounds like a good bit of advice. However, how is it possible to go about procuring insurance on a vehicle that you've not yet rented and, therefore, don't have information for, i.e. VIN #, registration #, make, model, etc? Do they just provide you some type of balloon coverage for a vehicle?
You would be purchasing renters insurance. They don't need to know the specific car, as long as it is not a super-luxury car.

I just wonder if the insurance provided by the credit cards has the same exclusion for road hazards? I'll have to look at what Amex covers.
 

JHT

New member
Mar 30, 2004
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AMEX says they will cover any damage to the vehicle. I got paperwork from AMEX about the renters coverage on rental cars and it is less per day than what you get from the rental car agencies. You can get free coverage up to $1000 if you are a platinum member with AMEX (which I am) but for coverage above that you need to call and request it before the trip and book the rental car through their Platinum Travel Service. That gives you the coverage that you need. One more detail, if you do buy insurance with a rental car company than that action will cancel any help that AMEX could provide. Bottom line...always decline insurance at rental car companies and contact your credit card first before reserving a vehicle. Let them do it for you and you will then have peace of mind should ANYTHING happen to the vehicle (including stolen vehicles, road hazards, car accidents, car jackings and much more).
 

liam1

Bronze
Jun 9, 2004
843
30
28
that's what happens when you're too cheap to pay an extra $20 for a good car. you get what you pay for. wroom-wroom. ;) ;) ;)
 

rellosk

Silver
Mar 18, 2002
4,169
58
48
JHT said:
AMEX says they will cover any damage to the vehicle. I got paperwork from AMEX about the renters coverage on rental cars and it is less per day than what you get from the rental car agencies. You can get free coverage up to $1000 if you are a platinum member with AMEX (which I am) but for coverage above that you need to call and request it before the trip and book the rental car through their Platinum Travel Service. That gives you the coverage that you need.
Are you sure about the $1,000 limit. I thought for rentals outside the US/Canada, Amex under the Platinum Card coverage, covered the full value of the car for free, as long as you used your Platinum Card to pay for the rental.

JHT said:
One more detail, if you do buy insurance with a rental car company than that action will cancel any help that AMEX could provide.
You're right about that. I learned that the hard way.
 

jackquontee

New member
May 20, 2005
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JHT said:
AMEX says they will cover any damage to the vehicle. I got paperwork from AMEX about the renters coverage on rental cars and it is less per day than what you get from the rental car agencies. You can get free coverage up to $1000 if you are a platinum member with AMEX (which I am) but for coverage above that you need to call and request it before the trip and book the rental car through their Platinum Travel Service. That gives you the coverage that you need. One more detail, if you do buy insurance with a rental car company than that action will cancel any help that AMEX could provide. Bottom line...always decline insurance at rental car companies and contact your credit card first before reserving a vehicle. Let them do it for you and you will then have peace of mind should ANYTHING happen to the vehicle (including stolen vehicles, road hazards, car accidents, car jackings and much more).

Does AMEX process the coverage through the rental agency of your choice, or do they decide with whom you'll rent?
 

JHT

New member
Mar 30, 2004
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I think the Platinum Travel Service has many different contracts with the major rental car agencies. I do think you have a choice but I think it is limited to Hertz, Avis, Budget and Dollar. There may be more but that is what I think. You can always use other rental car agencies but I am not sure that they will be covered as outlined above.

You may be able to find out that information on the American Express Platinum site. Just in case you are not aware, these perks for the Platinum Member cost $395 per year. It gains you entrance to the Airlines Airport Lounges and offers things like the coverage on rental vehicles, concierge service, getting preminum seats at sporting events, theaters, restaurant reservations and so much more.
 

rellosk

Silver
Mar 18, 2002
4,169
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JHT said:
I think the Platinum Travel Service has many different contracts with the major rental car agencies. I do think you have a choice but I think it is limited to Hertz, Avis, Budget and Dollar.
The limited number of rental companies is for the complimentary membership included with the Platinum card. The insurance coverage is provided no matter who you rent from.