Car Rental Nightmare In Chiang Mai

[stingray]

Always rent from a serious company. I have very good experience with North Wheels and Avis at CM. In Khon Kaen I used Thai-car-rent.

Never rent from a small shop, sometimes they use stolen cars, and hardly ever have real insurance. For rental companies, a special, expensive, insurance is needed. The shop will tell you they have insurance, like every car in Thailand, but usually they do not have the insurance they need.

It is possible that if they do not have the legal insurance for rental agencies, threatening with legal action might help, but I would not advise that.

Pay quickly (you might try to bring the price a bit down) and make sure that this story has definitely come to an end. Some rental agencies can and will charge you the day price untill the car is back on the road. You have signed that in the contract, but you probably did not read it. Ask for a decent receipt that brings the story to a final conclusion.

Every time I rent a car, I take a few pictures of the car.

Totally agree with the above. Have used North Wheels and never any hassle. Always make sure that you rent a car with a good agency and using a 2000 year car is asking for trouble. Most reputable dealers in Chiang Mai us cars from new to about 2 years old depending on model.

Sorry for the troubles you have had, but am surprised that the Tourist Police were not so helpful. Have found them invaluable is resolving numerous problems that friends of mine have encountered with dubious tourist operators from various professions.

dan

I agree with the theme of the other comments, use the real thing.

A decade ago I used two different 'hole in the wall' rentals in CM, both times the car that turned up was very old, brakes didn't work etc., and on both occasions on return they accused us of damaging the cars and were very unpleasant.

Never again, I now regularly use Budget: easy to book, reliable, pleasant, no games, proper full insurance and on average maybe 200 - 250 Baht a day more, but well worth it for the peace of mind and more reliable vehicle.

The problem is that most of peaple looking always for the cheapest car rentals. Brand new cars for less than 1'000 Baht / day! That's not possible! Budget and Avis cost more and so far as i know they take credit card only, so your deposit slip is about 20'00 to 40'000 Baht anyway. If someone walk in without credit card they will not rent a car out, specialy for one day rental only, or only with a very high deposit money. The weekly or monthly rental of a 4 door sedan with budged for example is at least 20 to 30% more expensive than a local rental company offers, therefore the have more income and they can tolerate some small things. But of corse the insurance is not the same. Avis and Budget have Top Insurances, so they can't rent cheap like the backyard guy or privat inviduals. A bad tire is absolutely not the customers fault and they should be happy that the customer informed the rental company BEFORE the tire blow and maybe get involvet in a accident. So the customer saved the rental company a lot of troubles, because the accident not happen yet. This is the same thing with the temperature gauges. Have to watch before it's to late. But anyway, personally i would not rent someone a car out for 1'200 Baht for a 9 hour trip. This is brainless. In 9 hour, or maybe a 1'0000 km can be more wear on a car than 1'200 Baht is worth, specialy with all the pothles in the roads.

[jackr]

What a crock. In that scenario, it's mechanical and wholly the fault of the rental firm for not ensuring intact hoses/engine coolant/oil, you name it. And even if the temp gauge were in the red, that would still be down to the owner. The only thing you should be liable for are tyres and windscreen. This place should be forking out for extra transport, too.

No it's not. Not protecting anyone, but the main damage cames trough the driver. If he would stop the car when it's getting hot, then would be no problem and a waterhose or a fanbelt can be replaced in a minute or so. A water gauge is fitted in the dashboard to inform the driver about possible dangers, when the car get's overheat. Hoses and belts cracks always here in Thailand, as many of those items come from China. I not protectig the rental company, but i say the driver is responsable as well, therefore we got water temperature gauges in a car and you no need to be a mecanic tho read them. Tho read the dashboard instruments is one of the first things you learn in a driving school, before you everget any driving license. Watching a water temperature gauge is the same thing as watching the alternator light or the oil light or even the fuel gaugesTherefore i would say it's fair to go on the repair bill on "half half. Both partie made mistakes. ""should inspect his car for leaks or possible problems, befre he rent it to some customer and the driver should watch the temperature gauge when he drives and he should check the fluid and water levels when he goes to a gastation.

Everything you say is immaterial. Lets ponder the scenario the engine light did come on. What would that have to do with the price of fish? The fact is, the engine light shouldn't be on and if it did, again it'd be down to the owner.

I'd go back in a few months, hire another car from him, the best he has, take it for a spin in 1st gear for about 300KM at full red line and set it on fire!

[CHdiver]

Looks like the Guy made his money renting out Jetskis before he moved to Chiang May

[Donnyboy]

the rental co should have the car in good condition, i have my doubts about any company that offers products alot less than competitors, there usually is a catch, in this case, it was a car that probably didnt have any maintenance performed on it, and they probably have cars which are unfit to rent out, ie high mileage and old models.

c'mon, breakdown after 1 hour? thats a crap car, unless the renter was abusing it.

[phetaroi]

1. I've always said that it is advisable to rent from one of the international companies because they do have some standards and are simply more reliable...plus I usually ended up getting a discount even when not asked for. And if something does go badly wrong, you will still be able to deal with the parent company when you get back to the States (or wherever). Franchises of western companies in Thailand do have to abide by most standards of the company internationally because if they don't, the parent company's reputation is harmed and they suffer. Certainly some laws about business and consumerism are far different, but bad business will not be tolerated (BY A LEGITIMATE CLAIM) by the parent company.

2. Not worth suing. Just get out of it the easiest and cleanest way possible.

3. It's sad seeing those who rant and rave against the Thai penchant for revenge, recommending the same attitude here. One doesn't right things done by a "hia" by becoming a "hia" himself.

[stingray]

What a crock. In that scenario, it's mechanical and wholly the fault of the rental firm for not ensuring intact hoses/engine coolant/oil, you name it. And even if the temp gauge were in the red, that would still be down to the owner. The only thing you should be liable for are tyres and windscreen. This place should be forking out for extra transport, too.

No it's not. Not protecting anyone, but the main damage cames trough the driver. If he would stop the car when it's getting hot, then would be no problem and a waterhose or a fanbelt can be replaced in a minute or so. A water gauge is fitted in the dashboard to inform the driver about possible dangers, when the car get's overheat. Hoses and belts cracks always here in Thailand, as many of those items come from China. I not protectig the rental company, but i say the driver is responsable as well, therefore we got water temperature gauges in a car and you no need to be a mecanic tho read them. Tho read the dashboard instruments is one of the first things you learn in a driving school, before you everget any driving license. Watching a water temperature gauge is the same thing as watching the alternator light or the oil light or even the fuel gaugesTherefore i would say it's fair to go on the repair bill on "half half. Both partie made mistakes. ""should inspect his car for leaks or possible problems, befre he rent it to some customer and the driver should watch the temperature gauge when he drives and he should check the fluid and water levels when he goes to a gastation.

Everything you say is immaterial. Lets ponder the scenario the engine light did come on. What would that have to do with the price of fish? The fact is, the engine light shouldn't be on and if it did, again it'd be down to the owner.

I'd go back in a few months, hire another car from him, the best he has, take it for a spin in 1st gear for about 300KM at full red line and set it on fire!

Today ,you are ok and tomorrow you could be sick. The same is with a car. The engine light maybe wasn't on when the customer rented the car. So i give you follow simple question:

When a engine light comes on, at your dashboard, or a temperature gauges shows hot at your own car, do you keep on driving?

Edited February 25, 2010 by stingray

[WinnieTheKhwai]

Which rental shop was it? (if it was just one of the small ones then I don't really need to know, I just would like to know that it was NOT one like Northwheels, Ruby, etc.)

So if you rented it from something called Mr. Car from Thapae then all you need to say it was a small shop or agent.

[Finlaco]

Take it on the chin. Learn from it. U will either get the refund immediately or won't. If a Thai says come back, smile and say best we do now. Whatever their excuse/lie just politely treat them like a 12 year boy who is lying. U find a solution to each of their lies. But never, never come back the next day.

Last week rented a Honda dream. ฿200 per day and on the way back 30km from Ubon the front tyre explored due to old age. I phoned the owner who suddenly couldn't understand my Thai and then decided to be rude and hang up when I handed the phone to my Thai friend ( he's not a loso Thai).

I had no choice but to buy a new tyre ฿400. But i dropped my friend at the hotel first.  Always best to desk with Thai without ur friend or let yr friend handle it, if they can. Doesn't work if u do it as a duo.  

FIRST got my passport back  20 minutes and several Thai lies later we agreed to split the cost 50/50.  I just kept mentioning the rudeness of the owners wife to my friend. I accepted his lie that the tyre should have been 200.  And I 'forgot' to return the key. 

[billythefish]

1. I've always said that it is advisable to rent from one of the international companies because they do have some standards and are simply more reliable...plus I usually ended up getting a discount even when not asked for. And if something does go badly wrong, you will still be able to deal with the parent company when you get back to the States (or wherever). Franchises of western companies in Thailand do have to abide by most standards of the company internationally because if they don't, the parent company's reputation is harmed and they suffer. Certainly some laws about business and consumerism are far different, but bad business will not be tolerated (BY A LEGITIMATE CLAIM) by the parent company.

2. Not worth suing. Just get out of it the easiest and cleanest way possible.

3. It's sad seeing those who rant and rave against the Thai penchant for revenge, recommending the same attitude here. One doesn't right things done by a "hia" by becoming a "hia" himself.

You are obviously a Thai! ...not worth suing, perish the thought anyone dared to question your morals and unscrupulous behaviour!

You lot would just love that, love for the spenders to just walk away!

Leave you with the cash, no questions asked!

Get a lawyer on a no win no fee basis, it would be worth it just to see these rip off merchants shit themselves!

Do we have to accept a second or third rate service from Thailand? Is our money not good enough? or is it only good enough when it benefits the Thais?

They offer a service, the service is crap, they try to extort money...sue em! They will eventually learn, it is a learning curve, one they have never been through before, the only thing they understand is Kren Jai and class/caste...they need to be taught that all money is equal when it pays for a service, no need to grovel like a dog to mister somchai because he works for the government and drop a turd on the farang...both of their monies hold the same value!

[tango]

Always rent from a serious company. I have very good experience with North Wheels and Avis at CM. In Khon Kaen I used Thai-car-rent.

Never rent from a small shop, sometimes they use stolen cars, and hardly ever have real insurance. For rental companies, a special, expensive, insurance is needed.

Every time I rent a car, I take a few pictures of the car.

Concur. I and friends use North Wheels...great, and they recover the vehicle if a problem. Wherever Avis or whatnot-Take photo close-ups. Be sure to move any advertising 'for rent' signs or cardboard triangles on the hood/bonnet as these could conveniently hide scratches. This happened to me at a lesser-known agency: as we were leaving the salesman whisked the triangle off the hood. I stopped, looked at the scratch, promptly returned the car and went on to Avis. Caveat emptor and such... cheers

[CobraSnakeNecktie]

I rented a Toyota Vios a month ago in CM from one of the small shops. I drove it up Doi Inthanon and was satisfied with the condition and price.

I was due to return the car at 6:30 pm and I brought it back at 6:00 p.m. and the owner asked "why did you bring it back so early?"

I just thought to myself..... peace of mind ... peace of mind.

Anyway its threads like this on TV that make the forum so valuable to help others to avoid costly pitfalls and dangers.

[jonwilly]

I have used North Wheels on numerous occasions and always had good service.

Positive attitude and very helpful at Thai holiday times.

Almost regret buying my own motor.

john

[thaihome]

Has anyone asked what the rental contract said about the who was liable for mechanical problems? If he does not have a rental agreement that says the owner is liable, then he does not have any legal stand.

TH