globalmenace Posted July 7, 2010 Share Posted July 7, 2010 (edited) I make an online reservation on Sunday. Vios with AT, GPS and taxes for 950 baht for one day (today). Good deal, I thought. I reserved without CDW as my card will cover me for that. I get down to Pattaya Dusit today to pick up the car. THEY WANT A 20,000 BAHT DEPOSIT! Eff that, of course I refused. What the hel_l is it with this country? That is ridiculous beyond belief! Does the Mafia control everything here? SCREW AVIS OF THAILAND!!! Edited July 7, 2010 by globalmenace Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CWMcMurray Posted July 7, 2010 Share Posted July 7, 2010 Do you havea credit card? Most car rental places will not require a deposit if you do... In many places in the US, they would not rent you a car without a credit card even if you were willing give them a deposit equivilant of 20,000 thb Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gotlost Posted July 7, 2010 Share Posted July 7, 2010 If you have a current Driving license either Thai or another country ( I use Nevada USA) no IDP, and a recognized credit card like visa or MasterCard its a done dill. Never been turned downed in anywhere. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MoonRiverOasis Posted July 7, 2010 Share Posted July 7, 2010 A deposit is always necessary when hiring a car - the only exception to that I've seen is when you've rented repeatedly off a smaller rental company and have built a personal rapport with them. Just let them do an imprint of your Credit Card instead of giving the cash. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
globalmenace Posted July 7, 2010 Author Share Posted July 7, 2010 Credit card. Check. Thai Driver licence. Check. Copy of passport. Check. Never anything like an authorization for $600 US required in the hundreds of times I've rented before. Nothing in the rental T&C's either. I've used Avis many times, I'm a member. Never again, though... They said they will refund my prepayment. I'm sure they will get around to it someday. Go ahead and use them if you want, I never will again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
globalmenace Posted July 7, 2010 Author Share Posted July 7, 2010 A deposit is always necessary when hiring a car - the only exception to that I've seen is when you've rented repeatedly off a smaller rental company and have built a personal rapport with them. Just let them do an imprint of your Credit Card instead of giving the cash. Imprint? Those little machines with the carbon paper deals? When was the last time you saw one of those things? Back in the Carter administration? They required an authorization for 20,000 baht. No way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MoonRiverOasis Posted July 7, 2010 Share Posted July 7, 2010 They said they will refund my prepayment. I'm sure they will get around to it someday. It;s not a pre-payment, it's a pre-authorization. The money is locked up until they cancel the transaction, confirm it, or 33 days elapses (with neither a cancellation or confirmation), but it hasn't actually been transferred from your CC account and doesn't need to be 'refunded' per se. In any case, the deposit is just standard practice in Thailand, you won't get different milage with any of the other rental co's either. And yes, sadly, card imprinters do still exist - in fact they're still more wide-spread in TH than EFTPOS terminals.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katabeachbum Posted July 7, 2010 Share Posted July 7, 2010 A deposit is always necessary when hiring a car - the only exception to that I've seen is when you've rented repeatedly off a smaller rental company and have built a personal rapport with them. Just let them do an imprint of your Credit Card instead of giving the cash. Imprint? Those little machines with the carbon paper deals? When was the last time you saw one of those things? Back in the Carter administration? They required an authorization for 20,000 baht. No way. Most require 40k for a Fortuner Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stingray Posted July 8, 2010 Share Posted July 8, 2010 Car rental for one day for 950 Baht include Navi? It isn't worth the risk to rent for someone. 20' deposit is ok. If you have credit card they book the 20'k on your card, just in case something happen. They need 20'k, in case of accident. Who gonna pay the time if the car stay in the repair shop for 3 weeks, just for example. The insurance doesn't. So thereforethe 20'k. Deposit of couple hundert dollars is everywhere, even in US or Europe. Some peaple could use the car to air port and just dump it there if not deposit. Everything happen in Thailand. Or someone could rent a car for oune day to swap the auto tranny, who knows. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FarangBuddha Posted July 8, 2010 Share Posted July 8, 2010 Oh I don't know...I think they are allright...as one time, I was on a holiday in Chiang Mai and wanted to rent a car at the Avis counter at the airport. Only problem was, I forgot my drivers license back in my home in Pattaya..."no proplem" was their reply...just complete the application and here are the keys :jap: Now service like that I just couldn't get back in the States...renting a car without any proof that I knew how to drive one Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobr Posted July 11, 2010 Share Posted July 11, 2010 (edited) I've rented from Avis in the USA for years with no problem until I came to Thailand. In my case, I had reserved a subcompact and they had none when I arrived. At any USA rental counter that would mean a free automatic upgrade, but the Thais are too cheap for that, they wanted me to pay the difference even though I had a confirmed reservation. I will NEVER go there again. MY problem was with the Avis in the Dusit in Pattaya. I've been here 5 years and can assure you that you really are better off buying the collision damage waiver and not relying on your credit card here. The rental people can be amazingly sloppy checking the car when it goes out, but they will look over every inch of it with a magnifying glass when it comes back. None of my credit cards cover CDW on cars rented outside the USA anyway. Edited July 11, 2010 by Bobr Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deankham Posted July 12, 2010 Share Posted July 12, 2010 (edited) I always use thai rent a car...never had a problem. Yes you do have to agree to a pre-athroization deposit but I'm far happier doing that with a large company than leaving 5K baht in cash with some thai bar owner who rents out a couple of heap's of shit on the side. When you rent a car you should check it over with the rental company before you get in and drive off. If there are any marks / scrathes / dents then they go down on the inspection sheet, which you get a copy of. If there are no more when you return, then you get your deposit back in full. Simple. By the way I thought 950baht for a vios with AT & Nav is a great price. I'l check them out next time I'm looking. :jap: Edited July 12, 2010 by deankham Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
INTJ Posted July 12, 2010 Share Posted July 12, 2010 "Or someone could rent a car for oune day to swap the auto tranny" That's a good idea Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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