We need to hire a car for a couple of weeks and have never done so before. Are all the places pretty much the same or are there a couple that offer better terms and service? Anybody have recent experience with this?

Feel free to PM your response if you prefer.

I suspect that you get a better car and service with the mainstream companies and pay less at places like local tourists agencies and guest houses.

What is your nationality? I rent from Hertz at the airport, reserving and renting from the US website and using my US VISA card, even if I'm in Thailand. That makes it a US transaction and gives me all of the consumer protections of the US as I can complain to VISA and get action if I'm ripped off. I haven't had any complaints, but any would go directly to Hertz USA and VISA USA and they would take care of me. I would get any VISA charges back charged to the merchant in Thailand.

The overall cost isn't that much more than a dodgy indy Thai operator.

Cheers.

What is your nationality? I rent from Hertz at the airport, reserving and renting from the US website and using my US VISA card, even if I'm in Thailand. That makes it a US transaction and gives me all of the consumer protections of the US as I can complain to VISA and get action if I'm ripped off. I haven't had any complaints, but any would go directly to Hertz USA and VISA USA and they would take care of me. I would get any VISA charges back charged to the merchant in Thailand.

The overall cost isn't that much more than a dodgy indy Thai operator.

Cheers.

Several people advised to me to do the same. Against all my instincts in the US to never rent from the airport, it seems that Hertz and Avis at the airport is the best deal in CR. They have weekly and monthly rates. And you can use your membership points if you have them.