Worst experience ever
I’ve rented hundreds of cars in countries all around the world, and I can confidently say this was the worst car rental experience I’ve ever had.
From the beginning, communication was unclear and misleading. I originally requested a specific vehicle but later explained that I didn’t need it and would be perfectly happy with a lower-end, more affordable option. However, when I arrived, I was suddenly told I needed a vehicle with snow tires and was required to rent a more expensive, higher-end vehicle instead.
This requirement and additional expense were never clearly communicated beforehand. To make matters worse, there wasn’t any snow during my entire trip.
When I raised concerns about the unexpected upgrade and additional cost, rather than trying to find a reasonable solution, the company immediately offered to cancel my rental contract. This made me feel as though I had no room to negotiate. Being in a foreign country and needing transportation, I felt completely powerless in the situation.
Despite being forced into a more expensive vehicle supposedly equipped for winter conditions, I experienced TWO flat tires during my rental, both involving sidewall failures. Neither tire could be repaired or patched. Both were damaged badly enough that they required complete replacement.
The vehicle was equipped with cheap, poorly rated tires, which made me seriously question their quality and reliability. When renting a 4x4 to travel through remote areas of Kyrgyzstan, dependable tires are essential. Having two tires suffer sidewall failures during a single rental raised serious concerns about the quality of the tires provided.
Unfortunately, returning the vehicle was even worse.
Upon returning the car, the company kept my entire security deposit, citing speeding violations. On top of that, they demanded an additional $100 for a vehicle part that was already broken when I received the car.
When I refused to pay for damage I did not cause, they threatened to call the police. Rather than discussing the issue professionally or providing a reasonable resolution, they resorted to threats over a disputed charge.
This was an incredibly uncomfortable situation, especially as a foreign traveler. I felt pressured to pay for something I was not responsible for simply to avoid further confrontation.
The customer service throughout the entire experience was terrible. From the unexpected vehicle upgrade and poor communication to the tire failures and the confrontation over additional charges, nearly every interaction became unnecessarily difficult.
I’ve rented vehicles in countless countries, including places with challenging road conditions, and I’ve never experienced this level of frustration or felt so poorly treated by a rental company.
Between the misleading communication, being pressured into a more expensive vehicle, questionable tire quality, two sidewall failures requiring complete replacements, the loss of my security deposit, and threats to involve the police over disputed damage, I strongly recommend avoiding this company.
After hundreds of car rentals around the world, this stands out as the absolute worst experience I’ve ever had.
