Not so much “Rent a Cheapie” as “Rent a…
Not so much “Rent a Cheapie” as “Rent a Rebuildie.” In my view, one would be far better served renting from a reputable, established rental company at a comparable price.
All rental vehicles at Cape Town Airport were fully booked, which left us with limited alternatives. This company came up as an option and, in the circumstances, we decided to make use of their services.
Upon collecting the first vehicle, it quickly became apparent that it had mechanical issues. At the very first traffic light, the engine cut out. After only a relatively short drive into Cape Town, the fuel gauge had already dropped to approximately three-quarters, which indicated that the vehicle had not been supplied with a full tank of fuel. Shortly thereafter, the vehicle cut out again in the city and failed completely, leaving us in the unacceptable position of having to push the vehicle through the Cape Town inner city streets while other motorists were hooting at us to get out of the way.
We then waited for some time for their mechanic to arrive. The mechanic replaced the battery, after which we returned to their depot and were provided with a replacement vehicle.
The replacement vehicle had a strong smell of cigarette smoke, pulled to the side while being driven, and the driver’s seat appeared to be bent. These issues raised concerns in my mind that the vehicle may previously have been involved in an accident or poorly repaired. As a result, we drove it with considerable caution. The sound system speakers were also defective.
On the date the vehicle was due to be returned, we were informed telephonically that the vehicle had to be washed, failing which the cost of the wash would be deducted from our deposit. Fortunately, our flight was only a little later, which gave us time to do so. We accordingly located a car wash a few blocks from their depot and also filled the vehicle with fuel to the top in order to avoid any further issues.
I did not ask the fuel attendant for a slip. When we returned the vehicle, we were informed that, without a fuel slip, they would have to take the vehicle to their own filling station to verify whether it had in fact been filled completely. This made little sense to me, as the amount reflected on a slip would not, in itself, prove how much fuel was already in the tank before we filled it.
They also alleged that, because the vehicle smelled of cigarette smoke, the interior would require a full valet to remove the smell. This was particularly unreasonable, given that the vehicle already smelled strongly of cigarette smoke when it was handed over to us.
In my view, the combination of these issues appeared to be an attempt to create a basis for deducting money from my cash deposit.
For these reasons, I will not make use of this company again. In future, I would rather rely on Uber until vehicles from reputable and professional car rental companies become available, especially where the rental price is almost the same.
18 december 2025
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