Car rental in Bonaire

[1RUSTYRIG]

Just wanted to add another perspective. I did quite a bit of searching (a lot on Scuba Board) about who to rent from while vacationing in Bonaire. Everyone seemed to give glowing reports for Telerin and Poppy so I booked in advance.

The truck they brought me this week (3 hours late) is the biggest dilapidated POS I have ever seen. I am constantly airing up the tires and the tailgate is ready to fall off since it is rusted through. The power steering pump is going out and the clutch has about nothing left in it.

Then I find out that I could have gotten a brand new Toyota pickup from a competitor for a CHEAPER rate. I had a recommendation from a semi local to use Caribe Rentals. I went by and spoke with them and they were very nice and had a fleet of new trucks to choose from. They are on the road from the airport a block off the first traffic circle.

Other than the junker Bonaire is awesome!

 

[mala]

was it this one?

 

[1RUSTYRIG]

No...mine is white and extremely beaten. That one looks to be in much better shape

 

[boat sju]

Was in good shape until someone stood on the roof.

 

[chauncy19]

have rented from AB Carental for 10 plus times. never had an issue with them. but because of the all the glowing recommendations I am trying Poppy this March. we'll see if that was good idea or back to AB in the future.

 

[gbf]

A beater is good. Non-functional is bad, but beat up is good.

The only thing I've found on bon that approaches a tourist rip-off is the attempt by the rental companies to charge for "damage" - dents and scratches you put on the truck. WTH?? Most of the trucks have dents and scratches on top of dents and scratches.

One year I had a rental outfit offer me a brand-new never-been-rented truck. I declined in favor of one where I didn't have to worry about damage.

 

[1RUSTYRIG]

GBF- I'd agree with you under most circumstances. But this thing really is a POS! I'm airing up the tires each morning and mid-day. If I could get a refund I would exchange it. But alas, Poppy/Telerin doesn't have an office or storefront that in aware of.

---------- Post added December 20th, 2012 at 09:53 AM ----------

Telerin's POS truck finally broke down on us leaving us stranded in the middle of nowhere. Luckily some locals gave us a ride to town. I'm debating on reversing the charges on my credit card.

Moral of the story: DON'T RENT FROM TELERIN

---------- Post added December 20th, 2012 at 10:04 AM ----------

Just got an email from poppy. No apology and thumbed his nose at a refund. I will be calling my credit card company when I get stateside and putting a fraud alert on Telerin.

What a complete *******!

 

[Ron G.]

Geez, Telerin has always gotten great reviews here. I don't mind dings and dents, but I do want reliability and customer service.

Ron

 

[gert7to3]

Wouldn't you know it, I just shredded the receipts from my 2011 trip. We got a lowball rental through Dive Hut, can't remember the rental office. There was a delay handing over the truck because they were welding the tailgate hinges back on. Unfortunately, you can't weld rust. That "fix" last for less than a day. This was not the first time that tailgate had hit road. We only added to the patina of scratches. They took the truck back for further repair attempts and gave us a car. It would develop odd shudders and wobbles. We used it for one day, just awful. Next day we turned it in. We took the truck back. A couple of 2x6's wedged across the back was good enough. Leaky tires were another issue, but an inflater attachment solved that threat. We did miss the tailgate for gearing up. Still it was Bonaire and we were diving.

 

[runnerchic71]

I have had the same experience as you with Telerin - luckily they did not have our credit card information, and we refused the POS Truck they offered us. He said we should take it for now, and they would get us a better one 2 hours later - we waited, and in 2 hours after spending 45 minutes tracking him down he still had the truck that was falling apart.

I want to be clear - it was extremely bad. The interior was ripped to shreds, the seatbelts were not functional, the ignition was not where it should be, and the tailgate was practically nonexistent.

I don't mind a bit of rust and scratches, and dings...but this was extremely unacceptable for our 2 week trip. We were lucky enough to track down a more acceptable truck from another rental location for our two week holiday.

we were told that poppy is having someone else help him now - and that this is where things are going wrong, the new guy has crappy trucks. I don't know - but I would STONGLY recommend staying FAR away from Telerin.