Warning everyone...Total Bonaire Car rental is out to rip you off! We rented a truck that was so full of dings and scratches...the form with damage on it had 18 different areas of damage when I rented the truck (sheesh I guess that should have been my first clue. When we returned the truck they charged me $115 USD on top of the weekly charge and stated that there was a new scratch on top of another scratch....yeah an pink twinkies shoot out of my butt! Due to our flight leaving I could not stay and argue. Every one learn from my mistake DO NOT RENT WITH TOTAL BONAIRE RENTAL....they are out to rip you off!!!!!!!

Did you use a major credit card to pay the bill? If so, you might be able to contact them and contest the charges. Not nice at all, I'll tell you. I guess we all have to carry our digitals with us when we pick up our rentals...photo the entire car from top to bottom as proof later on. Carole (video footage will do just fine, too!)

Jed, thanks for the information. We rented from Total car last October and two days after arrival, we had our licence plates stolen. We contacted Total and they said we have to go to get a police report, so 2 hours at the police and another couple of hours running back & forth to Total's office (because no one was there when they said they were going to be), finally got new plates but Total didn't want to do any of the leg work. I had already considered using someone else anyway, so thanks for the heads up. Yup, gonna take my digital with me!

Whether or not the car has damages or failures is not the issue. From the moment you sign for acceptance of the car, that car is your responsibility. If you were unhappy with it Jed, you should have refused it and asked for another one. If there was a new scratch, then you were responsible for it, whether there were old ones or not. Same goes for stolen plates or other damages. The car is yours for the time of your rental.

I'm getting a bit frustrated with people who love to drive a car around our island, but as soon as it costs them one penny more, they scream bloody murder and start throwing around bold accusations. It happens daily. The car rentals are NOT out to rip people off, that would be the most stupid policy one could think of, because it costs them more money in the long run.

Hey, you pay it, tell them you will contest it, save all info like that essential pink slip showing damages, and let the credit card company fight it out. Isn't that why you use them in the first place, so you will have a bully agent?
I would insist they show they new damages on another pink sheet as well.
When you pick up a vehicle to drive it for work, you are required to check everything. All lights,signals, safety equipment, inflated and hard spare,jack, tools,fuses, etc. You're sort of foolish if you don't check these things out, because once you drive off they are your problems and fiscal responsibility.
If this is a problem I think the rental companies should take digital photos of four sides of the car with the renter at pick up and return. After the initial investment it's all kind of free.

I had an excellent rental experience with AB rentals last August.

I have been coming to Bonaire for 20 years and rented almost exclusively with Budget and have NEVER had this. We are down there about 3 months out of the year now and our guests and family always use them. When one arrives late at nite tired with piles of gear the last thing I need is nit picking w the rental agency. Then leaving in the early AM is not the time to negotiate. Yes I have had a few problems with the vehicles that were always solved with minimal expense but never at departure time. When I experience behaviour like this I vote with my feet and credit card. Contact Dirk at budgetbo@bonairelive.com for the best rates.

david

I rented a car for the first 2 days on island last time. This thing was like yours Jed, full of scratches. I had thought to myself, "if there is a new ding or scratch, how am I going to know?" I like the idea of taking a digital pic. I'm going to do that next time If you don't have digital, take film pictures and you can still use those if you challenge with the credit card company. I think the problem is at some of the Northern dive sites, it is pretty easy to scratch the vehicle on the brush...Gee, Jake never did check his truck when he returned...guess I got out of that one! (Just kidding Jake, we didn't go North just for that reason)

We love AB Car rental. Never had a problem. They have been great to us and have bailed us out of situations out of their control...just because they were nice. We are always very appreciative of their kindness and help. Carole

Well Dave, I been overcharged and double charged before at Budget, so it just goes to show that no operation is perfect. We usually use Netty, but we've switched to trucks because I got tired of the minivans, it is easier to get everything on and off with the truck, plus headroom! Netty now has trucks, but had none our last trip, hence our good experience with AB

Tell me .... is it the AB trucks that have that bl$$dy infuriating alarm system? Yep thought so. Well if it is, I used 'em last time I was on the island. Good & bad to report ......
The good was that I managed to lock the keys in the truck 3 times during a 2 week stay (& yes Seb, this is the guy you called brilliant only a few minutes ago) & each time AB fixed me up with a duplicate set to get me back in.
The bad was that on returning the truck at the end of our trip I handed it back with maybe a pint less gas in it than I'd received a fortnight earlier. It was a borderline thing & in my alcohol impaired state I was easy meat. The guy who came out to check the vehicle quietly told me that if I slipped him a couple of dollars no-one else had to know. I did. They didn't.
I guess I'd better add that Marcia was driving

AB saved our butts once, too, when we could not locate our keys at all...they came right out to the Divi and gave us another set on the spot...no charge, either (they are supposed to charge). We ended up finding the original set in the end, so it all worked out nicely. But, the fact that they came to our rescue so promptly and with a SMILE on her face, no less, was wonderful. We always use AB.

Keely....I, for one, an glad to hear Marcia was driving! LOL. Hopefully that "missing pint" was not in you....oh...wrong type of liquid spirits! Any cats under the seat in the truck?? Hmmmmm. Hope not! LOL. Carole

I thought it was Total that had the alarms, along with I know Buddy used to. No bl**dy alarm on our AB Truck.

Andy, sounds like the guy recognized a sport and adjusted his behavior accordingly. Moments of brilliance are made all the more exceptional by the moments of colossal stupidity.

Heck, I left the keys in the ignition for an entire dive at Invisibles after chatting up some sweet young thing and her hubby, taking their picture, etc.But since I don't lock it at all, no problem.
Why are you locking up Andy?

Marc, you are right I did sign it and did trust that Total Car Rental was an ethical company (incorrectly)...there was no new damage to the truck or new scratch. I did not as you seem to imply make a sweeping statement about ALL car rental companies...just Total Car Rental...and I hope that my post can help prevent other people from having to learn the hard way like I did. And Yes all I am contesting the charge on my Credit Card

Jed, I know you weren't impying that all rentals do this... but on the other hand, I've heard the same complaints about the others at some point or other. For all the good comments that AB is getting, there are always one or two people that feel they've been treated unfairly. My point is, its simply not true to state that the rentals (no, not even Total) are "out to get you". When something unforeseen or bad happens, we have to operate on the borderline of giving good service to the customer while making sure we don't do ourselves a bad service in the process. Part of this has to do with plain economics, another part is setting prescedents.

No one likes to pay more than they expect, I understand that. Especially when the reason is crime; it seems double unfair. However, if the rentals were to take all those different kind of costs upon themselves as a service, the result would be a rental fee that's at least $10 higher than it is now... per day!

I can't comment on whether your complaint is justified; maybe it is. But if it is, I would put it down to error in judgement by the hostess of Total, not a scam. All the rentals want their customers to have the best of experiences, not only with the island but also with the car and the company.

Possibly an option you should offer Marc, ALL SCRATCH insurance.
The entry level could be a $4.00 rental of pruning shears with a ten foot chain as a hood ornament, graduating up to a $16,000.00 policy of TRY AND KILL THIS TRUCK...

I have to put in a good word for Everts Car Rental (which is pretty small). The owner, Ilka, is a delight and is always there to meet us with a smile. The vehicles are always in excellent condition, and the prices are competitive. We had a small van last year, and loved it. Will get it again next year.

Never had a problem with anything with them.

Yes Mark, no one likes to pay more than they expect! We ALL want good value for our hard earned dollars. Many of us who have come to Bonaire have had to save and save that hard earned money to make this dream happen and when it turns to a nightmare, we get mad! There are unscrupulous businesses and employees in EVERY business and EVERY country in the world. We only hope that our employees are treating our business the way we would but that simply does not happen. Jed should have refused a vehicle with 18 spots of damage and the rental company should not have attempted to rent a vehicle with 18 spots of damage. The rental companies are the FIRST and LAST impression people have of Bonaire. If it means higher rates to keep people happy, then do what you have to do. As a business owner myself, there are people that you can't please no matter what but the happy ones return and recommend.

Just a minor point.

1.) If every renter is charged for damage to a vehicle, at what point is that money used to repair damage so as not to be confused as "new damage" on a future rental.

2.) Are rental companies required to carry insurance on the vehicles or is it just assumed that all things will be charged to customer. What about vehicles damaged in the rental lot? Are these not covered by insurance?

3.) If the cars are not repaired, is this just another way for rental companies to make profit from the renters.

Why not mark with touch up paint the old scratches so they can be identified from the new ones. I don't believe anyone here is talking about obvious damage such as backing into a wall and bending the bumper or using a vehicle to create Bonaire's newest wreck dive, but instead are talking about those minor scratches caused by bushes and dive gear or even by some other person knowing it a rental so are not very careful in the parking lot.

Any damage done to a vehicle reduces it inherent value. In the past I have worked in the car rental industry and car sales. All vehicle have a cash value usually called the "wholesale price". What a wholesaler will pay for the car. A vehicle with a lot of scratches and dings will lose that value and it needs to be made up somewhere.

My only question would be does the rental agency use the money to fix the vehicle, cover loss of value or do they have and insurance policy that fixes the vehicle and use the money for profit of course offset by the cost of the policy and or deductible.

Just my $0.02

Aquaman

Maybe I am just ignorant?........but wouldn't the $115.00 charge be used to fix the alleged scratch? And if that was the normal mode of operation by the rental car company.......why, when you receive a vehicle, would there be scratches on the vehicle in the first place?

Dave, because of course the rental companies want to have their cars on the road as much as possible. Every day that the car is standing still is a day that it doesn't bring in money. So they try to plan maintenance in the low season as much as possible, usually around August/September; especially if the damage doesn't hinder normal operation of the car. But the "trouble" is, Bonaire doesn't really know low seasons anymore. It's a problem of luxury, really.

Marc, so what DO they do with the money they charge for damages?

That's what I meant to tell Cynde: it does get used for repairs, but if the damage is not limiting the car's operation, that maintainance usually is postponed until there is time to do so. It's not good business to put a car in the workshop for a couple of days for a paint job, when that car could have been rented during that time (not only in terms of lost fees, but also in terms of availability and possible disappointment of potential customers). Best to wait for a suitable moment.

Marc, OK. That explains it. I totally understand not taking a vehicle out of operation that is needed for rental (unless it isn't working!) I still like Barry's idea of putting a mark on the old damage, or better yet, take a pic with a digital. 2 years ago the truck we rented from budjet had hardly any scratches. This last time, the one I got was absolutely a mess with dents and scratches. I was a bit worried that I would be charged for damages that I didn't do.

I second Seb's (tongue-in-cheek?) suggestion regarding the varying types of insurance! :-)

My personal preference, as a consumer, is to have the base rental rates reflect only those costs (and some amount for profits, of course) of providing a safe, reliable, and relatively clean vehicle for transporting me and my junk around the island. I prefer not to have the costs of damages resulting from mine or others' negligence (and even crime) baked into the base rental rate. I like having the option to purchase insurance at an additional cost should I feel so inclined. This way, as a consumer, I have the option to either mitigate additional damage costs by purchasing insurance or take my chances by not purchasing insurance.

For those who are uncomfortable with paying for damages incurred, whether caused by their own negligence or other unfortunate circumstance, I suggest purchasing insurance to insulate themselves from these costs. After all, isn't that why all types of insurance (e.g. health, life, auto) exist in the first place? If we were all either independently wealthy and/or willing and able to pay unplanned expenses when they occurred, then nobody would need insurance and insurance salesmen (and women) would not exist.

Also, I have no problem renting a vehicle with 18 blemishes (i.e. scratches, dings, dents, etc.); however, I'd be certain to document such imperfections at the outset of the rental period. Most reputable firms will actually do this for you or with you.

For those who believe a particular firm is "out to get them", then just do as David suggests and "vote with [your] feet and credit card" -- I do and it works wonders. Actually, I go one step further (as do most consumers) by telling others about my experience. Of course, I also tell others when I receive good service as well. Any firm that is actually "out to get you" won't be in business for long. This is another reason to deal with firms that have a longer track record when possible. Ain't free enterprise wonderful?!

How much are the charges for scratches? Is it the cost of repainting, or some percentage thereof?
If Bonaire has no low season and vehicles are not taken out of rotation for painting, then I am guessing that they NEVER get repainted. I've seen some pretty beat rental vehicles I suspect are simply sold when they are no longer reliable or too smashed up to rent anymore.
So if no repainting is actually going on, then charges for scratches might be questionable.

If we are renting scratched up cars and having to take pictures to document the scratches, then the consumer is not getting the nice shiny ride he has paid for, and is having to go to great lengths to protect himself from possible predation by agents of dubious morality.
Do most renters/divers really care if their truck is a little scratched and dinged?

Have to chuckle at all the comments I've read. I was in Bonaire last summer for the first time (coming in Dec 2003 again). I wanted to rent cheap. I can't recall who I rented from but I ended up with a small Suzuki van that looked like it came from the junk yard. My son detested it, as most 18 year olds would. Had a lark with it. The back door threatened to fall off, the floor board was missing in places, sometimes the doors refused to latch unless you banged them 2-3 times. We actually had a window fall out. I had no fear that someone would break into this junker or about getting scratches on it. I saw a couple people actually refuse to park next to it ;-). I hope to find something like this next trip. Happy driving to all!!

You guys have me worried! I have a car included in my package from Total Car Rentals. Will I incur any charges when I pick up my car? I hope that everything is included! I don't want to come out of pocket or get scammed by the company when I get there. Any experiences with these package pickups?

Rich, why don't you email Total, tell them what package you have, from where, and ask them if there are ANY additional costs, taxes, insurance you might feel you need.

BTW, I rent from Everts (a small local operation), and have been VERY pleased with their vehicles and service. Always aim to please and very friendly and nice. The owner (Ilka) is always available.