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Getting around Bonaire: Car rental
Bonaire Talk: Getting around Bonaire: Archives: Archives 1999 - 2006: Archives - 1999-06-07 to 2002-09-10: Car rental
Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Anonymous on Monday, January 21, 2002 - 9:49 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

In checking around for rentals, it looks like Budget is the best cost for a truck. However, I seem to remember some discussion about problems with Budget (perhaps a year or so ago). Anyone have any recent experiences with them, negative or positive. Cost is certainly a major factor, but reliability and pleasant service is also most important.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Anonymous on Thursday, February 14, 2002 - 4:53 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

I had rent my car by rento fun drive. It is in the middle of Kralendijk. You can rent al kinds of stuf like scooters trikes quats ect. You can check the site www.rentofunbonaire.com and see for yourself whats best.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Gordon Brown on Friday, February 15, 2002 - 4:56 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

If you look closely, you aren't comparing apples with apples. Budget does not include the taxes in their rates, AB rental (local) does. Budget will charge you $7.00 for an extra driver (Funny they don't anywhere else??? AB waived it, unofficially) Support the local economy, if you can. The folks at AB will work with you. I got a rate of 251.50/week for a Toyota P/U with crew cab including a car seat, extra driver and all taxes. Talk to Ton. Here's his email address:
ton@lagoenhill.com

Gordy

Make sure to get the 10.00/day insurance and be careful driving in WA/Slagbaai Park, ins. doesn't cover you there.

BTW-I'm not affiliated with them.

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Ken Brown on Friday, February 15, 2002 - 12:15 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Gordon,

I'm puzzled by what you wrote. Why does renting from AB support the local economy more than renting from Budget would? (I'm assuming Anon is not renting from elsewhere, of course, and driving to Bonaire. ;-)

Also, not to attack what you wrote, but AB's web page shows prices with and without taxes, so it is easy to do apples-apples. And I don't know about trucks, but for the rare auto trans car (Tercel), AB is exactly 25% more weekly than Budget. And AB's web page states $5 / day for an additional driver, exactly the same as Budget's web page states. Perhaps they waive that fee unofficially, but you have to go with what's written.

Ken

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Gordon Brown on Saturday, February 16, 2002 - 5:42 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Ken,

AB is a local company. If you rent from Budget, while they do pay the employees, the money goes to the US via Curacao.

Finally, like I said, the people at AB will work with you, the people at Budget cannot. It isn't what's written that you go with, it's what you pay at the end of the day.

Anyway it's interesting you should ask, since the Budget Car Rental agency in Singapore is called AB. Strange coincidence??? You be the judge ;)

Gordy

Gordy

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Gordon Brown on Saturday, February 16, 2002 - 6:40 am:     Edit PostPrint Post

Finally,

I think car rentals is a matter of personal preference, like restaurants. You can get rave reviews from some and pooh pooh's from others.

If my opinion has offended anyone, I apologize. I guess I let my history as the owner/operator of both Enterprise and Hertz airport franchises go to my head.

Just another opinion expressed on Bonaire Talk.

Gordy

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Ken Brown on Saturday, February 16, 2002 - 12:22 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Hi, Gordy,

I was under the impression (from reading elsewhere on these boards, so no true knowledge) that even the "brand name" outfits such as Budget, Hertz, etc., are locally-owned. They just pay a franchise fee to use the name. It certainly seems like you have first hand experience, so I didn't mean to dispute what you say. Does it apply only to Budget, or also to Hertz (which is the agency we currently have our reservations with)? (Did you own the Hertz franchise *on Bonaire*? Or somewhere else?)

I'd like to support the local economy as much as possible. I don't care if I rent from Hertz, Budget, AB, or any other name. I do care that I pay as little as possible (we're on a tight budget), but I'd also prefer that the money stay on the island.

Thanks,

Ken

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Jake Richter - NetTech on Saturday, February 16, 2002 - 3:27 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Ken,

You're right, they are locally owned (Bonaire's Budget is actually owned by the same people who own Curacao's so in that case profit may not be staying on Bonaire for the most part), with franchise fees being paid for brand name rental agencies. All of them employ people who live on Bonaire, and in most cases are native Antilleans and were probably born on Bonaire.

Jake

 

Top of pagePrevious messageNext messageBottom of page Link to this message  By Gordon Brown on Saturday, February 16, 2002 - 5:01 pm:     Edit PostPrint Post

Both my Enterprise and Hertz franchises were in Washington State at the airport. Both charge a hefty fee, but with Hertz it accounted for over 60% of our revenue. They are stiffer about the type of car you carry (you get them from Hertz) as well as when you can and can't discount rates. My point was that as far as I know, AB doesn't pay that fee. I assume they buy their own cars, or lease them, and by doing so further stimulate the local economy. So I guess my point was that more of the money you pay for a car will circulate around Bonaire, in theory. I would compare it to buying a burger from a local restaurant rather than McDonalds. You may even pay more, but not much. Considering we will be enjoying the paradise that their tax dollars and efforts have helped create, I feel it is the noble thing to do.

Gordy

 


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