Pondering Small Rental-Car for ~20 Days from Pattaya - Special Considerations

[Henrik2000]

Hello, for a tourist car rental possible out of Pattaya, my questions are:

• Do you know of rental outlets that are flexible about return-date and return-place for tiny street car?
• Would you recommend another popular small street car apart from Yaris (can really be smaller)? I dislike Yaris. Any comments about the popular Vios etc.?
• Rental likely in Pattaya on 17th (or 19th) Dec -> around Jan 04. So do you recommend to book right now? Or should i shop around on the ground in Pattaya around Dec 12? Actually, i’d prefer to fix it online if possible, because i don’t want to waste my Thai time with dull rental talk in dull areas.
• Would you recommend to *not* rent something in Pattaya, instead take a bus Pattaya-Surin, see Tawan Daeng Surin and rent a car from there? (Few offers there, price slightly higher.)
• What’s your experience with Pattaya’s Holiday Rent-a-car/Pattayacar-rent.com (3rd road near N Pattaya Road, Mr. Grahame)

 

Am pondering a rental like this:

• start Dec 17 (in Pattaya or South Isaan)
• stop Jan 4 (18 days) or Jan 7 (21 days) (in Pattaya or South Isaan)
• small street car for single tourist (drive sub-economy in home-country)
• still would like automatic, relatively high ground clearance, radio with USB and with Bluetooth to play music + navigation voice from mobile (or will a USB radio play the sound from the mobile?)
• hotel delivery is nice, but not mandatory
• prefer solid reliable supportive rental very much over cheapest, but rough business

 

Will be in Pattaya from December 10 and want to rent from around Dec 17 (perhaps 19) till around Jan 4 (Dec 17 – Jan 4 = 18 days). Another similar rental session might happen from around Jan 10 in Surat Thani or Nakhon Sri Thammarat. I had rental cars in Thailand before, always from small indie outlets, even from people just loitering in hotel lobbies (went very well).

 

Still i have some special needs:

• would love the option to change return date (shorter or longer stay), because i never know about my mood. But i believe apart from some small indie outlets, it’s not possible to get a flexible return date
• would love option to change return location, but perhaps asking too much
• need good support when flattened tyre or engine dead etc. (i speak basic tourist Thai, good for restaurant + small talk, perhaps not for car problems, will have mobile, am helpless with car problems)
• dislike Yaris car because can’t see beginning or end of it (don’t know about other cars)
• rental office may *not* keep my passport, because i might need it to visit immigration etc.
• just a dream: carry a tiny bicycle with me. Love bicycle around rural areas for just “strolling on 2 wheels” and taking picture, nothing sportive. But might be dreaming too much, might need to borrow one on location

 

Thanks!

 

PS.

Here are some prices i just gathered:

 

Hertz

• renting 21 days is a cheaper grand total than renting 20 or 17 days
• one way renting doesn’t change the price (tried start in Pattaya, finish in Ubon Ra)
• Toyota Vios or similar (Auto): 945/day for 21 days – 1145/day for 17 or 20 days

 

Holiday Rent-a-car/Pattayacar-rent.com (3rd road near N Pattaya Road, Mr. Grahame)

• Vios 2014 Auto, 1000/day for a week or 790/day for 21 days
• seems up to negotiation?

 

pattayarentacar.com (on hill between Pattaya + Jomtien)

• new Yaris Auto 15 – 21 days 840/day
• Toyota Vios, Honda Jazz, Honda City, Ford Fiesta 15 – 21 days 900/day

 

Avis:

• Yaris Auto or Toyota Vios Manual always 1140 per day
• no one-way rental offered online
• Quote: “The rental charge of reservation online increase when the customer has a lot of demand to rent car.”

 

Budget:

• Toyota Vios Automatic 1260/day, for 17 oder 21 days

 

Sixt:

• Honda Brio Auto 1043/day for 18 days
• Toyota Vios 1298/day

 

Economy Car Rentals (broker):

• Nissan Micra Auto: 917/day for 18 days (from shop with bad reviews)
• Nissan Sunny: 1037/day for 18 days

 

Elephant Car Hire (broker):

• cheapest Toyota Hilux pickup at 935/day (don’t want pickup), next Toyota Vios 1309/day

 

www.pattaya-car4rent.com, all including GPS (which i don’t need, as i use mobile):

• Yaris 1,5 Auto 7 – 20 days, 1000 THB/day (dislike Yaris)
• Vios 1,5 Auto 7 – 20 days 1100/day (less 100 for 21+ days)

 

National

• Nissan March 1,2 Auto: 930/day

[davidge]

Don't know if this is still available?

 

http://www.pattaya-addicts.com/forum/topic/100389-for-rent-ford-fiesta-year-2012-automatic/page-4

[Henrik2000]

Davidge, thanks - that looks like a good offer.