Sketchy Car Rental. Need Help.

[Etherionbl]

Hi all,

I'm very new to this forum and I don't know where else can I voice out and get advices.

So basically, I am a probation plate driver and I recently rented from VOG*E CAR RENTAL. (You should know which, many ads on facebook and gumtree.)

Let me give you some information on what I found out first,
This company is shady and sketchy as hell.
It is run by a chinese manager goes by the surname of "LIM" and another boss that is chinese. His ground staffs are all indian foreign nationals that can hardly speak proper English. Ground staffs meaning those that delivers and collects the car.

Now this is the problem I encountered,
on 23rd March, I collected a Nissan Cefiro.
This car had a lot of issues.
Ths main issue was the GEARBOX which don't allow me to Drive normally in "D" gear. I have to start off and drive the car in Gear 1. After moments then I can change to D gear (About 10-20 minutes of driving).
Next, the car interior is so dirty and smells like GARLIC or some of the people i picked up described it as disgusting food/vomit smell.

Then, the exterior of the Cefiro is full of scratches all around. Tire is kinda flat and also Fuel given to me was EMPTY with lights on.

Clearly, whoever that sent this car to me didn't check the condition and I wasn't informed of such issues until inspection of the car.

I requested for a change on the spot but the indian national that delivered the car rushed off saying that he's in a hurry and asked me to contact the so called "Chinese Manager" that don't answer calls, don't meet you and don't even let you know who he is. This shady chinese guy only will reply you on whatsapp and he is hella rude.

I told him about the GEARBOX issue which is the main issue as I'm having a tough time driving that trash Cefiro and he still dare to reply "All nissan cars are like that, you need to warm up the car 10 minutes then can Drive in D gear.
After warm up can drive normally right? "

I was like wow, are you serious what kind of attitude is this.
I didn't want to argue further and I insisted for a change of car.
The manager asked me to contact the indian that delivered the car to me.

On the next day early in the morning, indian guy called me and said "You want to change car right? come to Choa chu Kang immediately if not cannot change"

I just woke up but whatever, I want to get rid of that trash car so I drove GEAR 1 all the way to Choa Chu Kang which is ridiculous. So many drivers were flashing high beam on me.

I parked head in at the MSCP he asked me to meet him. When he reversed out the car, (the indian man) the left door slightly touched the orange paint marking of the carpark walls and he said it was me that scratched the car. (He said that I didn't park properly, park too close to wall that's why he will scratch when reversing)

I was like what kind of logic is this? He is the one that reversed it out and not me.

Then he told his manager it was ME who scratched the car and they demanded 200$ in compensation.

I was like firstly, they gave me a car in crappy condition with such disgusting smells and made me come all the way to Choa Chu Kang early in the morning, then, this indian national still dare to claim that i scracthed it when he reversed the car.

I am like what kind of attitude is this. I kept asking him if they know about the car's condition beforehand and they kept avoiding the question which implies that they know about the gearbox and disgusting smell but still offered to rent out this piece of crap to me.

They asked me to drive off the replacement car "Latio" and will give me an update when I return the car on 26/3.

So upon returning, more Indian nationals turned up (Never seen before, different Indian from car collection).

This time, they told me they will hold my 100$ deposit till I pay up the compensation of 150$.

No matter how many times I explained to them, they still deemed that I am the one that made those MINOR scratches that can't even be seen or compared to the major scratches the car already had before I collected it.

I'm like okay, Just take the 100$ deposit. I don't want to waste another hour explaining. Then I contacted the manager and the manager kind of issued threats stating that "We will know what to do if you don't pay"

I tried a few times mentioninig about how they gave me a faulty and disgusting car.

Manager replies were " You damaging the car and the mechanical fault of cefiro has no link, we are talking about your payment for scratching the car"

I'm like, are you serious? You have the audacity to rent out such piece of crap to customers and you expect them to be okay with it?

That's all. I have screenshots and some videos but I won't post it here.

The thing is, I just want to ask, I have paid up 150$ extra which I think they will just keep the money as I don't think they will fix the so called "Scratches" i made and I don't know what kind of actions they can take against me as I'm a new driver and I have signed the form with them that has T&Cs. Would experieced drivers pay up also? Or is there any ways I can bring up this matter to anyone?

Please avoid this shady car rental V***E CAR RENTAL. Claimed to be very friendly on their advertisments and "attractive prices" cars are all crappy and manager attitude is disgusting and rude as hell. Not helpful at all.
Those indian worker will keep tell you" I don't know" when you ask them anything because their chinese manager controls them.

It's my first post here, do give me some comments and let me know what are your thoughts.

Thank you all.

 

[yrh0413]

I guess you are a really nice guy in person. I would have rejected that car if the condition and interior is in such poor shape.

 

[BuGGi3]

Type the company name in google followed by "review".

Anyway they might be looking at this thread to see what you will do to them, and also thinking what they can do to you.

 

[madcampus]

Welcome to the car industry in Singapore where you will meet plenty of such characters in your course of car ownership, rentals, or whatever.

 

[Etherionbl]

Type the company name in google followed by "review".

Anyway they might be looking at this thread to see what you will do to them, and also thinking what they can do to you.

This is something I will do the next time I find a new car rental company.

I honestly regretted that I didn't bother to check up on their reviews and now that I've done that, I've seen a few others that had similar or worse encounters with them.

I don't know, I have already paid up and the manager said "The issue is settled for the cost of damages"

Thanks all for your reply! Never really post in forums before but I guess this is a good platform for interactions and to get some advice.

 

[HellHunter]

Their Google reviews are mostly horrible. The SGCarMart reviews are all positive except 1. Sounds like a typical POS rental coy. They were mentioned by another user here last time as potentially being involved with another rubbish rental coy-
https://forums.hardwarezone.com.sg/cars-cars-204/unscrupulous-car-rental-company-5650121.html

You should never have signed the paperwork and agreed to take over the car in that condition..

 

[thomas00]

I went to Advance Rental when I was p plate last time. The people there were so friendly. The Kia was good to drive. When I sent back the car after 1 week, they didn’t check much.

 

[Etherionbl]

I went to Advance Rental when I was p plate last time. The people there were so friendly. The Kia was good to drive. When I sent back the car after 1 week, they didn’t check much.

Thanks! Will check this out.

 

[kurtgoh]

Thanks! Will check this out.

have you tried reporting to police?

Although i'm not sure what they can actually do for but the least, you have your version of story.

has everything been resolved now?

 

[Etherionbl]

have you tried reporting to police?

Although i'm not sure what they can actually do for but the least, you have your version of story.

has everything been resolved now?

Hey, I told the Indian national I will report to the police initially but he told me that I can do whatever I want but I have signed an agreement with them which does states that if they deemed I made those scratches, (Which was made by the indian guy when reversing out of the lot) they can make me pay. Which I feel that it'll be me at disadvantage? I'm not very sure also that's why I want to ask around for advice.

And yes, it has been resolved as I just paid up the compensation they asked for as what I've heard from my friends, the agreement that I signed with the company puts me at disadvantage.

So I'm not very sure what to do. Should I just let it be? The money I compensated and take it as a learning lesson or are there any ways I can seek help?

 

[EJB]

Sometimes, you pay a price to learn a lesson already, don't think about undoing that payment.

Live, learn and move on. This might be a cheap 'education' for you so that next time you are more prepared.

 

[Etherionbl]

Sometimes, you pay a price to learn a lesson already, don't think about undoing that payment.

Live, learn and move on. This might be a cheap 'education' for you so that next time you are more prepared.

Thank you!

Yes I totally agree. It could have been worse next time. But thanks for your reply. Appreciate it!

 

[liquidh]

Did you get it really cheap?

 

[kurtgoh]

Hey, I told the Indian national I will report to the police initially but he told me that I can do whatever I want but I have signed an agreement with them which does states that if they deemed I made those scratches, (Which was made by the indian guy when reversing out of the lot) they can make me pay. Which I feel that it'll be me at disadvantage? I'm not very sure also that's why I want to ask around for advice.

And yes, it has been resolved as I just paid up the compensation they asked for as what I've heard from my friends, the agreement that I signed with the company puts me at disadvantage.

So I'm not very sure what to do. Should I just let it be? The money I compensated and take it as a learning lesson or are there any ways I can seek help?

didn't know that such exorbitant act happening in singapore..

i felt they are nothing but scambags..

move on with life, good things will come. I wish you well

 

[thomas00]

Actually you shouldn’t have parked head in. Reverse in less likely to go wrong when coming out. I usually avoid parking beside cars that parked head in.

 

[BuGGi3]

This is something I will do the next time I find a new car rental company.

I honestly regretted that I didn't bother to check up on their reviews and now that I've done that, I've seen a few others that had similar or worse encounters with them.

I don't know, I have already paid up and the manager said "The issue is settled for the cost of damages"

Thanks all for your reply! Never really post in forums before but I guess this is a good platform for interactions and to get some advice.

So the issue for the scratches was settled - a compensation. Now what about the issue for the unsafe vehicle that was rented out to you?

Based on your account, the vehicle is totally unsafe to drive. How do they compensate you for risking your life by renting out an unsafe vehicle and requesting you to drive the unsafe vehicle to their stipulated location for vehicle swap?

Anyway I'm not saying that you should pursue this. But they did not address your concerns at all, and simply brush that aside by directing your attention to their only concerns - the scratches. I think you have a bigger concern than theirs to be addressed

 

[iamveryguailan]

For your info, a contract must also be fair. If a contract is drawn up in a way that it favours one party strongly and becomes unequitable, you can fight it to be voided. Unfortunately this requires some legal fees as you have to find a lawyer to help you.

 

[Etherionbl]

Did you get it really cheap?

I got it for 239$ from friday to monday. As weekend package. I needed to use the car and it was quite last minute so my regular car rentals all don't have cars available left so I decided to took up this VOGUE Car rental as their advertisement online was attractive but it was the complete opposite.

 

[Etherionbl]

So the issue for the scratches was settled - a compensation. Now what about the issue for the unsafe vehicle that was rented out to you?

Based on your account, the vehicle is totally unsafe to drive. How do they compensate you for risking your life by renting out an unsafe vehicle and requesting you to drive the unsafe vehicle to their stipulated location for vehicle swap?

Anyway I'm not saying that you should pursue this. But they did not address your concerns at all, and simply brush that aside by directing your attention to their only concerns - the scratches. I think you have a bigger concern than theirs to be addressed

Yes, the compensation part I paid as I know it was my disadvantage because of the contract.

And also yes, they kept avoiding that they knowingly rent out a faulty car which has disgusting interior smell and condition to me. They only keep mentioning about scratches that was caused by me because I parked head in and "Too close" to the wall and his staff had to reverse out.

And thank you for replying me as I was also thinking if is it okay just because they replaced the car? The cefiro I got at start was at a condition that was practically disgusting and frustrating to drive. I also felt really scared as whenever the car attempt to move up a gear, sometimes there's a "Loud bang" which I was told it was the timing belt or something (Not sure as I'm still a new driver).

But all in all, I decided to just pay up. Just not sure now if I should pursue it or let it be a lesson learnt.

 

[Etherionbl]

For your info, a contract must also be fair. If a contract is drawn up in a way that it favours one party strongly and becomes unequitable, you can fight it to be voided. Unfortunately this requires some legal fees as you have to find a lawyer to help you.

Do you think it's worth proceeding with it..? I have evidence as in video and photos of the car rented out to me.