Drive rent a Car

Located on the captivating Rhodes Island, Greece, at Epar.Od. Pilonas-Katavias, Rodos 851 09, Drive Rent a Car is a local establishment specializing in car rentals. This company is often a convenient choice for tourists, frequently recommended by nearby hotels and resorts. Based on recent customer feedback, here’s an in-depth look at what to expect from their services.

What to Expect:

Convenience & Location 🗺️

• A primary advantage for many customers is the location's proximity to hotels, particularly resorts like the Gennadi Grand Resort. This makes picking up and dropping off a vehicle exceptionally straightforward, often described as being "on the hotel's doorstep."
• While potentially not the absolute cheapest option compared to venturing into a local town, the convenience factor offered by Drive Rent a Car is highly valued by users staying nearby.

Vehicle Quality & Inclusions 👍

• Customers generally report receiving new or nearly new vehicles with low mileage. Examples include a Toyota with just 5,000km, a new Opel Corsa with 24,000 km, and new Toyota Aygos.
• Rentals typically come with unlimited mileage, full insurance, and breakdown cover, providing comprehensive coverage for exploring the island.
• An optional extra fee (e.g., €20) for tire and windscreen insurance is available and chosen by some customers for added peace of mind.

Pricing Examples 💰

Reported prices vary based on vehicle type and rental duration:

1. A small Fiat Panda for one day cost €70, including insurance.
2. A new Toyota Aygo for two days was €180, including full insurance and breakdown cover (with an additional €20 for tire and windscreen insurance).
3. A Toyota from the second category was rented for €80 per day.

Points to Note:

Deposit Policy 💸

A recurring theme in customer feedback is the security deposit requirement. While standard for car rentals, the main issue highlighted is that the deposit amount is often not clearly communicated upfront during the booking process.

• Deposit amounts reported range from €200 to €300.
• Payment options include cash or card. If paid by card, the amount is held from your account and typically refunded about a week later, assuming the vehicle is returned in good condition.
• The unexpected nature of this deposit has caused inconvenience for some, requiring last-minute cash withdrawals or payment by card, which can incur fees or delay the start of their trip.

Rental Period Clarification ⏰

It is crucial to understand Drive Rent a Car's definition of a "day" rental. One user explicitly stated that a "day" rental often means a car is rented for approximately 10 hours (from 09:00 to 20:00), rather than a full 24-hour period. This is a significant detail for trip planning and managing expectations.

Customer Service Variability 🤝

Experiences with staff have been mixed:

• Some customers praised the service, describing the employee as "kind and relaxed," "in a good mood," and transparent in explanations.
• However, there is also a report of "very unfriendly service," including an instance of being yelled at in front of a child, indicating that consistency in customer interaction might vary.

Tips for a Smooth Rental ✅

• Arrive Early: If you plan to set off promptly, it is advisable to arrive before the 09:00 opening time, as there can be queues of customers collecting keys and completing paperwork, potentially causing delays.
• Document Vehicle Condition: As with any car rental, it is always recommended to take detailed pictures or videos of the vehicle's exterior and interior before and after your rental period. This provides clear documentation of the car's condition and can help prevent disputes over damages.
• Clarify Details: To avoid surprises, confirm the exact deposit amount and the precise definition of the rental period (e.g., 10 hours vs. 24 hours) at the time of booking.

In conclusion, Drive Rent a Car offers a convenient and generally reliable car rental service in Rhodes, particularly beneficial for those staying at nearby hotels. While the quality of vehicles and inclusive insurance are positives, potential renters should be fully aware of the deposit policy and the specific duration of a "day" rental to ensure a smooth and enjoyable experience on the island.

We were staying at the hotel so it was super easy to hire a car from drive rent a car. You probably could find a cheaper option if you went into the local town, it’s convenient as it’s on the hotels doorstep. We hired a small Fiat panda for one day which cost us €70 including insurance. The man running the company doesn’t tell you when you book is that there is a deposit that has to be paid , for us, this was €200 but there was a couple in front of us and there was €300. This is something we wish we knew prior to book in the car. We were happy to pay the deposit, but it would have been nice to have been made aware of this prior to picking up the keys as this meant we then either had to take more cash out, pay by card which can occur fees or walk back to the room to get cash out the safe. It’s set us back on our trip about 20 minutes.Car hire is from 09:00 - 20:00, if you want to set of early, I would get there before 09:00 as there is quite a few couples picking up keys and doing paperwork so this can delay the start of the day.

Stayed at the Gennadi grand resort for our honeymoon a couple of weeks back, hired a new Toyota Aygo for two days from this company literally outside the hotel to visit Old Town and Lindos.Stergos dealt with us in a very kind and relaxed manner, everything he did was made very simple, wrote down my licence number, signed a couple of forms and was ready to take the car, really couldn’t fault the company at all! Booked it on the Monday, collected Tuesday morning and returned it at 20:00 on the Wednesday. Unlimited mileage, full insurance and breakdown cover. There’s a €20 extra fee if you want to insure the tires and windscreen, which we did. I think it cost us €180 for the two days.I’m always dubious of hiring cars abroad (especially with a company having no reviews before leaving) as you hear/read many horror stories, so we took pictures of marks/dents so we couldn’t be accused of causing them but this one I definitely now trust and would use again if we were to return.Note: there is a deposit which gets held of €300, either in cash or card, we decided card because we wouldn’t have spent the money after getting it back. They take it from your account so you can’t use it but once you hand the vehicle back (as long as everything is good with the vehicle), you get a refund a week later.

Rental is recommended by the nearby 5* hotel.The employee was in a good mood and explained everything to us transparently.He offered us the second category because he didn't have the first (cheaper) one in stock.We got a Toyota with just 5,000km and fully equipped.Price was 80€ per day.I would happily recommend him. This doesn't support the big providers like Sixt etc.

Excellent location near the airport. Reachable on foot. The car assigned to us was good, a new Opel Corsa with 24,000 km. The car pick-up and drop-off service is quick.

Very unfriendly service, I was yelled at in front of my small child.The car is rented for a price of one day but the car is not rented for 24 hours but only for 10 hours.