Honest Review of Local Rent Car Rental in Georgia (Sakartvelo)

As seasoned travelers who have rented vehicles on six continents, we thought we'd seen it all. But our recent experience with Local Rent and their partner, Dima's Car Rent, in Georgia left us shocked, stranded, and questioning the ethics of car rental companies.

Here's our honest review of what turned out to be one of the worst travel experiences we've had in over a decade.

Our journey began with Local Rent, a company that claims to "find the best local car rentals to ensure excellent service for the lowest price." With solid reviews, they seemed like a reliable choice for our trip to Mestia, Georgia. Local Rent connected us with Dima's Car Rent, and that's where our troubles began.

Red Flags from the Beginning - Dima's Car Rent

There were red flags right from the beginning, starting with Dima's credit card terminal crashing. We should have trusted our instincts and used Discover Cars, as we typically do, to choose a rental agency with the best reviews.

1. Cash-Only Policy: Despite our preference to pay by credit card for the included insurance, Dima's Car Rent insisted on cash payment. They provided a series of excuses about their credit card terminal being crashed, damaged, and finally lost.
2. Unprofessional Behavior: When we met Dima to retrieve the vehicle, he arrived 20 minutes late and exhibited unprofessional behavior, taking an unnecessarily long time to fill out a simple rental agreement.
3. Hand-written Contract Terms: The rental agreement stated we couldn't drive from Mestia to Ushguli, a route we had no intention of taking, and told Dima we would never take a Prius on that road. However, this would later be used against us.

The Nightmare With Local Rent Unfolds

Our troubles began the morning after arriving in Mestia when our rental Toyota Prius wouldn't start. We immediately called Dima's Car Rent for help, but instead of assistance, we received hostility. Dima demanded a €500 fine to help, claiming we violated the rental agreement by going to Mestia - despite us informing them of our destination beforehand.

We then reached out to Local Rent, who disappointingly engaged in prolonged "negotiations" with Dima's Car Rent instead of addressing our immediate need. Hours passed with no solution offered.

After six stressful hours, during which locals even tried helping us, we discovered the shocking truth - Dima's Car Rent had remotely disabled our vehicle using a kill switch. Both companies had known this all along but chose not to inform us, leaving us stressed and wasting time trying to diagnose a non-existent mechanical issue.

GPS Data Justifies Our Location

To justify their actions, both companies falsely accused us of planning to drive to forbidden regions, specifically Ushguli. They used GPS data as "proof," which ironically showed we were exactly where we said we'd be - in Mestia, on paved roads, nowhere near Ushguli.

During this ordeal, we lost an entire day of our vacation. We attempted to fix the car ourselves, sought help from locals, walked to the tourism center in the July heat, and spent hours waiting for updates.

The car was finally reactivated at 5 p.m., but the incident left us frustrated and distrustful. Upon returning the vehicle, Dima's Car Rent downplayed the issue, claiming the car was only out of service for half an hour. Local Rent agreed to a partial refund but understated the duration of the problem.

This experience not only ruined a day in a unique destination but also exposed serious ethical issues and poor customer service from both Local Rent and Dima's Car Rent. It served as a stark reminder of the risks when renting from unfamiliar, local companies in remote locations.

The Aftermath

Upon returning the vehicle, Dima's Car Rent downplayed the incident, claiming the car was only out of service for half an hour, even though we had all of the communication timestamped. Local Rent agreed to a partial refund for one day but understated the duration of the problem.

We cannot, in good conscience, recommend Local Rent or Dima's Car Rent to anyone. Their unethical practices, poor customer service, and willingness to strand customers in a foreign country are unacceptable. This experience serves as a cautionary tale for all travelers: sometimes, saving money on car rentals can cost you dearly in other ways.

For future travelers to Georgia, we strongly recommend using reputable international car rental comparison sites like Discover Cars or Skyscanner. The peace of mind and reliability are worth the potential extra cost, especially when exploring beautiful but remote locations like Mestia.

Remember, your vacation time is precious. Don't let it be ruined by unscrupulous rental companies who prioritize profit over customer safety and satisfaction.

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