First Car Rental
reviews and complaints

We hired an SUV from First Car from Joburg airport, this was for a Kruger safari. During the drive, the car developed a slow puncture which continued after the tire was pumped. On inspection it was clear that the puncture occurred because the tire was bald on the inner area which had no tread, and was illegal and made the car un roadworthy. We could have had a catastrophic blow out on the motorway, with lives at risk, Although we eventually received a replacement after many calls, we lost one and a half days of our holiday and we’re put at risk by having to drive a dangerous vehicle. first Car are a Sixt partner and Sixt must also take responsibility for quality assurance.

Rented a car in j-burg for 3 weeks and added a tyre and glass insurance. Had a tire explosion. Contacted this company and they told me to have the tire changed and they would repay me.
Did so and when I left the car wrote down what happened, they copied the bill. Three weeks later I contacted them again and said that I have not seen any repayment.
Got the answer that the money was repayed to my mastercard but it could take some time before it was registered. Case closed.
Called mastercard today and they have not seen any repayment. This is 8 weeks after returning the car.
When I ask the rental company for proof of payment, the only answer I get is "case closed".
Obviously they have not done the repayment else they would easily been able to present proof of it.

First Car Rental, the car rental company more dishonest and band of thieves that you can find.
We hired with them twice during last August in our trip to South Africa. On both occasions we have been deceived and cheated as they kept part of the money of the deposit initially retained in our credit card.
The first case and more fragrant, arriving in Johannesburg wanted to upgrade as we needed a slightly larger trunk. We went from a Chevrolet Spark to a Nissan Micra.
They made us a hold on the credit card of R3000 (South African currency) as a deposit and was told that the upgrade would be charged from there.
The information received by the person who dealt with us at the airport office in Johannesburg was very confused and now we feel cheated, as we were repeatedly told, to our repeated requests for specific information, that the upgrade would be R224 for the set of all days and not per day as has finally been. So that the upgrade has resulted us more expensive that the rental car originally booked. Obviously, if we had known the cost was that much, we had not done the upgrade.
In other words, we have been charged for two vehicles: the Chevrolet Spark firstly when I made the booking and secondly the Nissan Micra that has been full charged with our deposit.

In the second case, although we returned the car with a full tank of gasoline, again some of the money from the deposit has been taken, they say it is to fill up the gas tank, I think what they have done is cleaning the car and whatever they needed with our money.

Therefore, choose another company if you can, to my view, they are thieves and we find an abuse what they have done to us. We rent cars very often in different places when we travel and it never happened anything like this to us.
As I collaborate with various travelling associations and I will report First Car Rental in the same direction here exposed.
Regards

Rented a small Polo Vivo 1.4L for 24hrs on Dec 11th. Wife used it for 191kms, filled up and returned it filled up to OR Tambo Airport on Dec 12th. I had to leave a R3000 deposit on my credit card (should have been R2950 according to our booking with you). I was subsequently charged an additional R167 for 13L of fuel, ostensibly as the cars have a problem with "airlocks" when being refuelled (they should have breather tubes which overcome this) and we didnt quite fill the car up. They have charged me over the fuel price per liter at that date, despite advertising there is no refueling charge. However, more significantly the car could not have used the 10.6 L we put in plus the 13.02 L that First claimed they refuelled the car with; a total of 24L used / 191kms returning a consumption of a staggering 12L / 100kms which just is impossible for a 1.4L engine (rated at 5.3L/100km by VW). First Hire sent me through the refuelling log written in pen (no computer readout), so unless the car had a significant fuel leak which it did not, I have deduced that skulduggery is at work and someone isn't telling the truth. Either the fuel wasn't added into the tank, or it was used to refuel another vehicle out at their depot, or pumped into a container. The volume is correct as the pump readings at the start and end of the operator's shift add up to the amount of fuel dispensed during the shift. Another clincher is that the car only has a 45L tank, so that means that we returned the vehicle only 2/3rds full for them to be able to add another 13L, with or without an airlock ( 13L required to fill ie 13/45 = +- 29%) . I sent through a complaint to First, which was dismissed out of hand by their Customer Services Manager (?) Ransom Hunguka, who merely repeated their claim of airlocks and the fact that they have placed a notice on the back of the rear mirror hanger to the effect that Customers should not refill their rental cars on return (contradictory to your advice) as they will be charged accordingly. A captured audience, no less, with no control over the amount of fuel they are being charged for, or where it actually goes. A beautiful opportunity for massive graft?