Since there appears to be a wealth of experience here on South African travel can anyone recommend me a car hire company? I want to avoid the rip off merchants (if that is possible) but which companies give a fair deal? I’m looking for two cars, one for a week in Johannesburg the other for a week in Cape Town. Are the big names like Avis or Hertz a safe bet?

Yes.

Yes, entirely.

Thanks guys, nice straight answers. 🙂

I didn’t think people hired cars in South Africa. I thought you just relieved someone of theirs, at gunpoint, when they pull up at the traffic lights?

binners – Member

I didn’t think people hired cars in South Africa. I thought you just relieved someone of theirs, at gunpoint, when they pull up at the traffic lights?

And then have your hands chopped off.

HTH.

Love cross threading!

I always use carhire 3000 for Cape Town.
Never had a problem but tip the guys to watch your car when you park up, only a few rand but some of em actually keep an eye open ….

We used ‘Carmania’ in Cape Town a few years ago. Much cheaper than the big names.

But really you want a proper old skool Merc in Africa:

Never had a problem but tip the guys to watch your car when you park up, only a few rand but some of em actually keep an eye open ….

Might be worth just hiring a car and driver?

Not sure pricewise in SA, but had 2 weeks in India and it was a cheap option.

Avis are okay, but currently waiting on feedback after they spotted a scratch mark on the bumper – didn’t even knew i did it, but can guess where it may have happened.

If you end up with a minor scratch costs around R500-750 to fix at an independent, worth noting.

Think we used Avis without any problems in Capetown. The usual stuff you have to do with any car rental – just make sure your read the small print – returning it with full tank etc. etc.

Had no problems driving around, never got my hands chopped off or anything.

But yes, as someone mentioned, when you park up somewhere like the beach front you’ll probably find a guy beckons you to a car parking space if you’re on his ‘patch’. Depends how you feel about tipping for essentially pointing at a gap in the parked cars but I was on my hols, I can afford a couple of pennies for a smile if nothing else.

Taxis however. My god! Not sure if some we used were even road legal. And make sure you ask how much a fare will be before you set off…

In Cape Town you’re more likely to be robbed by a baboon than a human – beware!

when they pull up at the traffic lights?

Showing your ignorance there, no one stops at traffic lights in Johannesburg for fear of such a jacking 😉

I’m familiar with the parking attendants etc and having seen how bad the unemployment is I will always have some change for anyone being vaguely useful.

And they aren’t traffic lights they are robots.

Are you going to Tokai forest for a ride? Totally recommended!

We used Tempest Car Hire when we were in the Northern Cape (Upington).
No complaints,
http://www.tempestcarhire.co.za/car-hire-branches/tempest-northern-cape