La Serena Car Hire

OK Car rental from Budget

Pros: The car was fairly new, clean, and generally in good working order. Good tires and spare. A small safely equipment case. No smoke odor. Office and rental-parking-area were conveniently located at the airport. Desk clerk at pickup was bilingual. The attendant explained where all the controls/features were in the car. Car was the size I reserved, no bait and switch. I mention that the clerk was bilingual, not because I believe he should be, but because it was good for me to be able to communicate with him in English because my Spanish is very poor.

Cons: No antennae, so no radio available for the rental period. The car had perhaps 50 small (1/16 - 1/8 inch) chips in the paint, from gravel apparently. We had to catalog every one prior to leaving so we would not be charged at return. A US$4500 hold on my credit card was required to cover potential damage. Not a "didn't like", just a comment, to those who may want to rent from Avis/Budget, be advised that some personnel speak no English, so you need to brush up on your Spanish. I fortunately had a companion who is fluent in Spanish and English.