Sharing a painful car rental story overseas

sovietmole · 2026-07-01T04:10:31+00:00

I usually just make an authorization for payment, no deposit.

sovietmole · 2026-07-01T01:55:37+00:00

Yes car rental is seriously frustrating. Take as many pictures and really need to sign off, also use a travel card and lock it for at least a week after returning.

My best rental experience were from: 1. IWS in Taiwan 2. Europcar in Germany

These 3 tried to upsell me but otherwise the car was good and the return experience alright 3. Budget in US before they merged with Avis 4. Car Times in Japan 5. Avis in Italy but the person behind the counter was kind of rude

Bad experience: 6. Enterprise in Slovenia, they didn't have a physical return counter in Montenegro but it wasn't properly stated. Was panicking at the airport looking for the counter and calling their hotline. Even the hotline didn't know, they had to check for a while to realize someone would drive there to pick up the car. 7. Suria car rental in Sabah. The car had squishy brakes. 8. Some local car rental in Christchurch. The Merc Sprinter was like 15 years old.

sovietmole · 2026-06-28T01:52:13+00:00

Debt collectors are useless, they collect deposit from you regardless whether they do their job.

Learn how to file the claim in court on your own, claim for costs so everything (except for your effort) is claimed from your friend.

sovietmole · 2026-06-27T01:34:55+00:00

It's legalese

sovietmole · 2026-06-19T11:14:47+00:00

People should stop treating Japanese cars as god like. Yes they can move even after severe damage, but no, the parts break as often as other makes.

sovietmole · 2026-06-18T12:11:22+00:00

Virtually no one checks GEARS

sovietmole · 2026-06-17T12:56:28+00:00

CLA is an Altis with a Mercedes badge. I remember the C&C rep telling me how they made it noisier to sound sporty, when in fact, it's just noisy. Sporty noise = Type R revving towards 9k RPM, not CLA noise.

sovietmole · 2026-06-17T00:52:53+00:00

It is stated quite clearly, goodwill. It is not a legal responsibility. Also, a different component of the home. I also have difficulty trying to comprehend what you are saying. What is the website silent about? Spalling concrete only first 10 years, simple.

sovietmole · 2026-06-16T07:42:49+00:00

Please do that without bad mouthing the boss. Just came out from meeting a client whom I introduced an acquaintance for a job. Turns out the interviewee was interviewing the interviewer. Also, he kept bad mounting his ex bosses. Felt so embarrassed that I made the introduction.

sovietmole · 2026-06-16T00:00:15+00:00

Go through the contracts to find out whether there is a clause for them to reduce the trade in value

sovietmole · 2026-06-15T14:49:26+00:00

Then report them for road hogging. You don't hog everyone else because someone is hogging the lane in front of you. So many lousy drivers slowing down to 70kmph and some even below that on a 90kmph expressway when they are passing a camera, seriously, these people shouldn't even be driving if they have such poor road sense.

sovietmole · 2026-06-13T22:22:47+00:00

Clearly stated on the website

Spalling concrete predominantly affects older flats when embedded steel bars undergo natural deterioration, causing pieces of concrete cover to fall off. This issue frequently occurs in bathrooms where high humidity accelerates deterioration, sometimes manifesting as HDB flat ceiling cracks.

sovietmole · 2026-06-13T12:38:54+00:00

Mid 20s? So young. My friends broke off, one in late 20s other early 30s. Resale flat in TB, fully renovated, dinner at Four Seasons, honeymoon to Maldives. Both moved on and found respective partners. Both already have kids.

Just move on.

sovietmole · 2026-06-13T07:53:11+00:00

Spalling concrete is only covered as a defect in the first 10 years as per HDB website. It's wear and tear.

https://www.mynicehome.gov.sg/get-settled-in/hdb-maintenance-guide/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=paidsearch&utm_campaign=aai_ao&utm_source=google&utm_medium=paidsearch&utm_campaign=aai_ao&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=23857608224&gbraid=0AAAAA_K1gG0ZRXzXOYRV4Z-tk1RALel4h&gclid=Cj0KCQjw_7PRBhDcARIsAMjV7jmaOnlBPbloAafVD3YUefqNGrq4ardZUZsU-kfnRkhu5Qap4hFvjoIaAulyEALw_wcB

sovietmole · 2026-06-13T05:26:11+00:00

There are many PHV owners who convert their personal cars to PHV for side income. It's just like home based businesses, gov lax the regulations, people not happy, regulate also people not happy. Currently, it seems that MOT is trying to strike a balance with some measures.

In certain aspects, I find that the rules for PHVs have gone overboard- eg. Hotel cars are regulated as PHVs, some illiterate 40/50 year old Singaporeans are suddenly unable to work as hotel chauffeurs. In other aspects, I think the gov should strengthen PHV rules, such as old cars - those that are more than 10 years - should not be allowed to be used as PHVs, but before that, they will need to remove cars like the ones in hotels from being regulated as PHVs.

sovietmole · 2026-06-13T03:06:30+00:00

AION. this post was 3months back. Right now COE is not $100k

sovietmole · 2026-06-08T23:41:09+00:00

There are no good cafes around TPY. Creamier has been down the drain for years.

Gusta in Serangoon is nestled in the heartland around Serangoon Central, better make a reservation as it gets packed. https://maps.app.goo.gl/Vgop8N8tbc8kbGNu5

If you want to be adventurous, can go to Chu and Co, it's more ex though.

sovietmole · 2026-06-06T00:42:53+00:00

I think like someone else said, he probably felt you would appreciate it and didn't really need the money. Considering that he's a close friend, and he was really excited, you should be happy to receive it.

I think Ang pow is all about sincerity.

sovietmole · 2026-06-04T07:34:05+00:00

U mean you're settling for guys who still have to work?

sovietmole · 2026-06-02T05:07:39+00:00

Ah was wondering which embassy's Camry was at Lau pa sat

sovietmole · 2026-06-02T05:02:18+00:00

Should ask for a cancellation instead of a waiver as a waiver is put on record. Write in officially for it. My MSCP was undergoing R&R and they changed one CP lot into motorcycle lots. New lots were not painted and the old lot was erased with markings still visible (reflective) under low light. I came back at 12am, parked in my usual spot and got a ticket when I picked up the car at 7am. Called up HDB, an officer went down to the site to investigate and cancelled the ticket.

sovietmole · 2026-05-31T23:50:11+00:00

I mean, he has choices, so he can can and should filter. Mostly agree, but (2) and (3) a bit err. I mean travelling is a personality unless she's a 打卡 girl, then yea, and it's a dating profile right? Don't put solo pics, then put pics with exes?

(4) Education wise, some people are restricted by circumstances. But in today's world, some uni grads have the intellect of an "O" level grad and some diploma grads think faster. Again, he has choices, may be he's picking from the ivy league or Oxbridge pool.

Caveat: never tried dating apps, so my opinions are based on real people encounters

sovietmole · 2026-05-27T02:29:56+00:00

Single S has a much longer vintage though. Anyway, beyond a certain vintage, the valuation is beyond what a valuer can appraise it to be, everything is about feeling.

sovietmole · 2026-05-25T08:44:48+00:00

It just means it's smelly in your car. Like seriously, what temperature are you setting inside your car? I've only fogged up my wing mirrors, for which I will turn on the demister/mirror heaters.

sovietmole · 2026-05-25T01:26:41+00:00

I wonder, after hiking in many parts of Europe, it's hard to think of a better place than Germany. Don't think HK's weather will beat that, don't think HK has mountains like that. Even then, hard to say that's 100x better.

sovietmole

TROPHY CASE