Santiago, Chile airport. Essential car rental tips to avoid costly surprises.
1. Beware! The on-site quote from the car rental company Chilenon may differ significantly from the final bill. They offer both automatic and manual transmission vehicles, and we opted for an automatic one. Initially quoted around 400 RMB per day, with a delayed return until 5 PM on the third day, the final bill shockingly only accounted for 2 days—effectively hiking the daily rate to 600 RMB.
That’s quite steep!
2. A mere 2-hour delay in returning the car resulted in a hefty late fee of 15 USD, equivalent to half a day’s rental cost. This feels incredibly unfair.
3. On-site quotes do not include taxes, which are charged separately. Be prepared for this additional expense.
4. Despite claims of refunding the deposit within 24 hours after returning the car (a staggering 900 USD!
), toll fees are processed much later—anywhere between 30 to 60 working days. It remains unclear how much will be deducted from your account.
5. The pick-up location is not within the terminal building. You’ll need to take a shuttle bus to reach their parking lot.
6. Renewal fees can be exorbitant. If you anticipate needing an extension, ensure you confirm all details via email beforehand to avoid any last-minute surprises.
7. Proceed with caution. Chilenon sends the final bill directly via email without providing a physical printout at the site. If you don’t have internet access on your phone, insist they print out the contract for you to review thoroughly before signing. Always double-check everything to protect yourself.
