This was my second Car Hire from Bargain Car Rentals in Cairns, and just like the first time, my experience was entirely positive. • Quick Airport Shuttle pick-up; • A great little car (... See more
Location
Switch location410 Sheridan Street, 4870 Cairns North, Queensland, AU
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See what reviewers are saying
At Townsville Airport pick up was efficient but car was not completely full of petrol. Car performed as expected Transfer from drop off point to Cairns airport, we had to wait until they had a ful... See more
I am a returning customer to Bargain Car Rentals in Cairns. Staff experience is professional and courteous. The vehicle was clean reliable and was certainly adequate for our needs. When l fly to Cair... See more
Bargain car rentals is ok but not the best off airport rental business I have used. The standard car I rented had done 84000kms and had a significant numbers of scratches and small dents. The customer... See more
Company details
About Bargain Car Rentals Australia - Cairns Airport
Written by the company
New Cars, Bargain Prices!
You're only ever one #Bargain away! Start your next adventure with Bargain Car Rentals!
We're Bargain Car Rentals, an Australian-owned and operated company with locations all around the country. We specialise in local, interstate and international travel, and always have New Cars at Bargain Prices. We offer a large range of vehicles to suit any need, from small cars, large moving trucks, or 25 seater buses.Contact info
410 Sheridan Street, 4870, Cairns North, Queensland, Australia
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Very friendly and efficient staff
Very friendly and efficient staff
Fantastic price. Clean and late model vehicle
Staff service and costd
Very good staff
Very good staff. Good service. I felt sorry for the counter staff having to handle the very poorly advertised/ambiguous insurance policy. Every customer in front of me plus myself felt very disappointed.
Make sure you factor in the insurance cost
Make sure you look into the insurance gap. Its not just the excess that isn't covered its almost everything else. Bargains insurance is huge $45/day. So it adds significantly to the cost of the rental. The pressure sales and catastrophising of what might happen made the whole experience a horrible one. Never again.
Cheaper rates than the majors
Cheaper rates than the majors, off-airport site but close enough with the fast free shuttle, great vehicles, friendly service.
Excellent
Excellent. Good price and service. A very busy company so if off a flight, there may be queues once at their office once you get there as the check out process takes time. We had hired through a 3rd party so the insurance spiel is given. Next time we'll hire direct and purchase their insurance.
So disorganized
So disorganized. I had no idea I had to arrange a shuttle to pick up my car. By the time I waited in line to get the shuttle, then waited in line to collect car it was close to nearly 2 hours from when I landed!
Don’t ask for my flight details and time of arrival if you have no intention of using the information to have the car hire etc ready!
Quick and easy check in service
Quick and easy check in service. The staff was helpful and friendly, including the airport shuttle service.
Great service team in pickup and drop…
Great service team in pickup and drop off.
Lovely lady at beginning of trip upgraded us as we had a three week rental. Much appreciated.
Initially Awkward & Not Car Requested
Initially Awkward & Not Car Requested, despite follow email as to why wanting the particular brand/model
..although insurance prearranged thru 3rd party booking, it supposedly wouldn't cover car, so bought BCR Premium Cover which was competitively priced ..but all fore- mentioned issues discussed since & look forward to giving BCR another go !
As for the vehicle itself, it was presented in good clean condition
..although I deemed it a lesser vehicle than booked
..afew things like operation of cruise control I could not sort, nor BCR (need better awareness of functions of those vehicles they rent)
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Polish Peter assisted us in Cairns
Polish Peter assisted us in Cairns, and the pick up process went very smoothly. Peter was very friendly and also efficient.
I don't know how, but my request for a NON Chinese brand of car thankfully came to fruition.
The vehicle return also went very smoothly and Nicki (?) was affable and efficient.

Reply from Bargain Car Rentals Australia - Cairns Airport
1518 AUD for repair of paint scuff claimed I had caused
Was charged 1518 AUD for repair and 6 days of non-use of a cargo van that had a scuff on the plastic front lip, claiming that I had caused it. Even if I supposedly had, under the front lip is considered fair wear and tear under Queensland Consumer Law. Didn't have prior lip photo to prove I hadn't caused it, neither was I provided with a prior photo documenting that it wasn't there before renting. The piece of paper given to me doesn't even have a front lip on the diagram to put an 'X' on.
Have filed complaint to AFCS. Never again. Would recommend full-HD photos of entire vehicle including under the bonnet and under the car fenders, lips and bumpers if you are brave enough to rent from this company.
Just noticed that several other customers renting from this company have reported similar experiences and
outcomes, especially on Google. I wish I had read these reviews beforehand. The most common scenario involves a foreign tourist who is only in Cairns/ Australia for a few weeks and doesn't have the capacity/time/ experience to file a complaint, and suffices to leaving a poor review, if even that, ending up ruining his holiday and leaving with a bad impression and experience.
edit update:
Complaint to AFCS led to nowhere. Have therefore filed a proper lawsuit against the company and served them with QCAT Form 1 Application for Minor Civil Dispute at the Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal. Will reupdate on how things proceed.
Latest update: Company tried to intimidate me by offering to pay back the complaint filing fee to QCAT, which I refused. Following this, they refunded 3 days value of the 6 days of vehicle off road fee, which they had charged (imagine a cargo van being taken off the road for 6 days(!) to 'repair" a paint scuff on the front lower lip).
I have received feedback from QCAT and a sitting has been scheduled in a few weeks

Reply from Bargain Car Rentals Australia - Cairns Airport

Reply from Bargain Car Rentals Australia - Cairns Airport
Good experience
"The car was clean, well-maintained, and ready on time. The professional team made the whole rental process easy and stress-free. Prices were very reasonable too. Will recommend them to anyone looking for reliable rental cars. Special mention to the friendly, helpful airport shuttle bus drivers!

Reply from Bargain Car Rentals Australia - Cairns Airport
Good vehicles and service
The company has good vehicles at competitive prices. We have found the pick-up and drop off services excellent, and staff are unfailingly friendly and helpful.

Reply from Bargain Car Rentals Australia - Cairns Airport
Left us at the airport with no notification & had to hire a car from another provider
I arrived into Cairns airport on Saturday and as instructed via my booking email called for a pick up at 1652. I then received instructions via text on where to exit and meet the courtesy bus. I missed a return call (with no voicemail) at 1657. When another customer joined me at the pick-up point and told me that he thought no bus was coming I called the customer service line. By this stage it was 1715 and they told me the Cairns office closed at 1700 and that no-one was coming to pick us up and nor could we collect the car. Infuriated, I asked them to cancel the booking but was told that it could not be done with the admin team on the phone and it would only be considered on Monday. As I could not be guaranteed I would get my money back I had to take out a 24 hour rental via another hire-car operator in the airport to drive the family (2 children) up to Port Douglas which is about 1 hour away as that is where we were staying. We then had to return to Cairns on the Sunday to return the additional hire car and collect the Bargain car. It is worth noting that the drive between the airport and Bargain care hire depot is less than 5 minutes. Horrible communciations and service which cost me money and wasted a chunk of my holiday.

Reply from Bargain Car Rentals Australia - Cairns Airport
Excellent customer service
Excellent customer service
Excellent vehicle
Excellent value

Reply from Bargain Car Rentals Australia - Cairns Airport
Staff were polite and assisted when…
Staff were polite and assisted when asked.
A few more staff on counter would expedite processing.
Shuttle boarding disorganised, no queue, or assistance with luggage. Pretty much survival of the fittest.

Reply from Bargain Car Rentals Australia - Cairns Airport
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