rentacheapie.co.za Reviews 

Avoid this company unless you're prepared to lose part of your deposit over damage you can't disprove. I paid for their top insurance package, only to find, buried in the fine print, that hubcap damage is specifically excluded. At return, staff inspected every inch of the car's hubcaps and charged me for a mark, a charge whose amount appears nowhere in the contract. The vehicles are older, already covered in dozens of scuffs, so it's genuinely impossible to log every existing mark at pickup and therefore impossible to prove any given mark wasn't already there. When I disputed the wheel rim charge, they showed me a video meant to prove the damage wasn't pre-existing, but the footage was so low-resolution and unzoomed that no detail on the rim was actually visible. It felt less like evidence and more like a formality to justify the deduction. Looking into it afterwards, I found other reviewers describing the same pattern with this company, deposit deductions for damage that's hard to contest. It's an scam. A

From when we walked into the branch, organizing which car would suit out needs to leaving with our car of choice for 19 days... was a breeze.

Friendly and prompt service.

Our front left headlight started flickering nearing the end of our stay.
We went back to the same branch in Paarden Eiland and they replaced it within 20 minutes. Great service.

We will definitely be using Rentacheapie again when we come down next year.

Thank you Rentacheapie team!

Jovan and Leanne Fraser

Not so much “Rent a Cheapie” as “Rent a Rebuildie.” In my view, one would be far better served renting from a reputable, established rental company at a comparable price.

All rental vehicles at Cape Town Airport were fully booked, which left us with limited alternatives. This company came up as an option and, in the circumstances, we decided to make use of their services.

Upon collecting the first vehicle, it quickly became apparent that it had mechanical issues. At the very first traffic light, the engine cut out. After only a relatively short drive into Cape Town, the fuel gauge had already dropped to approximately three-quarters, which indicated that the vehicle had not been supplied with a full tank of fuel. Shortly thereafter, the vehicle cut out again in the city and failed completely, leaving us in the unacceptable position of having to push the vehicle through the Cape Town inner city streets while other motorists were hooting at us to get out of the way.

We then waited for some time for their mechanic to arrive. The mechanic replaced the battery, after which we returned to their depot and were provided with a replacement vehicle.

The replacement vehicle had a strong smell of cigarette smoke, pulled to the side while being driven, and the driver’s seat appeared to be bent. These issues raised concerns in my mind that the vehicle may previously have been involved in an accident or poorly repaired. As a result, we drove it with considerable caution. The sound system speakers were also defective.

On the date the vehicle was due to be returned, we were informed telephonically that the vehicle had to be washed, failing which the cost of the wash would be deducted from our deposit. Fortunately, our flight was only a little later, which gave us time to do so. We accordingly located a car wash a few blocks from their depot and also filled the vehicle with fuel to the top in order to avoid any further issues.

I did not ask the fuel attendant for a slip. When we returned the vehicle, we were informed that, without a fuel slip, they would have to take the vehicle to their own filling station to verify whether it had in fact been filled completely. This made little sense to me, as the amount reflected on a slip would not, in itself, prove how much fuel was already in the tank before we filled it.

They also alleged that, because the vehicle smelled of cigarette smoke, the interior would require a full valet to remove the smell. This was particularly unreasonable, given that the vehicle already smelled strongly of cigarette smoke when it was handed over to us.

In my view, the combination of these issues appeared to be an attempt to create a basis for deducting money from my cash deposit.

For these reasons, I will not make use of this company again. In future, I would rather rely on Uber until vehicles from reputable and professional car rental companies become available, especially where the rental price is almost the same.

They are scammers. I will never rent from them again. They insisted that the rim was scratched and charged R350. They also billed me R1500 for no valid reason. Not worth the rental. Reputable companies are similarly priced.
They find the flimsiest fault to charge for anything.

In february 2026 I rented from Rentacheapie for 3 months at a cost of R27 102 and reasonably assumed I was properly insured. But after a minor collision I was horrified to find that I was not insured for a 3rd party. I was billed R14 000 for the collision but it could have been far, FAR worse. As Rentacheapie still did not offer 3rd party insurance I had to return the car early and was charged a R7000 penalty . I found this whole experience distressing and disappointing and it made a big hole in my holiday budget. I had rented from this company the year before and was delighted with them - but that was because nothing went wrong. Renters beware - you are NOT insured for 3rd parties.

I will not recommend this company to anyone. While they may appear to offer cheap prices, their rates are actually comparable to other providers.

When I rented the vehicle, I recorded a video of the entire car, which clearly showed numerous scratches that were already present. They documented these damages but kept a copy of the record. At the time of dropping off the vehicle, they falsely claimed there were new scratches—damage that was already there from the start.

This is a complete scam. Do not use their services under any circumstances.

Absolutely pathetic and SCAM. Scammed me out of R1800 by saying there were some scrathes on a plastic rim. Absolutely a set up. Hannes is an embarrassment of a manager

Charges after the rental were not reasonable. They are also extremely argumentative when you try to speak to them or complain.

THIEVESSSSS

This company engages in unethical practices. They claim customers have caused vehicle damages, yet refuse to provide any evidence to support these claims, effectively withholding deposits without justification, and extorting clients.

They ignore follow-up emails and fail to provide updates when confronted. It’s clear the funds they withhold are not being used to maintain their fleet, as many vehicles are handed out with pre-existing damage — likely the same issues they’ve already charged previous customers for. Be very cautious before renting from them.

I will not recommend this company. you think the rental car is cheap but in reality they try to get money out of your pockets by keeping your deposit for every minimal scratch. even on a plastic hubcap. feels like a scam.

Great customer service, easy to rent a car and very clean and reliable cars

Not worth the small saving you make on renting the 'cheapies', look elsewhere. They really are bangers, my gearbox had issues from the start where I couldn't get into 5th gear. Eventually a part completely snapped and left the whole vehicle immobile. They close their offices ~5pm so if, like me, you need to return the car later you just part outside and drop the keys... I would not advise this as you wont be able to do the check over with their staff. I was later emailed an image claiming I had scratched the wheel hub and was charged for it. Anyone who's an aware driver will know that when this happens you know it's happened, and I had no curb colliding or similar experiences during my rental. The initial car check was done in the dark warehouse and the car already had 100s of imperfections so this wasn't picked up at the start.

Alas another car rental company stinging you for scratches you didn't make.

Avoid, look elsewhere