Any Recommendations For Self Drive Car Rental?

[earthdome]

I am interested in taking the plunge and finally getting my Philippines drivers license and then rent a car for a week long vacation driving to scenic areas of Northern Luzon mountain areas like Sagada.

 

I am currently located in Baguio so my options for self drive car rental may be limited. I have only found two choices so far. TOYCO Rent-A-Car and Avis which have Baguio offices.

 

Anyone have experience with either company? Recommendations on other car rental companies?

 

Any recommendations on what class of vehicle to rent for the mountain driving in Northern Luzon? I expect I would not want some low powered sub compact but would need something with enough power for the mountain roads.

 

Thanks!

[FlyAway]

I have dealt with Toyco in Davao a few times. They have always been good and accommodating to us. They are professional and do have a contract. Read the contract about insurance participation if you get into an accident or something happens to the car. 

 

Major thing I would recommend is give the car a full inspection. I am not talking about the overall appearance. Definitely check the tire wear. Last car I rented from Toyco had bald tires on the back and near bald in front. 

 

Have not rented a car since being run off the road a few years ago. After being in that wreck and having no control over the car, I will never again rent one with crappy tires

[earthdome]

I have dealt with Toyco in Davao a few times. They have always been good and accommodating to us. They are professional and do have a contract. Read the contract about insurance participation if you get into an accident or something happens to the car. 

 

Major thing I would recommend is give the car a full inspection. I am not talking about the overall appearance. Definitely check the tire wear. Last car I rented from Toyco had bald tires on the back and near bald in front. 

 

Have not rented a car since being run off the road a few years ago. After being in that wreck and having no control over the car, I will never again rent one with crappy tires

 

Two valuable recommendations. Thanks!

[earthdome]

I just returned yesterday from my week long extreme Luzon mountain adventure.

 

Regarding the car rental, Avis would not rent for driving in the Luzon mountains unless they provided a driver. The cost with driver from Avis was going to be around $100 USD per day.

 

So I rented from Toyco Car Rental. I was able to get a 2009 Mitsubishi Adventure GLX SUV 2.5L diesel 5 speed manual with real wheel drive for 14,000 PHP for a week rental. I traveled on some pretty rough and sometimes very muddy back roads and the SUV did very well. During the rainy season June-Sept these mountain roads can become almost impassable due to land and rock slides. There were many places where a 2 lane concrete road was down to 1 lane due to a land slide or the landslide almost covered the entire road. It must take months for road crews to completely clear off the landslides once the rainy season is over. In some places there were huge boulders that fell on the road. One I saw must have been 3-4 meters in diameter! There were a few times when I would have liked to have an SUV with a bit more ground clearance and four wheel drive.

 

If the places I traveled were in the USA most of the area would be a national park or national forest. Stunning mountain vistas, white water mountain rivers and water falls of over 100 meters. 

 

I had a great time and will be posting many photos and making some posts about the trip.

[Jake]

Excellent field report shipmate!  I'm dying to learn more about your adventure through northern Luzon.

More importantly, you made it back safely.  

 

Salamat po -- Jake

[earthdome]

Excellent field report shipmate!  I'm dying to learn more about your adventure through northern Luzon.

More importantly, you made it back safely.  

 

Salamat po -- Jake

 

Fortunately I had some assistance from my girlfriends father and brothers for the most extreme road I drove on from Tabuk to the remote Kalinga village of Balbalan. On the way in her father led the way in a heavy duty stake truck (not a pickup) and in a few places shovels were needed so I could pass through a deep muddy part of the road. The worst part of the road was where they were excavating to prepare for pouring concrete. The road to Balbalan is 5% concrete with work underway in a number of places to concrete the road.  This part of the trip took 2 hours to go abut 10km. It hardly rained the 2 days I was there in Balbalan so I was able to drive out without any assistance though a couple brothers accompanied us with shovels just in case.

 

Here is a Google maps link to show my destination Balbalan:

 

https://maps.google.com/maps?q=Balbalan,+Philippines&hl=en&ll=17.449905,121.150017&spn=0.212235,0.307274&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=44.879582,78.662109&oq=Bal&t=h&hnear=Balbalan,+Kalinga,+Cordillera+Administrative+Region,+Philippines&z=12

[Dave Hounddriver]

When you brought the vehicle back did they go over it with a fine toothed comb to charge you for every real and imagined scratch and dent?  Just wondering as I have heard of that happening where the original price is affordable but they gouge you on the return.

[earthdome]

When you brought the vehicle back did they go over it with a fine toothed comb to charge you for every real and imagined scratch and dent?  Just wondering as I have heard of that happening where the original price is affordable but they gouge you on the return.

I returned it with mud splattered all over the outside and muddy floor mats. No questions asked. Just a quick look and started it then returned my deposit.

 

The only trick was that they gave me the car with a near empty tank and I could have returned it the same way... but of course I wanted to make sure I had enough for the drive home... not knowing where along the way I could buy diesel.  So they got a bit of a bonus from almost half a tank of diesel. I knew that before I signed the deal. So no harm. 

 

Overall I was pleased with the deal. Several times during the trip I have to get the air checked on the tires and a couple needed some air. Then again, I drove it on some pretty rough roads.