Avoid Simba Rentals at all costs! The overall experience was extremely unsatisfactory and unreliable. I have considerable experience with overseas car rentals and self-driving trips, particularly from Sydney Airport, but this company's service was unparalleled—in the worst way possible—and broke every expectation I had.
1. Sydney Airport shuttle bus wait time exceeding 30 minutes
Unlike major car rental companies that have depots close to Sydney Airport near King Park with shuttles running every few minutes, Simba's shuttle pickup point is on the other side of the airport and requires phone or online booking. Even after booking, the shuttle took over 30 minutes to arrive. Online bookings repeatedly malfunctioned, and the phone number provided was an automated service with no human interaction. During the 30-minute wait, no one proactively verified whether my booking was successful. I initially booked a 10:00 AM car pickup, arrived at the airport around 9:00 AM, and called to arrange the shuttle. However, the shuttle arrived only after a long delay (past my planned pickup time), and it was already 11:00 AM by the time I finally got my car.
2. Shuttle driver’s safety and service at Sydney Airport
The shuttle driver demonstrated no initiative in assisting with luggage, even when noticing that elderly individuals and children were present. (At first, I didn’t care much, but seeing a young foreigner later actively help with luggage made the lack of service even more apparent.) Moreover, the driver abruptly accelerated and braked when my baby was not yet securely fastened in the car seat, causing my child to fall to the floor from the safety seat.
3. Overcharging at the rental office
The rental office charged us for things beyond the agreed-upon fees, including additional toll charges, administrative fees, and a one-way rental fee—all of which were supposed to already be included in the prepaid order. When I raised concerns, the staff simply stated that I could contact the rental platform if I had a problem, but clarified that even if the platform reached out to them, they would still insist on these additional charges. Honestly, if the shuttle delay hadn’t caused such a significant impact on my travel schedule or if I had been traveling alone, I would have canceled the booking and opted for another rental company on the spot.
I am usually pretty laid-back and not very particular about small issues, but the constant stream of problems was overwhelming in this case. The absurdity of the entire experience was truly beyond anything I have ever encountered. It really was a uniquely bad experience. Avoid this local company if you can! I generally have a good impression of Australia and its friendly, kind people, but this rental company was terrible and left me with a poor impression of their services.
Overall satisfied with the car rental company. The staff noticed that our English was not very good and proactively used a translation device to assist us. The car had been driven for over 20,000 kilometers, so it was relatively new. We used it on the highway, and apart from the toll fees, there was a small service charge that was directly deducted from the deposit. We received a clear invoice two to three days after returning the car, and the refund was issued on the fourth day.
Very satisfied, very friendly to children. Very patient in installing the child safety seat. The car has a large space, enough to fit a 30-inch, 28-inch, and an additional 24-inch suitcase. Perfectly spacious for two families and six people.
Very good service, all communication was in English. If something wasn't understood, the staff used Google Translate to help. The Kia Carnival 8-seater was excellent, and its screen could connect to Google Maps on the phone. Getting in and out of the car was slightly inconvenient.
The overall service from Simba was satisfactory. When returning the car, the inspection was quite thorough. There were a few small scratches on the upper part of the rear bumper that were already there, and the staff acknowledged it after I explained. The vehicle's dashboard showed a maintenance reminder, so I suggest the company ensures timely maintenance of their cars. Also, the service fee for toll payment collection is $2.95 per transaction, which feels a bit excessive.
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