AVIS - Belgrade City Centre Information, Car hire Instructions & Policies

Initially, I was worried about being upsold on insurance and other things after reading some reviews. However, my concerns were unfounded. This was my first time renting a car abroad, and I was very satisfied.

The car pickup and return went smoothly. After returning the car and leaving the airport without any cash, the company rep generously gave me 300 Dinars for the bus fare. However, the Avis city pickup point marked on QEEQ was incorrect, leading us to a wasted trip. Fortunately, we checked it out a day in advance, so it didn't delay our pickup the next day. The car was a brand new bright red Fiesta, which drove very well and was perfectly suitable for two people. The credit card pre-authorization of 140,000 Dinars for the deposit was also released immediately upon returning the car.

I had already purchased the Super Supplementary Full Insurance and Full Coverage Insurance from Zuzuche. When I picked up the car in Belgrade, the staff asked me to buy their insurance for 400 euros. If there were no claims, they would refund 270 euros, but otherwise, they would charge the full 400 euros. This is outrageous! I have rented cars in Australia, Canada, the UK, Russia, Norway, and Thailand, and never encountered such a bad experience. When I showed them my Zuzuche order, they completely ignored it and were very rude, using all kinds of persuasion and threats, saying I would need to call the police for any minor issue. During the inspection, the car was already in bad condition, but even the minor scratches were noted (as mentioned by the staff). We recorded everything we could see to avoid being charged for anything unseen. When returning the car, we found that a stone had cracked the front windshield. The rental company charged 33,000 local currency, approximately 2,200 RMB, almost equal to the rental cost. Whether I can claim this from Zuzuche is still unknown. If not, I might as well buy the local insurance next time. Issues like stones hitting the windshield are not due to driving skills but just bad luck. Returning the car took over an hour with numerous documents to sign. This experience was not good, unlike other countries where I just drop the key in the key box and head to the plane.

I actually wanted to rate it poorly, but I can't let the actions of a few people overshadow the great service I received when picking up the car. The person who helped me was extremely kind and attentive. I originally booked a Ford Focus, but he reassured me about the car I was given, which was a better vehicle. It was a Mercedes-Benz, and he told me to drive safely. I was worried about damaging it or having issues in the mountains. However, the service when returning the car was terrible. The employee during the rental process added insurance fees without my consent. I had already paid for insurance through the rental website and made it clear that I did not need any additional insurance. Despite this, I was asked to pay over 2000 RMB for insurance when I returned the car. I was told that I had signed the contract, which included those fees. The staff member I dealt with initially was nowhere to be found when I returned the car. To make matters worse, I recorded our conversation during pickup, showing that I had only agreed to pay a border crossing fee, but they still insisted I had to pay the extra insurance. Thankfully, I had read reviews beforehand and was prepared. I contacted the rental website, who then called the rental company. After some back and forth and threats to call the police, the rental company reluctantly agreed to correct the contract. Be sure to record everything!

Unreasonable charges and deductions! The car was not provided on time; waited for five hours, which delayed our schedule!

The charges were unclear. The order was 38 euros, but with an additional driver and mandatory insurance, it became over 80 euros. There was a parking ticket of 18 euros with an additional 20-euro service fee, and finally, they charged 50 euros, saying it included taxes. In the end, various fees were added. I don't recommend this company; renting a small car for one day cost nearly a thousand yuan.