Review Time
Beginning of May 2019, we rented a Mercedes X-Terrain via Apollo Camper in Australia. I ordered it via phone to discuss the suitability of the X-terrain to take us through the Kimberley on the Gibb River Road, aka GRR. Apollo confirmed the car for the journey. I decided to take on a separate Travel Insurance that includes the rental car. Apollo charges approx. an extra AUD 45/day to limit the liability from AUD8000 to a few hundred. I strongly believe that is overpriced, but I have a choice, so I took it.When we picked up the rental vehicle in Broome we had to deal with an agent of Apollo, who represents them in Broome. The lady that served us was a backpacker student and treated us very badly. She refused to offer the “Drop and Go” option that allows you to deliver the car as is if it is a relatively clean condition on the outside. With travelling on the GRR on red dust roads, it seemed like a good option and we were willing to pay the extra AUD75. We also had to pay the deposit of AUD8000, which disappeared from my credit card in under 1 minute, which you would expect. The lady who served us was in a pretty bad mood and we wanted to commence our journey as soon as possible, being freed from some bad vibes. When we inspected the car, it was fitted with 5 standard road tires Continental PremiumContact6, incl. 1 spare. It worried me at the time, but we didn’t want to enter into another yet discussion with the lady from the local agent. Our adventure commenced. We bought our groceries at the local Woolies in Broome and when we returned somebody backed up in the car and created a dent. No cameras at the parking lot and we filed an online police report that I could use for my Travel Insurer. All part of the risk. On day 2 we had our first flat tyre, which we noticed the day after breakfast. With the help of a great Irish fellow, who was travelling through Australia with his Family for 6 months, we managed to temporarily fix it with tyre cord. About 100km further on, we could get the tyre fixed by the only mechanic on the first half of the GRR. With about 30km to go, we had our 2nd flat, and had to put on the other tyre again. Luckily, we managed to get to the tyre guy and we decided to change the two back tyres into All Terrain tyres. Much better suitable for the journey. It did cost us AUD950. I wouldn’t mind the cost as long as we would have started on 5 All terrain tyres from the get-go. I still don’t understand why Apollo sends their customers on the GRR on grey granite gravel roads in 35 degrees C in the middle of nowhere and no mobile coverage for days. That is putting people in danger. I wonder who took that executive decision to fit a perfect 4x4 Ute with highway tyres for their clients to travel through the Kimberley.As soon as we returned to an area with mobile coverage, we contacted Apollo and shared our story. After a few to and fro’s they admitted to the tyre issue and agreed to refund the tyres. They also agreed to release AUD5000 of the AUD8000 deposit and keep the rest as provision for the damage we incurred on day 1. Later on, they provided me with the repair estimate and agreed to release the remainder of the deposit.To this day, we are now almost 1 month later, I still haven’t received any refund. It takes them under 1 minute to take AUD8000 from my credit card and it takes them more than 3 weeks to return the money on my card. They explained it takes time and they are not a bank.Because of the bad service of their agent in Broome, the poor decision on their behalf to send customers on the GRR on standard highway tyres and the fact that I’m still waiting for my refund, I will never use Apollo again. I believed they were a professional rental company.
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