Has anyone rented a car in Santiago , Chile from United Car rental?

Question

I am thinking of renting with this company they have been in business for 20 years. I plan on driving all over the country and I am wondering if they have reliable cars. They only have offices in Santiago and I wonder if this might be a problem 1 week into my trip. Any advice would be appreciated .

Answer 1

I haven't rented from them but I have heard of them. (I lived in Santiago for a while.) Do keep in mind that the "24 hour roadside assistance" thing is relative- if you get stuck in the mud 17 hours from civilization, it doesn't matter who rented you the car- you won't be hearing from them immediately. The terrain in Chile can be pretty tough and there are truly isolated places that are ironically quite easy to get to, so be careful out there. I would focus on getting a car that has All Wheel Drive and making sure that you have a cell phone with a good network so that you can actually call for help. Ask what the mileage restrictions will be and what kind of insurance package they offer.

One alternative you might want to consider would be buying a car from another traveler (I've seen posts before) and getting a local insurance policy. That way you will know what your potential loss would be ahead of time.

Enjoy your trip!

Answer 2

Hi, I haven't rented a car is Santiago, but I have lived here all my life. I have heard of United Rentacar. They are a rather well known car rental office, not scammers or anything.

I looked at their website to check out their fleet, and they have some cars which should be decidedly more reliable than others. I recommend the Suzuki Alto, Toyota Yaris, or Toyota Rav-4. The Yaris particularly. Chevrolet cars sold in Chile are assembled in Brazil, which historically have shown to be of lesser quality, so stay away from them. Same goes for Fiat, whose cheaper models are also made in Latin America. So as long as you choose a japanese car, you should be ok. Of course, ask for the one with the least mileage.

Answer 3

I usually rented from Budget rent a car, from their airport office and last time I rented a Mini Van and went all the way south to Torres del Paine. Has no trouble at all. Haven't heard from United, sorry.