Excellent Service, Disappointing Vehicle Availability

I recently rented a vehicle from Woodford Car Rental at OR Tambo Airport, and while I must commend the staff for their excellent customer service and professionalism, I was very disappointed with the vehicle allocation process.

I specifically booked a Mercedes-Benz GLC online well in advance and made payment immediately. To avoid any surprises, I even called during the week before my collection date to confirm both my booking and the vehicle category. I was assured that I would receive either the Mercedes-Benz GLC or a BMW X3.

Unfortunately, when I arrived to collect the vehicle, neither of those vehicles was available. Instead, I was offered a double-cab bakkie, a Chery Tiggo 8, or a Toyota Fortuner. In my view, these alternatives did not match the premium SUV category I had booked and felt like a downgrade from the vehicles I had specifically selected and confirmed beforehand.

As I had an important trip planned and had little choice, I accepted the Fortuner to avoid further delays. However, this was not the experience I expected after booking and confirming well in advance.

To make matters worse, I was asked to provide a proof of address and payslip during collection. This requirement had never been communicated to me at any stage during the online booking process or during my confirmation call. Because I was not prepared for these additional document requests, my vehicle collection was unnecessarily delayed.

While the service from the staff was friendly and helpful, the overall experience was disappointing due to the lack of vehicle availability in the category I booked and the poor communication regarding required documentation. Customers should be able to rely on confirmed bookings, especially when booking premium vehicle categories and making payment upfront.

I hope Woodford improves its fleet allocation process and communication with customers to prevent similar experiences in the future.