Info on hiring from WICKED VAN HIRE

[jaydee]

My son and some mates want to hire a couple of Wicked vans from Perth to go to Sydney. You know the ones, with mad paint jobs and slogans written all over them.

Anyway they're all under 21 so cant get one with air con and have to go the older models. I've read all their policy and insurance details.

I saw on ACA about 9 months ago that they reckoned they were all unroadworthy.

Their Sunshine Coast depot got raided and had their vans inspected but could only find a couple with minor defects.
As the manager said, "We have hundreds of budget vans for hire, some are a bit old and they might have a few minor faults but overall they are mechanically sound", or words to that effect.

Just wondering if anyone has hired them and had any bad experiences, what should I be wary of. I know to thoroughly inspect the van prior to take ownership so they cant say at drop off, " Hey that headlight wasn't busted before" and they hold your deposit.

Cheers.

[shedcoupe]

Presumably it will be a summer trip, thus the mention of aircon. Sitting on top of a hot engine can be a trial.

Dunno anything about them myself, but I guess that there's a heap of backpacker-chat sites/forums you could go to for this info.
There's the option of 'buy in Perth, sell over east' but as cars are a bit cheaper in Sydney that might not be so good.
What about 'fly to Cairns / Darwin and then head to Sydney' ?. I've heard that travellers buy vans in Sydney / Melbourne and travel to CNS / DRW and then have to sell cheap as there's not so many buyers, and they have a plane to catch.

[DoreSlamR]

If they're going one way and are flexible on when they go then they could try to get a much nicer van from http://www.standbyrelocations.com/

Right now there are a couple of 2 bay campers, Perth to Sydney for $1 a day with $200 of fuel included.

Being under 21 may work against them but there's some good bargains to be had there if they're flexible.

[XDV800]

Don't.

[GasoLane]

Originally Posted by jaydee

My son and some mates want to hire a couple of Wicked vans from Perth to go to Sydney. You know the ones, with mad paint jobs and slogans written all over them.

Anyway they're all under 21 so cant get one with air con and have to go the older models. I've read all their policy and insurance details.

I saw on ACA about 9 months ago that they reckoned they were all unroadworthy.

Their Sunshine Coast depot got raided and had their vans inspected but could only find a couple with minor defects.
As the manager said, "We have hundreds of budget vans for hire, some are a bit old and they might have a few minor faults but overall they are mechanically sound", or words to that effect.

Firstly if it's on ACA don't believe a word of it. ACA's editors could make a Politician look competent

I've never actually hired one, but I do a LOT of km's on the highway and see them all over the place...... but I have never seen one broken down!

I also didn't realise that age was a requirement to hire a car with an Air-Con

[Windsor220]

I hired one in Melbourne. Was fine. We took it right down the Great Ocean Road and then up to Mt Buller. The unroadworthy thing is rubbish. Yeah they probably technically are if you look over the whole thing but you'd probably be able to find something wrong with over half of the cars on the road. A simple brake light globe out would deem it unroadworthy.

[Dustin_80]

I work a job in which I hear a lot of insider conversations from just about every walk of life. I came into contact with these 'Wicked' people once and found out a little secret about them.

[JC]

Originally Posted by Dustin_80

I work a job in which I hear a lot of insider conversations from just about every walk of life. I came into contact with these 'Wicked' people once and found out a little secret about them.

And?????? You mean to tell us that they are cheap because the inner panels are full of drugs, and the Perth to Sydney backpacker market is how they transport them?

[GasoLane]

Originally Posted by Dustin_80

I work a job in which I hear a lot of insider conversations from just about every walk of life. I came into contact with these 'Wicked' people once and found out a little secret about them.

My wife also has an 'insider' job like this.

She owns a Hairdressing shop/salon (or whatever today's trendy name is )

[Yellow_Festiva]

Originally Posted by Dustin_80

I work a job in which I hear a lot of insider conversations from just about every walk of life. I came into contact with these 'Wicked' people once and found out a little secret about them.

Oh come onnnnnn spill ya beans ;)

An OS friend did an extended road trip holiday here a few years ago and hired an old Falcon wagon (EA or EB) from a mob similar to this. When I met up with her in Sydney I thought to myself how 'ordinary' the condition was.

But it served it's purpose till they took it back to drop off. The car had several faults (poor brakes, poor tyres, intermitent Air-Con, the odd scrape and dent). And the receiving depot tried to put all that as being done while in the care of my friend. She had hired it for some 2 months.

Anyway, after some heated arguments it was resolved finally with no money handed over for the faults.

So if you are getting a van, get it early, go over it with a fine tooth comb and correctly document every scratch / blemish and fault you can find. And keep a copy of the paperwork with you for reference when you hand it back.

[GasoLane]

Originally Posted by Yellow_Festiva

So if you are getting a van, get it early, go over it with a fine tooth comb and correctly document every scratch / blemish and fault you can find. And keep a copy of the paperwork with you for reference when you hand it back.

This, along with before and after hire photo's.

[Yaw]

Well, The only dealing I have ever had with Wicked is trying to recover from them when thier driver is at fault in an accident. Despite the fact that you cannot hire a vehicle from them without paying insurance....which means their vehicles would be covered. However they never pay out the claims others make. Several times we have had to sue the driver because Wicked campers have refused to pay. They have absoultley zero buisness ethics or morals. Be warned. I would estimate wicked campers owe the insurance company I work for over $100,000.00 alone.

[jaydee]

Originally Posted by Yaw

Well, The only dealing I have ever had with Wicked is trying to recover from them when thier driver is at fault in an accident. Despite the fact that you cannot hire a vehicle from them without paying insurance....which means their vehicles would be covered. However they never pay out the claims others make. Several times we have had to sue the driver because Wicked campers have refused to pay. They have absoultley zero buisness ethics or morals. Be warned. I would estimate wicked campers owe the insurance company I work for over $100,000.00 alone.

They want a 3 grand deposit for under 21's. The vans probably not worth much more than that.

The reason they cant hire one with A/C is because they are newer models and I guess they dont wont young people trashing them.

[FTE72]

Originally Posted by jaydee

They want a 3 grand deposit for under 21's. The vans probably not worth much more than that.

The reason they cant hire one with A/C is because they are newer models and I guess they dont wont young people trashing them.

I find that amusing as you would think that that is obviously their target market.

[csv8]

I love their paintwork!!!! WICKED sense of humour!!!!!

[Ben73]

I wouldn't be seen dead in one. 99% of them have terrible paint jobs and most look unroadworth from a distance.

[MAD]

I've heard you get a discount, or some period of time free, if you turn up naked to hire one.

[rancidpunx]

When i first came to Australia as a backpacker we hired one for 2 weeks from Sydney to Brisbane via Dubbo etc. The van seemed to Ok had a few troubles starting it on cold mornings and second was a ***** to find.

There was a report about the unroadworthyness in the papers. 90 odd percent of the raided depots had faults that made them unroadworthy but I would say 90% of all cars out there are unroadworthy. Things like a cracked headlight, saggy headlining, bald spare would all make the vehicles fail.

As for the company and the van, it was fun and we got out there and saw a lot. They are equipped for their purpose although will only sleep 2 although its not exactly comfortable.
The company is dodgy as in my opinion and did require deposits and everything and will try to pin things on you as a hirer. Check the van over thoroughly as you would any other vehicle before you drive it away. You can get cheap rates if you happen to be going where they want a van relocating but you dont get time to do anything on the way usually.

[jaydee]

Ok thanks all for the replies.
The 3 grand deposit has scared them off so they are just going to travel within WA now instead.

[NudgE^SIKBRO]

Buy a hiace for 2k, Roady it, say $500 and flog it off once the trip is done, guy at works son has just picked up a Pajero for $500, cost him 8-900 for the Roady and they will easilly make there money back once they have finished the trip