SIXT Car & Truck Rental Alice Springs Airport - Alice Springs, Northern Territory

B Varughese

I recently rented a car from SIXT for a four-day trip to Alice Springs and Uluru. After researching various options, I chose SIXT's offer of a hybrid vehicle for an "expected" rental price of A$541.42. However, my experience turned out to be very disappointing.

Upon picking up the car at the airport, the rental agreement included the following breakdown:

Rental days: $252.56 (@ $63.14/day)
Ultimate Protection: $144.00 (@ $36.00/day)
Vehicle Registration fee: $26.00 (@ $6.50/day)
Premium Location fee: $69.64 (one-time fee)
Total (incl. GST): $541.42
Additionally, the agreement mentioned:

Rates include 400KM (100KM/day)
Excess mileage: $0.25/KM
However, being new to the area, I was unaware that distances between attractions often exceed 100KM. My wife and I ended up driving 1,762KM over the four days, far surpassing the included mileage by 1,362KM.

At the airport to pick up the rental, I was informed of the following:
1) Excess mileage is $0.25/km.
2) The Ultimate Protection insurance, despite its name, does not cover certain incidents, such as collisions with wildlife.
3) I was asked to "sign here, here, and here" without a clear explanation.
4) A $200 deposit would be charged to my credit card.
5) An additional $400 fee for returning the vehicle unclean, though "unclean" was not clearly defined, and this clause was only present as a rubber-stamped (in red) statement on their retained copy, not mine. I felt coerced into signing to avoid being stranded at the airport.

When I returned the car, I was shocked to be charged a total of $1,009.60 – an 87% increase from the original quote. The "Premium Location fee" was also inexplicably bumped up to $154.76, which I was later told was 10% of the total cost, a detail not disclosed upfront.

I urge potential customers to be aware of these hidden charges and misleading practices. I plan to lodge a complaint with the ACCC regarding these unethical charges and lack of transparency.

Joshua Dwyer

We’d missed our flight which meant we ended up in Alice much later in the day, out of business hours.
Gale (from SIXT) quickly made a few changes to accommodate and it made a stressful situation far easier.
Great service !

Russell Murchie

All went smoothly. Easy pickup, upgraded vehicle at no extra cost and return was just as good. And thanks for catching up with me in the airport terminal and returning a USB cable I had left in the car - much appreciated!

Raelene Brady

Gail was exceptional, we were in Alice during the Christmas Season and even though it was her day off this solo crew went out of her way to collect us and another client take us out to the airport and organised us to collect our pristine vehicle. Congratulations Sixt on having such an exceptional service in Alice.
Thanks again Gail the service and car were excellent.

Louise Stokes

I am disappointed to have to write this, as the frontline staff at the Darwin counter were polite and professional to deal with despite the obvious lack of training...

Upon my return, without any heads up I received an email stating that a large amt of $$ had been taken out of my card for damage.

Once I rang to discuss, I found out that the staff had not gone through a number of procedures before receiving the keys to the vehicle, and that proper procedure was not followed in the communication to me about the damage. To which it was admitted that SIXT had not been in Darwin very long, and that more training will have to occur...

Unlike car hire companies that are well and truly established in the minds of Australian consumers, SIXT, I discovered do not take before photos of the vehicle before the hire period...and despite the fact that there are some major training issues, and no before photo for proof, human error is not being considered...and without photographic evidence, I have to concede this as fact...

Despite Owen admitting that this situation had been handled poorly and that there were some major training gaps, as I spoke to discuss the issue and to reach some sort of compromise, ie. admin fees being made complimentary...he attempted to talk over the top of me, to which I asked him to stop, and to let me continue...

Once I had finished explaining how the situation had left a bad taste in my mouth and that I wanted to change my previous 5 star review, he answered sarcastically "Can I speak now?"...

To which I said no, due to the attitude...I dont need to be spoken over the top of, and then have the victim card pulled, when asked to stop and listen to me, when I was speaking first...so yes, I ended the conversation abruptly without letting him continue to gaslight me...I did tell him I would be ending the conversation before I hung up...

As this conversation was via a mobile #, I also doubt the conversation was recorded for training purposes...so no proof for senior management to review the rude, arrogance of Owen when discussing the deficiencies of the company in this particular instance...

To fellow travelers, I would suggest using reputable car hire companies that have a history of excellent customer service, that have their training and procedures locked in tight, that use before images of the hire vehicle and do not arrogantly speak over the top of you, and then gaslight you...

Trudy Kattwinkel

Thank you Gale! You were amazing and super friendly. Appreciate all your helpful tips. The car was perfect!

jet Li

Might be the only place in Australia that does not have unlimited kms. Rent a car for 5 days and every day charge with registration fee？

melissa royle

Gail at the Alice Springs terminal was a champ! Forgot how good great service is. Thanks so much.