3000 Baht deposit to rent a scooter

[Mr.Dodgy]

Hi guys,

We went to a rental shop today in Chiang Mai on the main strip opposite the canal.

Since we just wanted to get around the city, we decided to rent a cheap 100 Baht a day scooter and some helmets.

The lady in the shop spoke a bit of English and asked for our passports.

I pulled out a photocopy and she said she wouldn't accept that. If I wouldn't leave a passport then she wanted 3000 Baht deposit which she said would be returned when we returned the scooter.

I said no thanks and we were about to leave, then she reduced the deposit to 2000.

We declined and left.

Is this normal practice or was she trying to pull a fast one?

Can anyone recommend a place that is straight up and that will accept photocopies of passports without asking for a huge deposit, or do these places not exist.

We're going to try Mr. Mechanic tomorrow (he was closed when we tried today), but if anyone can suggest a decent place to go, then it'd be appreciated.

Thanks a lot :happy3:

 

[nikster]

Sorry to tell you you are absolutely in the wrong here.

Either you leave your passport (not a copy - what are they going to do with the copy when you don't return? Call Interpol?) or you leave the deposit. It's a deposit - you get it back when you return the bike! An old Honda Wave is probably worth 20,000 baht so 2000 baht deposit is a fair deal isn't it?

I am always surprised it's only 2000 baht. Some shops don't take deposits at all - passport only. Leaving your passport is safe, but can be inconvenient of course.

In theory, the rental shop can also use the deposit to pay for damages to the bike. In practice it doesn't happen very often. If there's some scratches from when you fell over they usually don't care. If you managed to break something off, it's very cheap to fix in Thailand. Cheapest probably to get it fixed before returning the bike, just go to any motocyc shop. Pay something like 100 baht. Done.

 

[Franz]

Dodgy, Nick is right. I recommend you take a bike from Mrs. Goong at Mr. Mechanic. Take a copy of the passport with you while riding (with the data and visa page) while the original is at the shop just in case the police stop you and want to see it, also the copy of the rental contract. Have a nice time up here, rgds, Franz

 

[Captain Wally]

I can recommend two places that I know from experience are "straight up".
Tony's Big Bikes on Ratchamanka and Mr Mechanic on Moon Muang. Tony's will accept nothing less than your original passport. I think Mr Mechanic will accept just a deposit.
A friend 'dropped' (as in the bike fell over while stationary) one of Tony's bikes and damaged a footpeg and a twist grip.
He had the footpeg welded up before returning the bike - cost 50 baht and was happy with Tony's (Jeff's) assessment of the cost of damage to the twist grip.
I crashed a brand new ER6 from Mr Mechanic. Their service was nothing short of amazing. I was picked up from Pai hospital, taken to the police station and assisted to sort that out. Then the bike and I were returned to Chiang Mai, insurance was sorted out then the whole thing was discussed over a beer at Mr mechanic's shop. All very amicable. They genuinely seemed more concerned about me than their bike and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend them.

 

[nikster]

Captain Wally wrote: I can recommend two places that I know from experience are "straight up".
Tony's Big Bikes on Ratchamanka and Mr Mechanic on Moon Muang. Tony's will accept nothing less than your original passport. I think Mr Mechanic will accept just a deposit.
A friend 'dropped' (as in the bike fell over while stationary) one of Tony's bikes and damaged a footpeg and a twist grip.
He had the footpeg welded up before returning the bike - cost 50 baht and was happy with Tony's (Jeff's) assessment of the cost of damage to the twist grip.
I crashed a brand new ER6 from Mr Mechanic. Their service was nothing short of amazing. I was picked up from Pai hospital, taken to the police station and assisted to sort that out. Then the bike and I were returned to Chiang Mai, insurance was sorted out then the whole thing was discussed over a beer at Mr mechanic's shop. All very amicable. They genuinely seemed more concerned about me than their bike and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend them.

Great info. Amazing Thailand is alive and well at Mr. Mechanic! I'll recommend them to friends & visitors from now on. I have had good experiences on many shops of Moonmuang - but then I never crashed my rental bike...

 

[daewoo]

Hi Dodgy,

As everyone above has posted... this is the only insurance the shops have for their bikes...

If you steal or dump their bike, they have a strong negotiating position, 'cause you can't just do a runner...

The scams with the hire shops trying to screw you over on damage (either damage you didn't do, or ripping you off on repairs) doesn't really happen in Chiang Mai... You would have had no trouble getting your deposit back unless the bike is damaged or stolen... Unlike say, Pattaya, the cops in Chiang Mai wouldn't help the shop scam you...

The only real reason to opt for a deposit over leaving your passport is if you want to take the bike across the border, and that requires a shitload of other paperwork anyway...

It seems that some (especially yanks) have a real concern about leaving their passport, but for me, it is a no-brainer... I carry a colour copy with me, but never needed it...

I rented from Mr Beer without hassles, but Mr Mechanic does get a lot of GT-Rider trade...

Cheers,
Daewoo

 

[Mr.Dodgy]

Thanks for the replies.

I read elsewhere about the not leaving passport, but it makes sense why they require them.

Went to Tony's Big Bikes earlier today to view his stock and he seemed like a good bloke so happy to deal with him.

Should be going back later to book a couple of bikes.

:happy5:

 

[daewoo]

Mr.Dodgy wrote:
Went to Tony's Big Bikes earlier today to view his stock and he seemed like a good bloke so happy to deal with him.

Obviously you were talking to Tony, not Pikey... Pikey's a **nt...

:happy2: Hi Pikey :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[HTWoodson]

I will NEVER leave my passport with anyone, be it rental shops in Thailand or hotels in Dubai. While most shops are honest, there is the occasional dishonest one that will make you pay to get it back. I learned this lesson the hard way in the Philippines, when I had to pay around 10,000 baht (equivalent) to get my passport back. I rented a small scooter on Bohol and the engine died within an hour of me renting the bike, no fault of mine, just an old bike that had been poorly maintained. I couldn't get it started, and when I walked the bike back to the shop the owner demanded some outrageous sum of money from me, over 20,000 baht equivalent if I remember right (it's been years). We ended up calling the police and in the end I still had to pay almost 10,000 baht, because they had my passport and therefore had me by the balls. I have never left my passport with anyone since.

If you are not going to leave your passport though, it is perfectly reasonable for the shop to request a deposit, and I've never had a shop object to leaving a deposit when I asked for the option. When I'm traveling I usually have my girlfriend rent the bike because she's Thai and never has to leave a deposit, but I understand why a foreigner that could easily flee the country should have to leave one. And if the shop tries to pull a fast one on you, at worst you are only out the small cost of your deposit.

I agree with the above posters though; you shouldn't have problems in Chiang Mai, especially at the above mentioned shops. I still feel uncomfortable leaving my passport though, if for no other fact than that you are required by law to carry it with you, whether we do in practice or not.

 

[Pounce]

We rented a couple of scooters from Pop.
Wouldn't leave our passports, so they just photocopied them, took a 2000 bht deposit & all was good.