Mode Rentals
View company profile →
Unsafe Vehicle and No Service Recovery
We had a distressful experience renting a car from Mode’s Wellington branch, from 29th July to 1st August 2024. During our rental period, we encountered several significant issues that made driving the vehicle (KLM841) extremely distressful and unsafe, particularly given the incessant rain in Wellington during the period. The major concern was the car wipers, which produced a loud, sharp, and jarring noise whenever they were in use. This noise was not only disturbing but also unsafe and traumatic for drivers, especially when driving and navigating in the rain. The below video footage demonstrates the severity of the issue, and we believe this car is not fit for use on the roads. Additionally, the car assigned to us had a visible crack on the windscreen near the driver’s side. This crack is a significant safety concern as it could potentially worsen, impairing the driver’s vision and posing a serious risk to our safety. As frequent renters of cars for domestic travel within New Zealand, we are appalled by the substandard quality and safety of the vehicle Mode provided to us. This is unequivocally the worst car rental experience we have encountered. It is unacceptable to have paid for a vehicle that is evidently unfit for road use and poses a serious safety hazard. Given our experience, we strongly advise against renting a car from Mode Rentals. Consumers must be warned to meticulously inspect their vehicle, including the windscreen, car body, and wipers, prior to driving away. Failure to do so may result in being held liable for any pre-existing damage, exacerbated by Mode Rentals' imposition of a $3,000 security bond, which we find utterly unreasonable considering the poor condition of the car they provided us which was not fit for use. The vehicle we received had a dirty floor mat, numerous dings and scratches, a conspicuous chip in the windscreen on the driver’s side and car wipers that produced such a jarring noise that they were unsuitable for use.