Bahamian Rental Cars - Realizing what is really important

February 4, 2015

We occasionally rent a car on our travels through the Bahamas.   It makes things like doing laundry, getting groceries and other chores much easier.  We also find that you really cannot see the 'big islands' without an occasional car rental - it allows you to escape the 'cruiser's ghetto'.  So we have had a rental car from Dingle's Motors here in Rock Sound for the last two days.

Yesterday we drove to Sky Beach Club north of Govenor's Harbour for a great lunch.   After I remarked to Joyce that this was "the best rental car we have had this year",  it really struck me that 'we are no longer in Kansas Toto'.

First as a background, cars are expensive in the Bahamas.  Shipping and customs duties of 35-85% put the price of cars well above what they cost in the States.  Coupled with more modest incomes, cars tend to be smaller and older than typical in the States.

When I first looked over the Nissan Sentra rental, I was a little nervous.  Pressing on the  brake pedal produced a hissing sound as the pedal slowly sank.  Two of the well-worn tires were under-inflated and one showed a rather crude plug repair.  A loose shield or pipe produced a significant rattle as the motor speed increased.  The finish and interior were well worn.  I knew enough not to ask if the air conditioning works - it rarely does.  But the folks at Dingles are great and Mr. Cates himself put some air in two of the tires and I ventured off.

Remember when you had to crank the window up and down - welcome back!
Joyce, in particular, found the upholstery pattern 'eye-catching'

Air conditioning - nah, it rarely works. 

A little noisy, yes, and simple and worn around the edges; but the brakes worked fine, the transmission performed without any slippage, there were no warning lights about checking the engine or transmission  (I don't think this basic car even had any such lights), and the car handled well.    Far from luxurious, but it gets you where you need to go - what more would you want from a vehicle?  By Bahamian rental car standards, it was great.

Tom

Anchored Rock Sound, Eleuthera