Sundrive van hire....

missfcouture · #1 19-04-2011, 08:59 PM

Hiya,
Just wondering if anyone has ever used or booked a campervan with sundrive van hire... are they a legitimate business? I have just booked and paid for my campervan in FULL only to be told they may be a fake... really really worried can anyone verify there authenticity? xxx

Roo · #2 19-04-2011, 09:31 PM

Hoping you paid by credit card! Interesting thread on the e-festivals forum about them - http://www.efestivals.co.uk/forums/i...owtopic=159122

With a legitimate company claiming they have completely ripped off their website as well as the fact the web domain was only registered in February this year.

Website contact details appear to be an 'enterprise centre', understandable if they don;t want to publicise location their fleet is stored at. But lack of a geographic number is a concern. Also, looks like the efestivals admin have stepped in to investigate claims being made in support of sundrive originating from the same person.

There's a few pages there, which I'm going to read in more detail after hitting post here!

Roo · #3 19-04-2011, 09:58 PM

Oh Dear!

Have just read the bit about where they posted on the MSE boards declaring people were out to discredit them! http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/....php?t=3134820

Expect a representive to show up here to do likewise shortly!

They claim to have been going for over 18months - website registered February this year.

They have 'cloned' a reputable companies website.

They claim to have a fleet of 90 vehicles! This would involve quite a large investment for a new company - even 2nd hand the monster campervans listed are in the region of £40-50,000 x 90 = £4-5million! Thats quite a large investment for a company running from a virtual office! If they had that sort of money you would expect them to have a proper business premises to service and run the fleet from as well as full time office staff and be prepared to provide an address for callers to come and check out their fleet. The offers of taking a van to drive to a potential customer are pretty ludicrous and I suspect they are the only company providing campervans for hire who offer such a service, the cost of fuel & time to do so would be very expensive.

Anyway, I'll let you make a judgement and I'll sitt back and wait for mr sundrive, or his sock-puppets to come and support his business.

Just hope that missfcouture paid via credit card, and can possibly find another campervan hire company with available vehicles for that weekend!

missfcouture · #4 19-04-2011, 10:35 PM

No I'm afraid I paid by debit card... Thought I was getting a good deal and wanted to secure the booking quickly... Silly me!
A friend has just told me this... Hi girls, iv just spoke to sumone from another motorhome company an asked if he new about sundrive! he said they r a real company but wat they do is they dnt have any camper vans!they take all bookings then rng big firms an try an get deals, so if they cnt get u a van they let u dwn! an might no tell u till day before! he said if u look on top motorhome companys they say they dnt wrk wid them because they have an unreliable repuation! so they r real but its a risk i think im gonna leave an try an book another one!!!

I'm going to cancel it tomorrow... And hopefully find another one... Any recommendations???
Thanks for your help

David · #5 20-04-2011, 01:08 AM

Originally Posted by Roo

The offers of taking a van to drive to a potential customer are pretty ludicrous and I suspect they are the only company providing campervans for hire who offer such a service, the cost of fuel & time to do so would be very expensive.

But... but... but... they'll rent you a Monaco Cayman for £120 a day, that's a flipping amazing deal - you can't hire a Merc C-Class in London for that sort of money, believe me.

What? Eh? Oh.

missfcouture · #6 20-04-2011, 12:36 PM

Hello!
Been let down with a campervan because apparently the company SUNDRIVE VAN HIRE are a scam!!
Does anyone know any companies with vans still available? I am desperate!!
would be sooo grateful if u could recommend anywere
thankyou

David · #7 17-05-2011, 12:32 AM

The eFests thread about them does make for some very interesting reading...

David · #8 09-06-2011, 12:58 PM

Sundrivehire are not going to fulfill any of their Glastonbury bookings - I hope no-one on here is affected, but my only surprise is they've not left it even later to leave people high and dry for the Festival.

(Sounds like they've been cancelling a few bookings recently, actually)

drew · #9 09-06-2011, 07:10 PM

I've just had a letter cancelling my campervan. Whoever started this threat claiming them to be fake is the reason. Total slander and now me and several other people are screwed without any means to get there. Thank you very much you pack of *****!

tubs89 · #10 09-06-2011, 07:16 PM

language. And I doubt a company would cancel custom just because they got their feelings hurt in one thread.

drew · #11 09-06-2011, 07:28 PM

Originally Posted by tubs89

language. And I doubt a company would cancel custom just because they got their feelings hurt in one thread.

You can doubt all you like, that's of little intrest to me. I've a letter here from them detailing comments such as this thread and threats to their property if seen at Glastonbury. They decided not to take the risk on damage to their stuff and cancelled all the bookings that week.

mou · #12 09-06-2011, 07:31 PM

Drew

Sorry mate, but if I was out to scam people I'd be looking for something to blame it on too. Whoever this Sundrive Van Hire are, they've used the blame game to get out of something they clearly couldn't fulfill.

Have you looked at the terms of your booking? You may have some sort of legal recourse against them if they're genuinely claiming they've cancelled *your* ticket because *someone else* was saying something libellous about them. It's the most ridiculous excuse I've ever heard, if I'm honest.

- Chris

tubs89 · #13 09-06-2011, 07:33 PM

Wow thats harsh. you have my sympathy. i don't know anything bout this situation, though after wot happened to us with a van hire last year we dont touch them anymore.

akicif · #14 09-06-2011, 07:47 PM

Originally Posted by tubs89

And I doubt a company would cancel custom just because they got their feelings hurt in one thread.

Quite. One could be forgiven for thinking they had never intended to deliver and were a scam from the get-go: this does give them a lovely excuse.

Oddly enough, the only "Sundrive" listed at Companies House has been dissolved for quite a while....

akicif · #15 09-06-2011, 07:49 PM

Originally Posted by drew

I've a letter here from them detailing comments such as this thread and threats to their property if seen at Glastonbury. They decided not to take the risk on damage to their stuff and cancelled all the bookings that week.

In which case you've got a perfect right to take them to the small claims court for damages for breach of contract.

Can't affford to? I'll happily chip in....

David · #16 10-06-2011, 01:21 AM

Originally Posted by drew

You can doubt all you like, that's of little intrest to me. I've a letter here from them detailing comments such as this thread and threats to their property if seen at Glastonbury. They decided not to take the risk on damage to their stuff and cancelled all the bookings that week.

I've reread this thread. Twice. Where are the threats to their property?

Roo · #17 10-06-2011, 02:15 AM

Originally Posted by David

I've reread this thread. Twice. Where are the threats to their property?

Shame they didn't scan and share this letter, as I suspect if there is any liable going around it's in the letter!

Shame that people got suckered into parting with cash and being conned by these guys when there are quite a few places on the net warning against relying on promises from them. Am wondering though if this one off poster here maybe shares an ip address with the posters from sundrive and those supporting their company with reviews?

akicif · #18 10-06-2011, 08:44 AM

Originally Posted by David

I've reread this thread. Twice. Where are the threats to their property?

Apparently there were such threats (well one, anyway) on the thread in the other forum - but even there, the suggestion is that the threat was from a sockpuppet.

journalist1 · #19 14-06-2011, 01:21 AM

Hi everyone,

I'm a reporter on a national newspaper investigating Sundrive Hire, which appears to be a highly dubious company. If anyone has any information on them or personal experience of trying to hire from them, I would be really grateful if you could give me a call: 078 70 626 456

Thanks,

Emily

acidliam · #20 14-06-2011, 09:07 AM

cough bullshit cough

GlastoWatch · #21 14-06-2011, 09:34 AM

Originally Posted by acidliam

cough bullshit cough

Emily writes financial articles for The Times!

karen · #22 15-06-2011, 03:23 PM

think i have been a victim sundrive have cancelled my camper an not returned my money

acidliam · #23 15-06-2011, 03:45 PM

It was more a cough at the general theme of people signing up, making 1 post about the subject then fucking off.

GlastoWatch · #24 16-06-2011, 03:11 AM

There's a story on page 15 of today's Times about this.

It's also online http://t.co/OMOivNx, though it's behind Murdoch's paywall.

Out of curiosity, I had a look at the paywall payment page, but couldn't morally justify paying £1 to Murdoch to read one of his websites for a day. So if anyone reads it, can you post a summary, but please don't copy & past as the journo who wrote it has already posted in his thread and will probably see it.

David · #25 16-06-2011, 10:21 AM

In summary the Times articles says:

Sundrivehire insist criticism is from competitors rather than genuine customers they've double dipped, failed to deliver to and failed to refund.

Third party motorhome suppliers pulled out after seeing the complaints. After? What happened to Sundrivehire's fleet of 90 motorhomes?!

Refunds were "delayed" because HSBC closed down Sundrivehire's bank account amid the complaints.

acidliam · #26 16-06-2011, 10:35 AM

Has anyone bothered to check the IP's of all the 1 post people criticising this company. I am sure the old 'no smoke without fire' comes in but I am just curious.

BBCLydia · #27 16-06-2011, 10:36 AM

Hi all, I work for BBC Radio 4's consumer programme and we are running a story today on SunDrive Hire and we want to talk to people who have paid the company and are not going to get a campervan...

It's for today's programme, so get in touch with me asap!

My number is 0161 244 3214 and my email is 0161 244 3214.

Lydia x

GlastoWatch · #28 16-06-2011, 11:24 AM

Originally Posted by acidliam

Has anyone bothered to check the IP's of all the 1 post people criticising this company. I am sure the old 'no smoke without fire' comes in but I am just curious.

Yes, I checked their IPs. Not only do their IPs differ, but so do their ISPs.

jim.connolly · #29 16-06-2011, 12:02 PM

Hi

I work for BBC Radio 5live drive and we are looking at SunDrive Hire and we want to talk to people who have paid for but aren't getting a campervan...

It's for today's programme -- so please call me on 02086249505

Jim

subtitlesonly · #30 16-06-2011, 12:05 PM

On You & Yours R4 now

acidliam · #31 16-06-2011, 12:15 PM

Originally Posted by GlastoWatch

Yes, I checked their IPs. Not only do their IPs differ, but so do their ISPs.

The I shall reign in my cynicism.

Roo · #32 16-06-2011, 07:00 PM

Funny the media interest peaks now, when this should maybe have been the subject of some 'investigative reporting' back when people first raised their suspicions about this company. I guess in the current financial climate news companies can only afford the reactionary type of news gathering after the event!

Expect big news story on "new locks on stable door", 3 months after the horse bolted and the journos claiming due to their tireless work the locks are all a result of their hard work.

Also, suspect the BBC researchers budget has been cut somewhat if each dept's researcher has to try trawling the same forums for people to fill their story with 'vox pops'

Buffystar · #33 16-06-2011, 08:31 PM

So the main reason this has blown up now is because Sarah Cox got scammed by them and she ranted on her show !!! Therefore a Celeb gets scammed it's News, Common person gets scammed no-one is interested.

KarenEH · #34 17-06-2011, 02:01 PM

Originally Posted by Buffystar

So the main reason this has blown up now is because Sarah Cox got scammed by them and she ranted on her show !!! Therefore a Celeb gets scammed it's News, Common person gets scammed no-one is interested.

Well at least it has drawn attention to it! Sara Cox is a lovely lass, if I had a platform to rant on I think I would use it too!

Ness101 · #35 21-06-2011, 12:34 PM

So for any of you out there who had your booking with Sundrive cancelled... has the Glasto office also told you that you need to pay for an additional car parking space in order to arrive by car? Considering the horrible situation, which Glasto are aware of, I was quite shocked to informed by the Glasto office that I am expected to forfeit my van parking spot (which allows space for a van up to 7m and an accompanying car) and pay an additional £25 to park my car on it's own... leaving me paying Glasto a whopping £100 for to park a single car! At such short notice public transport options are booked out and I find it really disappointing that Glasto stand to actually profit from this situation by making an additional £25 out of every one of us unfortauntely souls.... wonder how many of us there are?! I've been going to Glasto for four years and I am completely amazed by their stance on this... whilst Sundrive can give a refund on the van booking (yes I was lukcy one who got my dosh back), we don't get any compensation for our campervan parking spots and can't even use them!!