Why no Avis or Hertz

Taiwan Living in Taiwan
1

Did you ever wonder why Avis and Hertz do not operate in Taiwan.

Would you operate a business where your opposition has some much more interesting ways to make their business profitable, and could probably destroy your fleet in a day to protect that business.

Read this http://www.taipeitimes.com/news/2001/11/17/story/0000111895

  • and you would be pretty stupid to think that only $NT1,000,000 was involved. You don’t mess with that sort of technology to recover about what one or two laowai might earn in year

Could it happen in West Europe, North America, Australia, New Zealand, England etc?

In summary they rent you a car - do not offer or tell you do not need insurance - then they track your car with a device they have installed in the car - and come and “steal” it or damage it when they detect that it is not moving. Then they proceed to “recovery” Taiwan style - beat the money out of you if you do not want to pay right away.

2

If you want to rent a car, why not contact Gordon Boyce? He has a car rental company and places ads in the CHINA POST, and other leading English language newspapers here in Taiwan.

3

Does he have GPS transponders in his cars - or just pay protection?

4

These are good questions. I suggest that you give him a call. He is a very friendly person, and very knowledgeable about cars. The last time I ran into him at the American Club, he invited me over for lunch, but I have not had the chance to take him up on that. I helped him negotiate with the Taipei City Government for a six year ROC Driver’s License.