A must read before you book!
March 30, 2018 2pm -8:30pm.
Met George our driver at another resort hotel for pick up. Nice enough guy and knowledgable about the tour. George had never driven the large hummer looking van and waited for us since we were told while booking the reservation to look for a white van.
Once we picked up all the people (8 of us) then we made it to the gas station. After we left the gas station had said to my partner that the van sounds like he put in the wrong gas. I was running really rough. George said nothing. After many back fires and the van filling up with exhaust I asked George. "Hey George, did you put the wrong gas in?" He looked at the dashboard and answered " Oh I guess I did". Diesel was what it needed and he put in gas. Off we went for 50 mins of driving (George unapologetic) in a rig that smelled like fumes so much that some of us covered our faces so we could breath, The thing back fired and ran slow and I asked if it was safe to drive. Georges answer "umm I think so". Barely got to the stopping point to get the hummer! This thing chugged up the last bit of the hill.
We then switched vehicles and off we went to Joshua Tree. Cool to see the sites but had no time to spend up there. Maybe 15 mins. We got the sense he was behind schedule. Leaving to go back down, they had sent someone to check on us since we were so late.
Got to the meeting place and switched over to another van to take us all back to the resort. I am in the front seat with George driving. I felt totally unsafe. He drove too fast and especially with a preteen in the car with us. At one point I see him doing 97mph in a 50 zone and I finally call him out. "Hey are you really doing 97mph?" Georges answer "umm oh I guess I am". I say to him he needs to slow it down as we have a kid in the back. He does and the rest of the ride (20 more mins) was fine.
This outfit in unsafe and I will be calling to get a full refund. There is no regard for our safety. Not once did they make us put on seat belts. We were in an open rig. They just do not care. That was obvious.
I see the bad reviews they get and the owners always come back with something. Well, on this one, there is no come back Mr owner except a full refund! You cannot deny how unsafe he was or how he ruined a hummer with putting gas in instead of diesel and we all suffered from the fumes for 50 mins. Terrible! You should be ashamed. All I want to hear is how you are going to correct this for future customers.
Réponse de l'hôte
Apr 2018
Thank you for a well needed review of this horrible day. As you said, our new guide, put gas in a diesel!
It may not seem like a big thing to most - but, it was HUGE! It is even an easy thing to do after a second shift among 10 vehicles each requiring gas or diesel. BUT, This alone may cost an entire engine.
What concerns me more is the reported speed you are clear about.
It is the policy of this company to terminate a driver for excessive speeds. Unfortunately, the van you were in was a rental
and was not equipped with our GPS tracking. As this was not available, I would normally FIRE such an employee.
But, I do not have sufficient evidence behind your most sincere report. The employee has been dealt with.
FULL REFUND GRANTED- with apologies.
Jerry -