Terms & Conditions
It is essential that you read these Booking Conditions carefully before hiring a car and/or booking a trip with us. We’re obviously keen for you to be 100% satisfied with your vehicle, and understand every aspect of what we offer. When you hire a vehicle from us, You will have warranted that you have read and accepted these Booking Conditions on behalf of all persons named on the booking. This information forms part of our contract where it relates to your confirmed booking.
VEHICLE HIRE BOOKING CONDITIONS
These Terms & Conditions apply to the hire of any vehicles owned or leased by us. These Terms & Conditions do not effect your statutory rights.
The Contract between us and the Client (You, whose name the vehicle is booked on) will be governed by Montenegrin law and any disputes will be resolved by Montenegrin courts exclusively. If any part of these Terms & Conditions is found to be invalid or unenforceable, the remainder of them will not be affected and will remain valid and enforceable.
These Terms & Conditions, and any further Terms & Conditions notified to You by Us prior to Your entering into a Contract with Us, will be binding to both parties once a Contract is made between Us.
Our Terms & Conditions are updated occasionally. The Terms & Conditions which will apply to Your Vehicle Hire are those on our website www.montenegro4x4adventures.com at the time of booking. By proceeding with any booking, You confirm that You have read and agreed to our Terms & Conditions.
1. PARTIES
1.1 Your contract is with Montenegro 4×4 Adventures d.o.o. , Podgorica – Montenegro.
1.2 The Client, You, the person whose name the vehicle is booked on. You confirm that You have authority to book the vehicle on behalf of all other persons within Your party, and for whom You will be responsible for in accordance with these Terms & Conditions.
1.3 The Client must be aged 23 years or over (please see 3.1 for minimum driver age).
1.4 The Client will be responsible for making all payments due to Us in accordance with Our Contract.
1.5 It is the Client’s responsibility to ensure that all details You supply Us., such as names, addresses, email addresses, documents, are correct.
2. CONTRACTS
2.1 A Contract will be deemed to exist between both parties and be binding on both parties once You have paid a Deposit and We have confirmed Your booking.
2.2 The Contract comprises:
(a) these Terms & Conditions;
(b) the specific Vehicle booked;
( c) the package holiday booked, including overnights, meals, excursion and other services, as stated in your trip offer.
2.3 A Deposit of 30% of your trip price is needed to confirm your booking.
2.4 Payment of Deposit will be treated by Us as confirmation that You have read, understood and accepted all Our Terms & Conditions.
2.5 Once the Contract is made between Us and You, We will Use reasonable skill and care to perform our obligations to You in accordance with these Terms & Conditions.
2.6 We reserve the right for whatsoever reason and at our sole discretion to return the Deposit to You and refuse acceptance of Your booking at any time, including after the commencement of the hire period.
3. MISC INFORMATION
Please be advised if You do not adhere to the Terms & Conditions regarding driver age, driving licences & history, identification required when collecting Your vehicle our cancellation policy will be enforced. Should You be unable to fulfil the stated ID requirements please contact Us to discuss options prior to making a booking.
3.1 Minimum driver age is 23. In certain circumstances we are prepared to reconsider minimum driver age, for instance if a 19-year-old is travelling with a parent and will be driving the vehicle under their supervision.
3.2 All drivers must have held a valid driver’s licence for a minimum period of 36 months (see 3.1, above).
3.3 A cash damage deposit of €500 is payable to Our representative who hands over the vehicle.
3.4 Some of our vehicles are fitted with tow bars. However, use of these tow bars is strictly prohibited when renting a vehicle and will render insurance cover invalid.
3.5 It is not possible to take our cars outside of Montenegro. With prior announcement and on fixed routes in north Albania and south Bosnia we can agree on exceptions. The green card provided with the vehicles covers all these areas.
3.6 Should We consider damage to a vehicle to be caused by Your gross negligence, serious carelessness, or deliberate misuse, then We reserve the right to recharge the full cost of repairs regardless of the cover that has been taken out, e.g. driving the vehicle illegally, fuel contamination or driving through a river, a flood or on a road obviously unsuitable for the vehicle. Any call out for a customer induced fault, (e.g. losing the key to the vehicle or changing flat tyre) will lead to additional charges being applied to the rental agreement.
3.7 Prices on the website include a full casco insurance. This means clients are covered for damage clients cause to others while driving our vehicle and for damage caused by others to our vehicle during your rental period. We distinguish 3 types of damage:
1. Damage caused by clients (misuse or abuse of the vehicle and/or by irresponsible and/or incautious driving)
2. Technical / mechanical damage inherent to the (status of the) vehicle (damage that is not a result of misuse or abuse of the vehicle and/or by irresponsible and/or incautious driving)
3. Damage caused by others
In case you are involved in a car accident, you have to inform us immediately and wait for the police to make the on-site report of the accident.
In cases 2 and 3 we take full responsibility for solving the matter and will cover all costs involved in towing and repairing the car. We will get you back on the move again as soon as possible by repairing your vehicle or delivering a replacement vehicle.
In case 1, clients are responsible for any repair and towing costs, up to a maximim damage penalty (in case of a total loss situation) of €7000,00 per vehicle. We do offer additional insurance for €10 per vehicle per day, to be paid upon check in. With this additional insurance your own risk in case of damage caused by yourself is lowered to a maximim fofr € 500 per event. The own risk applies to the damage on the car only. If damage inflicted by the driver forces to make extra costs for accomodation, meals or other non car-related services, these costs are on behalf of the customer.
3.8 Client is obliged before accepting the vehicle to fully read our paper ‘On damage and how to avoid it” (see annex 1) and our “damage protocol” (see annex 2) carefully to learn how to prevent damage and how we deal with damage in case it occurs.
3.7 You are not permitted to take the vehicle on any roads specifically prohibited by Us as We consider them unsafe for inexperienced drivers or to be in such poor condition as to be likely to damage the vehicle.
3.8 If You do not keep to the conditions of our agreement, We can ask You to bring back the vehicle before the date and time We have agreed with You. To do this We will give You written notice in person or send it to Your email address, or via text, Viber or WhatsApp message to Your mobile phone, if provided. Once We have given You the notice, You will no longer have our permission to have the vehicle. We may then take back our vehicle. If We believe You have given Us false information which was material to the decision to provide the vehicle to You, We may take back the vehicle without giving You any notice. You will be required to arrange collection of the vehicle in these instances.
4. PRICES & PAYMENTS
4.1 Prices quoted for Our Vehicles & Package trips on our Website and publicity material are correct at the time of publication. In the event of any changes to the prices, We will notify You prior to accepting Your booking.
4.2 The price, and what this price includes, will be confirmed to You by Us at the time of booking and set out in our booking confirmation.
4.3 We guarantee the price of Your Vehicle stated in our booking confirmation.
4.4 The Client will ensure the full Euro amount is received by Us after all bank charges and interest rate fluctuations are taken into account.
4.5 Our prices do not include: visa fees; taxes or compulsory charges introduced by governments or regulatory bodies after You have booked a Vehicle; tips; personal expenditure; extras not specified in the Vehicle price; personal travel insurance.
5. BALANCE OF PAYMENTS
5.1 We will confirm each booking on receipt of a deposit of 30% of the total cost of the hire. This deposit is non-refundable.
5.2 The Client will pay the balance of the Vehicle price 1 month prior to the Hire Start Date.
5.3 If the balance of the Vehicle price is not paid 1 month prior to the Hire Start Date, We will regard the Contract as cancelled by the Client, and will retain the deposit.
6. CANCELLATION – BY THE CLIENT
6.2 If You wish to cancel Your booking following the issue to You by Us of Your booking confirmation, and prior to 10 days before the Hire Start Date, We will require Your authority to cancel the booking in writing, and will retain Your deposit.
6.3 Deposits are non-refundable. If You cancel Your booking, cancellation charges will be imposed as shown below:
(a) From payment of deposit till 3 months prior to Hire Start Date – loss of deposit.
(b) Cancellation between 3 months and 1 month prior to departure – 50% of the total travel sum will be refunded
(c) From 30 days prior to Hire Start Date to Hire Start Date – 100% costs
7. CHANGES – BY THE CLIENT
7.1 We will consider each change request on a case-by-case basis, subject to these Terms & Conditions.
7.2 After the Hire Start Date, no refund for any unused portion or part of the Hire Period will be given. If the Client of their own volition makes any alterations to or departs early, such alteration or departure will be entirely at the Client’s expense and liability.
8. CANCELLATION – BY US
8.1 In the event that We cancel Your Vehicle Hire for any reason other than our insolvency or any circumstances beyond our reasonable control (see 10: Extreme Circumstances & Force Majeure), We will refund to You the full price paid by You for Your Vehicle Hire, including any deposit(s).
8.2 In the event of any cancellation, We will not accept liability for any consequential expenses that the Client may incur as a result of cancellation, or for any other loss or damage howsoever caused arising out of cancellation. In all cases it is the Client’s responsibility to have suitable insurance to cover any additional losses not covered by the Company’s policy of reimbursement due to cancellation.
9. CHANGES – BY US
9.1 All Vehicles are subject to availability.
9.2 Due to unforseen circumstances such as mechanical breakdown, theft or accidents, it might be necessary to swap the vehicle You have booked for a substitute, similar vehicle.
9.3 If We have to make a major or substantial change to the Vehicle before the Tour departure date We will notify You as soon as is reasonably possible and offer You one of the following options:
(a) to agree to the changes, including any impact on the price of the Hire;
(c) to cancel Your Vehicle completely and to receive a full refund including all deposits and any other fees charged, provided that the major change is not due to civil or political unrest or Force Majeure or any other reason beyond the control of the Company, and provided You respond within 7 days of notification.
9.4 We will in Our sole and absolute discretion (acting reasonably) decide what constitutes a major change of Vehicle type, and the Client agrees to accept the same.
10. EXTREME CIRCUMSTANCES & FORCE MAJEURE
10.1 We will not pay compensation or accept liability where any change or cancellation is beyond our reasonable control, including but not limited to: strikes and industrial actions; war; riot and civil unrest; malicious damage; compliance with any law or government order, rule regulation or direction; fire; flood; storm or other adverse weather conditions; adverse weather conditions affecting any airport or port or other transport link; flight delays; acts of terrorism; police or security alerts or precautionary measures.
10.2 Under no circumstances will We be held responsible for any delay, deviation or cancellation due to weather conditions; nor can any Vehicle Hire be cancelled or amended by You at any time on the basis of Weather conditions.
10.3 In the event of an airline cancelling a flight, or similar disruption to Your travel arrangements, forcing Us to cancel a Vehicle Hire, no money will be reimbursed to the Client. It is the Client’s responsibility to have suitable travel insurance to cover any additional losses.
11. RESPONSIBILITIES – US
11.1 If the contract We have with You is not performed or is improperly performed by Us We will pay You appropriate compensation if this has affected the enjoyment of Your Vehicle Hire, subject to these Terms & Conditions.
11.2 Our liability, except in cases involving death, injury or illness, shall be limited to a maximum of the cost of Your Vehicle Hire with Us.
11.3 We do not accept liability for compensation should there be no fault on the part of Us or Our suppliers and the reason for the improper performance of the Vehicle Hire arrangements was either the Client’s fault, the actions of someone unconnected with the Vehicle Hire arrangements, or could not have been foreseen or avoided by Us or Our suppliers even if all due care had been exercised.
11.4 Our responsibility does not start till You take over the Vehicle at the designated collection point. We are not responsible for any additional expenses incurred in getting You to the collection point.
11.5 Our responsibility ends at the designated handover point.
11.6 We do not accept responsibility for the acts and/or omissions of any third parties or external agents with whom You may have made any bookings or arrangements direct.
11.7 Our responsibilities –
a) We will identify and tell You about any existing damage to the vehicle before You hand it over to You.
b) The vehicle You have hired may be fitted with a tracking device, which may be Used to ensure safe and compliant operation of the vehicle in line with the terms of this agreement. If the vehicle is not returned on the agreed date, time and place We may Use the data recorded on the device to recover our vehicle. All data will be deleted once the rental agreement is ended.
c) The vehicle is roadworthy and suitable for You to Use at the start of the rental period.
d) We are responsible if someone is injured or dies as a result of our action or failure to act. We are also responsible for any loss You suffer as a result of Us breaking this agreement, if We could have predicted Your loss at the time this agreement started and it is a result of Us breaking this agreement. We are not responsible for any indirect losses which occur as a side effect of the main loss and which We or You could not have predicted, such as loss of profits or loss of opportunity (for example not being able to go to a business meeting or catching a flight).
11.8 Montenegro 4×4 Adventures has an extended liability insurance in compliance with the risks involved in traveling by 4×4 in remote areas.
12. RESPONSIBILITIES – THE CLIENT
12.1 The Client’s booking is accepted on the understanding that they realise the potential risks and hazards that can be involved in travelling by off-road vehicle, including injury, loss or damage to property, discomfort and inconvenience.
12.2 The Client’s booking is accepted only on the understanding that they recognise that safety standards in Montenegro and the Balkans are not the same as in the EU, the USA or similar regions.
12.3 The Client will comply at their expense and their liability with all legislation, visa requirements and immigration, customs and foreign exchange regulations of the countries visited.
12.4 The Client is responsible for Your behaviour and that of Your party. We reserve the right to remove You and/or any member of Your party from any Vehicle if You or any member of Your party is drunk or under the influence of drink or drugs, if You are (or We reasonably believe that You are) in unlawful possession of drugs, or are behaving violently, disruptively, dangerously, irresponsibly or in any manner which presents a risk to others or is causing a nuisance or annoyance to others. No refund will be given or compensation paid and no costs or expenses for which You have become liable or which are incurred by You will be made by Us or be recoverable by You from Us in such circumstances.
12.5 You are responsible for checking the times and dates on Your itinerary, particularly incoming and outgoing flight details. We do not accept liability for any errors resulting in You or Your party missing Your flights.
12.6 Our representatives may sometimes take photographs and films of You when handing over or collecting a Vehicle. These may subsequently be used in our advertising or marketing materials, on our Website, blog, or across social media platforms. If You do not consent to our using such materials in this manner, it is Your responsibility to inform Us in writing prior to the start of Your Vehicle Hire period.
12.7 Should any damage occur to a vehicle or equipment as a result of the direct or indirect negligent, wilful, reckless or malicious Use of the vehicle or equipment by the Client or any member of their party, the Client shall reimburse Us for all losses howsoever incurred, including any losses which the insurer refuses to cover (see chapter 15 for more details and liability waiver).
12.8 The Client is responsbile for following correct local legal procedure in the event of any accident involving other vehicles, persons or property. We cannot be held responsible if the Client fails to follow correct local legal procedure in such an event.
12.9 The client refrains from driving outside the designated road inside national parks. This is a matter of nature protection and therefor strictly illegal. Penalties apply and are born y the Client.
12.10 Your responsibilities –
a) You must inspect the vehicle and any accessories We provide before You take the vehicle. If You are not satisfied with the vehicle or any accessories or if You do not think the condition of the vehicle meets our pre-rental inspection report, You must notify Us within 2 working hours. In the absence of such notice, it shall be deemed that You received the vehicle and any accessories in perfect working order.
b) You must take care of the vehicle, any accessories and the keys or other locking device (including any apps which can be Used with the vehicles) for the vehicle. You agree to return the vehicle in the same condition in which You received it. You must always lock the vehicle when You are not Using it, and Use any security device which is fitted or supplied with the vehicle. You must always Use Your best endeavours to protect the vehicle against adverse Weather conditions which could cause damage to the vehicle. You must make sure that You Use the correct fuel and fluids in the vehicle.
c) You must not sell, rent or dispose of the vehicle, any of its parts or accessories. You must not give or try to give anyone the legal rights to the vehicle or transfer legal ownership.
d) You must not let anyone work on the vehicle or even top up fluids without our written permission. If We do give permission We will only give You a refund if You have a valid VAT receipt for the work We have given You permission for.
e) You must let Us know as soon as You become aware of any defect with the vehicle, if the check engine or any warning lights appear on the dashboard, or if the vehicle is stolen or involved in an accident or broken down. Failure to notify may result in You breaking this agreement and liable to paying costs We incur.
f) If We have agreed to drop off the vehicle at an address You have given Us, You will be responsible for the vehicle from the time We drop it off at this address.
h) Unless We have agreed to collect the vehicle from You, You must return the vehicle to the location We agreed. When You return the vehicle, our representative must check its condition. If We have agreed to allow You to return the vehicle outside of our opening hours, You will stay responsible for the vehicle and its condition until our staff have checked it at the earliest opportunity the following day.
i) You must not carry any object or substance which, because of its condition or smell, may harm the vehicle or delay Us renting or selling it.
j) You are responsible for removing Your personal belongings, including Your data, from the vehicle at the end of the tour, as We are not responsible for any items/data You leave in the vehicle. If You do leave items in the vehicle, We may agree to keep them for You to collect within a reasonable time. We may charge You reasonable costs for storing the items.
k) If You are involved in an accident, You must not admit that You are responsible. You should describe the situation as fully as possible when You are asked to do so by the police. You should get the names and addresses of everyone involved, including witnesses. You should also:
• make sure the vehicle is secure;
• tell the police straight away if anyone is injured or if there is a disagreement over who is responsible; and
• contact Us straight away.
l) If the vehicle has been stolen, You must tell Us as soon as possible and confirm this in writing as soon as reasonably possible. You or any authorised drivers will also need to:
• get the names and addresses of any witnesses and give them to Us;
• send Us any notices or other documents relating to any legal proceedings arising out of the theft or loss;
• help Us and our insurers in any legal proceedings, including allowing Us to take legal action in Your name and defending any legal action taken against You; and
• give Us back all keys and report the theft or loss to the police as soon as reasonably possible.
m) You are responsible for all charges, including legal and administrative costs for any road-traffic offence or parking (local authority or private), congestion or toll charges, or any other offence or charges involving the rental vehicle, including costs from the vehicle being clamped, seized or towed away. You are responsible for paying the appropriate authority or company for any charges and costs if and when they ask You or Us for these payments. You will also be responsible for paying our reasonable administration charges for dealing with these matters. However, where it is not reasonably practicable to transfer liability for any such fine or charge, We may Use our discretion to settle the fine or charge with the appropriate authority and re-charge You such amount together with an administration charge to reflect our reasonable administration costs. Should You wish to appeal, contest or dispute any such fine or charge We shall pass all relevant information to You and You must liaise directly with the appropriate authority or company to obtain any refund, where this is possible.
n) You are responsible for returning the vehicle at the time and date specified in advance. If You fail to do so, You will be in breach of a condition of this agreement. We can charge You for every day or part of the day You have the vehicle after You should have returned it to Us. We will charge You a daily or hourly rate to cover any losses incurred until We get our vehicle back.
o) You are responsible for any damage caused to the underside of the vehicle, or to the tyres, or to shock absorbers. If You damage a tyre beyond repair and purchase a spare, on a permanent 4×4 vehicle such as the Lada Niva, the replacement tyre has to be exactly the same dimensions as the original. Running a permanent 4×4 vehicle on tyres of even slightly different dimensions can cause extensive damage to the transmission and transfer case. If You destroy a tyre beyond repair please inform Us immediately.
13. COMPLAINTS
13.1 We will endeavour to resolve any complaint as it arises. In order to do this We need to be made aware of the complaint. The Client agrees to the following procedure:
(a) The Client will ensure at the earliest opportunity any perceived failure in the performance, or improper performance in the Contract, is communicated to Us as soon as possible. We and the Client will then make prompt efforts to resolve the complaint.
(b) The Client agrees to give written details of any unresolved serious complaint via email to Us as soon as possible.
(c) In the event that the complaint remains unresolved the Client agrees to set out their complaint in writing to Us within 7 days of completing the Vehicle Hire Period.
13.2 The Client agrees that the above provisions are reasonable and that any failure by the Client to comply with them will, at Our discretion, exclude any rights arising out of this contract.
14. FOREIGN & COMMONWEALTH OFFICE / STATE DEPARTMENT ETC ADVICE
14.1 The Client acknowledges that they are responsible to make themselves aware through Foreign Office advice, State Department warnings and any other sources available to them in regard to the safety of any countries visited.
14.2 We accepts no liability if the Client chooses to cancel a booking because of FCO or State Department advice or is not adequately insured to travel.
15. INSURANCE & RISK
15.1 We do not offer personal medical insurance cover. You must be fully insured for the duration of Your Vehicle Hire Period. Your insurance should include adequate cancellation insurance, emergency evacuation and repatriation costs, as well as medical expenses, accidents and the safety of Your luggage, and cover the planned duration of the Vehicle Hire Period plus at least one additional day.
15.2 The Client acknowledges there is an element of personal risk in participating in driving a 4×4 vehicle or indeed any vehicle. The Client accepts and consents to the personal risks inherent in the implementation of this contract, and accepts the limitations of Our liability set out herein as being reasonable.
15.3 The Client accepts that they may travel to remote areas knowing that access to evacuation and/or suitable medical supplies and support may not always be available and is likely to take a considerable amount of time and use wilderness extraction techniques.
15.4 We reserve the right at any time to require the Client to produce a doctor’s certificate certifying that the Client is fit to drive.
15.5 The Client will provide Us prior to the Vehicle Hire Date with the names, addresses and telephone numbers of their next-of-kin or persons to be notified in the event of an emergency.
15.6 Our suppliers and local representatives are instructed not to act as our agents in booking any alternative activities other than Vehicle Hire which You have purchased directly from Us. Any assistance they may offer at Your request in relation to such activities does not imply they have acted as Our agent or with Our authority or approval. We are not responsible for such activities and have no liability to You in respect of them.
15.7 Where We are found liable for loss and/or damage to any luggage or personal possessions (including money and/or tickets), the maximum amount We will have to pay You is euros €50 per person affected, as Our assumption is that You will have adequate insurance at the time of booking.
15.8 All drivers must be aged 23 and over, with at least 36 months driving experience (see 3.1 for exceptions).
15.9 Damage caused by abuse / misuse of the vehicle by the client is covered by the client. This applies for direct damage (to the vehicle) and indirect damage (towing costs, replacement vehicle, additional accommodation costs).
15.10 The maximum financial risk for the client is € 7.500 per vehicle per rental. You are obliged to read & learn our chapter “on damage and how to prevent it” in order to minimise the risk of inflicting damage.
15.11 Upon reception of the vehicle you can purchase a liability waiver at the price of € 15,00 per vehicle per day. This reduces your maximum liability to € 500,00 per vehicle per rental.
15.12 Damage that does not result from misuse / abuse by the client is covered by Montenegro 4×4 Adventures. The also includes costs involved in completing your journey (towing costs, replacement vehicle, replacement accommodation).
15.13 Our vehicles are equipped with trackers that allow us to retrieve your entire journey in detail. We can see exactly which roads you have driven and at what speed. This tool is used exclusively for the sake of settling potential disputes on the cause of the damage. The data will be deleted after the vehicles has been returned and the deposit settled.
15.14 For each rental a deposit of € 500,00 in cash is required. The amount will be refunded in cash after inspection of the vehicle. In case of (the suspicion of) damage we have the right to hold back your deposit until further inspection is completed and repairs have been settled. The deposit will in this case be refunded by bank transfer with deduction of the repair costs.
16. PASSPORTS, VISAS & HEALTH MATTERS
16.1 Vaccinations, passports, visas (where applicable) etc are entirely the Client’s responsibility and must be arranged prior to departure. We can take no responsibility for cancellation of Your Vehicle Hire in the event You are not allowed to fly. If You are unable to travel due to being unable to obtain (or not having) the appropriate documents We reserve the right to retain the full cost of Your Vehicle Hire.
16.2 Driving a 4×4 vehicle can be physically demanding. We are not liable for any costs, delays or illness resulting from Your failure to meet normal fitness and endurance standards.
16.3 Women 28 Weeks or more into pregnancy at the time of the Vehicle Hire Period end date must have a doctor’s certificate confirming that they are fit to travel.
16.4 It is Your responsibility to inform Us of any medication You are on, or of any health issues that might effect Your ability to drive, including broken limbs, long-term heart problems and so on.
17. GENERAL
17.1 No persons, save Us, have the authority or is empowered to waive or vary any of these conditions.
17.2 We are not responsible for the content, policies or services of any sites linked to or accessible via the websitewww.montenegr04x4adventures.com
17.3 The Client acknowledges that prior to booking they have been given general information on passport and visa requirements, and of any health formalities required, and knows of no reason that would cause the Client to be unable to comply with these requirements.
17.4 Under no circumstances whatsoever will We be responsible for data roaming charges levied by Your mobile phone provider, or any phone charges incurred by You during the Vehicle Hire Period.
18. PHOTOGRAPHS
Photographs Used on this Website and elsewhere in our promotional materials are intended to give an overall impression rather than details of a specific vehicle.
19. DATA PROTECTION
We observe the requirements of EU data protection legislation in respect of all personal data held by Us at any time. We may Use Your email address to notify You of our services, offers and promotions from time to time. If You do not wish to receive this emails, please let Us know, though You can also unsubscribe at any point.
Montenegro 4×4 Adventures, January 2024
Annex 1: On damage & how to prevent it
Renting out Lada Niva’s and sending our clients over bad roads into remote terrain, holds a certain risk. Damage upon the cars is easily inflicted as a result of ignorance or over-enthousiastic driving. Apart from the fact that customers pay for damage caused by abuse or misuse of the vehicle, repairing the damage is also time consuming and will effect your trip planning.
We put a strong focus on prevention when it comes to damage, and emphasize you read the safety instructions & technical basics below.
Speed Most of the damage is caused by rocks hitting the bottom of the car and this is always a result of over-enthousiastic driving. Roads with lot of loose rocks require carefull driving. Respect this.
Tyres The same is te be said for the tyres. Flat tyres are rare, but uncontrolled driving on rocky roads might scratch the tyres to such extend that they start to deflate. Again, this can be avoided by safe driving. Know that the sides of the tyres are weaker then the profile and therefore more easily teared by scratching rocks.
Clutch Always get your right foot off the clutch when you do not need it. Even if it does not feel that way, you always impose a certain pressure on the clutch. This might cause severe problems (burning the clutch) that involve high costs.
Suspension This is perhaps the most occuring damage we have had so far and it is always a cause of rocks hitting the car from underneath. Rocks can be launched by the tyres in case of driving faster then the terrain allows.
Overheating The engine of a Lada Niva is water-cooled. Long sections of slow climbing might trigger overheating of the engine. The protocol in this case is very simple. Turn the heating to the maximum to release the heat from the engine or just stop the car and wait for the temperature to go down.
Battery We may replace the original batteries, that turn out to be really unfit, by proper batteries so problems with this part are not to be expected. However, leaving the lights on (they don’t switch of automatically) might empty out the battery. In wet conditions the contact to start the engine might be effected and this might cause slight malfunctioning of the iginition. In any case, always park your car with the nose in a direction that you can push it forward for a jumpstart.
Meters The meters that indicate the fuel level and the engine temperature are among the least reliable parts of the car. Don’t always take for granted what they indicate.
Scratches Since we send you on remote not-so-good roads we will not mind a scratch or two when you return your Lada back to the base. But deep scratches or wretched bodywork will be subject to compensation.
Drowning the engine River crossing is common practice especially on the wilder itineraries we offer. All river crossings included in our regular tours are possible with Lada Niva, under normal and even slightly extreme conditions. However, driving into deep water might drown the engine, which is instantly fatal for the car. Never drive through water deeper van 40 cm to avoid this.
Low gearing / High gearing We will show you at the check in how to switch from low gearing to high gearing and vice versa. Basically, as soon as you leave the asphalt you switch to low gearing. This enables you to drive slow without loosing power. On the asphalt, always switch back to high gearing. Never use neutral. Never drive fast in low gearing. This might inflict damage to the engine.
Differential lock Lada Niva has a differential lock but we recommend not to use this. It is hard to get it back off. And it is only usefull in situations we hope you will not end up in (for instance of you are stuck with 1 or 2 tyres not touching the ground). With the differential lock divides the power equally to both axes, however, that does not mean that each tyre receives 25% of the power. The power goes to the tyres that experience most traction. If you end up in a situation that you need to use this, make sure the car stands still, press the clutch to the maximum and switch on the differential lock. A light on the dashboard indicates when it’s on. If you don’t get it off (it feels like it’s stuck sometimes) then let the car rol (or push it) forward a little bit and try again.
Interior We hope you return the car dirty to Podgorica. At least, from the outside. There is no better proof that you enjoyed the trip. Regarding the interior however, we have a different approach and we expect the receive it in a good conditions. This means you have tidied up your garbage and swiped out the more superficial dirt from the car. If you messed gulasch on the seats or return the car with an otherwise dirty interior, and additional cleaning is necessary, we will charge extra for this.
Smoking Even though all Lada’s are equiped with ashtrays, smoking inside the vehicle is strictly prohibited. If smoking is detected upon return of the vehicle, additional deep cleaning costs will be charged to the customer.
Annex 2: Damage protocol
Stage 1: Prevention by Instruction
We cannot stress enough the importance of safe and carefull driving. Always be aware you are in remote terrain. At each check in we provide a detailed instruction course on how to drive a Lada Niva. Since the driving is very easy, this is mostly about “how to avoid damage”. Find a summary of this instruction in this page. Each Lada is equipped with a basic tool set, so you are capable to solve simple matters yourself.
Stage 2: If damage occurs
Any damage needs to be reported immediatley by phone to our headquarers in Podgorica. Our first step will be to see what we can do by providing instructions through the phone.
2a) In case of damage, but the car still drives, and the damage cannot be solved over the phone, we will instruct you to which garage to go to get things fixed.
2b) In case of damage and the car cannot drive anymore, we will sent road assistance. We will need your exact location in that case. Road assistants will appear within maximum 4 hours, but usually much sooner, all depending on your location. They will first of all try to get you moving again and it might be possible that you have to go to a nearby garage after all. In case the road assistant cannot get the car moving he will tow you to the nearest garage.
2c) The aim is, whether through the phone, through road assistance or ultimately in a garage, to get the car moving as soon as possible. In the process we combine the info we received from you with the expertise of the road assistant and / or the garage and we will develop a short report in which we define what the damage is and if the damage is caused by the client, by mechanical failure or by a third party. This is important in the financial settlement of the case. See the Insurance & Liability section for details on this topic.
Stage 3: Moving on
In case of damage our aim, and we presume our clients wish too, is to get you moving as soon as possible. Therefore we promise to stick to the protocol below.
3a) Upon arriving in a garage, the first question to answer is, can the damage be solved withing 24 hours after arriving in the garage. If the answer is yes, then we will push the garage to fix it as soon as possible, so you can move on and continue your travel.
3b) Costs involved in modification of the accomodation- and mealplan are for the clients account in case the damage was caused by them, and in case it was caused by others or due to mechanical failure, we will provide and pay for a solution.
3c) In case the damage cannot be solved within 24 hrs from arriving in the garage, and it concerns a damage caused by others or due to mechanical failure, we will provide you with a replacement 4×4 vehicle. We always have 1 Lada available for emergency situations. In the very unlikely event that was have 2 similtanouous cases of damage in which replacement of the vehicle is required, we will provide an alternative 4×4 vehicle, depending on availability and possibilities.
3d) In case the damage cannot be solved within 24 hrs from arriving in the garage, and it concerns a damage caused by clients, we will offer 2 options including a price tag. Since the clients in this case pays for replacement vehicle, we consider it fair to provide an offer for a regular car (cheaper) and a 4×4 (more expensive) and leave it up to the client to accept either of these options.
3e) A replacement vehicle will be delivered with the shortest possible delay. However, we cannot make any promises about the exact timing of the delivery, since this depends on many factors such as availability and traffic. Please note that for a replacement vehicle we cannot guarantee a roof tent. Our roof tents do not fit on any type of vehicle and the stock is limited. In case we can not provide a roof tent, we will provide a tent to put next to the car, including all that is needed to sleep comfortably.