Puncture in hire car

[Rockettvr]

Picked up hire car on Saturday- dash was showing low tyre warning- should have referred back to hire co. But didn’t think much of it . Tyre is now pretty much flat
So
1 pump up tyre and return as is then argue about it with hire co if they snag it.
2 get tyre repaired and return , say nothing
3 phone hire co and argue they’ve sent me out with faulty tyre

[RandomCarChat]

If it wasn't picked up on at collection i'd day you're pretty stuffed to prove it was like that when you got it, unless you have any evidence like a video/image.

Id pump it right up just before dropping it off and plead ignorance if they try anything.

[Magic919]

2.

[John D.]

This happened to me last year in Sicily. I don't think it was displaying a warning when I first started the car, but certainly did shortly after I set off. Wish I'd flagged it and got a different car / new tyre, as it took us ages to find a pump and the slow flat bugged me all week.

Didn't tell the hire company when I dropped it back. Just didn't seem worth the potential hassle.

[stevemcs]

Stick a tin of holts tyre weld in it

[itcaptainslow]

Unless you’ve evidence proving it was there when you collected you’re stuffed unfortunately. They could also potentially try and take the excess from you - Enterprise did this with me due to a chunk out of the rim protector on the tyre sidewall - £1750!

Fortunately my friend had taken a picture of the wheel which proved the damage was there already. When I then flipped it round and asked “Why did you loan me a car with what you state is a dangerous defect?”, they couldn’t answer…

[sherman]

4. Stick a blade through it.
Phone hire company.
"Some oik has just slashed my tyre"

[grumbas]

Assuming you didn't pay for the rental companies own insurance:

1 or 2.

3 or 4 will see you likely getting billed, and even with 3rd party cover you'll have the hassle of a claim

[M4cruiser]

Choose the route of (1) safety and (2) least hassle, depending on your situation.

[alscar]

When my sister was visiting us from Australia she picked up a screw in the tyre ,called the hire company who sent a mobile fitter to our house and fitted a new tyre.

[Rockettvr]

I’ve got time stamped video of the fault - was under a bit of time pressure due to flight delay and long queue at rental desk and having to be at a wedding.
Was just going to get it repaired but local garages all shut on a Monday!!!
So pumped it up and will look at it tomorrow morning before we return it in the afternoon, if it holds a reasonable amount of air well top it up just before drop off
If not a repair or foam

[sherman]

Rockettvr said:

I ve got time stamped video of the fault - was under a bit of time pressure due to flight delay and long queue at rental desk and having to be at a wedding.
Was just going to get it repaired but local garages all shut on a Monday!!!
So pumped it up and will look at it tomorrow morning before we return it in the afternoon, if it holds a reasonable amount of air well top it up just before drop off
If not a repair or foam

If your in Scotland its a Bank holiday today(Monday).
The King said it was ok.

[SuperPav]

I had a tyre go 5 minutes out of Palma airport once a rental fiat 500 once (a split big end bearing from what must’ve been a lorry embedded itself in the tyre)

Put the spare on (yes I was equally surprised), and just took it to a local tyre place who repaired the puncture for 15 euros. Job done.

If it’s a slow puncture ie over a day to trigger the tpms I’d just keep pumping up and return it. Otherwise over to kwikfit and puncture repair!