I got stung by Enterprise car hire.
Discussion
enterprise are the best of the car hire firms IMHO.
a small problem swiftly dealt with.
and their pick up / delivery service so handy.
I have sadly also used the four lettered company and had frequent issues with them trying it on to charge for fuel when the tank was full and the old cracked light lenses trick.
a small problem swiftly dealt with.
and their pick up / delivery service so handy.
I have sadly also used the four lettered company and had frequent issues with them trying it on to charge for fuel when the tank was full and the old cracked light lenses trick.
Not really relevant I suppose but just as an anecdote -
I often have Hertz hire cars for work and they all come with a damage assessment sheet and you have to be careful as they pick up on everything like the OP is talking about
However I recently had a Hertz car on holiday in the states. When I picked it up I didn't get a damage assessment sheet and queried it. The woman on the desk told me they dont bother as scratches etc are just considered wear and tear. I wondered at what point does 'wear and tear' become 'damage'. But OK, you don't give me anything to sign and you'll have a job proving anything unless I completely trash the thing, so whatever.
Thing is, I ended up getting rear ended by an F150 truck in traffic on the interstate. Fair bit of scuffing on the rear bumper and a crease along the top where it's been squashed. Reported it to the Hertz office and so on (and was getting ready for the worst because I hadn't taken any of the damage waivers etc) but when I returned the car a few days later the guy pretty much looked at it, said "that's not significant", shrugged his shoulders and signed it off. No charge.
I often have Hertz hire cars for work and they all come with a damage assessment sheet and you have to be careful as they pick up on everything like the OP is talking about
However I recently had a Hertz car on holiday in the states. When I picked it up I didn't get a damage assessment sheet and queried it. The woman on the desk told me they dont bother as scratches etc are just considered wear and tear. I wondered at what point does 'wear and tear' become 'damage'. But OK, you don't give me anything to sign and you'll have a job proving anything unless I completely trash the thing, so whatever.
Thing is, I ended up getting rear ended by an F150 truck in traffic on the interstate. Fair bit of scuffing on the rear bumper and a crease along the top where it's been squashed. Reported it to the Hertz office and so on (and was getting ready for the worst because I hadn't taken any of the damage waivers etc) but when I returned the car a few days later the guy pretty much looked at it, said "that's not significant", shrugged his shoulders and signed it off. No charge.
I used to work for them in my Uni summer holidays and can vouch for them in the main, being honest and reasonable although with any large organisation you're bound to get one or two bad eggs. In my time with them I never saw anyone check tyres on check-out/in. Similarly though the branch I worked for would never have rented a car showing warning lights.
hora said:
I've only ever used Enterprise - never had a problem however recently they've changed their T&C's- They charge you PER scratch/damage even if you've taken out the excess waver protection. So say you visit London and two parking clods use the corner of the bumpers its 2xclaims. etc.
I can't hire a car knowning that now.
What would be the point of the excess protection, if it doesn't apply??? I'd like to see this T&C you refer to.I can't hire a car knowning that now.
My excess was maximum £100 for anything, which added £10 a day to the £15.50 the car cost. Normally it would have been £700 excess but I'm not risking paying that just because some clown reverses into it.
IroningMan said:
I hired at Edinburgh Airport a few months ago, 13-plate Astra. The paperwork indicated a couple of minor scrapes, but when I had a look round the nearside of the thing there was a bollard-scrape across the door and rear wing; this prompted me to take a closer look all over and I found three or four other marks.
'I'm not allowed out of the office' said the girl when I asked her to come out and confirm what I'd found...only when I refused to take the car did she relent, but I then had two days of wondering whether her signature on a copy of the handover sheet was going to be enough when I returned the thing.
Fortunately it was, but you only know you've not been fleeced when the credit card bill arrives. Next time I'll take photos, too.
Is that that crappy little hut? 'I'm not allowed out of the office' said the girl when I asked her to come out and confirm what I'd found...only when I refused to take the car did she relent, but I then had two days of wondering whether her signature on a copy of the handover sheet was going to be enough when I returned the thing.
Fortunately it was, but you only know you've not been fleeced when the credit card bill arrives. Next time I'll take photos, too.
I had exactly the same thing there
King Herald said:
SS2. said:
I would have thought the opportunity for them to highlight / proceed any issues ended when the first employee drove the car away..
Did you get anything signed when employee #1 first looked at the car ?
Well, the first girl told me everything was okay after her inspection, but it wasn't until ten minutes later that she mentioned the tyre. Did you get anything signed when employee #1 first looked at the car ?
The second girl did clip a traffic cone when she brought the car back! We all laughed about it, but that was before the tyre damage was pointed out to me......
I guess I could have argued the toss and asked why the car had to be taken away, then brought back etc, but I was tired, had a plane to catch etc.
How does he get the £100 back?
hora said:
I hired a car from Enterprise a week last Sat. They said they have raised their excess to £700 but its £700 PER scratch or dent outside of the circle-guage tool that they use. This worried me into buying the (now) £12 a day excess reducer which reduces down to £100 PER scratch or dent.
The key word being PER. I queried this and they said they've had to do this as some people have been quite careless with the cars on hire (basically badly parked etc and got away with just a £100 charge.
Yes I know. Whatsthe point in taking out the excess reducer then? Whats more worrying is they said its £700 per scratch/event etc. Mental.
I wont hire again- just too risky.
Nobody mentioned £100 per dent to me, just 'the maximum you will have to pay is £100'. I've tried to find something about it on their web page but can't find a thing.The key word being PER. I queried this and they said they've had to do this as some people have been quite careless with the cars on hire (basically badly parked etc and got away with just a £100 charge.
Yes I know. Whatsthe point in taking out the excess reducer then? Whats more worrying is they said its £700 per scratch/event etc. Mental.
I wont hire again- just too risky.
Ug_lee said:
I got a cheap car hire in Spain. When I picked the car up the assistant got her clipboard out with the inspection/fault sheet on it. She then proceeded to draw a circle around the entire car!.
I had the same when hiring in Spain started highlighting every dent and scrape on a Clio and the girl noting them down realised that we could be some time.I also took several pictures before and after.
I've always taken pictures after but since then I take pictures before as well, takes a min max and means I have some comeback if damage already present is used to re-charge again.
hora said:
About a month ago now? I've never taken the £10 a day damage waver before. When they told me its now been increased AND its per dent or scratch thats what worried me. Its a new one as I'd only hired a car two weeks before that.
Makes me think 'is it worth hiring anymore'?
If this is the case I'd like to see it on paper if they want pay-per-dent. I think they thrive on people being tired, or in a rush, or busy, without time to double check everything.Makes me think 'is it worth hiring anymore'?
We rented a car from Enterprise whilst on holiday.
They tried to charge us for a cracked number plate which the person who showed us round the car told us they knew about. Went to give the car back, and without even seeing the front of the car, the woman accused my dad of breaking the front numberplate, and that he will have to pay the full excess amount because of it.
My dad kicked up a fuss, the manager came along, tried to make him pay, then told him it must have been an error in their office somewhere, an let him off.
We are sure they were just trying it on. I guess there are a lot of other people would just pay up.
They tried to charge us for a cracked number plate which the person who showed us round the car told us they knew about. Went to give the car back, and without even seeing the front of the car, the woman accused my dad of breaking the front numberplate, and that he will have to pay the full excess amount because of it.
My dad kicked up a fuss, the manager came along, tried to make him pay, then told him it must have been an error in their office somewhere, an let him off.
We are sure they were just trying it on. I guess there are a lot of other people would just pay up.
robm3 said:
Please be careful with Avis LAX, this is a franchise of Avis Corp and they ARE incentivised to:
A. Oversell you on insurance
B. Charge you for fuel despite having a full tank
C. Charge you 'minor repairs'
They do not do this to corporate customers though, only tourists.
I've rented with them on several occasions courtesy of 'priceline roulette'. A. Oversell you on insurance
B. Charge you for fuel despite having a full tank
C. Charge you 'minor repairs'
They do not do this to corporate customers though, only tourists.
Like all rental firms if you make it clear you aren't ripe for the plucking they are fine.
Only an utter mug buys insurance at the desk anyway so it's pretty difficult to oversell someone who keeps saying no. Likewise keep your fuel receipt showing the tank top up you did at the fuel station next to the airport and of course you don't collect the car or leave it without a signed sheet showing the state of the vehicle. If you make it clear you've taken all these steps or are going to it's very difficult for them to play their games.
Used to use Enterprise a lot and they were always pretty good and usually upgraded us a fair bit. I will be careful if we use them again!
Nothing beats Goldcar (Majorca for us) for ripping customers off - £70 fuel charge yet we were on a small island for a week; we'd have to drive around the entire island about five times to use that much fuel, £25 for an ancient booster seat hire yet they cost about £15 for a good new one, much smaller car than ordered, absolutely dismal "insurance" that covers nothing and they charge you for service items too. A week's hire of a Seat Ibiza in which we drove about 50 miles max and was meant to cost £165 - £400. Never ever again.
Sounds like a lot of firms are ripping people off.
Nothing beats Goldcar (Majorca for us) for ripping customers off - £70 fuel charge yet we were on a small island for a week; we'd have to drive around the entire island about five times to use that much fuel, £25 for an ancient booster seat hire yet they cost about £15 for a good new one, much smaller car than ordered, absolutely dismal "insurance" that covers nothing and they charge you for service items too. A week's hire of a Seat Ibiza in which we drove about 50 miles max and was meant to cost £165 - £400. Never ever again.
Sounds like a lot of firms are ripping people off.
Vladimir said:
Used to use Enterprise a lot and they were always pretty good and usually upgraded us a fair bit. I will be careful if we use them again!
Nothing beats Goldcar (Majorca for us) for ripping customers off - £70 fuel charge yet we were on a small island for a week; we'd have to drive around the entire island about five times to use that much fuel, £25 for an ancient booster seat hire yet they cost about £15 for a good new one, much smaller car than ordered, absolutely dismal "insurance" that covers nothing and they charge you for service items too. A week's hire of a Seat Ibiza in which we drove about 50 miles max and was meant to cost £165 - £400. Never ever again.
Sounds like a lot of firms are ripping people off.
Presumably you bothered to read the terms and conditions before renting? Up front fuel charges that Goldcar are notorious for are clearly stated before you rent. Nothing beats Goldcar (Majorca for us) for ripping customers off - £70 fuel charge yet we were on a small island for a week; we'd have to drive around the entire island about five times to use that much fuel, £25 for an ancient booster seat hire yet they cost about £15 for a good new one, much smaller car than ordered, absolutely dismal "insurance" that covers nothing and they charge you for service items too. A week's hire of a Seat Ibiza in which we drove about 50 miles max and was meant to cost £165 - £400. Never ever again.
Sounds like a lot of firms are ripping people off.
A lot of people just use price comparison sites, don't care who they are renting from so don't give a toss when the voucher provider doesn't provide a link to t&c's before the mark commits to rental.
Then they get fleeced, who could have predicted that? Rental firms work on the principal of 'never give a sucker an even break'
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