Puncture in hire car
Author
Discussion

Rockettvr

Original Poster:

1,989 posts

169 months

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

1,194 posts

73 months

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

14,288 posts

227 months

2.

John D.

20,590 posts

235 months

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

10,071 posts

119 months

Stick a tin of holts tyre weld in it

itcaptainslow

4,601 posts

162 months

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

15,067 posts

241 months

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

grumbas

1,131 posts

217 months

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

4,984 posts

176 months

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

alscar

8,725 posts

239 months

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

Original Poster:

1,989 posts

169 months

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