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I had one bad experience, one terrible. The bad: charged for a full tank of gas and a filling fee despite me filling it immediately before returning it. I didn

I had one bad experience, one terrible. The bad: charged for a full tank of gas and a filling fee despite me filling it immediately before returning it. I didn’t keep the receipt or take a photo, mea culpa. Worked out as something crazy like £4 a litre, with the fee. The terrible: prepaid rental, pick up at one airport, return to another - paid the fee for the one-way up front. Was slightly bemused when the car they gave me had clearly come from where I was going, so I was paying €160 to do them a favour. Where it got terrible: the office at the airport I dropped the car at was unattended. It was meant to be open, but wasn’t - so I used the key drop and caught my flight. They then charged me €4500 for extensive bodywork damage - two new doors, new mirror, new panels, new glass, etc. - the car was immaculate when I’d left it, and from the photo it looked like someone had t-boned it in their lot - broken glass on the ground around it, etc. I had a walkaround video from when I dropped it off, showing no damage - but they pointed me at the section of the rental agreement that says that if I use the key drop I accept all responsibility for damage to the vehicle between me dropping the keys and them inspecting it. I didn’t have a leg to stand on. To add insult to injury, they also charged me the one-way fee, again. Needless to say, I never used them again after that.

parliament32 6y ago
I feel for you, that's a really shitty situation to be in. I'd be fighting it though, what kind of airport doesn't have cameras?
specialp 6y ago
I find the car rental process really difficult in Europe. It seems they are just looking to get you and give the most detailed possible inspection of cars. In the USA I have found when I return a car they just really look at it for major damage and that's it. So I avoid renting a car in UK or other European countries, and if I do I don't just sign when they try to show me the iPad pics of known damage. I want to inspect that car as detailed as they do because I know it is coming back the other way when I return.
- switch007 6y ago
  As much as I dislike Enterprise (UK) for many other reasons, I can't complain about their approach to damage. I've gotten away with the most amount of minor damage with Enterprise.
markkanof 6y ago
I have a similar story. Did a one way rental and drove from Seattle to Portland, but the returning location was open when I returned the car. Did the whole walk around of the car with the Hertz employee and everything was fine. Then I get a call a couple hours later that there is extensive damage in one of the wheel wells that I will be responsible for. This was ridiculous because not only was I sure I did not do anything that would have caused that damage, but their employee inspected everything and signed off. Pretty clear that one of their employees damaged the car moving it around the lot and was hoping to pin it on me. After numerous calls with the rental offices in both Seattle and Portland, they finally agreed to "do me a favor" and drop the claim. How nice of them!

parliament32 6y ago

I feel for you, that's a really shitty situation to be in. I'd be fighting it though, what kind of airport doesn't have cameras?

specialp 6y ago

I find the car rental process really difficult in Europe. It seems they are just looking to get you and give the most detailed possible inspection of cars. In the USA I have found when I return a car they just really look at it for major damage and that's it. So I avoid renting a car in UK or other European countries, and if I do I don't just sign when they try to show me the iPad pics of known damage. I want to inspect that car as detailed as they do because I know it is coming back the other way when I return.

switch007 6y ago
As much as I dislike Enterprise (UK) for many other reasons, I can't complain about their approach to damage. I've gotten away with the most amount of minor damage with Enterprise.

markkanof 6y ago

I have a similar story. Did a one way rental and drove from Seattle to Portland, but the returning location was open when I returned the car. Did the whole walk around of the car with the Hertz employee and everything was fine. Then I get a call a couple hours later that there is extensive damage in one of the wheel wells that I will be responsible for. This was ridiculous because not only was I sure I did not do anything that would have caused that damage, but their employee inspected everything and signed off. Pretty clear that one of their employees damaged the car moving it around the lot and was hoping to pin it on me. After numerous calls with the rental offices in both Seattle and Portland, they finally agreed to "do me a favor" and drop the claim. How nice of them!