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I always film the car I’m about to rent, as well as the employee. I get them to state their name and the date, and all and any damage on the vehicle. It makes

I always film the car I’m about to rent, as well as the employee. I get them to state their name and the date, and all and any damage on the vehicle. It makes them really uncomfortable, as they know that they won’t be able to charge me €4000 after the rental for whatever arbitrary damage they decide I caused - although it doesn’t stop them trying - I had sixt earlier this year claim that I had stolen the passenger side door. Fortunately I had filmed the car at the unmanned drop-off, along with an airport sign with the time and date - otherwise I would have been on the hook for an entire new car, as they said it was irreparable. They only dropped the matter after I filed a complaint with the business regulator in the country they were operating in - and that came with a lifetime ban from renting from them. Good riddance.

jacquesm 5y ago
Sixt is the absolute pits. They are structurally engaging in fraud and it absolutely disgusts me that this company is still in business. I've dealt with a lot of car rental company bs in my life but Sixt is on another level. For months after returning a rental van (which I'd used for an hour) they came up with other damage that I supposedly had caused. Good I kept pre and post images. If they were to be believed I had swapped out the alternator and done a whole pile of other hard to believe tricks to their vehicle. It also magically kept acquiring new dents, even days after returning the rental. What a joke that company is. Never, ever, use Sixt, even if is your last option, just don't, it isn't worth the hassle and the price they show you is never the price you will be paying.
llampx 5y ago
I believe this is a European thing, as I haven't had such problems with renting cars in the US. Buchbinder was the worst, to the extent that everyone I know who is about to rent a car gets a lecture from me about them. It's worth it to have the full coverage insurance every time and just treat it as part of the rental cost. The alternative is lots of headaches to deal with the scammer companies.
- odiroot 5y ago
  Yep, had the same experience renting in Germany. With Sixt, Enterprise and Buchbinder. Always trying to sneak something up on you. I like Enterprise cause they're affordable, but they really take it to the next level. I had a full insurance (0% OOP) and they still made me do the handover dance twice.
- caf 5y ago
  In Australia some are one way (eg. Europcar, which does the "bill every millimetre-long scuff" thing) and some are the other (eg. Avis, who don't seem to care as long as you return it with four wheels and a windscreen).
  - LilBytes 5y ago
    Funny you mention Europcar, I've had nothing but pleasure with them. Including one time where I hit a kangaroo and damaged the left front quarter pannel, only charged me a few hundred dollars to repair said damages which was a lot less than I expected. Though I have been almost using Car Next Door exclusively for two years so perhaps things have changed.
    - caf 5y ago
      The first (and only!) time I used Europcar, I'd been using Avis for years and was used to their way of doing business, to the point where I didn't even bother to do a cursory handover walk-around anymore, because I knew they weren't going to be hardasses. It is absolutely essential with Europcar though (and I think Hertz too), to do a very thorough documentation of every tiny pre-existing scuff, scratch and ding. Car Next Door is the same, but I'm willing to put up with a bit of inconvenience there to get a service I can't get at a reasonable price from the big rentals (light commercial vehicle available close by and for short periods).

jacquesm 5y ago

Sixt is the absolute pits. They are structurally engaging in fraud and it absolutely disgusts me that this company is still in business. I've dealt with a lot of car rental company bs in my life but Sixt is on another level. For months after returning a rental van (which I'd used for an hour) they came up with other damage that I supposedly had caused. Good I kept pre and post images. If they were to be believed I had swapped out the alternator and done a whole pile of other hard to believe tricks to their vehicle. It also magically kept acquiring new dents, even days after returning the rental. What a joke that company is. Never, ever, use Sixt, even if is your last option, just don't, it isn't worth the hassle and the price they show you is never the price you will be paying.

llampx 5y ago

I believe this is a European thing, as I haven't had such problems with renting cars in the US. Buchbinder was the worst, to the extent that everyone I know who is about to rent a car gets a lecture from me about them. It's worth it to have the full coverage insurance every time and just treat it as part of the rental cost. The alternative is lots of headaches to deal with the scammer companies.

odiroot 5y ago
Yep, had the same experience renting in Germany. With Sixt, Enterprise and Buchbinder. Always trying to sneak something up on you. I like Enterprise cause they're affordable, but they really take it to the next level. I had a full insurance (0% OOP) and they still made me do the handover dance twice.
caf 5y ago
In Australia some are one way (eg. Europcar, which does the "bill every millimetre-long scuff" thing) and some are the other (eg. Avis, who don't seem to care as long as you return it with four wheels and a windscreen).
- LilBytes 5y ago
  Funny you mention Europcar, I've had nothing but pleasure with them. Including one time where I hit a kangaroo and damaged the left front quarter pannel, only charged me a few hundred dollars to repair said damages which was a lot less than I expected. Though I have been almost using Car Next Door exclusively for two years so perhaps things have changed.
  - caf 5y ago
    The first (and only!) time I used Europcar, I'd been using Avis for years and was used to their way of doing business, to the point where I didn't even bother to do a cursory handover walk-around anymore, because I knew they weren't going to be hardasses. It is absolutely essential with Europcar though (and I think Hertz too), to do a very thorough documentation of every tiny pre-existing scuff, scratch and ding. Car Next Door is the same, but I'm willing to put up with a bit of inconvenience there to get a service I can't get at a reasonable price from the big rentals (light commercial vehicle available close by and for short periods).