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Purported car rental damage?
- Thread starter Quattro Pete
- Start date
- Status
Each time I've rented it's always been the case that the agent never records all the scratches and dings that I see. They say those are minor or don't matter. Still, I add all those to their pre-inspection list. You can never be too-careful. Now I'll make it a point to look at the windshield a lot more closely.
Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
1. I picked up a rental car on Friday morning. No damage visible nor noted on the rental form.
2. I dropped it off on Sunday morning. It was very early, and Hertz was not yet open, so I looked the car over, dropped the keys in the slot and off I went. I saw no damage whatsoever.
3. Monday night (about 36 hours later) I get a voicemail from Purco Fleet services who supposedly handle rental car damage claims stating that upon inspection, the car had 3 rock chips in the windshield and they want me to call them back.
Doing some research on the web, it appears to be some new way of making money in the car rental industry. These Purco people have one heck of a reputation out there.
Anyway, have you guys dealt with anything like this? How should I handle this? I have not called them back yet. I'm hoping not to have to hire a lawyer...
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/10301092-post1.html
Bro,
Don't talk to them, ask them to send you a letter in the mail.
Go online to Hertz and use your rental agreement # to file a complaint, When you left the vehicle there was NO damage and you are being harassed by someone called Purco (yeah mistake is intentional, make it look like you don't know what/who purco is)
They will take care of it.
I rent nearly every week of the year, I try to deal with the corp location only, but most of my problem come from the franchise locs, arrrrrrrgh.
1. I picked up a rental car on Friday morning. No damage visible nor noted on the rental form.
2. I dropped it off on Sunday morning. It was very early, and Hertz was not yet open, so I looked the car over, dropped the keys in the slot and off I went. I saw no damage whatsoever.
3. Monday night (about 36 hours later) I get a voicemail from Purco Fleet services who supposedly handle rental car damage claims stating that upon inspection, the car had 3 rock chips in the windshield and they want me to call them back.
Doing some research on the web, it appears to be some new way of making money in the car rental industry. These Purco people have one heck of a reputation out there.
Anyway, have you guys dealt with anything like this? How should I handle this? I have not called them back yet. I'm hoping not to have to hire a lawyer...
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/10301092-post1.html
Bro,
Don't talk to them, ask them to send you a letter in the mail.
Go online to Hertz and use your rental agreement # to file a complaint, When you left the vehicle there was NO damage and you are being harassed by someone called Purco (yeah mistake is intentional, make it look like you don't know what/who purco is)
They will take care of it.
I rent nearly every week of the year, I try to deal with the corp location only, but most of my problem come from the franchise locs, arrrrrrrgh.
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My experiences- Hertz - the best
enterprise- the worst, most likely to make false damazge claims
enterprise- the worst, most likely to make false damazge claims
Originally Posted By: stockrex
but most of my problem come from the franchise locs, arrrrrrrgh.
Yes, that seems to be the case here.
I filed a complaint on Hertz website. Thanks.
but most of my problem come from the franchise locs, arrrrrrrgh.
Yes, that seems to be the case here.
I filed a complaint on Hertz website. Thanks.
You might ask Hertz why they allow unattended drop offs? It seems to me that they are setting their customers up for this type of low rent scam by not having people available to inspect the vehicles and protect their customers.
They surely have video surveillance that would show gross vehicle damage to protect the customer that way. Seems like they are the ones assuming the risk of this type of petit damage by their business practice.
edit: as an honest and reasonable customer, YOU would have documented damage had you known of any, right?
They surely have video surveillance that would show gross vehicle damage to protect the customer that way. Seems like they are the ones assuming the risk of this type of petit damage by their business practice.
edit: as an honest and reasonable customer, YOU would have documented damage had you known of any, right?
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Originally Posted By: Win
You might ask Hertz why they allow unattended drop offs? It seems to me that they are setting their customers up for this type of low rent scam by not having people available to inspect the vehicles and protect their customers.
They surely have video surveillance that would show gross vehicle damage to protect the customer that way. Seems like they are the ones assuming the risk of this type of petit damage by their business practice.
edit: as an honest and reasonable customer, YOU would have documented damage had you known of any, right?
Every rental car company allows unattended drop offs, I have called in damage I found after picking up or on drop off. I have found gas tank half full, the worst is car with cigarette smell.
That reminds me to log another complaint,
You might ask Hertz why they allow unattended drop offs? It seems to me that they are setting their customers up for this type of low rent scam by not having people available to inspect the vehicles and protect their customers.
They surely have video surveillance that would show gross vehicle damage to protect the customer that way. Seems like they are the ones assuming the risk of this type of petit damage by their business practice.
edit: as an honest and reasonable customer, YOU would have documented damage had you known of any, right?
Every rental car company allows unattended drop offs, I have called in damage I found after picking up or on drop off. I have found gas tank half full, the worst is car with cigarette smell.
That reminds me to log another complaint,
gathermewool
Site Donor 2023
I walk around the car with my phone and a flashlight and record as much of the outside and inside as possible, including gas gave and mileage. takes a couple of minutes, but would have saved me some headache a few rentals back (before I had this routine) when I got a call a few days later asking why I hadn't dropped the car off yet. After hours, the cars were to be dropped off at a local garage, with a key drop-box.
They had to pull camera footage of not-me picking the car up. Turns out the guy who picked it up from the company delivered it to the wrong spot, so while it was in their lot, right under their nose, it was missing. Took several days for his to be resolved.
They had to pull camera footage of not-me picking the car up. Turns out the guy who picked it up from the company delivered it to the wrong spot, so while it was in their lot, right under their nose, it was missing. Took several days for his to be resolved.
In theory, you are responsible for damage of the car until it is signed off by agent. So if you drop off car night before and someone breaks a window or damages vehicle before hertz agent looks at it, its on you..
I never heard of rock chip claims...gosh what next, its a car..minor wear occurs..wonder how they get away with that...how do rock chips not count as normal wear and tear?!!
I never heard of rock chip claims...gosh what next, its a car..minor wear occurs..wonder how they get away with that...how do rock chips not count as normal wear and tear?!!
JTK
$100 Site Donor 2025
Wow.. I'm floored by this. I didn't know this third party 'inspection service' was even a thing!! I would think Hertz would be a reasonable enough company that a calm and well worded phone call/email should resolve this.
Rented from Hertz in Scotland...good deal....that indicated on my contract a couple of areas of scratches, one on the left front alloy wheel....
During the 3-week trip I saw another American totally rip/ruin his LF tire/wheel...We Americans suffer from driving in the wrong side of the car, resulting in a lot of such "scrapes" with left-hand curbs....I had a minor scrape there myself...so...
At one of my stops along the way I borrowed a file and steel wheel and smoothed out the scrape I had made as well as the one it came with, and before I returned the car it got washed and cleaned inside as well. When I returned it, the agent laughed (at me or in appreciation) at the sight of the sparkling white car.
P.S. I too declined Hertz insurance that would have doubled the daily cost of the rental...one of the reasons I went out of my way to return the car in better shape than I got it.
During the 3-week trip I saw another American totally rip/ruin his LF tire/wheel...We Americans suffer from driving in the wrong side of the car, resulting in a lot of such "scrapes" with left-hand curbs....I had a minor scrape there myself...so...
At one of my stops along the way I borrowed a file and steel wheel and smoothed out the scrape I had made as well as the one it came with, and before I returned the car it got washed and cleaned inside as well. When I returned it, the agent laughed (at me or in appreciation) at the sight of the sparkling white car.
P.S. I too declined Hertz insurance that would have doubled the daily cost of the rental...one of the reasons I went out of my way to return the car in better shape than I got it.
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I rented a car for my parents, and put them in it for a short road trip.
Long story short, they brought it home with a repairable chip in the windshield that was not in the driver's field of vision, nor was it starred or cracked at that point. It was a low speed impact, from a rock in a 45 mph construction zone.
So, I did the right thing and fessed up when I returned it, and then filled out the paperwork for the chip with Enterprise. Of course, I was treated like a criminal.
I was getting ready to leave, when the car that I had returned was already headed back out on its next rental.
After about 3 months, I get a bill for $450 from Enterprise for a cracked windshield. Attached was the invoice from the glass shop that stated "Replaced cracked windshield". I made quick note that it had been replaced 2 months and 3,000 miles after I'd returned the car and filled out the paperwork.
I showed all of the paperwork to my insurance agent. He called Enterprise in Davenport (the HQ for this area) and told them to go pound sand, that there was no way that he was going to file a claim on my policy, when they'd waited so long to replace it.... leaving it in the fleet until it had cracked, and then *had* to be replaced.
Never heard back from Enterprise. I don't think I've rented from them since, either.
Long story short, they brought it home with a repairable chip in the windshield that was not in the driver's field of vision, nor was it starred or cracked at that point. It was a low speed impact, from a rock in a 45 mph construction zone.
So, I did the right thing and fessed up when I returned it, and then filled out the paperwork for the chip with Enterprise. Of course, I was treated like a criminal.
I was getting ready to leave, when the car that I had returned was already headed back out on its next rental.
After about 3 months, I get a bill for $450 from Enterprise for a cracked windshield. Attached was the invoice from the glass shop that stated "Replaced cracked windshield". I made quick note that it had been replaced 2 months and 3,000 miles after I'd returned the car and filled out the paperwork.
I showed all of the paperwork to my insurance agent. He called Enterprise in Davenport (the HQ for this area) and told them to go pound sand, that there was no way that he was going to file a claim on my policy, when they'd waited so long to replace it.... leaving it in the fleet until it had cracked, and then *had* to be replaced.
Never heard back from Enterprise. I don't think I've rented from them since, either.
Just stick to your position that the car was not damaged in any way during your rental, and any damage found was either caused by a previous renter or the rental company service people, and refuse to pay. Since no one was present to inspect the car when you returned it, they cannot prove you caused the damage. I did this once and they backed off.
Tom
Tom
Originally Posted By: stockrex
Bro,
Don't talk to them, ask them to send you a letter in the mail.
Go online to Hertz and use your rental agreement # to file a complaint, When you left the vehicle there was NO damage and you are being harassed by someone called Purco (yeah mistake is intentional, make it look like you don't know what/who purco is)
They will take care of it.
Well, no such luck. Hertz is basically telling me "tough luck", making me deal with Purco.
Purco sent me a letter last week that they're investigating and to await next steps. I'm guessing they will send me a bill to pay as a next step. I'm not planning to respond to them until then.
Bro,
Don't talk to them, ask them to send you a letter in the mail.
Go online to Hertz and use your rental agreement # to file a complaint, When you left the vehicle there was NO damage and you are being harassed by someone called Purco (yeah mistake is intentional, make it look like you don't know what/who purco is)
They will take care of it.
Well, no such luck. Hertz is basically telling me "tough luck", making me deal with Purco.
Purco sent me a letter last week that they're investigating and to await next steps. I'm guessing they will send me a bill to pay as a next step. I'm not planning to respond to them until then.
My latest, and worst rental experience was with Thrifty. Dirty, dinged-up little Hyundai, front bumper cover hanging loose under the right headlamp (I smacked it with my hand and got it back on), whole right side skinned-up, dents on every panel but the hood. The interior was dirty and smelled like smoke. I took a bunch of photos, nuked them on my survey, and got a voucher for the next Thrifty rental equal to a third of what the week's rental cost.
Document, document, document...I watched a guy in the stall next to me at Tampa Int'l videoing his [censored] Thrifty rental...I just took still images of mine. This reinforced that I'll never, ever buy a retired rental. The Hyundai had 20,000 miles on it, but they were HARD miles. I have gotten some nice cars from Alamo, and only use Enterprise for rentals during a collision repair, never for travel.
To be fair, I didn't pay much attention to the windshield...guess I will next time.
Document, document, document...I watched a guy in the stall next to me at Tampa Int'l videoing his [censored] Thrifty rental...I just took still images of mine. This reinforced that I'll never, ever buy a retired rental. The Hyundai had 20,000 miles on it, but they were HARD miles. I have gotten some nice cars from Alamo, and only use Enterprise for rentals during a collision repair, never for travel.
To be fair, I didn't pay much attention to the windshield...guess I will next time.
Next thing you know, you'll get a bill for the 1/64' of "brake pad abrasion." I once got a bill from Enterprise for a toll on a local toll road and it included an administrative fee. The toll was incurred AFTER I returned the car. Also, when I checked with the North Texas Tollway Authority they had no record of the toll and had sent no bill to Enterprise. When I called Enterprise the rep just said, "Disregard the invoice." That seems criminal. This was from a three day rental while my car was in the shop. I used my own toll tag during the rental.
I always buy the damage liability waiver directly from the rental company. It is literally the best $ 8.99 you'll ever spend.
Rented Avis last week in PIE.
New ecoboost mustang with 3000 miles on it.
Had no issues with damage, but be sure to rent with a credit card that offers protection.
If you have american express you can prepay the primary insurance protection for $19 per trip.
To the previous poster that says liability is $8.99, it is far more than that.
Insurance with damage liability was quoted at $25-$30 per day for Avis, which would have doubled the cost of my rental.
That makes the $19 for primary coverage from Amex look great, or $0 for "Secondary" coverage if you use a credit card look good also.
I have primary coverage with Geico as well, so all I need is secondary coverage from a credit card to pay loss of use fee, and other garbage.
New ecoboost mustang with 3000 miles on it.
Had no issues with damage, but be sure to rent with a credit card that offers protection.
If you have american express you can prepay the primary insurance protection for $19 per trip.
To the previous poster that says liability is $8.99, it is far more than that.
Insurance with damage liability was quoted at $25-$30 per day for Avis, which would have doubled the cost of my rental.
That makes the $19 for primary coverage from Amex look great, or $0 for "Secondary" coverage if you use a credit card look good also.
I have primary coverage with Geico as well, so all I need is secondary coverage from a credit card to pay loss of use fee, and other garbage.
Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
Originally Posted By: doitmyself
This sight has a good start on what to demand. http://elliott.org/the-troubleshooter/purco-falsely-accusing-damaging-rental-car/
Thanks.
The rental price was really low, so i guess they are now trying to make up for their losses.
Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
1. I picked up a rental car on Friday morning. No damage visible nor noted on the rental form.
2. I dropped it off on Sunday morning. It was very early, and Hertz was not yet open, so I looked the car over, dropped the keys in the slot and off I went. I saw no damage whatsoever.
3. Monday night (about 36 hours later) I get a voicemail from Purco Fleet services who supposedly handle rental car damage claims stating that upon inspection, the car had 3 rock chips in the windshield and they want me to call them back.
Doing some research on the web, it appears to be some new way of making money in the car rental industry. These Purco people have one heck of a reputation out there.
Anyway, have you guys dealt with anything like this? How should I handle this? I have not called them back yet. I'm hoping not to have to hire a lawyer...
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/10301092-post1.html
Tell Hertz you'll pay for a new windshield, then tell them that every chance you get you're telling to tell everyone Hertz are massive fraudulent [censored] they are on the web...
Then keep doing so, repeatedly...
Originally Posted By: doitmyself
This sight has a good start on what to demand. http://elliott.org/the-troubleshooter/purco-falsely-accusing-damaging-rental-car/
Thanks.
The rental price was really low, so i guess they are now trying to make up for their losses.
Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
1. I picked up a rental car on Friday morning. No damage visible nor noted on the rental form.
2. I dropped it off on Sunday morning. It was very early, and Hertz was not yet open, so I looked the car over, dropped the keys in the slot and off I went. I saw no damage whatsoever.
3. Monday night (about 36 hours later) I get a voicemail from Purco Fleet services who supposedly handle rental car damage claims stating that upon inspection, the car had 3 rock chips in the windshield and they want me to call them back.
Doing some research on the web, it appears to be some new way of making money in the car rental industry. These Purco people have one heck of a reputation out there.
Anyway, have you guys dealt with anything like this? How should I handle this? I have not called them back yet. I'm hoping not to have to hire a lawyer...
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/10301092-post1.html
Tell Hertz you'll pay for a new windshield, then tell them that every chance you get you're telling to tell everyone Hertz are massive fraudulent [censored] they are on the web...
Then keep doing so, repeatedly...
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Even if you did damage the windshield, that's what their insurance is for and I'm sure you paid a fee towards it...
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