Dollar - Question : assessment of damages after return

I'm new to this forum, and having a hard time seeing any threads - not sure if they're not there or whether I'm just impaired tonight!

I've been renting from Dollar at ORD 4 days week almost every week for the last 6 months. When I returned the rental just before Christmas, there was a rear panel that was detached at the top from the rest of the body. It looked for all the world like the glue holding it on had simply stopped sticking it down. For the first time ever I wished that my cell phone had a camera.

I just received a $200 bill for the "damage". I'm trying to find the best address and person to write to tell them what I think of a $200 charge for non-sticky adhesive. I swear I could have used a double-sided glue dot and held it back on. About $40 was simply for assessing the damage. Part of the charge was for lost rental time. I can't even work up to being angry about it...my experiences with Dollar at O'Hare have been largely the worst customer service of any travel-related organization I've ever done business with. Sadly they are cheap, as is the client that I am working at.

Any info would be greatly appreciated. If there is an FAQ with the info, could you please send me a link since I'm not finding it by browsing. Thank you!

Hi Trulyblues,

The Dollar forum isn't terribly active, and the system only displays threads with activity in the last 10 days. In the main Dollar forum, you can go to the bottom of the screen and choose to display older threads, though.

As far as your question, unfortunately, it's hard to argue about damages unless you have some sort of proof that the damage existed before you picked up the car. I would have assumed they would have sent you contact information for their claims department along with the damage charges, which is the person/department responsible for your damage charges.

Outside of that, your options are limited. You can call or write to Customer Care, call or write the president's office, or demand a copy of the estimate and threaten to take them to small claims court over excessive damage charges.

The third is probably out of the question, but if you do want to call or write customer care, their number is 800-800-5252 (their address should be on the Dollar website--I don't have it saved).

And if you want to express your concerns to the president's office, here is his information:

Gary Paxton
President and Chief Executive Officer
Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group, Inc.
5330 East 31st Street
Tulsa, OK 74135-5076

You might also want to try his email address, although I'm not sure if it works or if it goes to him, his executive assistant, or some generic high-level customer service person, but it's supposed to be gary.paxton@dtag.com. He also has a fax number listed: 918-669-3008.

Best of luck!

Outside of that, your options are limited. You can call or write to Customer Care, call or write the president's office, or demand a copy of the estimate and threaten to take them to small claims court over excessive damage charges.

Thanks for the reply!

I wrote a letter explaining why I have an issue with paying that much money for a dab of adhesive and someone to hold the panel while it sets. I also suggested that they contact their marketing group and find out how much it costs to secure a customer who will make approximately forty 4-day rentals in 2008 on top of the 30ish in 2007, and ask whether that $200 really looks like a good idea. I've provided my credit card information and clearly stated that if the charge is applied to my card, Dollar and Thrifty will never get one cent of my business again. I sent a copy to Foley, their senior exec for global marketing and franchise operations. I have no expectation that the letter will do any good, but I feel much better for venting at them!

Please post back if and when you get a response from anybody. I'm curious to know if writing Paxton's office ever does any good. (Did you do physical letter or email?)

I'd also be curious to know more about the damages. Perhaps you should ask your claims contact person for a copy of the estimate for repairs. It is entirely possible that $200 is not unreasonable. I know from personal experience (as well as from a friend who owns a body shop) that apparently minor damages can really turn out to be far more expensive than you'd think.

Best of luck, though.

Please post back if and when you get a response from anybody. I'm curious to know if writing Paxton's office ever does any good. (Did you do physical letter or email?)


I've waited a while to see how this would shake out after I mailed the letters to them. A few weeks ago I got a very strange voicemail from someone at their main office giving an insincere sounding apology for the fact that I felt I had been unfairly dealt with, and saying that my credit card had been charged.

However, no charge has ever been applied to my credit card. I can't say that I'm surprised that the right and left hands at Dollar have no idea what the other is doing. I got the result I wanted, and pretty much don't care about the how or why of it! :)