Hertz - BEWARE--Hertz will not honor your printed confimation

Beware all--this horror story is about how Hertz overcharged me by $1750. Set up the rental on the net. Got a quote for $655. Printed the confirmation and it said something different like $1200. Called them on the phone and the reason was given that my profile dictated the higher because of certain "coverages". Went to my profile and was unable to change the coverages. Called them back. They changed the profile while I was on the phone and said "OK go back and print the confirmation again". Did that and it now read the correct total of $655. Went on the trip to England and got back to find that they'd charged my card $2400. Their reply: your profile indicated that you have the coverages. Hertz Number One Gold member for 25 years and this is the treatment you get. So be careful--in the end, your confirmation is a totally worthless peice of paper, to be ignored at their whim.

You should have told them to update your europe travel preferences. Not the ones for the United States.

That's the profile they updated--in fact both of them. This has been an absolute nightmare. The other thing I was denied was to prepay the entire amount which I normally like to do with international rentals--just so that things like this don't happen. They just flat refused to allow me to prepay and receive a voucher as I normally did in the past. No explanation except "we just can't do it for the rate quotation you recieved on the internet". Rediculous and unacceptable--they act as though they're two separate companies--one on the internet and one on the phone.

Not that it helps your particular situation, but this is why I try to glance at the Hertz paperwork for the 'estimated' charges before I head out.

For that amount of difference I would take it up with your credit card company, especially if they don't have a revised (higher) estimate with your signature.

Steve

They feel that they got you and that you will walk away. And you should not have to concern yourself about which system the vendor (in this case Hertz) needs to update.
What I would do is contract the writer for the travel section of your local newspaper. Explain the issue and what took place and ask for their help in getting it resolved. There is no guarantee that this will actually help, but it will not hurt. This individual if they decide to take a interest in your case would then contact Hertz on your behalf. Generally, the companies involved if a honest mistake has been made will fix it. This way they avoid the unpleasant write up the travel person is sure to detail in the paper (usually Sunday edition in the PHL area). Because is was international you probably can not dispute the credit card charge, but if you can do this also.

I have diputed the credit card charge. Of course no action yet. Contacting the newspaper may be the ticket. I'll give it try and see if there's any interest. By the way--still have not heard a peep out of #1 Gold after I sent them a nastygram. Still waiting for the customer service people in OK City.
The beat goes on. Thanks for the comments and ideas.

When you picked up the car, what were the charges listed on the rental and the estimated total?

If that indicated the higher charge, then Hertz's response sounds valid since you had the extras

As far as prepaying goes, to do so you do need to book a prepay rate which may well be different to the postpay rate you wanted

Dave

Try writing to Chris Elliott, the Travel Troubleshooter http://www.elliott.org/contact/

Or to the Omnsbudman at Conde Nast magazine.

That was one of the other problems I encountered--I could not find anything or anywhere to indicate that I wanted to prepay so that the system would generate that rate.

Thanks for the referrals to Chris and Conde Nast--I'll certainly try to see if either or both can be of help.

Did you not look at your contract before leaving the Hertz location? I've never had Hertz do random add-on charges like that - it's a pretty huge difference. After being a renter with them for the 25 years you say you've been Gold with them (though it's only been around since 1989 (http://www.prnewswire.com/cnoc/CORPORATES/406850.5)), I'm suprised you didn't even glance at your estimated charges - and if you did, suprised that you didn't dispute it before walking out the door...

I always look at the estimated costs before signing the contract, and then have them print out a final receipt when I go back. In AKL recently, they were charging me for an extra day because I brought the car back 45 minutes late. I've never been charged a penny before for within an hour. I brought it to their attention, and it was removed.

About 1 in 8 times, the estimated charges don't agree with what I have on my printout. 75% it's too high, 25% of the time, it's pennies lower.

That was pretty nice of them; the grace period has been only 29 minutes for the past couple of years, so they were correct to charge you for an extra hour.

.......

That was one of the other problems I encountered--I could not find anything or anywhere to indicate that I wanted to prepay so that the system would generate that rate.

Thanks for the referrals to Chris and Conde Nast--I'll certainly try to see if either or both can be of help.

Please be sure to let us know if either of them are able to solve your issue.

I am interested to know if this was resolved.

I am interested to know if this was resolved.

Considering the OP has 4 posts, and they are all in this thread, I doubt the OP is still hanging around on FT.

I always look at the estimated costs before signing the contract, and then have them print out a final receipt when I go back. In AKL recently, they were charging me for an extra day because I brought the car back 45 minutes late. I've never been charged a penny before for within an hour. I brought it to their attention, and it was removed.

About 1 in 8 times, the estimated charges don't agree with what I have on my printout. 75% it's too high, 25% of the time, it's pennies lower.

1 in 8 isn't bad at all. Why didn't the OP review the estimated charges as he drove off of the lot? I am confused ...

1 in 8 isn't bad at all.

I disagree -- a 12.5% error rate is dismal. Hertz controls every part of this equation. If they are capable of calculating a total when you return the car, they shouldn't have to "estimate" anything -- provided you keep the car for the agreed upon amount of time and fill the tank before returning, the reservation confirmation should match the final bill to the cent.

I have rented about 40 times from National in the past three years, and they have not made a mistake once. (I don't have as much history with Hertz, but I'm disputing an overcharge right now.)

The first time I rented with Hertz the total was bang on. The next time, it was out in their favour by a matter of cents. It was really obvious too, I redeemed a $25 off coupon that wasn't in the original total, but then the new total was less than $25 off. Figure that one out.

I should point out that after almost 50 rentals National has never been off by as much as a cent.

But on the other hand, my final bill with Hertz usually ends up being a bit (maybe a few dollars) LESS than the estimate.

(Maybe I should complain about that? ;))

But on the other hand, my final bill with Hertz usually ends up being a bit (maybe a few dollars) LESS than the estimate.

(Maybe I should complain about that? ;))

"Excuse me, you're not taking enough money from me as per this printout so I DEMAND you recitfy this!" :D

Consistency is the important thing. On the rental I'm disputing, the total ended up being almost $40 more than the estimate. If I recalculate everything on the receipt, and substitute the "base rate" from the confirmation for the "weekly rate" on the receipt, I get within $0.02 of the estimate. But Hertz claims that the "base rate" already reflected the CDP discount. To me, that makes it not a "base rate" at all.

Moreover, the Hertz website clearly indicates that the total rate is "guaranteed", whereas the email confirmation calls the total rate an "estimate." That's a bait and switch.

On mine it says "RATE IS GUARANTEED" in the e-mail confirmation of reservation.

Sanosuke!

On mine it says "RATE IS GUARANTEED" in the e-mail confirmation of reservation.

Sanosuke!

Well, that's only half of the sentence, the other half is "TO BE CHANGED" :D