Cracked Windshield - but not my fault!
#1
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Cracked Windshield - but not my fault!
Well, this is a first. About halfway through my rental this week, the windshield started to crack -- from the bottom-up! Had a closer look, and there was a rock ding at the very bottom of the windshield, completely out of view. Exchanged the car at the nearest Hertz location, and filled out a damage form. Nothing hit the windshield on my watch, but the most that the Hertz reps would say is that "all cars are pre-inspected", and that if the damage wasn't previously noted that I'd be held responsible. Really? And just what is this "inspection" -- would they have noticed a small rock ding out of sight on the bottom of the windshield? Anyone have any advice or thoughts on this?
#2
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"Anyone have any advice or thoughts on this?"
Yes: conduct your own inspection before you drive a rental car of the lot.
Did you use a credit card that provides rental-car coverage?
"Anyone have any advice or thoughts on this?"
Yes: conduct your own inspection before you drive a rental car of the lot.
Did you use a credit card that provides rental-car coverage?
#3
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"Anyone have any advice or thoughts on this?"
Yes: conduct your own inspection before you drive a rental car of the lot.
Did you use a credit card that provides rental-car coverage?
"Anyone have any advice or thoughts on this?"
Yes: conduct your own inspection before you drive a rental car of the lot.
Did you use a credit card that provides rental-car coverage?
Yeah, I'm fully covered with other insurance (AMEX premium rental, which pays for everything), but my sense of justice says that Hertz is full of crap on this. I had nothing to do with the ding in the windshield.
If this is the way Hertz is going to be, I will become their worst nightmare on rental pickups.
#4
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"Anyone have any advice or thoughts on this?"
Yes: conduct your own inspection before you drive a rental car of the lot.
Did you use a credit card that provides rental-car coverage?
"Anyone have any advice or thoughts on this?"
Yes: conduct your own inspection before you drive a rental car of the lot.
Did you use a credit card that provides rental-car coverage?
Unfortunately hertz takes a position of charging customers for whach should be considered wear and tear while keeping card for 20-30k and beyond.
#5
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"I had nothing to do with the ding in the windshield."
That may be so, but if neither you nor Hertz noted pre-existing damage before you drove the car off the lot, how is Hertz to come to that conclusion?
As to the "justice" of it, since Amex is paying, let them worry about that. I'm sure that Amex is quite capable of looking after its own interests on questionable damage issues. After all, you're paying for Amex's Premium coverage so that you do not have to worry about things like this.
"I had nothing to do with the ding in the windshield."
That may be so, but if neither you nor Hertz noted pre-existing damage before you drove the car off the lot, how is Hertz to come to that conclusion?
As to the "justice" of it, since Amex is paying, let them worry about that. I'm sure that Amex is quite capable of looking after its own interests on questionable damage issues. After all, you're paying for Amex's Premium coverage so that you do not have to worry about things like this.
#6
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Yesterday when I swapped out the car with the windshield crack at PHX, the replacement car had a card in it telling me how clean and well-prepared the car was. The windshield was a buggy and bird-pooped mess that I had to clean off myself, and all the windows were spotty and looked like they had been cleaned with a dirty rag. The inside had not been well vacuumed. If the same person who cleaned that car was also responsible for "pre-inspection" it's not a trustworthy situation. At least the replacement car hadn't been smoked in.
Last edited by flyerfmaz; Jul 29, 2015 at 9:49 am
#7
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"I had nothing to do with the ding in the windshield."
That may be so, but if neither you nor Hertz noted pre-existing damage before you drove the car off the lot, how is Hertz to come to that conclusion?
"I had nothing to do with the ding in the windshield."
That may be so, but if neither you nor Hertz noted pre-existing damage before you drove the car off the lot, how is Hertz to come to that conclusion?
Yesterday evening I called AMEX to report the windshield crack issue. The AMEX rep laughed when I told him about Hertz's "pre-inspection" game. We both agreed it was stupid. AMEX will take care of the windshield I'm sure. BUT...just fair warning to anyone renting from Hertz...BEWARE of their "pre-inspection" system.
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When I pick up a car from any car rental company and see any damage that I think might raise an issue on return, I go back to the rental counter and insist that an agent note the pre-existing damage on my contract. And I keep my copy of the contract after I have returned the car.
Damage forms may be convenient, but they are not the sole method of noting pre-existing damage. And when my wallet's at stake, I do not rely on an agents assurances as to what's already been noted. Take photos with your cell phone, and get the damage noted before you drive off the lot. That's the only way to protect yourself -- or your insurer.
When I pick up a car from any car rental company and see any damage that I think might raise an issue on return, I go back to the rental counter and insist that an agent note the pre-existing damage on my contract. And I keep my copy of the contract after I have returned the car.
Damage forms may be convenient, but they are not the sole method of noting pre-existing damage. And when my wallet's at stake, I do not rely on an agents assurances as to what's already been noted. Take photos with your cell phone, and get the damage noted before you drive off the lot. That's the only way to protect yourself -- or your insurer.
#9
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This thread reminds me of last fall when it sounded like a rock hit the windshield of our almost new car. When we stopped I scanned the windshield carefully from inside the car and didn't see any damage. The next morning there was a 7 inch crack starting from the bottom of the windshield, from below what's visible from inside the car. When we had the windshield replaced the technician said that damage from that area (the very bottom of the windshield) is very hard to fix and almost always results in replacing the windshield. A regular Novus type repair doesn't generally do it. It sounded like a rock chip in that area is much more likely to result in a big crack than a chip in the center of the windshield too.
So whether it's a rental car or your own car that chip at the very bottom of the windshield is bad news. I've added checking for chips in that area to my list of things to check when picking up a rental car.
I assume you're talking about the windshield here. As an aside I noticed in the fine print that my Amex Premium Car Rental Protection doesn't cover tire damage "...unless other Damage occurs to the Rental Car from the same Accident, or Theft of the entire Rental Car occurs..." So a regular flat tire may not be covered. Just thought others who have this same coverage would want to know. If this is too off topic then Mods do what you must.
So whether it's a rental car or your own car that chip at the very bottom of the windshield is bad news. I've added checking for chips in that area to my list of things to check when picking up a rental car.
I assume you're talking about the windshield here. As an aside I noticed in the fine print that my Amex Premium Car Rental Protection doesn't cover tire damage "...unless other Damage occurs to the Rental Car from the same Accident, or Theft of the entire Rental Car occurs..." So a regular flat tire may not be covered. Just thought others who have this same coverage would want to know. If this is too off topic then Mods do what you must.
Last edited by Westcoaster; Jul 29, 2015 at 11:15 am Reason: typo
#10
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As an update, I turned the cracked windshield issue over to AMEX and they're handling it. So, there won't be any issues with resolution. Still, Hertz's "pre-inspection" game should give everyone great pause when picking up a rental from them. Inspect, inspect, inspect!!
#11
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"Still, Hertz's "pre-inspection" game should give everyone great pause when picking up a rental from them."
Is there any reason to believe that Hertz' "pre-inspection" is anything more than the check-in inspection done at the close of the previous rental? If not, then Hertz is no better -- and no worse -- than any other car-rental company.
Unless you are willing to rely upon the thoroughness (and integrity) of your car-rental company, you must always do your own thorough inspection before driving any rental car off the lot.
"Still, Hertz's "pre-inspection" game should give everyone great pause when picking up a rental from them."
Is there any reason to believe that Hertz' "pre-inspection" is anything more than the check-in inspection done at the close of the previous rental? If not, then Hertz is no better -- and no worse -- than any other car-rental company.
Unless you are willing to rely upon the thoroughness (and integrity) of your car-rental company, you must always do your own thorough inspection before driving any rental car off the lot.
#12
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I'd rent more from Enterprise but their rates tend to be on the high side and my client will probably balk at the cost.
#14
Join Date: Sep 2014
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It's CONSIDERABLY different than Enterprise. Every single time I've rented from Enterprise, the agent took the initiative to go with me to the car and do a walk-around, with an inspection form in hand, helping me look for problem areas. I didn't even ask. Hertz just tosses you the keys and isn't interested. For example, a few weeks ago Hertz was going to rent me a hail-damaged car. When I went back to the counter, they weren't interested in seeing the car, they just said "it's probably already in the system as a pre-inspection issue". Probably??!!? They didn't look in the system or write it down anywhere. They just "said so". I didn't take the car, it was all too iffy of a situation.
I'd rent more from Enterprise but their rates tend to be on the high side and my client will probably balk at the cost.
I'd rent more from Enterprise but their rates tend to be on the high side and my client will probably balk at the cost.
#15
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When I pick up a car from any car rental company and see any damage that I think might raise an issue on return, I go back to the rental counter and insist that an agent note the pre-existing damage on my contract. And I keep my copy of the contract after I have returned the car.
When I pick up a car from any car rental company and see any damage that I think might raise an issue on return, I go back to the rental counter and insist that an agent note the pre-existing damage on my contract. And I keep my copy of the contract after I have returned the car.