Originally Posted by
seawolf
There is no requirement they have to do the repairs. Same as you having an accident in US; one option is insurer cuts you a check and you do what you want with it.
This sums it up. This is classic US renter encountering German auto rental industry practices having more stringent damage tolerances than what renter is used to.
I’m guessing it is scratches to a wheel/rim not the tires.
I think that the point is that they are suggesting that multiple renters are being charged for the same damage. The way I read it, they are saying that the wheels were probably already scratched (but not noticed or documented) when the renter picks the car up; on return the damage is "found"; the renter is charged a fee for the damage; the next renter picks up the same car; lather, rinse, repeat.
I don't know if it's any kind of official "policy", and I haven't run into it myself, but it wouldn't be unheard of.