TimF1975

I got in my car at IAD on Tuesday and there was no contract. They printed one for me at the gate and checked my ID. I turned my car in today and the guy (who knows me by now) says, you're not Syed. I pull out the contract and sure enough it's got the wrong name. So I go to the desk and get it fixed. But I'm wondering about a few things. What if I just got on the bus and left? Would I have had a free rental? And what happened to this Syed fellow when he went to pick up his car? Also, what would have happened if I got into an accident or something like that? I did pick up the correct car per my email on Tuesday. Seems like a really bad job by the gate agent...

cordelli

And by you. In the end, it's the driver's responsibility to check they have the right paperwork. Had you gotten into an accident or stopped for speeding or whatever, I guarantee you it would have taken much longer to sort out (depending on the state) than it would have to verify your contract was correct before leaving.

Yes the gate person messed up, but you never looked at it.

TimF1975

I guess I will have to check it from now on. I just can't believe they let me take the car off the lot.

MojaveFlyer

I will admit that I sometimes just glance at the contract and assume that the guy at the gate checks it against my license. Better be more careful going forward!

bhunt

I always check my contract now but one time I was on a multimonth and had a car due for oil change so I brought it in and exchanged for another car. Person at gate did not catch it either that the agent exchanged somebody elses contract number.

What happened:
Other Driver
So once agent did that the other driver was driving around with a non-assigned car. When he returned it he must of just dropped it off because nothing happened at the time. But a week later they called him asking to return the car. He said he did but did they not believe him until they found camera footage of him returning a car. SO HERTZ REPORTED THE CAR THAT I HAD STOLEN (I don't know why they could not backtrace and figure out that I had the car)

What happened:
to Me

My original contract car was in the return line after I exchanged my things. So Hertz return people assumed that I just returned the car early and ended my contract. So I assume I am driving around on my multimonth contract when I get pulled over by the police they say I am in a stolen car. So I go to show the officer my contract and thats when I see it is not in my name. Car gets impounded and I get a trip to the police station. They never cuffed me or put me in a jail cell at least. But I was able to call the HLE manager where I start my contracts and he called the airport location where I do my exchanges and got things straighted out and he came and picked me up and took me to pickup the car at the impound lot. THE GOOD THING ABOUT IT I RECEIVED THE LAST THREE MONTHS OF MY CONTRACT FREE. (about $1500)

ALWAYS CHECK YOUR CONTRACT!!

GW McLintock

Wow!

But it really boils down to a one-night horror story and you saved $1500... tbh if it's a nice car then I'd say it's worth it

-J.

Arthur Randolph

I had this just happen to me in PHX.
I get the email with the car information, pick it up and get my contract printed and ID checked at the exit.
When I get to the hotel, I take the contract and casually notice the 4480$ rate then I noticed the name was wrong. The car number was one digit different than on the contract.
I tried to call Hertz PHX but they never picked up. Well, if they can't be bothered to pick up, I won't be either.
When I returned the car at the end of the weekend, the return guy was all confused.
I went to the customer service counter and explained the situation to the manager. They apologized for the mistake. I wasn't sure they understood the implications, so I explained again that the Mustang convertible I got out was basically in the wild for the entire weekend without any trace on Hertz systems. That's when it dawned upon them what happened. They proceeded to ask me exactly when I exited and from which gate, presumably to go have a chat with the exit gate agent..

fyaric

Just got charged for a car that i did not take out. so i called the manager and he bluffed a reason and said im sorry i will reverse the charge. should i do anything else?

Doc Savage

Keep checking your statement to make sure the charges are reversed.

DJTim

When I arrived at BOS, I looked for my name on the gold board, and for the 2nd or 3rd time - it wasn't there. Went inside, and they stated "You already left with your car". Either someone got confused, or had the same last name. Either way - someone was driving around with my name on a contract.

I wonder what would have happened if that person did something with that rental with my name on the contract!

Doc Savage

You would be initially held liable, especially if it were a hit and run or if it were not returned, and you might have trouble clearing it up.

Kind of scary to think about.