Hertz Fuel Scam
Jul 7, 2021, 10:47 am
#166
Join Date: May 2020
Programs: Hyatt Globalist , Marriott Titanium Elite, Hertz President's Circle
Posts: 13
I usually rent around 200 days a year and dumped Hertz after they checked my car in a day later in February than actually turned in.
Took me two weeks to get corrected.
Also I had issues with exorbitant OW fees.
Fortunately both Enterprise and National had a status match to my President's Club
Took me two weeks to get corrected.
Also I had issues with exorbitant OW fees.
Fortunately both Enterprise and National had a status match to my President's Club
Last edited by bslsailor; Jul 7, 2021 at 10:56 am
Jul 7, 2021, 1:28 pm
#167
Join Date: Jun 2017
Location: Houston , TX
Programs: Platinum Pro. .Hilton Honors Gold,
Posts: 688
In the last couple of months there have been multiple press reports about Hertz charging self-described non-smokers with exorbitant fees for smoking in the vehicles during their rental periods, mostly because unnamed employees had "smelled smoke." LA Times article here. (If you need a subscription, Jalopnik does a good summation here.)
Elliot Advocacy also documents multiple cases of Hertz adding on dubious $400 smoking fees. (Elliot Advocacy article.)
Today another report came from the LA Times describing how a renter was charged a $100 cleaning fee after she reported the car already unclean and she even found a used condom in it. Story here.
Elliot Advocacy reports that a majority of recent dubious smoking fee charges have been coming from either Hertz or Hertz-owned brands Dollar and Thrifty. There is speculation that this is due to Hertz' shaky current financial situation and they are trying to squeeze dollars out of customers wherever they can.
I always found Hertz to be one of the "upscale" agencies. I've been willing to spend a few dollars more to use them because in general the lines are shorter (if I have to use a line at all) and they've never seemed to play games like high-pressure upselling for insurance or larger-class cars. But despite being a "Five Star" status member these reports are disappointing and making me think twice about using them. I've used Avis twice since May and have had zero problems with them.
Elliot Advocacy also documents multiple cases of Hertz adding on dubious $400 smoking fees. (Elliot Advocacy article.)
Today another report came from the LA Times describing how a renter was charged a $100 cleaning fee after she reported the car already unclean and she even found a used condom in it. Story here.
Elliot Advocacy reports that a majority of recent dubious smoking fee charges have been coming from either Hertz or Hertz-owned brands Dollar and Thrifty. There is speculation that this is due to Hertz' shaky current financial situation and they are trying to squeeze dollars out of customers wherever they can.
I always found Hertz to be one of the "upscale" agencies. I've been willing to spend a few dollars more to use them because in general the lines are shorter (if I have to use a line at all) and they've never seemed to play games like high-pressure upselling for insurance or larger-class cars. But despite being a "Five Star" status member these reports are disappointing and making me think twice about using them. I've used Avis twice since May and have had zero problems with them.
Jul 7, 2021, 1:38 pm
#168
Suspended
Join Date: May 2021
Posts: 116
If this is true, it's very unfortunate and I hope Hertz addresses it immediately. Personally, I have nothing against Hertz and use them when mandated by work and so forth, but they surely aren't the 'upscale' car rental agency you speak of. Avis, National and Enterprise are certainly more 'upscale'.
Jul 7, 2021, 1:45 pm
#169
Join Date: Mar 2014
Posts: 335
I used to trust gate and return agents at major airports when they say you won't be charged and it's unnecessary to document such things until $350 cleaning fee hit me.
Now I simply take enough photo/video as proof including both interior and exterior of the car before leaving/upon returning and even document if the car smells like cigarette factory on the pre-inspection sheet.
Now I simply take enough photo/video as proof including both interior and exterior of the car before leaving/upon returning and even document if the car smells like cigarette factory on the pre-inspection sheet.
Jul 8, 2021, 10:05 am
#171
Moderator Hilton Honors, Travel News, West, The Suggestion Box, Smoking Lounge & DiningBuzz
Join Date: Jun 2000
Programs: Honors Diamond, Hertz Presidents Circle, National Exec Elite
Posts: 36,053
Jul 8, 2021, 4:16 pm
#172
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: LAX/TPE
Programs: United 1K, JAL Sapphire, SPG Lifetime Platinum, National Executive Elite, Hertz PC, Avis PC
Posts: 42,379
No matter who we rent from, we have a set task to wipe down the entire interior down to the belt buckles with our Chlorox wipes until soaked even before stepping inside the car. There is no way those Hertz cars, or the cars of any rental car vendor, have been cleaned anywhere near those nonsense sanitation "standards" they promote - the car likely gets a quick interior spritz of cleaner, a quick 30 second wipe, an even faster vacuum, and someone slaps one of those ridiculous stickers on the door that remind everyone that you're a tourist driving a rental car
Jul 12, 2021, 1:28 pm
#174
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: JFK LGA PBI BOI
Posts: 912
They don't even take off the broken seal, I have yet to find a car with a non-broken clean seal. I guess Hertz assumes I won't notice that it is broken since maybe I found one on the driver door, always some other door.
Jul 12, 2021, 1:45 pm
#175
Join Date: Jul 2011
Posts: 1,145
The car I rented did not have a seal (of course, it wasn't cleaned before I picked it up, given the manager had been driving it). There was some sort of stain on the hump in the second row of the SUV (probably milkshake or something similar from a kid). Because we had a dog in it, I ended up washing the car so I could vacuum it out. I think the car was returned cleaner than I received it.
Jul 13, 2021, 4:19 am
#176
Join Date: Oct 2016
Posts: 3,734
The sticker doesn't make much sense at UC locations since people will frequently open the doors to look at a car then walk away.
Jul 18, 2021, 8:35 pm
#177
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Los Angeles
Posts: 12,654
I was a victim over Christmas at Hertz Boston Logan. My father had been hospitalized and on top of that after a 11 hour rental they slapped me with a $400 smoking fee. It was additional stress and two months later after an AMEX dispute and threatening legal action I was finally refunded.
Probably because 2/3 of the cars already smell like someone smoked in them and they were poorly cleaned. I've had my share of cars that smelled like poorly cleaned post-smoker rentals but fortunately they've never tried to charge me the cleaning fee.
Jul 22, 2021, 8:40 pm
#178
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: BOS
Programs: UA MM
Posts: 1,582
This does raise an interesting point. We routinely check the exterior of a rental vehicle for damage, and get it noted. But I, at least, don't think much about the interior. The car I returned earlier today had a ripped interior side panel and some damage to an interior handle. Fortunately they did not try to blame it on me.
Jul 23, 2021, 3:00 pm
#179
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: BUR
Programs: AA, DL Platinum, AS, AF/KL, UA, VS, HA, Hilton Gold, Marriott Gold, Hertz Presidents Circle
Posts: 1,788
Yes I started this thread but I inadvertently got a pre-paid non-refundable reservation with Hertz! It was through Priceline "Express Deals" that are non-refundable and you don't know exactly which rental company you'll get when booking. Priceline did indicate it will be "one of these companies" and listed Avis, National and you know who. This was definitely much cheaper than the published rates even with Costco, AAA and/or other coupons.
A little apprehensive, but armed with this knowledge of shenanigans, upon pick-up I plan to say I smell cigarette stench and animal poo, see stains and hairs everywhere, that there are scratches and dents all over the exterior and that the engine is "making strange noises." I'll add the used condom to boot. Photos will be taken before and after and I'll drop off the car earlier than usual to ensure a human checks me out and confirms everything is okay. I'll report here if there are issues.
A little apprehensive, but armed with this knowledge of shenanigans, upon pick-up I plan to say I smell cigarette stench and animal poo, see stains and hairs everywhere, that there are scratches and dents all over the exterior and that the engine is "making strange noises." I'll add the used condom to boot. Photos will be taken before and after and I'll drop off the car earlier than usual to ensure a human checks me out and confirms everything is okay. I'll report here if there are issues.
Jul 27, 2021, 5:24 am
#180
Join Date: Feb 2007
Posts: 6
They ripped me off too
Recently, I returned a car to the Frankfurt-am-Main station in Germany. I was accused of having dog fur in the car. I told the rep that no, I did not bring a dog from the USA to ferry around Germany and in fact have never owned a dog. On my return to LAX, I rented a car at the Hertz station there and they gave me a car with 1/4 tankful of petrol. I reported it and it was supposed to be duly noted. I returned the car the next day with 1/2 tankful (four gallons more than I'd received) yet was billed $53 to top off the tank. I contacted them through chat, facebook, e-mail, and a letter yet each of those enquiries was ignored. I disputed the transaction with my credit card company and it is still in dispute status. So, don't rent from Hertz -- they're high as hell and then they double the cost at the end with spurious, fraudulent charges.
Last edited by jason8612; Jul 28, 2021 at 12:42 pm Reason: FT rules pt 12.2