Getting a car with a 2-hour delay
#1
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Getting a car with a 2-hour delay
My Hertz airport pick-up location experienced issues with the preparation of several cars and my car was delivered over 2 hours beyond the booking time, ie at 3:01pm instead of 1:00pm as booked. Please note that I was at the location well in advance of my booking time, and my credit card was charged at 12:48pm.
As the rental car rental agreement mentions 1:00pm of April 22 as "RA due", I specifically asked the Hertz representative at the location to confirm in writing that in fact the car is due by 3:01pm on the return date. and that there will be no additional charges if the car is returned by 3:01pm. She confirmed this only orally.
Would anybody be able to advise me if I should trust her oral reassurances that I can keep the car those extra two hours, which would be convenient to me, without incurring additional charges? Please note the return date is tomorrow.
Thanks!
As the rental car rental agreement mentions 1:00pm of April 22 as "RA due", I specifically asked the Hertz representative at the location to confirm in writing that in fact the car is due by 3:01pm on the return date. and that there will be no additional charges if the car is returned by 3:01pm. She confirmed this only orally.
Would anybody be able to advise me if I should trust her oral reassurances that I can keep the car those extra two hours, which would be convenient to me, without incurring additional charges? Please note the return date is tomorrow.
Thanks!
#2
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I can't predict what will happen tomorrow, but I would not have left the facility until the rental agreement was updated to reflect the actual time that the car was made available to you.
#3
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Sorry I wasnt accurate. The delay is fully reflected in the system and in the RA. The RA Out is marked as 3:01pm, even if the RA Due still oddly says 1:00pm. Would that be enough to give me the right under the RA to keep the car for those extra two hours, or will I have to fight to dispute an extra charge?
Last edited by frank26.2; Apr 21, 2023 at 7:43 pm Reason: Sent too soon
#4
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Sorry I wasnt accurate. The delay is fully reflected in the system and in the RA. The RA Out is marked as 3:01pm, even if the RA Due still oddly says 1:00pm. Would that be enough to give me the right under the RA to keep the car for those extra two hours, or will I have to fight to dispute an extra charge?
But do you actually need to keep the car until 3:01?
#5
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Thanks for your reply!
My flight is at 3:55pm, the airport is pretty small, and has no airline lounges, and Im traveling with a carry-on. So Id rather not get to the airport 3 hours before my flight if I can avoid it!
My flight is at 3:55pm, the airport is pretty small, and has no airline lounges, and Im traveling with a carry-on. So Id rather not get to the airport 3 hours before my flight if I can avoid it!
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#7




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You should have no problem then. The Hertz rental day is a 24-hour period. And I believe that Hertz, like the other majors, allows a 29-minute grace period upon return, so you'd probably be OK as long as the car were checked back in by 3:30 pm. But should definitely not be a problem with a 3:01 pm return.
But do you actually need to keep the car until 3:01?
But do you actually need to keep the car until 3:01?
#8
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I haven't rented from Hertz in quite a while. But I've rented from both Avis and Budget in the past five months (they share a counter and a fleet at my small airport in Upstate New York), and on both rentals, the 29-minute grace period was confirmed. (I actually made use of it on my last rental.)
#9
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I was told at the counter when I got the car that there was no 29-minute grace period. I found that surprising, but I played it safe, and I kept a target time of 3:01pm, based on our exchange above.
Im glad to report a happy ending of my rental adventure. I returned the car a bit after 2pm and there was no additional charge.
In fact, a few hours before returning the car, United canceled my flight due to the intense storms on the east of the US. I had to drive 2 hours and return the car at a different airport. Believe it or not, I got no drop-off charge either.
I still intend to write to Hertz customer support to complain about the 2-hour delay.
Im glad to report a happy ending of my rental adventure. I returned the car a bit after 2pm and there was no additional charge.
In fact, a few hours before returning the car, United canceled my flight due to the intense storms on the east of the US. I had to drive 2 hours and return the car at a different airport. Believe it or not, I got no drop-off charge either.
I still intend to write to Hertz customer support to complain about the 2-hour delay.

