HELP! Emergency Car Return
 

Need advice/guidance on a car I've rented from Dollar. We rented the car in NYC, drove to Tennessee, and intented to return to NYC in a few weeks. We have an emergency situation, and need to return the car now, obviously to a local location. When I call Dollar, they tell me they can't change my reservation to a different drop off, and can't help me any further than that.

I tried to call the local branch repeatedly, but can't get in touch. So, want to see what past experience has been.

Is it possible to return the car - will the local branch take it? I assume there may be a drop fee, but need to understand if they will take it, or turn me away!

Thanks!

I suggest you attempt to drop it off at the nearest large station (airport perhaps) and see what they say.

Agreed that you should take it to an airport. I've never done this with Dollar but I've changed the return with Hertz/National/Avis. Typically the daily/weekly rate changes (sometimes SIGNIFICANTLY), other times it's a drop fee of up to $250. In any event, I've never been turned away when trying to give the car back.

Depending on the emergency issue, and if you have travel insurance, they might help out (either contacting Dollar and/or reimbursing any fees).

Good luck!

Absolutely concur that you should take it to a large, corporate-owned location, and preferably between 9a-4p.

I say this because the best/nicest/highest up management usually works during this time.

Be honest with that person about your emergency situation. They can keep your existing rate plan and take the car back, if they want to.

They certainly will take the car back either way - if the option is between taking their asset in a different location or possibly not getting it back, they’ll always take the former.

If the person returning your vehicle (don’t let them close you out in a return lane, you will have to ask for the Return Manager, or go to the counter, to complete) doesn’t agree to keep your rate the same, you can ask them to estimate how much it will cost to return there, prior to actually doing it and closing the contract and charging your card.

Thank you all for your advice! We ended up taking it back to an airport location, as recommended, which was pretty seemless (also, absolutely deserted due to COVID19). They took the car back, no questions asked, but did have to charge us a drop fee ($125)... although the agent was able to waive some reservation extension fees we were going to get hit with.

We had rented from Dollar, and they were pretty terrible on the customer service, but we ended up returning to a Hertz counter (just the way it was set up), and they were professional and helpful!

TIL - you can pretty much return a car to any location, if needed!

That's good that it worked out. That drop fee isn't terrible relative to what some of them charge. Hertz owns Dollar so that's why you returned there. A lot of the airport locations have consolidated their brands behind one desk.