Unusual rental car experiences you have had
Aug 25, 2003, 10:31 pm
#1
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Unusual rental car experiences you have had
How about not only listing the unusual rental car rules you have faced, what about the unusual experiences?
For example, once we got off a cruise ship stopping on Bora Bora and rented a car to drive around the island. As I was adjusting the rear view mirror, it fell off in my hand. The rental clerk standing there said, "Don't worry, you won't need it." And he was right!
Then there was the time I arrived very late to Oahu on a flight from Sydney, and asked the driver of the empty rental bus shuttle to help us with our bags. The driver got offended and said, "No way, an' you also ain't gettin' no shuttle, man!" Then he sped away. We took a taxi to our hotel and called the station manager the next day -- as atonement, they paid for our taxi back to the airport, and practically GAVE us a free rental car for 5 days at our next stop, which was Maui.
For example, once we got off a cruise ship stopping on Bora Bora and rented a car to drive around the island. As I was adjusting the rear view mirror, it fell off in my hand. The rental clerk standing there said, "Don't worry, you won't need it." And he was right!
Then there was the time I arrived very late to Oahu on a flight from Sydney, and asked the driver of the empty rental bus shuttle to help us with our bags. The driver got offended and said, "No way, an' you also ain't gettin' no shuttle, man!" Then he sped away. We took a taxi to our hotel and called the station manager the next day -- as atonement, they paid for our taxi back to the airport, and practically GAVE us a free rental car for 5 days at our next stop, which was Maui.
Aug 26, 2003, 11:07 am
#2
Join Date: May 2003
Posts: 1,315
Maybe this isn't that unusual for people who rent vehicles regularly but I once got a flat tyre in a Hertz car I had booked out for a month. I changed the wheel to the space-saver and rang Hertz to ask where I should drop off the flat for it to be repaired. They said "never mind fixing the flat tyre, bring the whole car back here and we'll change that instead".
If only it were that easy in my own car! :-)
If only it were that easy in my own car! :-)
Aug 26, 2003, 12:10 pm
#3
Join Date: Sep 2002
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We had Budget on Maui bill us 5 times for the same rental. Our total bill was supposed to be around $199.00 and each day the charges kept showing up on our credit card. We called to ask them what the hell they were doing and they denied that they were doing this. We had to have a three way conference call with our credit card comapany and Budget and they still denied it, even with the credit card co telling them they they were putting through the same charge each day. Our credit card company had finally had enough of them and put some type of block so they couldn't put any more through and removed the excess charges from our bill.
What a fun vacation we had that time!
What a fun vacation we had that time!
Aug 26, 2003, 12:37 pm
#4
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<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by kiwibigdave:
Maybe this isn't that unusual for people who rent vehicles regularly but I once got a flat tyre in a Hertz car I had booked out for a month. I changed the wheel to the space-saver and rang Hertz to ask where I should drop off the flat for it to be repaired. They said "never mind fixing the flat tyre, bring the whole car back here and we'll change that instead".
If only it were that easy in my own car! :-)</font>
Maybe this isn't that unusual for people who rent vehicles regularly but I once got a flat tyre in a Hertz car I had booked out for a month. I changed the wheel to the space-saver and rang Hertz to ask where I should drop off the flat for it to be repaired. They said "never mind fixing the flat tyre, bring the whole car back here and we'll change that instead".
If only it were that easy in my own car! :-)</font>
Aug 26, 2003, 12:37 pm
#5
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Springfield,MO,USA
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Received a lawyer letter and various harassing calls from a major rental company regarding an accident that had occured over 1 month following my rental of that particular car. Luckily I had my receipt and was pleased to tell them to bother someone else.
Aug 26, 2003, 3:06 pm
#6
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Avis sent me a bill for $2300 for an accident that occurred on the east coast while I was on the west coast.
I'd meant to book an Avis car for Portland, Oregon but accidentally typed in the airport code for Portland, Maine (PWM sted PDX). When I got to Portland, Oregon they had no reservation for me, obviously, but kindly fixed me up anyway. Meanwhile a lady in Portland, Maine got into a car with my name hanging from the rear-view mirror and wrecked it.
Six weeks later I got the bill. It took a solid three weeks of letter-writing, message-leaving and voice-mail-navigating to resolve things. I was tearing my hair out. The Avis accident-resolution people were among the dullest, least able customer-contact staff I have ever encountered anywhere. It was like trying to reason with farm animals.
I'd meant to book an Avis car for Portland, Oregon but accidentally typed in the airport code for Portland, Maine (PWM sted PDX). When I got to Portland, Oregon they had no reservation for me, obviously, but kindly fixed me up anyway. Meanwhile a lady in Portland, Maine got into a car with my name hanging from the rear-view mirror and wrecked it.
Six weeks later I got the bill. It took a solid three weeks of letter-writing, message-leaving and voice-mail-navigating to resolve things. I was tearing my hair out. The Avis accident-resolution people were among the dullest, least able customer-contact staff I have ever encountered anywhere. It was like trying to reason with farm animals.
Aug 26, 2003, 4:54 pm
#7
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- Once while in an Avis car, I got rear-ended by another car shortly after picking it up and had to abandon the rental. When I called the Avis hotline, the guy said "no problem - we'll reimburse the rental cost". (The cause of the accident was not in dispute and I give the other guy's insurance info to Avis to cover the damages.)
About 3 weeks later, I got an odd rental bill: about $500 for towing, a one-way drop fee (tow truck took the car to who knows where), etc. I called, they realized the mistake and reversed the charge.
About 3 months later, I got a couple of nasty letters saying I had caused the wreck, and therefore owed Avis about $2000 to fix the car. Finally I called, had them refer to the original accident report and other guy's insurance, and they said "Oh yeah, we'll try to get them to pay". I never heard from them again...
- On a Hertz rental on Kauai, I lost two hubcaps on the first day I had the car. We drove the car all over the island - including some bumpy roads - but nowhere "prohibited". Still, I was convinced I'd have to buy two (hopefully cheap) hubcaps on return. At checkin, the guy laughed and said people lose the hubcaps all the time and that they have crates full of replacements in the back room. No charge for losing them...
About 3 weeks later, I got an odd rental bill: about $500 for towing, a one-way drop fee (tow truck took the car to who knows where), etc. I called, they realized the mistake and reversed the charge.
About 3 months later, I got a couple of nasty letters saying I had caused the wreck, and therefore owed Avis about $2000 to fix the car. Finally I called, had them refer to the original accident report and other guy's insurance, and they said "Oh yeah, we'll try to get them to pay". I never heard from them again...
- On a Hertz rental on Kauai, I lost two hubcaps on the first day I had the car. We drove the car all over the island - including some bumpy roads - but nowhere "prohibited". Still, I was convinced I'd have to buy two (hopefully cheap) hubcaps on return. At checkin, the guy laughed and said people lose the hubcaps all the time and that they have crates full of replacements in the back room. No charge for losing them...
Aug 26, 2003, 6:04 pm
#9
Join Date: Nov 2002
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Recently stayed at an airport hotel and needed a rental car each of the 7 days I would be there. Rather than renting a car for the full week and paying the $25/day valet parking fee imposed by the hotel, I booked 7 single day rentals. After a couple of these, the rental agency front desk staff started recognizing me. 
One of them said "We looked you up and you have a car rental booked for every day. Why?" I explained and we had a chuckle together.
The cost of 7 daily rentals was the same as a weekly rental for that location, so I didn't suffer financially. (In fact, I used one of my "free day" coupons for one of the rentals, so I was actually better off. The fact that I got 500 airline miles + 500 bonus airline miles for each rental didn't hurt either.
)
One of them said "We looked you up and you have a car rental booked for every day. Why?" I explained and we had a chuckle together.The cost of 7 daily rentals was the same as a weekly rental for that location, so I didn't suffer financially. (In fact, I used one of my "free day" coupons for one of the rentals, so I was actually better off. The fact that I got 500 airline miles + 500 bonus airline miles for each rental didn't hurt either.
)
Aug 26, 2003, 6:19 pm
#10
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These all go back awhile -
(1) I had a Hertz car in YVR - I was in Bellingham and it started to flash flood. The car started leaking just above the rear view mirror. I ran inside to a Denny's and called the #800 - no problem, get back to YVR and there will be a new car waiting. After the rain let up, went back to YVR - they had no idea I was on my way. "Did you return the car full?" NO, and you aren't charging me, you just killed 1/2 a day!
(2) Hertz - car automatic transmission froze in 1st gear. They had to tow it back to the airport. "Sir, did you return the tank full?" Almost lost it.
(3) Hertz - Brand new car, first driver. A hose wasn't attached properly - I got car just about back to the hotel and it died. They had to tow it, and paid for my cab to back to the airport. "Sir, did you return the tank full?" (Are these people SERIOUS?)
(4) Alamo - PHX in the summer - auto transmission console shifted itself out of gear - from Drive to Neutral from time to time. A/C wasn't working well, and then THUD, something fell on my foot - yes, the rear view mirror. I don't recall if they asked if I filled the tank.
(1) I had a Hertz car in YVR - I was in Bellingham and it started to flash flood. The car started leaking just above the rear view mirror. I ran inside to a Denny's and called the #800 - no problem, get back to YVR and there will be a new car waiting. After the rain let up, went back to YVR - they had no idea I was on my way. "Did you return the car full?" NO, and you aren't charging me, you just killed 1/2 a day!
(2) Hertz - car automatic transmission froze in 1st gear. They had to tow it back to the airport. "Sir, did you return the tank full?" Almost lost it.
(3) Hertz - Brand new car, first driver. A hose wasn't attached properly - I got car just about back to the hotel and it died. They had to tow it, and paid for my cab to back to the airport. "Sir, did you return the tank full?" (Are these people SERIOUS?)
(4) Alamo - PHX in the summer - auto transmission console shifted itself out of gear - from Drive to Neutral from time to time. A/C wasn't working well, and then THUD, something fell on my foot - yes, the rear view mirror. I don't recall if they asked if I filled the tank.
Aug 26, 2003, 6:55 pm
#11
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Rented a car at the airport.
Drove it to an off-airport rental car location.
Returned it and rented another car. Pricing is done by where you rent from, so you can return to the airport and still pay the much cheaper, off-airport rate.
It is SO much cheaper to rent off-airport that this makes sense for more than a few days during the weekday expensive rental days
Drove it to an off-airport rental car location.
Returned it and rented another car. Pricing is done by where you rent from, so you can return to the airport and still pay the much cheaper, off-airport rate.
It is SO much cheaper to rent off-airport that this makes sense for more than a few days during the weekday expensive rental days
Aug 26, 2003, 7:16 pm
#12
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Strangest - Years ago - picked up a car in FLL after a lengthy wait on boat show weekend - when I opened the trunk to stow my luggage there was no room as the previous occupant had left the trunk completely (to the brim) filled with tree and garden trimmings (unbagged) - had to wait another 30 minutes for a replacement.
One in HAM I was upgraded to an E-Class 2.0 with only 100 km on the odometer Unfortunately they had forgotten to enter the enabling code on the radio-cd player, and the ONLY person in the head office who had access to the codes was on holiday, so I drove for 4 days sans music (they credited Eur. 75,- in compensation).
One in HAM I was upgraded to an E-Class 2.0 with only 100 km on the odometer
Unfortunately they had forgotten to enter the enabling code on the radio-cd player, and the ONLY person in the head office who had access to the codes was on holiday, so I drove for 4 days sans music (they credited Eur. 75,- in compensation).
Aug 26, 2003, 7:40 pm
#13
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<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by richard:
Rented a car at the airport.
Drove it to an off-airport rental car location.
Returned it and rented another car. Pricing is done by where you rent from, so you can return to the airport and still pay the much cheaper, off-airport rate.
It is SO much cheaper to rent off-airport that this makes sense for more than a few days during the weekday expensive rental days</font>
Rented a car at the airport.
Drove it to an off-airport rental car location.
Returned it and rented another car. Pricing is done by where you rent from, so you can return to the airport and still pay the much cheaper, off-airport rate.
It is SO much cheaper to rent off-airport that this makes sense for more than a few days during the weekday expensive rental days
</font>
Aug 26, 2003, 7:43 pm
#14
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Oh yeah, one more: I once fought a rental car parking ticket from Stockholm via snail mail -- and won!
BTW, parking tickets in Sweden can be VERY expensive.
BTW, parking tickets in Sweden can be VERY expensive.
Aug 26, 2003, 8:45 pm
#15
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Boston, MA, USA
Posts: 1,470
Don't know is this makes "Unusual", but many years ago, Hertz gave me a brand new car (less than 10 miles on the odometer) in San Jose, CA one time, or so I thought.
I couple of miles after leaving the airport, I missed a turn and stopped in a gas station for directions. The attendant pointed out there was colored liquid pouring from the underside of the engine. It appears the radiator was leaking. I jumped back in the car and drove the few miles back to Hertz at the airport and swapped cars. I was thankful I was not driving any distance after leaving the airport.
Needless to say, I did not end up paying for that rental.
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I couple of miles after leaving the airport, I missed a turn and stopped in a gas station for directions. The attendant pointed out there was colored liquid pouring from the underside of the engine. It appears the radiator was leaking. I jumped back in the car and drove the few miles back to Hertz at the airport and swapped cars. I was thankful I was not driving any distance after leaving the airport.
Needless to say, I did not end up paying for that rental.
------------------
Michael Steinberg
Editor
BizTrip
www.biztrip.com
A site for travelers by a traveler with 20+ years experience
Please visit my site and let me know what you think.