"I had a Very Bad experience with Hertz over Thanksgiving."

[mahatmakanejeeves]

Kevin M. Kruse Retweeted

Priorities, baby

I had a Very Bad experience with
@Hertz
over Thanksgiving.

This is what happened & the letter I wrote. We are totally fine, & our Thanksgiving ended up wonderful, but I suspect this is a fraudulent business practice, & I want to give it visibility for those who don't or can't.

Link to tweet

[Mary in S. Carolina]

1. Orlando Florida

Our flight from Europe arrived at midnight and the rental car parking lot was dark but chaotic with travelers. I wanted to do a walk around the car and the employee said "no" that it was pre-inspected and there was no need. I had him sign that they refused the walk around. I dropped the car off the next day in my hometown and they tried to get me for over $500.00 damage . This is such a scam, I threatened to call the business licensing board and showed them the paper that the employee refused the walk around.

Take pictures and video - it appears this scam is sanctioned by the rental car companies. Also, they now have rental cars by owner at turo.com. I have never used them, but it would be interesting if this takes off.

[MichMan]

2. I don't believe that a reservation is considered a contract

I have not rented a car for a few years, so maybe I am completely wrong.

I think they are just reservations since as far as I know, payment is not made until the transaction is completed and the car is picked up. I don't believe they are prepaid.

> If it truly was a contract, the renter would be bound by it and responsible for paying, even if there were travel delays or flight cancelations due to weather or connecting flights etc.

> The other issue that makes it difficult is that people that have the car rented can call the rental company at any time and say they need it for another day or two. Now there is no car for the next person that had it reserved.

> Finally, they can't buy new cars, as there a few to buy due to the chip shortage and other supply chain constraints. I imagine they are having trouble hiring staff like nearly every other employer in the service sector.

I understand the frustration of the twitter writer and I would be mad as well. The entire situation does appear to be poor customer service, but the car rental business is really in turmoil right now.

[taxi]

4. Hertz has it's headquarters here, just a few miles from this 4,000 car fire last year.

Watch the video, this was $100,000,000 worth of rental cars gone.

snip ...
In May, recycling companies removed the burned vehicles. About 2,500 of the vehicles were from Enterprise, and Avis and were taken to Garden Street Iron and Metal to be turned into scrap metal, which can then be recycled and sold. Trademark Metals moved more than 1,000 destroyed Hertz vehicles to their Punta Gorda location.

https://www.winknews.com/2020/08/25/fire-that-destroyed-nearly-4000-rental-cars-at-rsw-causing-100m-in-damage-ruled-accidental/

[MichMan]

3. Reminds me of the Seinfeld episode

[Auggie]

5. Here's a trick that might help, provided you can physically do it:

when your flight lands RUN to the rental car counter. Do not stop at the bathroom. Do not retrieve checked luggage. Get in line first thing. Of course rental companies overbook. So consider other renters your competition. Don't dawdle.

Not flying? Get to the rental company when they open. It may screw with your plans and even cost you an extra day but it's better than no car at all. The early bird gets the mid-size.