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#21 ness

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Posted 18 April 2013 - 10:57 PM

First of all, I had to get my windshield replaced last year, the cost was over $700 and there is nothing special about it. I can easily see $900 for a windshield on a new vehicle. Windshields are expensive, this is why ICBC makes you take your (close to) 20 year old or over vehicle to the claim center over a cracked windshield. There was some question as to whether this would write off my car.

I may have worked part-time for a large car rental company in a low non-customer service position so this is only my opinion based on observation. I would say it's a pretty good idea to make sure you have insurance, whether it be the over-priced insurance they want to up sell you on, or some type of your own. Everything is your fault, and there is a chance you'll have to pay for it. From the car rental companies point of view, if someone runs you off the road, it's your fault. If someone vandalizes the car while you're sleeping, it's your fault. The company I worked for (and I assume others) won't deal with your insurance, they'll leave it up to you to get your money back from them yourself. The only way to walk away hassle free is to buy their over-priced insurance that agent behind the counter is making commission on. That being said, there is a LOT (a lot!) of damage that goes without ever being paid for. It is very hard to prove when that damaged happened, especially at smaller locations (such as certain small airports) that don't have the greatest damage inspection processes. These small locations have less staff and the inspections are up to the people that clean the vehicles. If the location doesn't check the car right away as you're bringing it back, who knows how long that car has been sitting in the parking lot before someone came to clean it? That huge dent on the fender? Well that could have happened in the lot AFTER you dropped it off. That windshield chip? that could have been missed on the inspection before you even picked up the car. It's not easy to spot chips on a wet windshield. The car is non-smoking? Well maybe those aren't your ashes, maybe they were missed in the cleaning and it was the last guy who was a smoker.
If you want to be safe, make sure you check every bit of damage is on your inspection report BEFORE you get in the car, even if that means having to walk all the way back to counter inside the airport. The customer service rep will take your word for it and scribble it down, it will take you 5 seconds. No one wants to deal with the hassle of reporting damage, unless it is pretty major it will go unnoticed.
As a side note, if your car isn't as pristine as you'd like it, know that these places aren't in the business of detailing cars. The people that are cleaning are given no time, a worn out vacuum, some dirty rags, and weak soapy water. There can easily be 60+ cars per day in the summer over 13 hours between about 4 people. That doesn't even take into account the fact that the reservation system doesn't consider how many cars a location actually has available, so all of them are needed as fast as possible.
Car rental companies are CHEAP.

#22 Holden West

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Posted 19 April 2013 - 06:39 AM

^That post depresses me. I'm an honest guy. If I damage your car and it's my fault I'll pay for it no problem or make sure my insurance does. But I expect fairness the other way. If I think the car rental company is going to screw me around, I have no choice but to attempt to deceive them through denial. But ness points out this tactic is hopeless and we are all victims.
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#23 ness

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Posted 19 April 2013 - 12:08 PM

^That post depresses me. I'm an honest guy. If I damage your car and it's my fault I'll pay for it no problem or make sure my insurance does. But I expect fairness the other way. If I think the car rental company is going to screw me around, I have no choice but to attempt to deceive them through denial. But ness points out this tactic is hopeless and we are all victims.


I don't think I said they screw you around. They are very up front about their policy of not dealing with your insurance company, as this helps them sell their own coverage. They are in the business of making money. Honestly, I think its fair to have to pay for things like windshield chips and tire punctures. They arent always in your control, but if you borrowed your friend's car and returned it with a chipped windshield, wouldnt you pay to fix that? My main point was that they know they will have a hard time proving when the damage happened, as a result, it will often go unpursued.

#24 Mike K.

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Posted 19 April 2013 - 12:29 PM

Ness, in your experience, customers who have had to rely on their ICBC rental car insurance coverage (it's available for road stars for something like $20/year), were they able to actually make use of the insurance or was it an exercise in futility?

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#25 LJ

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Posted 19 April 2013 - 07:06 PM

I don't think I said they screw you around. They are very up front about their policy of not dealing with your insurance company, as this helps them sell their own coverage. They are in the business of making money. Honestly, I think its fair to have to pay for things like windshield chips and tire punctures. They arent always in your control, but if you borrowed your friend's car and returned it with a chipped windshield, wouldnt you pay to fix that? My main point was that they know they will have a hard time proving when the damage happened, as a result, it will often go unpursued.


In the last 10 years or so I have found the rental companies very fair about minor scratches and nicks. They tell me they consider this normal wear and tear and I have never been hassled for it. They are looking for major dents and the like. I do a quick walk around and mark anything major on the sheet and have the guy/gal at the checkout window initial it, and I have never been asked about anything on return. I once pointed out to the guy examing the vehicle on return about some major scratches on a truck I was returning that I had noted on the form, he just glanced at it and said "no problem".

Perhaps it depends on who you rent from, but I have rented from almost all of them without incident.
Life's a journey......so roll down the window and enjoy the breeze.

#26 ness

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Posted 19 April 2013 - 08:53 PM

Ness, in your experience, customers who have had to rely on their ICBC rental car insurance coverage (it's available for road stars for something like $20/year), were they able to actually make use of the insurance or was it an exercise in futility?


Like I said, I was not in a customer service position so I can't say. Like any insurance, as long as you are aware of the policy, Im sure its fine. I dont work for ICBC though. The problem is that you will have to pay the rental company upfront for any damage (your fault or not) that occurs to the car while its in your possesion. You will then have to go about getting this money back from your insurance company. The rental companies don't have people to deal with all the different insurance companies in different parts of the world.

LJ is totally right. They generally tell people not to worry about anything less than the size of a quarter (excluding windshield chips) or scratches light enough to not catch your finger nail. This could depend company to company or even location to location. If you want to be safe, ask what they consider damage before going out to the car and doing your own inspection. Pay special attention to windshield chips, as this is probably the most charged item I've seen. It's a safety issue and there is a little more motivation to actually have these fixed.

#27 Mike K.

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Posted 19 April 2013 - 11:12 PM

I see. Thanks for the insight.

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#28 Rob Randall

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Posted 19 April 2013 - 11:30 PM

I'm still angry about the rock chip thing. I recently got a chip from a car in another lane, so it's not like I was following closely. This is a pure wear and tear issue and a sleazeball cash grab. That's why agencies charge mileage. To pay for normal stuff that happens to a car on the road.

Honestly, I think its fair to have to pay for things like windshield chips and tire punctures. They arent always in your control, but if you borrowed your friend's car and returned it with a chipped windshield, wouldnt you pay to fix that?


If I borrowed a car (for free) from a friend, of course I would pay for any damage. Renting a car is different.

#29 Rob Randall

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Posted 19 April 2013 - 11:42 PM

I no longer live Downtown but if I did I might use car share but I wonder what their policy is on chips and flats. I'd be more lenient on them because they are a non-profit and aren't interested in gouging their clients.

#30 LJ

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Posted 20 April 2013 - 06:40 PM

I'm still angry about the rock chip thing. I recently got a chip from a car in another lane, so it's not like I was following closely. This is a pure wear and tear issue and a sleazeball cash grab. That's why agencies charge mileage. To pay for normal stuff that happens to a car on the road.

.


When was the last time you rented a car? I haven't paid a mileage charge for...well as long back as I can think of.

All car rentals now are unlimited distance, or at least all the ones I have rented from.
Life's a journey......so roll down the window and enjoy the breeze.

#31 Rob Randall

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Posted 20 April 2013 - 07:20 PM

^Really? It's been a few years since I rented a car. Still, if I rent a hotel room and the minifridge conks out, they don't expect me to pay for that to be repaired, right?

#32 sebberry

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Posted 20 April 2013 - 07:29 PM

A better comparison would be if you rented a hotel room and someone outside tossed a rock into the window and broke it...

But either way, not your responsibility to pay for it.

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#33 Holden West

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Posted 03 January 2014 - 12:08 AM

She dropped the car off on a Sunday. Most Enterprise locations in the Halifax region are closed on Sundays and people who need to return vehicles that day are instructed to leave the key in a secure drop box.

The next day, Enterprise called Cockerill. The company had the keys, but no Mustang.

“I was pretty panicked, wondering where this car went, and actually went in to the shop that evening after work just to speak to [the clerk] in person and kind of find out what's happening here,” she said.

Police investigated and determined the vehicle was stolen. That appeared to be the end of it until Monday when Cockerill got a bill from Enterprise for $47,000, the replacement value of the Mustang.

 

http://www.cbc.ca/ne...-bill-1.2482273


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-City of Victoria website, 2009

#34 G-Man

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Posted 03 January 2014 - 10:27 AM

Reminds me of this:

 

http://youtu.be/b00-c-bk4U0


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It has a whole new look!

 


#35 Sparky

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Posted 03 January 2014 - 10:40 AM

^ That was funny.  I did that once in Maui. The added $50 on to my visa. :)



#36 jklymak

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Posted 03 January 2014 - 11:33 AM

I take photographs when I drop a car off now. Can't hurt.

#37 Sparky

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Posted 03 January 2014 - 11:45 AM

That's a darn good idea.

I rented a car in Palm Springs a while ago and put a nasty scrape down the side. Mrs Sparky was not pleased with me.

No problem. I went to the parts store and bought some filler, sand paper, and factory touch up paint. You should have seen the look on her face when I was finished.

 



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