TimFountain

I just posted this at Tripadvisor. I would avoid these charlatans at all costs. Just posting here in case anyone is considering them:

I rented a car for a week, from Feb 3rd through Feb 9th. The car was a Hyundai i30 - supposedly similar to a golf, er, yes they are the same size but that's about it! The car was fairly ratty with 21,000 rental miles with lots of dings, dents, scratches and kerbed alloy wheels. I picked up the car in the pouring rain and the checkout noted all the issues discussed above. I drove away and within 100 yds noticed a small (<3mm) round ding on the windshield, just below the windshield wiper and really not all that noticeable I was 50/50 in turning around and having the issues noted, but determined that I could call them and have them make a note of the issue.
Unknown to me I would be stopping sooner rather than later as the oil level light came on about 100 miles down the road. I stopped in a garage and put first one, then 2 litres of oil. The dipstick was now showing full but the light didn't go off. So I called Greenmotion Heathrow to ask for advise but 3 times they didn't answer and surprise, surprise, they have no answer machine. Finally I called Hyundai directly and they sent out the RAC (breakdown service) who could not find any reason for the light to be lit. The RAC guy hooked up a computer to the car and reset the light.
On returning the car, I was informed that the car had a window ding, but no matter how much I argued with the intransigent manager and his motley crew, they would not budge. I showed them my phone log with attempts to call them, I offered to let them talk to my father, who was in the car when I rented it. I was told that the windshield would need to be replaced, at my cost, for 300-600UK pounds. No amount of discussion would get them to give me a written quote, so basically I had to walk away with an unknown liability for damage I did not cause. I called a national windshield replacement company and was told that it would be 360UK pounds, but that based on my description of the damage, they would not advise replacing the window and that it could be filled in for very much less.

My main problems with this rental are:
1. Car was not properly serviced and run to a dangerously low level of oil.
2. Conditions were such that it was impossible to see this small ding when I rented the car.
3. They don’t pickup their phone, so you cannot report damage that you may have missed in the walk around.
4. I believe they supplement their low rental prices with well-established scams such as this
5. They looked on their computer and basically told me they had no record of damage to the windshield. They would not, under and amount of discussion, allow me to see that car’s record. I suspect this was due to the fact that the damage was already noted and their scam would be exposed.
6. They cannot give you any idea how much the supposed damage may cost to repair. Of course once you have left the country they can start dipping into your credit card. They also will not send a certified bill from the repairer or a photo of the fix, so you basically have no assurance that the repair has actually been done.
In summary I cannot recommend this company, you would be better off walking or taking public transport! They appear to offer a good price, but the real price is going to be substantially more once their little extras are added. Avoid at all costs.

Bluegrass Lass

I'd probably cancel my credit card to prevent them from charging the 'repair' to it.

TimFountain

Good idea but no dice. They take a 750 UKP freeze on the card you use, and only release it when they feel like it. I have already talked to the credit card co and they have put a stop on Green Motion being able to take any more money. If I don't see the money returned in a few days then they are planning on doing a chargeback. Either way a big PIA....

- Tim

cranston

what a nightmare....good luck with this.

Scouse Express

Thanks for the warning.

Just priced a three-week rental, from Manchester, for an Astra,

Total cost was $1,200 inc insurance, so I am going to use Public Transport.

Sod That.


Jim.

Brit3964

I had a similar experience with Enterprise at Gatwick last year. I would also suggest one avoids them too. I'd had the car, a Vauxhall Corsa for almost a month when I returned it. They found a small stone chip in the middle lower part of the windshield. I didn't remember it happening. The guy says "oh I don't think it could be filled out, it might need a new windshield". Anywhere from 300-600 UKP. I said incredulously "what...for that?!" I wasn't in the best of moods since my mother had died earlier that month which was the reason why I was there.

Cut a long story short, once I got back, I sent a not-so-nice letter to Enterprise at Gatwick. Eventually after a month+ I got it settled. 40 UKP for a windshield repair. They will do a hold on your credit card for $600 in my case until the matter is resolved. It turned out that 2 days after I returned that car, they sold it. I used to use Enterprise a lot while in UK. Not anymore. Try Sixt or Avis at LGW instead.

Then there was the weekend van hire with Nationwide Hire UK to move some of my mothers furniture that a friend bought. They tried to charge me 27 UKP surcharge for mileage to/from their office to the house, a total of 22 miles round trip on a diesel Transit?! Eventually after much haggling via email and phone calls I managed to get that removed. Avoid too.

Watch out in UK with car/van rentals at the moment it seems. With the country in recession, they have become creative on ways to recover losses.

GeoffM

I guess one lesson from this is to get a video recording on your phone of a walkaround of the car. State the date and location on the audio too or show a card with the same.

jjmb

that sounds like a good idea. We always take pics when we rent a vehicle.

MMcD

Contest the "unknown", yet to be determined charge:
Immediately!
This is precisely why we're encouraged to use credit cards rather than paying by cheque or cash....if and when there's a dispute - it offers a certain level of protection to the cardholder.
Call your credit card company:.
Ask (insist) to speak to a Supervisor. Make note of their name, the date and time and which call centre they're in. Also get a reference number (if possible) for your call.
Tell them you want it noted on your account that there's an upcoming charge which will not show up yet. Have them note on your account - your description of what occurred. (Reading from your forum post would probably do the trick). They'll be unable to actually put the matter "into contention" before the charges post - but, until the matter is settled you want to be "on record" with your report/description of EVERYTHING related to this incident. And once the charges do post and go into contention -you'll be sent a form by them to fill out with your written description of what occurred and copies of any actual physical evidence that you might have ( documentation of the phone calls etc. you describe) which support your contention. You will not be held responsible for payment until the contested matter is finally settled.
Plus - the better your own record is with your credit card company - the more and the harder you'll be able to push and lean on them to support you in this matter.
and frankly....from your description, in your post....if it were me - my goal would be to pay them NOTHING

Middlemore

I don't use the big airport based companies for that reason, its impossible to resolve anything with them.
If you don't mind a short bus ride, go to the bus station at Terminal 2 and get a 140 bus to Harrow, get off in the Northolt Road in Harrow and walk into Jafvans office. I have used them for years, they are a family business, with decent honest staff.
I usually skype call them about a week before i travel, they have never let me down. For the cost of £1.30 bus ride, you save a fortune, get a decent car and great service.

yellowroom

I've used a branch of Enterprise near my parent's house a few times and now know the staff, so feel reasonably confident about dealing with them. The first time I hired a car it had a couple of niggly things wrong with it (radio would only tune to Classic FM, the rear parcel shelf string was missing so it didn't lift on opening the boot, things like that).

I dropped it off at the airport for later branch pick-up, so I also emailed the branch manager about the niggles and he immediately offered me a 20% discount on my next hire, which he still remembered and honoured 6 months later.

Once staff know your name and you become a customer they remember, I think you get a lot better service. It's finding that branch/company that give a **** in the first place that's tricky...

Giantaxe

I've successfully challenged two attempts by UK rental car companies to charge me for damage that I am very sure I didn't cause. A pain in the ass and very unsettling that this kind of thing happens. I do like the idea of videoing the car when picking it up, although even this is problematic if it's dark when you do so.

MMcD

Further to my earlier post:
If you put the matter into contention, as I suggested above, that rental company will be required - by the credit card company - to substantiate their repair costs as well as YOUR responsibility for paying for them - by handing over (to card company) items (numbers 5 & 6 ) which you mention in your original post, as well as the vehicles detailed service record - if they want to be paid. All of which were denied to you. (Be sure to suggest to card co. that they be required to do so)
This isn't the nightmare, big deal you imagine going forward:
So long as your relationship with Card company is a good one - they'll stand behind you. Well - at least that's been my experience with Visa - who have NEVER let me down thru the years - and have always come through for me....including once with Dell for a $2500 charge - when the entire charge to my account was rescinded after I challenged it, followed by a letter of apology from Visa for the annoyance to which I'd been subjected
Sic 'em!!!

Muswell Hill

I always rent my cars from easycar.com because they have some of the most reasonable terms and conditions and all rentals have damage and third party, fire & theft, CDW included with very low deductables. However, when i rent a car i always try to do so in day light-easy on a US to UK flight, and I video the walk round with the agency employee. At the end of the video walk round i ask them if all the damage has been noted with my agent did. I then switch off and take pictures of of any dents or dings. One time upon returning a Vauxhall corsa i had for 4 days they tried to get me for a scratch on the left rear passenger door. We argued for about 2 minutes until the manager arrived and i showed him the video. The employee who did the walk round with me was behind the counter 5 yards away. After watching it the manager turned bright red, ripped up the damage form under my nose and stormed away.

10 minutes extra effort to beat these cowboy rip off merchants looking to shaft the unexpecting customer.
Needless to say I had a very large smile on my face all the way home!

Car rental in the UK is so much more of a hassle than here....

Brit3964

The first thing I tried was this but my credit card company said unless you have the rental car company's agreement to refund any charge, the contract you sign when you rent the car generally allows them to withhold x amount of money until any accident/repair dispute is resolved. Nice idea and normally this works but not in the case of rental car companies.