Steerpike

Rental cars, checking for damage -


In the 'old days', when you rented a car, you and the rental company jointly signed off on a 'diagram' showing any damage. These days, at least at airports, that never happens. So - when you return a car and it has damage (dents, scratches, etc - not big stuff) how do they handle it? Without any agreed 'starting point', it's not clear they can pin anything on you. So far, I've never had an issue, but this last week, I returned a car and it had all kinds of dents and scrapes, and I wasn't sure if they were there to start with or not. They didn't say anything at the time of return, but I wonder if I'll hear something after the fact.

Beaverstate

Is there a place on the documents you fill out where you can automatically write MD&S for minor dings and scratches. Then when taking the car notice if anything is in excess of MD&S?

Nutek

Pictures... Before and after.

dj6372

Mainly footwells, when it rained really heavily I had to lift my feet off the floor to stop the water going in my shoes!


Lifting the floormats gave a unique view of the road!!


Bracken? Interesting name??!!

dc koop

The last time I rented a car from Enterprise the rental guy and I did a walk around the car before I was given the keys. Any scratches or dents were noted on his paperwork showing the location on the body panels

Steerpike

Yep, I've had that too with Enterprise (who provided a temp car while my car was serviced) and also at a local Avis office. But the airports don't seem to do this; Avis, Alamo, National at least don't seem to, at SFO and PHX.


I've taken pictures of cars before driving off, even though they may contest the validity. But this last time, it was a black car and not very well lit in the PHX rental car garage, so I didn't see any of the dings. I do always do a walk-around.

rbackhouse

I can vouch that Budget still does inspection paperwork at Vegas Airport. Have to hand it into the attendant at the gate before you leave the parking garage.

Bob

Someone a while back was looking for a rat rod, but the local one to us had moved on but while visiting the folks up in Maine, saw one for sale heading towards Sugarloaf, with two others that were almost finished.

$7200. '41 Ford with a 350 automobile engine. If interested, I can ping the number for the guy as I have it written down.

Boomhauer

That was me. I was really digging that Ford Rust rod you pictured. Really wanted to know what he/she was asking for it . So I take it was sold? Not really into the black ford pictured but thanks for heads-up .

Giantaxe

I always photo rental cars too, but I suspect that if there was a dispute over damage, the rental car company would dispute their authenticity/date etc. In general, though, I've found rentals in the US to be much less picky about damage than in the UK.

Oakvillian

Avis once looked sideways at a ding in a car I was returning at, I think, Denver airport. As soon as I pulled my phone out to find the photo I'd taken on picking up the car, the returns guy backed down. I didn't even need to show him the photo; just the fact that he thought I might have taken one was enough to stop him trying it on.

As it happened, I did have a picture, but in retrospect it would have been worth calling his bluff even if I hadn't...

Bob

I think it was and the guy was just waiting for it to get picked up.

Boomhauer

I rent only from Enterprise , because I only rent pickups . Everytime the rental guy does a walkaround with me , noting down any issues.

Boomhauer

A rare Mercedes , a 500k Special Roadster , that was stolen by American troops , is returning to the heirs of the German who owned it . A court in Germany grants possession of it to the Hans Pyrm heirs following a lawsuit.

Rare Mercedes stolen by Allied troops in WWII set for £6m sale

Steerpike

And when I rented from 'Fox' last month (one of the 'second tier' rental agencies), at PHX, they too had the 'diagram' and let me inspect the car and fill it out. But I only rented from them because there were no cars available from the 'big guys'. So while quite a few rental companies do indeed offer a 'diagram' to note damage, many do not - specifically at major airports. My personal experience has been with Avis, National, Alamo at SFO and PHX airports.

As an aside, 'Fox' weren't actually that bad; I had read that they would badger me to death regarding extra insurance coverages, but they were fairly easy in that regard, and the car I got was OK, and the return process was decent also. Maybe it was because I arrived at midnight and the guy was too tired to bother. I really like the way Alamo and National let you choose any car within a category - I literally walk up and down the 'aisle' and pick out the one I fancy.