Car Rental Trap

[DUNROAMIN]

HI TO ALL.

Recently rented a car from ASAP rentals. Normal procedure at front desk, gave the car a once over and checked the fuel gauge, all ok. After leaving the airport and driving a few Klms I noticed a very small stone chip in the front windscreen. At that stage was not to concerned, however, on the return however, things took a change. We dropped the car back with full fuel tank and no damage. The ASAP member inspected the car and gave the green light, he did not mark the sheet with any damage and circled the fuel tab as full and then I asked him to sign the document, which he did, only after I prompted him. He did not offer a copy at that stage. The plot thickens, after about 15 mins my wife gets a phone call from ASAP rentals asking if we had insurance for the hire car as there was damage to the front windscreen. Luckily we had not check in for our flight, and headed back to the rental desk. The young girl get asking for insurance to cover the damage, I told her the we do have insurancs, however would not be paying as the paper had been signed off by the staff as all good. I asked for a copy of the return sheet and then showed her the car was cleared of any defects. She was not impressed that I challenged her. I told her I was happy to call my lawyer to talk to her, she declined and said ok you can go. The excess money was retured to my card 2 days later.

This was a borderline scam, as the guy checking the car was hoping that I would just accept his word that all was good walk away, then when it was too late in the day and we had flown out, they would find damage somewhere and try to scam you out of money. I think the guy was trying to cover up his mistake.

1. Check every square inch of the car.

2.Take pictures of the car defects before driving off. 

3. Make sure the return slip is signed off and you get a hard or digital copy.

Good luck.

 

 

 

[scubascuba3]

Where is this ASAP rentals?

[Puccini]

ASAP Car Rental has a station at Maseru airport in Lesotho, South Afrika. It could have happened there.

[DonniePeverley]

Unfortunately you should have noticed the small chip on the screen. 

 

It's your responsibility in these regions.

 

I literally film everythign in Ultra 4K HD in these regions. They will flinch you for everything. 

[DUNROAMIN]

19 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

Where is this ASAP rentals?

Bangkok airport.

[DUNROAMIN]

19 hours ago, Puccini said:

ASAP Car Rental has a station at Maseru airport in Lesotho, South Afrika. It could have happened there.

ASAP at Bangkok airport.

[DUNROAMIN]

22 hours ago, DUNROAMIN said:

HI TO ALL.

Recently rented a car from ASAP rentals. Normal procedure at front desk, gave the car a once over and checked the fuel gauge, all ok. After leaving the airport and driving a few Klms I noticed a very small stone chip in the front windscreen. At that stage was not to concerned, however, on the return however, things took a change. We dropped the car back with full fuel tank and no damage. The ASAP member inspected the car and gave the green light, he did not mark the sheet with any damage and circled the fuel tab as full and then I asked him to sign the document, which he did, only after I prompted him. He did not offer a copy at that stage. The plot thickens, after about 15 mins my wife gets a phone call from ASAP rentals asking if we had insurance for the hire car as there was damage to the front windscreen. Luckily we had not check in for our flight, and headed back to the rental desk. The young girl get asking for insurance to cover the damage, I told her the we do have insurancs, however would not be paying as the paper had been signed off by the staff as all good. I asked for a copy of the return sheet and then showed her the car was cleared of any defects. She was not impressed that I challenged her. I told her I was happy to call my lawyer to talk to her, she declined and said ok you can go. The excess money was retured to my card 2 days later.

This was a borderline scam, as the guy checking the car was hoping that I would just accept his word that all was good walk away, then when it was too late in the day and we had flown out, they would find damage somewhere and try to scam you out of money. I think the guy was trying to cover up his mistake.

1. Check every square inch of the car.

 

2.Take pictures of the car defects before driving off. 

3. Make sure the return slip is signed off and you get a hard or digital copy.

Good luck.

 

 

 

Bangkok Airport.

[terryofcrete]

On 11/24/2024 at 12:39 AM, DonniePeverley said:

Unfortunately you should have noticed the small chip on the screen. 

 

It's your responsibility in these regions.

 

I literally film everythign in Ultra 4K HD in these regions. They will flinch you for everything. 

Cimemascope and Cinerama do it for me !  

[jippytum]

You where lucky.  the car had a chipped windscreen when you accepted it. You did not follow your own advice and had it recorded and photographed priof to signinr rental papers. 

Same applies to renting motor bikes or Jet skis always check and record any  existing damage. 

[AndreasHG]

 

I either rent Avis or Hertz in Thailand, with full insurance coverage. Never had a single issue.

 

[richard_smith237]

Rented a few cars over the time and always take a video around the car and photos of key area.

 

The last car I rented was in the Uk (one way drop off)...  Picked up the car, in the wet (it had been raining all night and morning.

Dropped the car off about 4 hours later... in the dry..

Upon inspection the rental staff claimed damaged to the tyre wall, there as a slightly visible scuff mark, as if I'd scraped it along a kerb - they wanted £130 for the tyre.

This was utter rubbish, I'd driven from point A to B...   The only difference was, I was returning a dry car.

 

I refused to sign...  but took photos of the document and and wheel....  then complained to the offices I've hired the car from.

 

The response... "Thats pathetic - the person at the drop off point had no idea what they were doing - don't worry about it, we'll wipe the charge"....  and that was that.. 

 

... But it showed how 'some unscrupulous companies, or complete Jobsworths can pick up on the smallest and most pathetic of things and they can prove costly... 

[richard_smith237]

5 hours ago, jippytum said:

You where lucky.  the car had a chipped windscreen when you accepted it. You did not follow your own advice and had it recorded and photographed priof to signinr rental papers. 

Same applies to renting motor bikes or Jet skis always check and record any  existing damage. 

 

There are reasonable measures and then there are excessive measures... 

  

Its impossible to spot everything and there us a grey area between obvious damage and normal use.

 

We sold our car last month... 

There were a couple of stone chips which we highlighted. 

There was also a tiny 0.5mm chip on the top of the windscreen that we had not noticed - the new buying going over the car in great detail and that was the 'fault' he spotted and wanted a further discount because of that.

 

My answer was of course no...   I joked...  the new car showroom is down the road, they have no signs of use, but this is second hand car and will have signs of use...   but if the 'dot' on the windscreen is an issue come back in 2 days and it will have a new windscreen replaced on insurance...

.....  He took the car at the agreed price.

 

 

My point here is - even when 'living with a car' its not always possible to spot and know every tiny little imperfection, dink and mark...  and some of the tinier stuff does not come up on a a 'round the car video' and photos...  

... That fits in the 'grey area' of reasonable use IMO - and being charged for it is wrong.