Car hire - the sting

[byegad]

My neighbour had a lease car for a year. They went over it, on the drive for 2 hrs and came up with stone chipping damage, scratches around the lock and other trivial things. To me it looked in great condition for a 1 yr old car!

The money they asked for to rectify these 'faults would have paid for two or more full resprays at a reputable garage. Sadly they'd picked on the wrong guy and he offered to take the issue to court. By then they'd sold the car on so only had the report and some, frankly poor, photos. They got nothing.

 

[Joey Shabadoo]

There are guidelines to prevent abuse

https://www.bvrla.co.uk/service/fair-wear-and-tear-guides

 

[mjr]

There are guidelines to prevent abuse

https://www.bvrla.co.uk/service/fair-wear-and-tear-guides

As we know from cycleway design, guidelines and a bottle of water will prevent thirst, but that's about all!

It should be law... and in this case, most of it is, if you stick at it far enough, which is probably part of what they hope people won't.

 

[Drago]

You should have remained him of what a fraud is, and how judges tend to give higher sentences for fraud thabpn they do for assaults.

 

[glasgowcyclist]

Try to find a "rent a banger ' company and pay cash.

There used to be a company like that in Glasgow called U-hire a Heap.

 

[Joey Shabadoo]

I hired a minibus in Spain last year and totally missed the 2 ft gouge in the n/s sill under the sliding door where it looked like someone had mounted a small wall and it wasn't on the hire documents. When I took it back the guy walked round it, looked at the gouge, looked at the paperwork, looked at me then shrugged. No charges.

 

[woodbutcher]

I have come to the conclusion that here in France and probably Spain, Italy, Portugal etc, etc. It is a badge of honour or at least a right of passage to have scratches and bashes in your vehicle. I doubt that there is a car older than about six months that doesn't have battle scars

 

[perplexed]

I have come to the conclusion that here in France and probably Spain, Italy, Portugal etc, etc. It is a badge of honour or at least a right of passage to have scratches and bashes in your vehicle. I doubt that there is a car older than about six months that doesn't have battle scars

I've driven probably at least 30,000 miles in France over the last 8 or 10 years or so, and you ain't wrong. There appear to be proportionally many more older cars on the road too - there are old Renault, Peugeot and others makers' old models that you simply don't see here any more.

 

[Joey Shabadoo]

Is that down to the personal finance and leasing deals being different?

I was once told that European models of cars were much more spartan than UK models because the Brits were far more interested in cruise control, electric windows etc but all the cars I've hired seemed to be well equipped.

 

[PaulSB]

Is that down to the personal finance and leasing deals being different?

I was once told that European models of cars were much more spartan than UK models because the Brits were far more interested in cruise control, electric windows etc but all the cars I've hired seemed to be well equipped.

We hired an Opel Crossland at the beginning of October. It had every gizmo under the sun. A very good car.

 

[steveindenmark]

I was at Milan airport last week. The couple in front of me were being charged £250 for returning their car 30 minutes late. I searched the internet and looked at their paperwork and then asked the guy behind the desk to show me the address to return the car. The only address to be found was the airport address where we were standing. After a protracted discussion and me volunteering to be a witness all fees were dropped.

 

[gaijintendo]

I wonder if they are presently negotiatng consumer protection laws...

I believe it became common for people to rent their model of car, with excess, and swap engine parts etc then return it with no scratches.

I can see how someone might *incorrectly* think that is moral, if they had encountered a punitive bill in the past.

 

[Drago]

I've known of an entire engine swap from a hire car. Thqt one crossed a colleagues desk and was fairly easy to prove once engine numbers etc were checked.

 

[Smokin Joe]

Batteries, starter motors and alternators were a common "Swap" from a hire car to the hirer's own vehicle. Probably less common now that the latter two are not so easy to get at on modern motors.

 

[Dave7]

Batteries, starter motors and alternators were a common "Swap" from a hire car to the hirer's own vehicle. Probably less common now that the latter two are not so easy to get at on modern motors.

I must have lived a very sheltered life. Never in a million years would I have thought (much less do) anything like that.
If these people applied their clever/devious minds to something honest!!