contesting rental car damage

**Dexter Rutecki** · 04-24-2019, 08:38 AM

Sixt Rentals trying to hit me for around $800 (or maybe a little more) for damage to the aluminum rim on the wheel. Returned the car at the airport, rushing to check in, and didn't even look at whatever they gave me to sign, let alone compare it to what the guy had listed as existing damage when I picked up the car (I signed on some electronic device and probably didn't even see whatever diagram showed the supposed damage). Given that I didn't hit a curb (or even parallel park) when I had the car I doubt the damage was from me. And of course their guy at the airport didn't mention that he had recorded any damage.

I know, should probably photograph or at least take a look at what they're writing down, but this is the first time I've ever had this happen (I used to check years ago but got lazy about it). Any great ideas?

Obviously I declined their optional damage insurance--not sure what my credit card might cover, but I told Sixt I would tell the cc company they shouldn't pay either as I don't believe I did the damage and wasn't made aware of it (until several weeks later).

**stalefish3169** · 04-24-2019, 08:40 AM

You PM Rontele yet?

Sent from my Pixel 3 XL using TGR Forums mobile app

**Timberridge** · 04-24-2019, 08:43 AM

Sounds like a scam. Who rents from a company called Sixt rentals?

Even if you did, $800 for a rim? $150 gets it repaired by a wheel guy in a mobile van....unless its carbon fiber.

**Benny Profane** · 04-24-2019, 08:47 AM

Originally Posted by Timberridge

Sounds like a scam. Who rents from a company called Sixt rentals?

.

It does sound scammy, but Sixt is Europe's Avis. It's not a fly by night biz.

What country?

**Dexter Rutecki** · 04-24-2019, 08:53 AM

France, but all the documents (that I have seen) are in English.

Seems like they can't just charge my card, or they haven't tried, so I'm not sure where this goes eventually, but I've had two emails from them now and they're citing French civil code (after I initially told them I wasn't paying).

**Vt-Freeheel** · 04-24-2019, 09:11 AM

What now?

You just lost your France privileges

**redacted user** · 04-24-2019, 09:15 AM

Originally Posted by Dexter Rutecki

Obviously I declined their optional damage insurance--not sure what my credit card might cover, but I told Sixt I would tell the cc company they shouldn't pay either as I don't believe I did the damage and wasn't made aware of it (until several weeks later).

You declined damage insurance on a rental? That is not the preferred approach, meng. I read that option as "do you want protection against bullshit related to this liability?"

**iceman** · 04-24-2019, 10:00 AM

If you have car insurance and rent using a major credit card, AMEX being preferable, it's a waste of money to pay for that insurance, with some caveats as to type of vehicle and country the rental is in.

**SumJongGuy** · 04-24-2019, 10:15 AM

**Dexter Rutecki** · 04-24-2019, 10:19 AM

Originally Posted by iceman

If you have car insurance and rent using a major credit card, AMEX being preferable, it's a waste of money to pay for that insurance, with some caveats as to type of vehicle and country the rental is in.

Yeah, that's why I always decline, but I didn't bother checking on the specifics first so I can't say for sure that I'm covered. Regardless, I think these guys shouldn't get paid even by my cc company as I'm pretty damn sure I didn't do that damage.

**SumJongGuy** · 04-24-2019, 10:25 AM

Originally Posted by iceman

If you have car insurance and rent using a major credit card, AMEX being preferable, it's a waste of money to pay for that insurance, with some caveats as to type of vehicle and country the rental is in.

I know that's the case with my insurance here for USA rental cars. OP rented in France though. Not sure my Nationwide policy would cover a rental car overseas, especially in some third world country like France.. Just kidding about France being 3rd world but regardless, usa insurance probably isn't good overseas..

**iceman** · 04-24-2019, 10:27 AM

@SJG: It varies by company and your policy. There are a few countries nobody will extend coverage to but not many. France is generally fine.

**PNWbrit** · 04-24-2019, 10:56 AM

Originally Posted by Dexter Rutecki

I'm pretty damn sure I didn't do that damage.

That's what everyone says though.

AMEX completely covered damage to a French rental car that I caused.

Maybe check your card's coverage?

**plugboots** · 04-24-2019, 11:01 AM

Exactly. Give your CC company a call. Something like this happened to me once and when I called back to the CC company to check up, my CC company said they were negotiating back-and-forth to see who would finally pay, but I ended up paying nothing. YMMV

**BmillsSkier** · 04-24-2019, 11:24 AM

Smear le merde under their rental policy?

**Timberridge** · 04-24-2019, 11:32 AM

There's no way a wheel costs $800 on one of these. French con artists

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**DBdude** · 04-24-2019, 12:11 PM

lol - pad

**old goat** · 04-24-2019, 01:55 PM

I rear ended a drunk French postman stopped in the middle of the road in the rain, no lights on. He gets out, looks at the fairly minor damage to both cars (low speed crash), says "Small problem". I follow him to his buddies in the car rental office in Caen, they give me a new car, no paper work, and that's the last I heard of it.

**MakersTeleMark** · 04-24-2019, 02:00 PM

I've dealt with this multiple times for clients. I mail them a demand letter asking them for their before and after proof. Not one time have they been able to do it and it goes away.

The last one a did a few months ago was for hail damage. Well, it hadn't hailed at that location until a week after my client returned the car.

**Dexter Rutecki** · 04-24-2019, 03:28 PM

Originally Posted by PNWbrit

That's what everyone says though.

[/QUOTE]

I'm sure that's true, and if it had been some other form of damage I might not be so certain, but the only way I can imagine this happening is from a curb or if I somehow hit something while driving. I know that didn't happen, and I'm not sure I even parallel parked the thing once (double parked in Paris to pick up, and then we were in the country the whole time with it parked in a dirt lot). Anyway, yeah, I guess hopefully this will become my cc company's problem if they don't give up trying to bill me.

**PNWbrit** · 04-24-2019, 03:33 PM

Originally Posted by Dexter Rutecki

I'm sure that's true, and if it had been some other form of damage I might not be so certain, but the only way I can imagine this happening is from a curb or if I somehow hit something while driving. I know that didn't happen, and I'm not sure I even parallel parked the thing once (double parked in Paris to pick up, and then we were in the country the whole time with it parked in a dirt lot). Anyway, yeah, I guess hopefully this will become my cc company's problem if they don't give up trying to bill me.

Absent the proof of the wheel being damaged prior to your rental you're up shit creek though really... and you signed a contract agreeing to be.

Check your cards coverage and then if there any is notify them of claim... forget whole thing.

Or you could get MTM to write a letter for a few $100.

**t-the-east** · 04-24-2019, 03:36 PM

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=4T2GmGSNvaM

Skip to 1:58 for the truly lazy and/or pressed for time

**Mulletizer** · 04-24-2019, 04:07 PM

Originally Posted by MakersTeleMark

I've dealt with this multiple times for clients. I mail them a demand letter asking them for their before and after proof. Not one time have they been able to do it and it goes away.

This. Wife had exact same issue with Sixt in Spain. In her car it was some non-existent scratches. It’s a revenue generating exercise for them. She demanded evidence the car was supplied to her without the damage, and for evidence of the damage (full stop) and they backed down. She also cancelled the credit card the deposit was held against, on the advice of her bank.

**BmillsSkier** · 04-24-2019, 07:08 PM

I’ll rent from Sixt when Hertz is booked out here at ATL for long road trips and I can say without a doubt they are the most anal, “gotcha” type rental agency out there. The absurd walk around should put anyone on notice to just say, “the entire clear coat is covered with hairline scratches” before leaving.

That said they are cheap as fuck and have cars that are better/newer than most fleets. Last time I rented from them was ‘19 Volvo XC90 for $40/day.

You’d have thought i was driving off with the Popemobile the way they checked that thing over.

**Ted Striker** · 04-24-2019, 07:30 PM

Originally Posted by old goat

I rear ended a drunk French postman stopped in the middle of the road in the rain, no lights on. He gets out, looks at the fairly minor damage to both cars (low speed crash), says "Small problem". I follow him to his buddies in the car rental office in Caen, they give me a new car, no paper work, and that's the last I heard of it.

Someday, when I am in America, and that day may never come, I will call upon you to do a service for me. But until that day, accept this justice as a gift from me, on my postal route.