This is; indeed, a very common practice at car rental counters. They
make their $$$ from the extras, especially the horrendously overpriced
insurance - plus they bribe the clerks with bonuses for selling it to the unwary.
Forewarned is forearmed.
TIP #1 - Call your insurance agent before you leave and make sure that
you're covered for rented vehicles. Most policies do that, but some don't.
Ask the specific question - "Am I covered for Loss of Use?" when you make
that call. If you wreck in a rental, they will try to charge you (on top of
everything else) the rack rate for every day that the car is unavailable
due to repairs.
TIP #2 - Always - Always - ALWAYS inspect the car very carefully in good
light for damage before you take it. I had one nimrod try to tell me that
the car had already been inspected, counting on my travel weariness and the
late hour to make me forego a personal inspection. And they had it parked
in a dark corner. I drove it directly to the good lighting by the office,
got out, and found a ton of light scrape marks on the hood. luggage drag
marks all over the back bumper. and a stone pecked windshield. When I
returned that car, 4 of them descended on it like a flock of vultures with the
obvious intent of making an issue about all that damage. But I had the
paperwork showing it had already been there. Nice try, Nimrods.
- Brian in MI
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JW wrote
I rented from Alamo - same deal. About $4 more than the quote. Like most
of the sheep I simply paid it. Is this standard at most outfits? A few
bucks a rental adds up pretty quickly on hundreds of rentals. I'll be
paying a little closer attention from now on......
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