nickgailloux

Sigh, a bit off topic, but I need to vent a bit. I had the car in for Service A, as well as the vent hose recall and also to get my bixenon's fixed (they're not levelling properly).

The good news is the car's in tip top shape now. The bad news is I returned the rental car with a scratch on it, and I didn't buy the extra insurance. Someone put a two inch gash in the drivers door down low near the bottom, and another smaller one on the lower side skirt. Its obvious from looking at it that it was not caused by another car, but rather by an object or person. Lucky for me this means I can claim it under comprehensive and not collision, and I am "only" out of pocket $300. Insurance discount stays the same.

Still pretty sucky. I'm really wishing I had paid the $14 extra insurance from the rental car agency now.

yeuchau

i always pays for that extra insurance when I get loner car.

Benzben

It's a calculated gamble that doesn't usually pay off. I would say that 9 times out of 10, you'd bring the car back in perfect shape and be mildly pi$$ed that you were now out $14, $28, etc. dollars for no reason.

On the other hand, if you live or work in a really rough neighborhood, or you just plan on beating the ever living ***** out of the car, then why not?

mleskovar

Go back and do your math. $14 X 10 = $140. Deductible = $300. But, I have rented cars WAY more than 10 times, more like the hundreds, and never had damage that required payment.

Benzben

That was obviously more of a figure of speech than an attempt to accurately state the odds that, in any given 24-hour period, you would have an accident or other insurance claim. If we all really had a 10% chance of damage to our cars every morning when we left the house, then very few, if any, people could afford to drive since everyones' premiums would be through the roof.

I'll leave the precise odds to the actuaries. Suffice it to say, in the long run I would think you're better off betting AGAINST suffering any damage while your renting. As you would seem to agree.

But, I'm sure that is of little comfort to the OP now that his checking account is $300 lighter. Just try to take solace in the fact that you really did make a good bet when you declined the extra coverage.

raymond g-

check the fine print, extended services of your credit card. some may cover
insurance for cars rented.

BlackC280

Ohhh man.. it actually happened to me once. i was in a w204 loaner. i was pulling into a 3rd from a corner parking stall paitiently waiting for a car on 2nd stall from the corner to pull out. unknowingly a car from the otherside decided to jump into the 3rd spot and didn't realize the car on 2nd spot was leaving giving us 2 spots available. It didn't **** me off since I knew I still had a spot left. As I pulled into my spot. I took a glimps of the driver who jumped into the 3rd spot. A HOTTIE! I couldn't pull my eyes away... I guessed she assumed i was pissed and giving her the stinky eye through her tinted windows. I got out of the car and proceeded to run my errand. When I got back... Her car was gone and the W204 had a 3 foot long key mark on the rear passenger door!!! 3 foot long down to the metal!!! Now i'm out for revenge... Keeping an eye out for a Black Lincold LS.. muahahahahaha...

Lesson learned... Keep my eyes to myself.. haha.

Glyn M Ruck

Yeah - I have great sympathy for nickgailloux, but I rented for 5 years in Dallas - company policy, & change your car whenever it suited you - going to Aspen when snowed in - Just swap for a 4X4 etc. I've rented 100s of times around the world & never a problem. Only cities I've felt insurance may be an idea are Rio, Sao Paulo, Paris & Rome - in fact maybe Italy in general - Love the country but I've had some near misses with their "enthusiastic" driving - was on the Milan - Verona Autostrada once & a Ferrari nearly took the doorhandles off a rental Fiat I was driving.

In Asia you just park the rental with the parking brake off & they push it around to get cars in & out - never a scratch.

Guess I've been lucky!

FrankW

insurance on loaner is garbage. 9 out of 10 times they don't bother to check. I even fixed the center armrest for a 2005 loaner once as it had popped off before they even hand me the key. the enterprise chick at the dealership even told me "don't worry about scratches" as she opens the door and slams it into another loaner.

if you are RENTING the car then yes, make sure your insurance covers it OR just purchase the extra insurance they offer.

FrankW

that's why you always stare at hot chicks with a smile on your face.

sleewell

reminds me of that episode of Seinfeld, when they dont have his car rental reservation. finally they "find" something else and ask if he wants the insurance, he is like;

"yeah you better give me the insurance bc i am going to beat the h*ll out of this car"

Benzben

Classic scene. It's cuts off before he gets to the insurance part, but here's most of it:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dSZYs...eature=related

amanonfire

A gold credit card will cover most of your insurance worries, I don't know why more people don't have them. You can get gold cards with awesome coverage without an annual fee.

I once returned a rental with several scratches from backing into a post. It was raining, so when they checked the car the small scratches didn't show, so I didn't get dinged for it.

Depends where you rent from too. In Dallas and LA the rental car companies have never even checked the vehicles. I also find airport locations rarely check the vehicles, while other locations almost always do.

BlackC280

man i did have a smile.. but i think she was afraid to make eye contact thinking i'd be pissed. I think she saw me on the corner of her eye and assumed i was pissed.
needless to say Enterprise tried to charge me $600. but I negotiated and came out with $250 out of pocket.

sleewell

"well anyone can take the reservation.."

"the key is to hold the reservation, thats really the most important part"

rofl.

paypaboi

My AMEX covers it. It covers a few things but sheeiit i pay about $200/year for it so It better do something...

BOY-6

nick,

for the recall did does it apply to all 1.8l kompressor 2005+ engines?

nickgailloux

I believe it applies to all 2003-2005 1.8L's.

Glyn M Ruck

We used Advantage Rent a Car in Dallas - They were, & still are, offsite at DFW.

Moviela

This seems to be a scam Enterprise is running. They tell you we don't worry about the scratches, then they send you a demand for repairs that are about $ 500. for a
$40 paintless dent repair. They never send the car to the dealer, but rather to a bodyshop no one has ever heard of, except Enterprise. They never fix the car, just take your money and laugh at how they scammed you.

andy_meng1024

Paid AMEX $400/year for a couple years now. Had an accident and they paid $1700 for the rental.