Scratch on rental car

Burly · 28 Jul 2009 at 01:08

No dent, just long scratches about 20 x 40 cm beside tyre.

How much will this cost?

Is there anything I can do to minimise the cost / damage?

Vigoro · 28 Jul 2009 at 01:09

Depends what car it is and how deep the scratches are

MoNkeE · 28 Jul 2009 at 01:10

You're going to prison

Sone · 28 Jul 2009 at 01:10

i got a huge chip in windscreen on rental car, took it back and they didn't notice

Might get lucky?

shauncr91 · 28 Jul 2009 at 01:16

How deep are the scratches ?

Sin_Chase · 28 Jul 2009 at 01:17

What colour paint?
Is it past the lacquer? (Eg, can you feel the scratch with a nail)

It might cut out.

richolmes72 · 28 Jul 2009 at 08:19

If you didn't take out Excess protection it'll be £550 at Enterprise then they'll refund the difference after repair if there is any.

I assume it won't be dissimilar for other companies.

Hope that it was raining when you picked it up and argue it was there before or drop it off 20 mins after opening on a Monday morning and hope they don't check round it that carefully.

Apart from that, may just have to man up and take the pain - I wouldn't advise trying to T-cut it out but a bit of polish might reduce it.

flat-6 · 28 Jul 2009 at 08:54

Go to Halfords and get the right colour touch up stick(s) for whatever model/paint it is. This might cost you £15 or so but could save you hundreds if you get away with it. I did after scraping a Mondeo in a parking garage.

Obviously if it is a big gouge down to the metal this will not work.

Burly · 28 Jul 2009 at 10:35

Halfords can't do anything. It needs a re-spray. I was quoted £250.

What if I was to phone the rental company to try and get my rental extended a few days as the re-spray will take 2-3 days?

Will I get away with this, seeing as its not my car?

dale1uk · 28 Jul 2009 at 10:43

Probably best just to inform the hire company if its that bad. Things could get a whole lot worse if you got it sprayed behind their back and they notice the repair work.

Burly · 28 Jul 2009 at 10:45

Shall I phone them before I leave it off later today? Obviously I will tell them at the time.

How much do you think they will charge?

flat-6 · 28 Jul 2009 at 11:45

dale1uk said:
Probably best just to inform the hire company if its that bad. Things could get a whole lot worse if you got it sprayed behind their back and they notice the repair work.

This. You might get away with it for a respray but alternatively they will notice and then charge you the same amount as they would have already plus you will be out of pocket for the respray.

bledd · 28 Jul 2009 at 11:53

call them up from another number, and say "I've scratched the *focus that I lent from you, where do we go from here"

*say focus, if you've got a clio from them, etc etc...

post what they say on here, then wait for further advice

Sin_Chase · 28 Jul 2009 at 12:05

Burly said:
Halfords can't do anything. It needs a re-spray. I was quoted £250.

What if I was to phone the rental company to try and get my rental extended a few days as the re-spray will take 2-3 days?

Will I get away with this, seeing as its not my car?

Who said it needed a re-spray?

Would not trust a Halfords employee to give you spray advice.

monkey_boy · 28 Jul 2009 at 12:31

bledd. said:
call them up from another number, and say "I've scratched the *focus that I lent from you, where do we go from here"

Borrowed, Have on rental, Hired, Leased. <--- Any of those will work.

!bluetonic! · 28 Jul 2009 at 15:24

Just take it back. If they check the car out and notice it,
then start repeating everything he/she says in a childish voice until they 'let it go' out of frustration.

Matt82 · 28 Jul 2009 at 15:58

that sounds like a very pro approach to it

let us know how that goes will ya?

zain · 28 Jul 2009 at 16:24

!bluetonic! said:
Just take it back. If they check the car out and notice it,
then start repeating everything he/she says in a childish voice until they 'let it go' out of frustration.

lol.

Use a decent repairer must be a local one that can visit you, few extra ££ should get them to see you quickly. Your other option is to just smash it into a wall as you're going to pay a the hundreds of pounds of excess anyway!

Lakeland · 28 Jul 2009 at 16:37

reminds me of a picture i seen on here a few days ago, stain on rented apartment carpet with trainer next to it. solution, move trainer onto stain, to convert to ur hire car, drive through some mud?

DM · 28 Jul 2009 at 16:39

You dont want to go spending money on extending the rental, plus a spray job that might be detected anyway.

Just take it back and see if its noticed, if it is suffer it, if its not its all good.