Hire Car - Damage surcharge

I_M_Weasel

I_M_Weasel

I_M_Weasel

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Joined
10 Sep 2008
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A friend of mine hired a car the other day, when she started the car it reported that tyre presures required checking, she went back to the hire office who cleared the fault.

She then made her journey, whilst on the motorway the tyre blew out, fottunatly she kept control and stopped on the hard shoulder, she completed the journey on the spare tyre.

On returning the car the Hire company have billed her £90 for accident damage.

Obviously she's not happy with this and feels that a tyre blowout is not her fault and may well have been caused by the tyres being driven on under presure as reported by the car at initial start up.

Where does she stand with this?
 
Man what a terrible experience. How exactly did he clear the fault? Was it logged? Did he just pump them up? Did he not check for any damage? Or were they aware of any tire damage?

£90 for accident damage is absolutely ludicrous if she kept control of the car. They should be thanking you for coming to a safe stop.
 
Isn't this where companies like Questor insurance comes into play? It's only a few quid per day and covers things like this if i remember correctly.

I know, hind sight and all that.
 
He cleared the fault through the cars onboard computer menu as far as I can tell, and told her it always does that and the tyres had been checked.
 
Lopéz said:
Most hire companies charge an excess for a tyre failure as far as I remember.
Click to expand...

IIRC I've always had the hire company try and up sell me to hyper super duper collision waver because tyres weren't covered otherwise.

Seems like she'll have to pay up :(
 
I've had luck getting tyre charges reversed before when I've either reported something or for example when it has occured very close to the hire start point.

For what it's worth with both Avis and Hertz we (the customer) are liable for tyres, most companies are the same

However this is on a corporate account, so there may be a bit more incentive for them to waive charges
 
I think would easier to accept if it had just deflated, but the tyre is ripped to shreds, it didn't fail slowly. I think they should be liable if they know that tyre has been run under presure and liable for the risk they put the customer under.

But tough to prove, unless there about to say that they had to put 20psi in everytime it came back.
 
Kick up a royal stink saying they sent her out on a known faulty tyre. Which it is if they keep having to inflate it.

Also, a blown tyre on it's own is not an "accident"

A bill isn't something your forced to pay, you can dispute it. Cause them more than £90 worth of time and hassle dealing with you :P
 
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I agree with Nasher, seems reasonable to argue if the car 'literally' blows up while you driving it, not long after you take receipt and after warnings are given by the car itself then its not driver fault but product failure and company negligence.

I would at least discuss it via letter, speak to trading standards or some industry body. Its very often companies will take a firm line when they are in the wrong, acted illegally even and you have to bother with official lines of complaint, most wouldnt bother for 90
 
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