Complain about a product or service

Thrifty Car Rental

Ernest of Corpus Christi, TX May 2, 2009

I rented a car at Cincinnati Airport in July 2008. I scaped the cars fender and reported the damage to Thrifty and my Insurance company as required. I received a claim letter and bill from Thrifty for over 3000, even though the estimates were half that. They were very nasty in their approach as if I was "dodging" them. Meanwhile while my Insurance Company is working the claim for 700, DTG is billing me for 3000.00 for a simple scrape on the fender. I still owe a 500 deductible, no problem, I'll pay that if necessary, but they add on administrative fees and "loss of income" like that car was the only rental car in Cincinnati. They will not provide me proof of loss of income, or how they come up with the figures. Bottom line is they billed me repeatedly for 3000.00 over 700.00 worth of damages (according to their own documentation)

Scott of Springfield, OH April 30, 2009

I rented, what I thought, was the lowest fare at Heathrow Ap UK. I chose Thrifty via Carrentals.com. My confirmation stated the rate was 150 pounds per week. Upon arrival, I was told that I had to pay for insurance. I refused. They said I couldn't have the car unless the insurance was paid. The total cost was over 400.00. Many emails since, I find myself here shocked that I was not screwed so by after reading the horror stories from others.

Candy of angels camp, CA April 27, 2009

After waiting about 25 minutes for the bus to pick up 6 of us at the ST. Louis airport. I rented a car from Thrifty Car Rental on Tuesday, I paid half in cash and half on my debit card (which I do EVERY MONTH). On Wednesday afternoon I received a phone call from the manager Scott at Thrifty. He said the money I gave him was COUNTERFEIT. I told him I had received that money from the bank before my travel as I always do. I told Scott I would call him back after I called my bank. After a call to my bank (who was beyond helpful...thank you Wells Fargo) I called the St. Louis Sheriffs Department, and Thrifty's corporate office. The Sheriff's Department said Thrifty didn't have a leg to stand on, but to be aware I maybe getting a call from the SECRET SERVICE.

Their corporate office said I couldn't file a claim because I was still in possession of the vehicle. SO I called Scott back he stated he was the manager and he was indeed the one to talk to about this problem. I informed Scott I had called my bank and they had said there was no way I received COUNTERFEIT money from them. He said he knew they would say that and ask what I was going to do about the situation. After I asked him several questions about how cash contracts are handled by his employees, I asked why the COUNTERFEIT money wasn't detected 26 HOURS ago, when I was still at the counter.(Seriously who would pay COUNTERFEIT cash to a place that has all your information and you have to return to!) Anyhow, Scott said as this situation was BOTH of our faults he would eat the 100 dollars and I would no longer be able to rent from them. That's when I ended my conversation with Scott.

Upon my return of the vehicle my receipt stated I was being returned ALMOST the entire car rental price. Well that was a pleasant surprise UNTIL I GOT HOME. I had given Thrifty permission to charge my account a total of 150 the rest was cash. After my flight home I took MY CAR to the gas station were my card was declined (AFTER I HAD PUMPED MY GAS). I called my bank and found Thrifty had charged an additional 99.89 to my car with NO EXPLANATION ON THE CONTRACT.

Now because I spent 80 I apparently didn't have in the bank that THRIFTY STOLE. I am -167 in my bank account due to overdraft fees. I have called my bank once again to file a claim against thrifty for unauthorized charges, I have called Thrifty corporate office and opened a claim with them as well. I'll keep you posted. Wish me luck. DON'T ALLOW YOURSELF TO BE BULLIED BY THESE CAR RENTAL COMPANIES. What happened to customer service anyhow? And WHY DO THEY INSIST ON GIVING ME AN UPGRADE EVERY TIME I RENT? THRIFTY Car Rental should have cost with gas a total of 234 it has actually cost me 234 (for rental)+98.89 (for additional non accounted for fees)+75 (overdraft fees from my bank) and I still owe my local gas station 23.

Patricia of Scottsdale, AZ April 21, 2009

As another person noted regarding damage to the vehicle when the car was snow covered when I rented it and it was at night. If you rent from them at Detroit Metro Airport, you will notice all cars are out in the open. Michigan weather in December is horrible and there system of checking in your car and returning is a great class action lawsuit for any attorney to win. There system was stated flawed even by Progressive Insurance. I would be willing to testify on behalf of all who were hurt monetarily by Thrifty car rental. I wish I was an attorney. 1,300 bill on damage I did not do.

Jennifer of Omaha, NE April 17, 2009

Jennifer of Omaha NE (04/17/09)
I picked up our rental car (Dodge Journey) on 4/9/09. We drove it for approximately 1 day. On 4/10/09, at around 3:30 p.m., one of the tires blew out as we were driving up to the mountains. After closer inspection, we realized that both rear tires were in horrible, horrible condition. They had both worn through the steel belts and all the way to the core. This rental car had only 22,000 miles on it! Because we were in the mountains and didn't have anywhere to wait, we had to drive back to our residence (approx. 20 more miles) on the donut tire as well as the other bad tire.

Thrifty did replace the car, but because there was a wait for the other car, we weren't able to do anything till about 8 p.m. that night. I was offered a pitiful 25 refund by the local office on our 224 bill. When we returned the replacement car, the manager told us that they had problems with locals renting cars and taking off the good tires and replacing them with bad tires. So the company knows about these bad tires, yet does nothing about it! I do have pictures of these tires and would be happy to share them.

Not only was my life at risk, but the lives of my passengers and anyone out on the road with us. They knew they had a problem with bad tires, yet willingly let this car go out.

David of Agoura, CA April 13, 2009

David of Agoura CA (04/13/09)
I asked the clerk to put on the contract that I would prepay gas. I repeated to him that I wanted prepaid fuel. He acknowledged what I said. I expected that it was on the contract. When I returned the car I found out that it was not on the contract and I was charged 83.88 for fuel.

I rented a Chrysler Sebring which holds 13 gallons. The prepay charge is 2.07 per gallon. The contract states that when I returned the car it had 2/8 of a tank of fuel left. That means to fill it it needed 9.75 gallons. 83.88 divided by 9.75 gallons means I am paying 8.60 per gallon. The contract price is around 7.00 per gallon if you rent the car without pre-paid fuel. This means that I was frauded and overpaid by 63.70. This is not a lot of money (fortunately) but by gauging by all the other complaints practices of deceit and fraud are common for this company.

John of Whitmore Lake, MI April 12, 2009

John of Whitmore Lake MI (04/12/09)
My complaint about Thrifty is about how they resolve damage claims and determine the amount due. Thrifty tried to double charge me on expenses. They charged my credit card, 327.60 on August 13, 2008 and never notified me while pursuing a claim thru their subrogation department for 450.00. I discovered the August 13th charge in December after I had VISA all lined up to pay out to Thrifty and settle the claim.

Like other people on this blog, Thrifty had threatened to sue me in October of 2008 if I did not pay them right away--only had the claim for a little over a month after they submitted their claim about 45 days after servicing the rental car. This time the request was 450.00 while at the same time knowing that they had already charged my credit card for 327.60. I requested for a reversal of the credit card charge so that VISA would pay them the correct amount since they had not factored in the first payment on my credit card. The individual, McCarty referred me to Corporate customer service as she was not going to assist. Corporate customer service after I contacted them referred me to subrogation where McCarty worked and said they would not assist.

Thrifty has split the claim into this strange arrangement where Corporate customer service handled part of the claim and subrogation part of the claim. Now, subrogation has presented documentation that shows an adjustment on the initial rental agreement where they presented documentation in September that did not have the adjustment, so either Thrifty tried to double collect on the account ignoring the initial documentation and presented me with an alternate copy in September 2008 or they purposely concealed an amount of approximately 70.00 which is the difference between the 189.90 they are saying that they are going to collect on where the balance based on their initial subrogation documentation in October should be 450.00 - 327.60 = 122.40. I have told them over three emails starting in December to date that they have their numbers wrong, but they don't cooperate and get the math right.

The consequences are that I can't settle the claim and pay them because their numbers aren't right and they continue to threaten suit and unless they admit their documentation is incorrect, they are going to hurt my credit rating. Their splitting of the claim is baseless and in bad faith where subrogation could get on the phone and talk to whoever charged the credit card and document it without threatening suit or collection activity.

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