Complain about a product or service

Thrifty Car Rental

David of Macon, GA May 19, 2009

I rented a car, and got a flat tire down the road. I took the car back and they charged me 165 to replace a tire that had over 36000 miles on them. I asked to talk with a supervisor, and they, but he (Jeff) was rude and told me I had to pay. I cancelled my Blue Chip membership, and will never rent from them again.

Eric of Las Cruces, NM May 13, 2009

I rented a car from Thrifty on via Borgo Ognissanti 134/R, Florence, Italy in June, 2008 to drive to a nearby town and return the car later in the week to the same pickup location. One of my primary concerns was the rental location being near the main section of Florence. I was afraid I may inadvertently drive into the limited traffic zone and face a ticket. I specifically asked the rental agent how to return the car without passing through the zone and followed the directions exactly. Five months later I received a fine for 94 Euro. Thrifty then added a 50 Euro administrative fee.

After some research I discovered that this particular Thrifty location is located within the Limited Traffic Zone, so it was impossible to return the car without incurring a fine. I also understand that if a phone call was made upon return of the vehicle to the traffic authority, stating that a rental car was being returned only, the violation would have been waived.

I contacted Thrifty and asked for reimbursement of both the fine and their administration fee. They refused, and I was surprised that they would not even reverse the administration fee. They said I had agreed to this at the time of rental. I did do that, but they are missing the point. My fine resulted from misinformation from their employee and they are not accepting any responsibility.

I do realize that it was I that drove into the limited traffic zone, missing the warning signs, but had I been given the correct information I would have had Thrifty make the phone call. Now I have paid 144 euros (over 200) in fines. So this is a warning to be aware of the Limited Traffic Zone in Florence and not to rent from Thrifty. They cost me an additional 200 and I want it back.

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.

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.

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

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

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

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.

Bee of Greenville, SC April 10, 2009

on april 4th at 3pm, I walk into thrifty car rental, and ask to lease a large car. well the saleperson stated she did have one but it were not clean yet, i agree that i would take it as long as there were no smell of smoke inside the car. while doing the paper work, she read off a charge of 9.95 ldw-some type of ins. i didn't want it but she explain as long as i were using a debit card i had to take it. but to my surprise this were for everyday i had the rental i found this out the next day. now here where it got carzy. the rental car front end were damage to a point of noise and the oil light came on as soon as i left the rental company.

i woke up on the moring of the six and look over my paper work and find all of the hidden fees and took the car back because it were not in good conditon. ask if i could get a car that would make a trip out of town. and i needed a discount for all the hell i went thur. matthew pertended to give good me a discount and i stop and read the paper work and find out this were a joke and a lie, what i ask matthew, to let me lease it for the week, i only rental it for 3 days and thought it would be wise to extended because i were going out of town and it cost 174 for 3 days and the week were 209.00 plus 156 dollars for all the other fees he pertend to take off for my troubles with the damage car they knew about,

at frist he told me he had no more cars to give me or switch me in. i were angry with these people. plus they charge me airport fee 12.95 . had no clue how to remove it, finally he remove it. but explain that they charge me airport fees before, did not credit me for that. i never rented or call from the airport ever. what type of business are these poeple running and allow to add charges to you that they never told you about. I learn from an honest employee that this happen all the time, and customers come back to return the cars and really are so upset. so when a company that aloud their employee's to be put in front of angry people and get yell threaten. while he rakes in the stolen hiiden fee's from the people who try to trust them.

i will check into some legal advice, i will like to see this company put out of business. matthew is so not into his work. I will never lease from this place again and will do my best to send email to all my friend and others about this rip off

unresolve, problem were not taking care off. over charge because of all the hidden fees that were not motion.

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