Thread: Mexican Hertz charges $500 for flat tire

Mexican Hertz charges $500 for flat tire
Posted Mar 15th 2007 5:34PM by Frank Filipponio
Filed under: Etc.


Imagine you're on vacation. You rent a car for your month-long stay in Mexico. You feel pretty comfortable passing on the optional insurance and go along on your merry way. All goes well until one stormy evening. Somewhere in the night you have a blowout. You phone it in and the people at Hertz tell you, "No problem, just bring it back and we'll replace the tire." Done. Report filed, agent tells you no worries again, there won't be any charges.

You finish your vacation and return to the airport to drop off your little blue Chevy. But there's a slight hitch. The manager now insists you fork over an additional $60 for the tire damage. Not wanting to miss your flight, you agree and go on home. You probably see how this is going to end up. Rather than adding $60, which was already more than you felt you should have had to pay, the final charge for the rental shows an additional $499.48. Zoinks!

This very sad tale was recently reported by one unhappy customer identified only as Kathy on the consumer advocate site, Consumerist. When the inflated bill arrived, she contacted the company and Hertz allegedly told her that it is fully in keeping with standard practices of the car rental industry in most countries. Oh really? $500 seems a bit steep for a tire, even in Mexico. And for a manager to say $60 and then charge $500? We don't suspect that is standard operating procedure for any rental agency.

As far as we know the issue hasn't been resolved, but suggestions have been made to contact her credit card company and possibly approach the problem as fraud, because the employees had said no charge, then $60 before charging an unauthorized $499.48. Perhaps this serves as a warning to carefully consider rental insurance options, especially while abroad, or maybe just to steer clear of Hertz and its impressively expensive tires.
http://www.podcast.autoblog.com/2007/03 ... flat-tire/

What if the American Hertz was to charge a Mexican citizen here on vacation the same price, it would gain national media for taking advantage of a poor Mexican citizen in our country.

Originally Posted by nittygritty

What if the American Hertz was to charge a Mexican citizen here on vacation the same price, it would gain national media for taking advantage of a poor Mexican citizen in our country.

Actually though, I don't have much compassion for this woman, she should have better sense then to ever set foot in that country in the first place!

Ya thats kind of like you own falt I would have changed the tire and retuned the car
no phone calls Its a rental for goodness sakes and if she got it ion mexico 500 bucks is what ? 1/3 american or something like that

With a rental your always beter off geting the insurance. AAA if youve got it goes with the driver,not the car

If she has money to spend a month in mexico and rent a car, she can afford the $500 and since when does one of believe that a mexican ever tells the truth.

Originally Posted by Beckyal

If she has money to spend a month in mexico and rent a car, she can afford the $500 and since when does one of believe that a mexican ever tells the truth.

So true

Ive been told by many mexicans its ok to lie, if you can gain some thing and if it beters them, they will lie every time.

Originally Posted by GREGAGREATAMERICAN

Originally Posted by Beckyal

If she has money to spend a month in mexico and rent a car, she can afford the $500 and since when does one of believe that a mexican ever tells the truth.

So true

Ive been told by many mexicans its ok to lie, if you can gain some thing and if it beters them, they will lie every time.

They told you that, huh? Did they give you any tips on how legal citizens can get rid of the illegals? Greg, you crack me up!

Originally Posted by Neese

Originally Posted by GREGAGREATAMERICAN

Originally Posted by Beckyal

If she has money to spend a month in mexico and rent a car, she can afford the $500 and since when does one of believe that a mexican ever tells the truth.

So true

Ive been told by many mexicans its ok to lie, if you can gain some thing and if it beters them, they will lie every time.

They told you that, huh? Did they give you any tips on how legal citizens can get rid of the illegals? Greg, you crack me up!

LOL ,
NOPE but ill keep asking