Beavers chewed up my rental car wheel...need some advice from those who have been there

This post is Tacoma related because my truck won't start (I thought it was the neutral switch until I pressed the switched down 100% with my thumb with my left hand and turned the key with my right and nothing happened - I thought about jumping the wires but I would have had to destroy the 27-year old plastic wiring harness to get it off).

So I got a Nissan Maxima rental car, and the thing is so damn wide I wasn't used to it and "curbed" the front right aluminum rim within the first 2 hours of getting the car. The damage you see took less than half a second to happen. I did pay the $16 a day extra for insurance (thank God for that), but I have no idea if that covers my own stupidity.

I've gotten so much good real world advice from you guys, please help me out if you know anything about what will happen.

If I'm on the hook for this damaged wheel (and they got my credit card and my car insurance) what can they charge me realistically? I've heard horror stories about "fake charges", but this is totally on me.

Also, should I be upfront and tell them I'm an idiot, or should I play it cool and say, "Huh, I don't know what happened to the wheel" as I'm walking away?

Finally, after the pandemic when everything opened back up I've heard rental places and other businesses are really doing sketchy things; like they are desperate to rip people off for more money.

Thanks for any real world advice on the subject. I'm a poor mechanic, and poor driver, and a poor person, otherwise I would have fixed the truck myself and avoided all this.

 

How many miles are on the car? I'd play dumb.

 

If it doesn't cover it (which it should), your credit card you used for payment might. I know several advertise additional accidental damage coverage when renting a vehicle.

For instance, AMEX has the following based on what card was used:
https://www.americanexpress.com/us/...r-rental-loss-and-damage-insurance-terms.html

Also check with your personal auto insurance carrier. Many times they provide secondary coverage.

This quick read may answer some q's -
https://www.forbes.com/advisor/credit-cards/car-rental-benefits-offered-by-credit-cards/

 

They probably won’t even notice that

 

Options I see:

1. Tell the rental car company about it. Hopefully they'll be fair about your extra insurance and repair/replace costs. If they're not fair, you'll have to work it out with them.

2. Don't tell them and hope they don't notice or don't care.

3. Go get a new wheel and replace it on your own. This would keep you from having to deal with them. And might be cheap if you can find something on Craigslist. But if you do this, then why did you get extra insurance?

4. Lie and say it was there when you rented it.

Option 1 is the best choice.

 

If the extra daily insurance you purchased is zero deductible, you can walk away with no questions asked.

 

Extra insurance you paid for should cover it. As long as you buy that, they don't care. Also, thanks so much for my last rental, you wheel rasher.


This is just a sampling of when I picked my car up:








Car was filthy inside and out. Interior pax seat had a tear. Every. Single. Panel. had some kind of paint damage on top of that, and all four wheels were curbed, one tire had non-leaking sidewall damage. I dared Avis to tack on any charges after handing me a shit box like that.

 

I rent cars every week and it's normal to see curb rash on the wheels. I bet they won't even notice.

 

Put the spare on let out the air on the tire that’s on the wheel, and tell them you had a flat that’s out of being your fault. If they noted the condition before you took possession they could give you BS over it.

 

I wondered the same thing. This poor car had more swirls than Van Gogh's career. It was obviously destined to lead a short, hard life in Nashville. I babied the thing purely out of sympathy.

 

It all comes down to the person checking the vehicle back in and how strict that location is.

How you handle the return is up to you.

I have seen people damage their own vehicles and never take notice .

Now if the wheel had hit so hard it popped the bead loose that might be different.

 

What rental company?
When I rented from Avis they told me the insurance covered everything.
Didn’t matter who’s fault it was. I just had to get the car back to them with the same amount of gas.
I went for PA to TN. When I turned the car in, I even laughed and told the guy what they had told me.
He told me it was true. He literally just looked out the window at the car, took the keys and said, have a nice day………

But that was back in 2017, so things might have changed.

 

Oh don't get me started on that gas thing... they try to burn you so many different ways with that. lol Best to either fill it up before you head back or just say screw it and pay the lower fee for it at time of pickup. Highway robbery I tell ya...

 

Hey thanks everybody. I live in Oregon and the little guy was a prick going over every scratch on the car before handing me the keys.

The consensus is just to walk away and throw my ones to the air. That's what I'll do. Thanks again

 

Return, don’t say shit, wait for a receipt and you’re done.

 

Id imagine the insurance they offer covers everything outside of gross negligence. Im sure a curbed wheels is the least of their worries when they get a car back.

 

Dishonesty is always good, right?

 

jus be upfront and sincere. Cooperation with the damage claims team will get better results than being a dick. Accidents happen that’s why you have insurance. As long as you didn’t violate your rental agreement you’re golden. Don’t forget to ask for the little guys name and ask for the link to do their survey about your experience.

 

I did the same thing, ironically while my Tacoma was in the shop getting wheel damage from an accident repaired.

Return the vehicle RIGHT at the end of the day just before they close. This time of year it will be dark. Park it so the damaged wheel is facing away from them.

The minimum wage earner will be so eager to go home and get drunk they won’t look over the car. Once you hand them the keys and they sign the paperwork it’s a done deal. Could have happened anytime after that.

Dishonest, yes I know.

 

I’d have to read the rental contract to be sure, but it’s likely that the Loss Damage Waiver you bought (it’s not insurance) only covers you if you report the damage. It would almost certainly cover a curb rashed wheel if reported. An example of something likely not covered: you leave the car unlocked, keys inside, and it’s stolen.

The problem with not reporting damage is you’re left open to the potential, however unlikely, of a damage claim being submitted weeks or even months later when you thought you were in the clear. Hertz was very bad about this for several years.

I personally think it’s easier to report the wheel, knowing you’re covered, and then let them laugh and say they don’t care, which is probably what would happen. Then you don’t have to worry about it.