by crazygringo
12 subcomments
- If anything, this just makes much clearer and provable what damage occurred. It's clearly evident in the photo, and yes you need to pay for damage.
On the other hand, this does make me wonder if there ought to be a threshold for damage. A small scratch to a panel can result in a very expensive panel replacement, and the car is still totally driveable and most people renting won't notice or care.
It would be one thing if minor damage could just be "buffed out", but it can't. But when the only repair option is an entire expensive replacement of a component, is that really fair? Do people really need their rental cars to be perfectly pristine? Are they willing to pay these exorbitant damage fees in order to ensure that?
by toomuchtodo
3 subcomments
- Hertz is simply a systemically terrible rental care company that should be avoided whenever possible.
by fisherjeff
1 subcomments
- I had this issue with Sixt, but fortunately they were very easy to deal with (i.e., they were not Hertz).
The scanner found some damage that simply was not possible for me to have incurred, and I just explained that in the webform they sent and the charges went away a few days later. Makes me wonder if this whole process is worth actually worth it to the rental companies.
- Hertz used to be the best by a wide margin, but now it's a totally different company using the name and logo.
- Repeating what others have said in many of the comments. Never rent from Hertz. Many rental car companies brands are interchangeable and operated by the same owner, but Hertz is different and much worse. Hertz sucks. Hertz is the worst. Avoid Hertz at all costs. You're in for a world of hurt with Hertz.
- Often when I've rented cars, the agent has shown me an evaluator they use to assess damage - like this https://www.core77.com/posts/111200/Damage-Evaluator-Templat...
Using that as a template, I would find it difficult to argue against a claim. e.g., the evaluator linked above permits any bumper scratches smaller than 6 inches, or a wheel scratch less than 2 inches. I feel like it permits reasonable wear and tear.
However, the example in the article was for 1-inch wheel damage, which would be permitted by the evaluator, so I guess the AI flags _any_ damage. I wonder how receptive these businesses will be to negotiation and pushback. Maybe they'll capitulate if you push hard enough, but it puts an unfair burden on the customer to argue against unreasonable claims (likely by design to maximise cash collection).
by anonzzzies
2 subcomments
- In the EU it is probably not allowed and won't happen but I would pay any amount to take them to court over this. Car rental companies are shite, especially the big chains, but they will have to relent when confronted with consumer rules. And rightly so: was told to pay many fines over non valid damages, paid 0.
by indigodaddy
0 subcomment
- Wonder if you opt-in to the rental company’s insurance, if this wouldn’t apply
by ChrisMarshallNY
0 subcomment
- They need to get another really effective and popular spokesgoblin: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6z_VpVaPLWs
by comrade1234
1 subcomments
- Hertz became bad in the last few years. I think they got bought by someone or merged with someone... it used to be that I would rent from them for more money but it would be hassle free. Now, it's just like any other scummy car company trying to upsale you at the counter.
My last trip to California- the guy at the counter told me to go wait at some area for a car to come in, in my class. I went and waited. I saw three foreign asian guys there too - they got in a car and drove off but 15 minutes they were back and got out of their car, I assume because it was the wrong class.
I realized then that this was bs - we had no info on what was an appropriate car for our class and that we were sent to this purgatory because we didn't buy the extra insurance or something.
So I looked up what cars were in my class and wandered the lot and found a very nice car in its class. Got inside and drove it to the exit. They checked my paperwork and the class, approved it, and let me go.
- That's wear and tear and not down to negligence on the driver's part. It's abhorrent that a rental company would attempt to charge a customer to fix something like this.
- It wasn't clear to me if the AI is automating the claim of damage, or just notifying employees of potential damage which they then inspect and file as they always would have done.
- While a legitimate use case for computer vision... Defaulting to pay first, litigate against us later if you dare...
F THAT!
- Never rent from hertz
by curiousgal
1 subcomments
- Diffing two scans is now AI?
- This particular “damage” seems like normal wear. Hertz probably won’t even fix it. Most rental companies used to not care about anything less than a circle or deck of cards size. Like trunk wear, when getting luggage out. Are they going to charge for trunk wear scuffs now?
- Hertz is working to promote Uber.
by Daishiman
4 subcomments
- To be frank there's nothing in the article that seems outrageous. The AI thing is just burying the lede; the point is accesible and transparent before-and-after images so that damage claims are more transparent.
by omegaworks
1 subcomments
- [flagged]
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