Never hire with Avis - they are thieving scumbags!

Avis Car Hire
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Agglida's review of Avis Car Hire

“Never hire with Avis - they are thieving scumbags!”

★☆☆☆☆

written by Agglida on 22/09/2012

We hired a car with Avis at Munich airport along with a car seat for our daughter. The collection was relatively uneventful but we were left alone to choose our seat and to find our car - they made no attempt to ensure that we were agreed on the condition of the car before we set out. We were automatically upgraded which was a good thing but were not offered any opportunity to make other changes, such as reducing our excess - even though the website says this is standard

On our return the car was checked and a small amount of damage was pointed out on the wheels of the car. Now whilst we could see that the damage was there we had not noticed it before, and indeed could not think of a single occasion during our trip where such damage could have been caused. We told them this and insisted that we had no knowledge of the damage and were not responsible - but they said that we could still be charged as the damage was on the car when we returned it.

We have now received a letter stating that we have been charged 816 Euro - coincidentally just under the 850 Euro excess - for something we had told them we were not responsible for. We have now found out this is a common scam in German airports - unbelievable that they are able to get away with this!

  • sept 2012

    Date of hire (month/year)

  • Munich Airport, Germany

    Country & City of hire

  • Good

    Condition of vehicle

  • Good

    Choice of vehicles

  • Customer Service

  • Value For Money

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Ajw244's Response to Agglida's Review

Written on: 03/10/2012

Almost the same thing has just happened to me in Sep 2012. Scammed by Avis at Dusseldorf Airport. Collection of car unsupervised and dark (in a multi-storey at night). I know I didn't cause the 1cm scratch on the wing mirror and wrote a statement to that effect but it was no use and they billed me 278 Eur from my credit card without even telling me, and before I'd even received the advice letter. I don't believe it will cost that much to fix, in fact I don't imagine they'll even bother. to fix it It will be used to catch someone else out. The returns inspector found it quickly, yet I'd never noticed it. I reckon he probably knows all the marks on their cars, know what I mean. Appalling customer service. No better than loan sharks.

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Ajw244's Response to Agglida's Review

Written on: 05/10/2012

It seems the only way to avoid this sort of treatment (as well as take a video inspection of the car, as suggested above, is to take out the Collision Damage Waiver (CDW) to reduce the excess to zero. If they know you've taken this out they'll not bother you. problem is, you have to purchase it at the desk, can't purchase it online. That worries me, how much will it be??? I just reserved another car from Dusseldorf, this time with Enterprise. As I'll be passing the Avis area I'll have a browse to see if that car is there and if they actually fixed it. It was a Nissan Juke, so it'll be easy to spot - not many of them in the car park. Funnily enough, the car registration is firmly engrained in my memory. Strange, that :) I'll be back at least monthly so there's a reasonable chance I might find it. Phone camera at the ready....

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Dingding1's Response to Agglida's Review

Written on: 03/10/2012

Ouch. That's bad. That's the problem with giving out Credit Card details - too difficult to retrieve the money and I don't believe the CC company would allow you to Chargeback and dispute because of the terms of booking.

My hint, from my experience with Valet parkers, is to take your mobile camera and video around the car when you collect it AND when you return it. Takes no more than a couple of minutes and at least you have SOMETHING to refer to and use to defend yourself.

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