Poor vehicle quality and undisclosed post-rental charges
Hertz/Thrifty appear to operate a business model focused on post-rental charges rather than customer care.
I rented a Ford Focus as a short-term runaround. The vehicle was marginally acceptable but poorly prepared (over-inflated tyres, overly sensitive brakes). A puncture occurred mid-rental, costing me over an hour waiting for roadside assistance.
On return, I was told everything was fine. Almost a month later, I noticed nearly €400 had been charged to my credit card with no prior communication whatsoever.
When queried, I was told a puncture counts as “damage”, despite the tyres being original with 27,000 km already on them. No notification, no courtesy email, no paperwork provided unless requested.
I rent vehicles frequently and carry independent excess insurance, which thankfully resolved the charge — but that does not excuse Hertz’s lack of transparency or professionalism.
Other major rental companies do not behave this way. I will not rent from Hertz or Thrifty again.