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August 18, 2009 8:46 AM

For Hertz, the Proof Is in the Pictures

Posted by Daniel Carty
(AP Photo)
A picture might be worth a thousand words, but Hertz is hoping that if they take enough of them, they might be worth closer to $170 million.

The car rental company will be employing high-resolution digital cameras to snap before and after shots of their vehicles to more efficiently scan for dents, according to a Bloomberg report Tuesday. The move is aimed at saving time and, of course, boosting customers' damage payments.

The company says it loses $170 million a year under the current system, which involves an employee doing a visual check on the car and requires the customer to sign off on the report.

The new system, aside from saving time, would theoretically eliminate those nasty squabbles over dings and dents. Customers would sign a waiver acknowledging the process and would be billed for any damages.

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hertz ,
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photograph ,
rental
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Add a Comment See all 20 Comments
by cdegolier August 19, 2009 2:36 PM EDT
by PLS8395 August 18, 2009 10:02 AM EDT
That's why you should pay the extra money for the insurance... Well worth it!

Before you waste the extra money at the rental company, check with your own insurance company, a lot of polices cover what ever vehicle the insured is driving.
Reply to this comment
by rwspas August 19, 2009 9:51 AM EDT
You people are really amazing. Take some responsibility for your actions. You pay Hertz to rent a car, not to rent and damage a car. All Hertz is doing is protecting themselves and you (you have proof you did not damage a car with before and after pictures). If your own car gets hit and run in a parking lot, your responsible to fix, that's just life, which by the way is not fair - in case your mother never told you that. Why should Hertz have to pay to fix a car under your control - even if it was not your fault it got hit, you rented it, you?re responsible for it. I love the comment about it's the cost of doing business, yea right, I'm sure that's the same guy that expects to pay $20 a day for $30,000 car and will complain that anything over that is ?Outrageous?! Normal wear and tear is the cost of doing business, which includes road dings, etc ? you?re not going to be charged for that ? damage, is not the cost of doing business ? as a renter, it is your responsibility. Take the insurance if you don?t want any responsibility.
Reply to this comment
by rational_1 August 18, 2009 3:39 PM EDT
It would be expensive but imagine how much fun you could have if you had the rental car painted a different color. Here's the clerk looking his little snapshots of the red car you rented and comparing it to the blue car you just returned. Oh the head games you could play.
Reply to this comment
by ddaryl1 August 18, 2009 2:55 PM EDT
well then I will never rent from hertz again... Sorry things happen, unless its a big accident they should accept the damage.

Is it my fault the person who parked next to me decided ot open there door and ding the car.. NO...

but yet another company looking for ways to take more money frmo the people, because lets face it corporation are more importnat then anyone
Reply to this comment
by TheMasses2016 August 18, 2009 1:15 PM EDT
I'll never buy Heintz ketchup again!
Reply to this comment
by Hosheen August 18, 2009 1:10 PM EDT
You have to admire American ingenuity. They lead the world in finding new and better ways to cheat their customers. You can not rent from Hertz, I never do, but how long before the rest use the same scam?
Reply to this comment
by Benton09 August 18, 2009 1:07 PM EDT
Is that Bonnie & Clyde's car?.....I thought it was old car that spent a Friday night in East L. A. or Tijuana or maybe Juarez, however there are no fuzzy dice hanging from the rearview mirror.
Reply to this comment
by bytheway59 August 18, 2009 12:40 PM EDT
a recent article detailed Enterprise car rental ording vehicles without the standard side air bags and then sold the cars at the end of program stating all standard equipment had been installed, it is costing them millions to settle. and yes hertz is now off my list of rental companies as well.
Reply to this comment
by Sloughfoot August 18, 2009 12:40 PM EDT
There are other car rental services!
Reply to this comment
by TheMasses2016 August 18, 2009 11:42 AM EDT
How do you know that's Bonnie and Clyde's car?
There could have been a hailstorm or a bunch of teenagers throwing rocks off an overpass.
Reply to this comment
by spredbury August 18, 2009 11:24 AM EDT
This is the same police department that shot up the home of an innocent Vietanmese family a couple years ago. I sent an email to the police department PR department and they replied that they ALWAYS treat citizens justly and fairly. Well, I guess this video proves that was a lie. I hope the FBI investigation finds civil rights violations and prosecutes all of the cops involve to the max. I hope no one is surprised that Chief Dolan would say his cops acted correctly. After all he gave awards to all officers involved the raid on the home of the Vietnamese family. If you don't believe this just goodle "vietnamese family raid in minneapolis". The city paid this family $612.498 in damages for that criminal act. I am so tired of seeing these type videos and reading about similiar acts of the self righteous, power absorbed members of law enforcement. Someone, somewhere has to get these out of control cops in harness.
Reply to this comment
by ROBACA August 18, 2009 1:24 PM EDT
Look at the holes, they came from bullets.
by josebcruz August 18, 2009 11:24 AM EDT
Good Question Mrs. Spam, love that name BTW, maybe it was a rental.
Reply to this comment
by josebcruz August 18, 2009 1:32 PM EDT
I was trying to be Funny Mrs Spam, yes every car that Bonnie and Clyde has was stolen.
by saturn05 August 18, 2009 11:18 AM EDT
mrs_spam- didn't you know every car that gets rented out is in a shoot-out with police. I wonder how they would bill you for that? I definitely won't rent for Hertz.
Reply to this comment
by docpeter1953 August 18, 2009 11:20 AM EDT
I guess if you rented a car that was in excellent shape and returned it looking like the Bonnie & Clyde car above someone should be expected to help pay for the repairs.
by Califsue August 18, 2009 10:55 AM EDT
If you rent a car make sure your own auto insurance covers you. What they sell is duplicate coverage if you have good car insurance.
Reply to this comment
by stinger1z August 18, 2009 9:57 AM EDT
I see it as a ripoff. They won't fix the damage which likely you as the last driver didn't even cause, and they will charge each subsequent renter over and over. Wait and see. Apartment owners do the same thing.
Reply to this comment
by metomjr August 18, 2009 9:51 AM EDT
So...if I rent a car, and I drive to a movie theater to catch a movie while on vacation...or the beach or whatever, and some idiot slams his door into my rental (it's happened to my own car) I'm held liable and charged for that? It's one thing if I back into a pole...you can't control the general public out there. This is a little nit picky. Hopefully they won't nickel & dime you for every little scratch and dent. Even driving down the freeway, big trucks and construction vehicles toss rocks up that hit my car and leave scratches. Please...you're a rental company. Your rental charges should cover the costs of doing business...which include the insurance/repair estimates. And I'll bet you fix every little scratch and dent after you've charged the customer for the damage. That might be a nice undercover story CBS...
Reply to this comment
by PLS8395 August 18, 2009 10:02 AM EDT
That's why you should pay the extra money for the insurance... Well worth it!
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