and this is how the Car Rental agencies get you... $700.00 for a flat tire

This is from my February trip when I had a flat tire in the Cosmopolitan garage.

Because the letter was marked personal and confidential, I won't from posting a copy of it, even with the details removed. I will, however, quote what Budget said:

-----------------------------------------------
The rental vehicle was returned with the following: Right front tire
The rental contract indicated that the Loss Damage Waiver Provision was declined. Therefore, under the terms and conditions agreed to in our contract with you, you assume full responsibility for any damage to our vehicle regardless of fault.

Enclosed, please find documentation to support out claim for damages to our rental vehicle
An itemization of our cost to repair the vehicle is as follows:

1)Labor $108.00
3)Parts $487.92
5)Loss of use (1 day) $19.27
6)Administrative fee $50.00
7)Sales tax $40.86

for a grand total of $706.05

I have Premium Car rental insurance with American Express and this was a good time to test exactly HOW GOOD they are. I filed a claim with them, and I will be glad to report back on the results.

 

I can't believe the loss of use is $19.27, seems crazy low

 

Such BS. Yeah you signed their billion page font size 6 terms and conditions but that doesn't make it right.
I am guessing the sensor needed replaced and this was a run flat or specialty tire?

AMEX should take care of it no problem.

I had a flat with Enterprise once was out of town 300 miles from where I picked up the rental. Not only did they swap out car for me, not charge me anything, but the guy was apologizing profusely for what happened as if it was his fault. YMMV with these damn rental car agencies.

 

$487 bucks for one tire? Are they buying them from the Pentagon? I buy tires for many different types of vehicles - none of them is over $250, and I consider $250 a rip-off. Or did you rent a monster-truck and have a flat in that?

 

It was the daily rate during the rental period. Nowadays, it'd be a lot higher.

 

It was for the TIRE and the WHEEL. $257.00 for the wheel, and the car DOES NOT used TPMS Sensors.

They don't make 'em the way they used to, I guess . . . .

 

Sounds like budget needs to hire AAA

For real, that is extortionate

I know flyertalk has a thread on this...I'd encourage you to read/post there if you're looking for some case studies/advice.

 

That's crazy that they charged you for the wheel. I'd expect to see proof of wheel damage. Accidents happen and they shouldn't have the burden if you popped a curb and damaged a wheel. However, it's not fair if it was just a nail in the tire and now they're trying to stick it to you

 

I'd be contacting the consumer protection division of the Nevada Attorney General's office with a copy of your letter from Budget. Avis tried a BS glass damage claim with me years ago, so I played along with wording to the effect that since there was no sandstorm report on any of the local TV news stations or in either of the two daily newspapers during my stay in LAS, that perhaps the Nevada Attorney General might want to pursue this further. I never heard back and to the best of my knowledge, I was never charged or otherwise had to deal with their supposed claim.

 

WOW! We had a flat tire in the Rio parking garage. We called Alamo and they actually sent someone out to fix it but that was years ago.
However I'm not sure what you're saying. Was the tire flat when you came out of Cosmo into the parking garage? How did you get it back to the airport?

 

Damn...........

 

Not exactly understanding the sequence of events. So you had a flat at Cosmo, did Budget send a tech to repair the flat in the garage and then bill you the cost of the repair at the end of the rental? Or...did you drive the car to the rental car center on a flat, which damaged the rim for which they billed you? Regardless, the $$charges are ridiculous and I look forward to hearing what AMEx does for you.

Mike

 

Here's what happened. I got my car out of the Cosmopolitan self-park garage. The car seemed kind of "strange" driving it. I pulled out of the Cosmo garage and a guy pointed at the car. I stopped and he told me "flat tire". I pulled into a coned off lane on Las Vegas Blvd. and changed to the spare myself. I drove on the temporary until I returned the car the next day.

 

Here is the part of his TR with the flat tire. I remember reading it when it happened...didn't think it would come back to bite you like this!

https://www.vegasmessageboard.com/forums/index.php?threads/venetian-palazzo-and-cosmopolitan-2-19-2-23.181368/page-4


Let us know if your AMEX card takes care of it.

 

@ColoVegPlayer - thanks. Here's the specifics
As I was pulling out of the garage, I noticed that the car was driving "off", it was only as I reached Las Vegas Blvd, than a man was kind enough to point out that I had a flat tire. It was VERY flat.

At this point, my options were:
1)call roadside service (and wait anywhere between 30 minutes and 2 hours), or
2)roll up my sleeves and change the damn thing myself.

I've changed enough flat tires that I can get it done in about 15 minutes, if all parts are ready and available.

One of the things that I will make SURE that my son understand is how to change a flat tire.

If you have a child that is preparing to drive, IMHO, they should understand how to change a flat tire. They should not only understand how to do it, but they should be able to demonstrate how to do it on a car of their own, or a rental car.

I pulled into a coned off lane of Las Vegas Blvd. and fortunately, it was the passenger's side front tire that was flat.
15 minutes later

I was back on my way to Area 15.

 

I'm surprised that you actually had a spare tire! A lot of the rentals today only come equipped with a temporary flat tire repair kit. Spare tires are an option for most new cars and the rental companies try to save money by ordering them without spares.

 

Thanks for the clarification....that rim doesn’t look damaged at all, good luck with AMEX.

Mike

 

This.

 

I'm honored that you linked to my profile.

 

sticky fingers!