In December I had a flat tire with a rental car from Avis 5 minutes before returning it to the airport in Munich. When I returned it, I told them that the tire in the trunk was flat and had just been changed. They said no problem. So last Thursday I received an airmail letter from Avis of Germany (postmarked 15 Dec. - it took 3 weeks to get here) saying they were charging my credit card €255, which is about $300 US for the repair of the tire. I have done nothing as yet, and am trying to plan out my "attack" and am hoping for any advice from those who have had similar experiences. Doesn't my credit card pay for damages? And what tire could cost $300 to repair?

most rental insurance and even my own insurance doesn't cover flat tires. the only time I got one with a rental was in Germany. i went to a shop that carried the same tires and bought one, not wanting to risk what the company would charge me. your story doesn't surprise me.

and when you say "what tire could cost $300 to repair?", they probably took it to the gas station where they fill up the cars returned with empty tanks and charge something like $10.00 a gallon.

If it had not happened 5 minutes from the airport where we were returning the car, I would have gone to a station and had the tire fixed. but.....

I'm not sure what I can tell you except what I guess you already know. I agree that tires aren't usually covered. We "cut" a tire on a rock in Corsica and went to a Dunlop store and replaced it with a new one. It was a whole lot cheaper than the tires I buy at home!! I realize your timing couldn't have been worse. And it does sound like gouging to me, but when have rental car agencies not been accused of that?

One minor point, but it won't do you much good. I've always felt that renting from Hertz and Avis among others in Europe can result in some problems. They will always tell you when you call here that there is little or no connection between the US and European divisions. It's another reason I really like AutoEurope. If you have a problem, even when it is with a car that was done through Avis or Hertz, AutoEurope handles it. I'd be really curious if they would have negotiated a better price on that tire for you.

Karen, first I'd suggest a little change in your mindset. Think about working the problem out instead of planning an attack. You'll come across as cooperative rather than confrontational, and that may help in resolving the problem.

It sounds as if you've been WAY overcharged for the tire repair. Although I negotiated a $600 refund for a car rental in Germany many years ago, I haven't had experience with resolving a charge for a damaged tire. For starters, I would start by calling my credit card customer service number and requesting that they investigate.

Good luck and keep us posted on your progress.

hi there,
repairing a tires (guess it is a normal one, nothing special) will cost about 60 - 80 Euro which isnot more than 100 Dollars. And this has to include everything. 255 Euro is tooooo much. I dont know whether they told You other things have to be repaired too. Perhaps the rim was demaged. If You cant fix the problem from the States perhaps You give me the sign/number of the letter/contract. A friend of mine is working for Avis and perhaps she can ask what happend.

Gar

Having rented from Avis many times (and regretted it a few times!), they state in their small print that tyres (sorry about UK spelling!) and the underside of the car are not covered. You can pay extra for those. Unfortunately, they are none too clever about making this clear when you rent. The last time they asked me to sign "here, here and here". I read through it quickly but they tried to hurry me up. It was only when I read it thouroughly afterwards I realised that I had signed that the car was in perfect condition - even though I hadn't taken delivery of it yet!
Ask then for a full breakdown and a copy of the invoice from the tyre company used. Tell them that you will take the matter further and state that you are not happy with the cost. There are Europe wide regulations on trading standards which all member states adhere to (although the French usually think that regulations are for other countries and not them). Do a search on the net and quote them some regulations etc leaving the ball in their court and ask them what they are going to do about it. Good luck.

I guess I cannot fully "relate" to this situation since I don't rent cars in Europe (could this be one reason???). But certainly, Avis and Hertz in the US include 24-hour road service as part of the deal which includes changing flat tires. Apparently, in Europe, things are different. Hope things work out for you, though.

Betsy -- I guess I used the wrong wording. I do not plan an "attack' but was thinking in terms of how to deal with something that has never happened to me before. I did get $200 of what seemed like an overcharge returned to me from an Avis rental in Germany last September. Thus far I have called Avis here in the US and they said they would request all the paperwork from germany and send it to me. Today I willcall my credit card co. to see what they can do on their end.

Sounds like you're on your way! Hope the process isn't too much of a hassle.

I have a general car rental question: If you buy the extra "damage and theft" insurance is everything covered? Is the steep cost worth it?

Donna, I know this will sound smug, but if you end up having an accident then the steep cost of the coverage was worth it, if you don't have an accident, then it wasn't. That's kind of the bottom line. Or else you have to ask yourself what your own peace of mind is worth to you.

But do check carefully to see what your own insurance or your credit card coverage will be. One thing I've learned is that you must totally deline all collision/damage to get your credit card to cover you in case of a problem. In other words, if I take partial collision coverage from the leasing agency and have a problem, my credit card will NOT pay the difference. But if I decline collision coverage from the agency and have a problem, my credit card will cover the whole thing! Of course this varies with credit cards and with what country you're renting in.

Patrick you have made my day! I called my credit card company and even if a boulder falls on the car, I am covered for insurance so I don't need to worry about getting extra. It never fails to amaze me all the help I get at these boards. Thanks again!