Complaint Review: Hertz - Spokane International Airport - Spokane Washington

I am way beyond pissed off with Hertz in Spokane WA, I will NEVER rent from Hertz and since this nightmare!

Here I arrived in Spokane, March 8 at 1245am - my flight into Spokane was delayed. Prior to my late arrive I did call several times to the Hertz 1-800# and Hertz at airport to inform my plane was delayed. Thru the 1-800# I was told numerous time if I don't pick vehicle up by closing time I would lose my car rental. I called hertz at airport in Denver, was told a few times that I had to be there before closing time. After arriving in Spokane, I left my kids with my Mother waiting for our luggage so I could run down to Hertz to get the vehicle. Here I haven't slept for 24hrs, had screaming kids, hungry, tired, and Hertz employees kept paging my name. I arrived at Hertz at 0145.

Here hertz waited for me, they told me they had to upgrade me to Hyundai Elantra, since the economy car is not available, they did tell me there was damage on front and rear bumper it was marked on the paper. I felt like I was being rushed out, I was told I had to sign it prior to leaving and since they were already closed they couldn't come check it out with me. I signed it (biggest mistake ever). As I walked out to the vehicle the employees walked to their cars and left. The place was closed, it was very dark out since there was no lights on. I found very little light got out of car and searched around the car, I couldnt see the markings on bumpers. At 2am I got to my lodging parked in my carport, turned lights on and walked around car. Again I didnt see any taillight damage. I noticed the markings on the rear/front bumper. 

On the 8th we slept all day and didn't drive it until the 9th and that is when I noticed, when the sun was on the taillight a small piece was missing from taillight. I called it in right away March 9 at 7:58pm (biggest mistake). I took pictures of it, showed it to several auto places, cuz Hertz is telling me its my fault for the damage to the taillight. The taillight worked nothing wrong with the light itself. I contacted my Uncle who sells insurance, and my husband who is a auto mechanic for the USAF. According to my uncle you can see the car was hit previous or hit something and the taillight would have been hit to cause the damage. Its not my fault, but Hertz fault for NOT seeing it. My husband looked at the pictures I took, he said a new taillight is $165.00.

I called Hertz again March 11 at 6:20pm, it was raining really bad, and couldn't see it needed new wipers. The CSR told me I just need to go to the gas station and wash/clean the windows! Here she was arguing with me, telling me I am not working the wipers correctly, talking about how the windshield washer fluid should be full and that nothing was wrong with the wipers. I repeated myself several times that it is the wipers. It was pouring down rain, I was on the freeway and couldn't see anything. I pulled over and called them, since I couldn't drive, and couldn't see. I was told to bring the car back to them. I had to wait for it to stop raining so I could drive, pick my kids up in Idaho and drive back to the airport to swap cars. While I did talk to the Hertz CSR on the other car, I was informed that they had to take it to an auto body repair shop, since they have to remove the bumper to get to the taillight. I told them a taillight is easy to fix, you don't have to remove bumper to get to taillight. A new taillight cost $165.00, the CSR said I am looking at several thousand dollars to repair taillight. 

Here I returned the vehicle since I couldn't see anything due to the windshield wipers needed to be replaced. When I returned it, the CSR went thru my papers in the Hertz folder and replaced them with a new rental. Here I got a different car and the CSR was out there looking at the car, she couldn't and didn't see the damage until she asked me where it was and I pointed it out. The tech (male) was out there and he said the damage to the rear bumper was their previous and didn't see any current damage. I got all my kids out of the 1st car and moved them to the new car. I started going thru my paperwork and I noticed she removed all my paperwork from the last rental I just turned in. I walked back into the Hertz to request the papers that were in there prior, and was told they shredded them and everything was locked up to get a copy of anything. I was told I had to wait until Monday! And not to worry cuz they have the original copy of the car with the marked damage front and back bumper. Very unacceptable! Here they could have made up a new sheet in that time, I am NOT STUPID!

I still haven't been able to get a copy of the original papers I signed and the rear/front bumper damage. The days I was there, I was out of town, and most times didn't have cell phone use. The times I did call I was told I needed to talk to Jared he works after 9am Pacific Time. By the time I was able to call of course he would be gone. I did leave message 1 day but never got a call back. Here they knew I wanted the original paperwork, they could have had it the day I went to return the car 03/19/2012, or even called me on it, but NO, they thought I changed my mind and told me I would need to call him on the March 20, I was flying out that day which they knew. They keep blowing me off. Here they NEVER asked me if I didn't want the original paperwork or not! From there that tells me this place is a major fraud! You people trying to scam me for something I didn't do. 

Here I got a letter from 3rd party claims of damage to taillight and lower bumper. Now on the form I signed 03/08/2012 it was marked for front and rear bumper you could see the markings on the back bumper. From looking at this picture taking during the day, I still thought the white was how the lights - white part is on the light. http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/594/taillightu.jpg/ I didn't notice anything was wrong until it was pointed out to me by my Mother when the sun was right on the taillight. And here is a CLOSE UP picture (I had to zoom in my cell phone camera) which no one could see unless pointed out to them: http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/687/tailight1.jpg/ and you can also see the scratches/scuff marks on back bumper.

Here I just talked to the 3rd party claim people and was told the paper they received only had damage to right door and I was responsible for the rear bumper and taillight.

We use to be Hertz Gold members we have canceled our membership, we will never rent thru Hertz! again!