Latest news with #Hertz
Times
a day ago
- Automotive
- Times
‘I booked a petrol hire car but was given an EV instead'
✉ I rent cars abroad about four times a year, usually with Hertz. On a recent trip to Corsica I booked a small manual petrol car but was only offered an electric vehicle on arrival. Unfamiliar with EVs and Corsica's charging infrastructure, as well as the true range of the car, I felt forced to pay extra to upgrade to a petrol car. I understand that fuel type isn't always guaranteed but this seems to be a growing issue. Do any major rental companies guarantee petrol/diesel cars? For my upcoming Hertz booking in Crete, the confirmation doesn't mention EVs. Can I assume I'll get the fuel type I selected?Owen Warnock Bigger rental companies won't guarantee petrol/diesel cars even if you get a note put on your booking specifying that you don't want an EV. Hertz, for example, said it could not guarantee a 'specific make, model, transmission or fuel type'. The best way to get what you want is to book with a reputable smaller, local company, which will have a smaller fleet and more personal service. In Crete try the highly rated Anna Cars which can guarantee no EVs because it doesn't have any ( ✉ On May 31 I was on a Ryanair flight to Stansted, coming home from a hen weekend in Biarritz in the south of France. I couldn't check in online due to a visa check issue (I'm Canadian), so I planned to do it at the airport. But when I finally got to the desk, I was told the flight was overbooked and I'd need to wait and see if any seats were freed up. In fact, six passengers, including another girl in the hen party, were left stranded, with zero support (when we rang Ryanair we were just told to go to a check-in desk but there were none of its staff there to help). The other hen and I had to find our own way home via Bilbao and this involved a two-hour night bus ride, a £120 airport hotel and a £200 flight. Ryanair has since made it near impossible to claim the compensation I'm legally owed. Its forms don't allow overbooking claims and I've had irrelevant replies to my complaints. Can you help?Jessica Pearce You and your fellow hen had a miserable experience but, as is so often the case, human error is to blame for your inability to claim compensation. A Ryanair spokesperson said your flight was not overbooked but a smaller plane had to be substituted for operational reasons: 'As a result, a small number of passengers were unable to travel on this fully booked flight. Regrettably, when informing Ryanair, the third-party ticket desk agent at Biarritz airport failed to include this passenger's details and as a result this passenger did not receive the email required to submit her EU261 compensation claim. A member of our customer service team has since been in contact to further assist this passenger with her claim.' ✉ My husband and I would like to take a trip to celebrate my son turning ten next year. We're flexible on when we go (Easter or summer) and my husband wants to take him to the theme parks in Florida, as his parents did with him when he was ten. I can't think of anything worse. Could you suggest a trip/route that would balance out the crowds and noise, experiencing more of Florida? I'd like to see the Keys and the Everglades. We have a budget of up to £15,000 for us all for up to a Pratley Audley Travel could tailor-make this trip for you, starting with five nights in Orlando — three nights at Drury Plaza Orlando, in the Disney Springs area, and two nights at Loews Sapphire Falls Resort at Universal Orlando — with Disney and Universal tickets included. (You could make your theme park experiences slightly less painful by buying skip-the-queue passes which at Disney are called Lightning Lane and at Universal Express Pass, and should be invaluable during the school holidays). Then escape the madness by flying down to laid-back Key West for three nights at Oceans Edge Resort. You could add a kayak or snorkelling tour to explore the crystal-clear waters. Next, pick up a hire car and drive about two hours to Marathon, between Key West and Key Largo. Don't miss a visit to the brilliant Turtle Hospital, which should be perfect for your ten-year-old ( You'd then have a two-night stay at the gorgeous Isla Bella Beach Resort before heading west to Naples for three nights at Naples Bay Resort and an airboat tour of the Everglades. A 14-night trip like this during next year's Easter holidays would start at about £15,000 for the three of you, including flights, car hire, theme park tickets and hotel stays sharing one room, room-only ( ✉ I'm travelling to Peru with my daughter in January. She'll be on a work trip so I thought I could go on my own to Cusco and Machu Picchu but I can't find a travel company that will organise a three-day trip with a small group and guide. Any ideas?Marie Thompson It's essential to book this Machu Picchu trip as soon as possible because permits to visit the site in January sell out quickly. The local operator Alpaca Expeditions has a two-night tour that also includes exploring Cusco City and the Sacred Valley and involves lots of walking but no trekking. It starts at £513pp, including two nights' B&B (based on sharing a room, single supplement £110), guiding, permit and entrance ticket and transport, and the company warns that because flights to Cusco are often cancelled, you should aim to arrive in the city at least two days before your trip, which will also allow you to acclimatise to the altitude ( ✉ We're three friends in our late sixties who take a short break together every year. Our next choice is Vienna. Can you recommend the best area of the city for us to stay in? We're interested in historical sites, museums and city parks with the occasional shopping trip thrown in. Also, is the city easy to get around?Melanie Lloyd Vienna is a brilliant choice for a short break. It packs a huge cultural punch, is very walkable and, mercifully, doesn't suffer from the overtourism of so many European capitals. Stay in the compact First District (or Innere Stadt) and you'll have the Hofburg Palace, St Stephen's Cathedral and the Vienna State Opera, as well as high-end shopping streets like Kärntner Strasse and Graben, on your doorstep. The large and lovely Stadtpark, home to the golden statue of Johann Strauss, is here too. For a taste of the city's imperial Habsburg past, stay in the small and central König von Ungarn, which dates back to the 17th century and has 44 elegant rooms, a glass-roofed courtyard and vaulted restaurant where you can sample a schnitzel. B&B doubles (or twins) start at £255 in September ( The city's fast and efficient public transport is another of its high points and a 72-hour travel card costs £14.50 ( Have you got a holiday dilemma? Email traveldoctor@
Motor 1
2 days ago
- Automotive
- Motor 1
‘I've Never Heard of This:' Customer Rents Tesla in Florida. Then Hertz Worker Says Something Shocking About Electric Vehicles
When choosing a vehicle, you might opt for an electric vehicle (EV) to save on gas, be environmentally friendly, or simply enjoy the novelty. But a traditional gas guzzler might be a safer bet, or at least one less likely to attract creepy crawly companions, according to one person. Get the best news, reviews, columns, and more delivered straight to your inbox, daily. back Sign up For more information, read our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use . In a video with more than 169,000 views, content creator Brandon ( @brandonjb_ ) shared the unsettling thing he found in his car rental. In the video, Brandon explains that he recently rented a Tesla from Hertz Car Rental and was surprised to find that it was infested with roaches. In the video, you can see at least three tiny roaches roaming around on one of the car seats. And where there are baby roaches, there's likely a whole crew of pests. Brandon brought the issue to Hertz. He implies that they shrugged him off, saying, 'Since it's a Tesla, it's going to attract roaches.' 'So Hertz in [Florida] airport told us since the car is an EV, it's gonna attract roaches and that all EVs tend to have them, so there's nothing they can do for us,' Brandon writes in the caption. Do EVs Attract Bugs? Despite Hertz's claim that this is just an EV issue, this doesn't seem completely accurate. Motor1 did not find legitimate articles about this issue. The primary mentions of this online are from a Reddit thread in which a person said that their Tesla Model Y had a roach problem, and this was their first time ever having a pest issue in a car. A Tesla, like any vehicle, can become infested with insects or other pests. One person who commented on Brandon's TikTok theorized the roaches may be attracted to the heat the battery gives off while idling. Another shared that their Model Y had a German roach infestation, and a third chimed in about how the Model 3s repeatedly have that issue, even if you're not leaving any food or crumbs in the car. How Do Cars Get Infested? Trending Now 'Will Inevitably Clog Your System:' Woman Uses A/C Recharger in Her Miata. Then Viewers Warn Her Watch This Mouse-Infested Mustang SVT Cobra Make a Miraculous Recovery Roaches love a warm, dark space—especially one with a food source, making a vehicle a potentially ideal environment. Even if you keep your car clean, it doesn't take much to attract roaches. A few crumbs under the seat, a forgotten snack wrapper in the glove compartment, or a gym bag left in the trunk can be enough. Roaches can make their way into your car inside grocery bags, backpacks, luggage, or boxes. They can also come through an open window or sunroof. If you give insects access and an environment to thrive in, you may wind up with an infestation. Once inside, they'll settle in hard-to-see places like floorboard seams, under the seats, inside the glove box, or even between upholstery. How to Get Rid of Roaches Roaches won't necessarily live in your car long-term—especially if there's no food source—but if they find something to eat and somewhere to hide, they'll stick around. Spotting droppings, egg casings, or even one rogue roach could signal that more are nearby. Regularly cleaning your car and being mindful of what you leave inside are your best defenses. And if you already suspect an infestation, bait traps are reportedly more effective than sprays, especially since aerosol insecticides can damage your car's interior and leave behind harmful fumes. 'Not the Car's Fault' Most people who commented on Brandon's post agree that it's the conditions that attract insects, not whether a vehicle is electric, gasoline, or diesel. 'Roaches don't care if it's a Tesla or a Toyota. They're attracted to food crumbs, trash, and warmth. If you find roaches in a rental, it's not the car's fault it's because someone left it dirty. Blame hygiene, not the brand,' a top comment reads. 'Tesla owner here, I have never heard that nor seen a roach in my car ever,' another said. 'Definitely not true. I work at a car lot. I've been in alot of Teslas and haven't seen one yet,' a third wrote. 'This happened to me back in 2021. I rented a Hyundai from Hertz and it was infested with roaches,' another person said. Motor1 reached out to Brandon for comment via TikTok direct message and comment, and to Tesla and Hertz via email. We'll update this if they respond. More From Motor1 'It Scratched Up My Lexus': These Automatic Car Awnings Are Becoming Popular In The Summertime Heat. Do They Work? Hyundai Might Ditch Buttons for a Massive Tesla-Style Screen. That's a Mistake 'Toyota Tacoma. Chevy Tahoe:' Car Salesman Can Tell the Make And Model By the Sound Of The Hood Closing. Then He Proves It Tesla Free Falls in Europe as Sales Drop for Fifth Straight Month Share this Story Facebook X LinkedIn Flipboard Reddit WhatsApp E-Mail Got a tip for us? Email: tips@ Join the conversation ( )
Telegraph
3 days ago
- Automotive
- Telegraph
The hire car scanner that could cost holidaymakers millions
It's already changing the way that we use the internet from one week to the next, but could artificial intelligence have its sights set on a new target: your next holiday hire car? The United States rental behemoth Hertz has confirmed that it is now using AI-powered scanners at six major American airports – including Florida's Tampa International and New York's Newark Liberty, as well as airports in Houston, Texas and Phoenix, Arizona – in order to check returned vehicles for even the slightest signs of damage that can be billed to customers. The company behind the technology, UVeye, says its scanners are five times better at finding damage than the average human eye. That means that tourists and road trippers could soon find themselves facing expensive bills for scratches and scuffs that they and the car rental company might not have noticed otherwise. When it comes to imposing expensive fines for minor damages, the car rental companies have form. In theory, firms say they don't charge for 'wear and tear', but, in practice, the line between harmless scuff and billable damage is often hotly contested between companies and their customers. Now, AI could tip the balance further in the favour of the car rental overlords, by giving them superhuman powers to detect damage that might have gone unnoticed by a human. What's more, UVeye's ability to compile an automatic report using date-stamped images could make it much tougher for customers to contest the bill. AI takes control as soon as customers return the car, as they drive it through a special gate fitted with UVeye scanners. These capture a 360-degree view of the car's tyres, bodywork and undercarriage. Within seconds, the technology can compare those images with those on file, providing Hertz with 'crystal-clear' proof of any changes before you have even left the airport. Using AI for advanced image processing isn't particularly new: the technology is already being used in everything from guiding self-driving cars to analysing X-rays. But this could be the first time that many people encounter it in the real world – and feel its impact on their wallet afterwards. Understandably, the scanners haven't been without controversy. Earlier this month, The New York Times reported on an American couple who claimed they had been falsely charged $195 (including $115 in processing fees) after a dent was identified on a front door. Even AI's greatest advocates admit that the technology isn't flawless (at least not yet), especially when it comes to image recognition: AI facial recognition systems have occasionally flagged the wrong targets, for example. Though on this particular occasion, Hertz told The New York Times that it had reviewed the case manually and was satisfied there had been no mistake. Hertz confirmed that its current policy is to check the AI reports manually only once they are contested by a customer. The company says that, of the thousands of vehicles that have already been scanned, 3 per cent showed signs of billable damage. Covering up Of course, one way to avoid getting stung with unexpected charges is to make sure you have the full damage waiver on your car – but that isn't without its own issues. The consumer champions at Which? have consistently criticised the big car rental companies for selling policies that are pricier and less comprehensive than those you can get directly from insurers. Given AI's potential to identify even the slightest scrape, it's not implausible that this new technology will help persuade many to buy coverage from car rental companies – and could thus end up costing travellers millions. Right now, Hertz is using the technology at six US airports (including the busiest airport in the US, Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson), with plans to roll it out to others before long. Its big rival Avis is also using AI software to analyse potential damage, though it told The New York Times that its policy is to have humans check any findings before bills are sent to customers. Could these kinds of systems be on their way to the UK? When I contacted UVeye (which has a London office address), a spokesman told me that it couldn't comment on any specific discussions, but that the company was in touch with 'many leading rental and fleet providers'. For its part, the company says its scanners will help bring 'peace of mind' to customers by ensuring they're not billed for scratches that already existed. (Indeed, a survey by Which? found that, of those customers who had reported being charged by a rental company, 42 per cent insisted that the damage had been there before they picked up the car in the first place.) In the meantime, travellers renting a car in the US will have an extra reason not just to take care on the roads, but also when navigating those terms and conditions. Particularly given that most car companies charge administration fees on top of any damage costs, which can sometimes double the cost of a minor scratch. Add in the extra fees and charges that have become routine across the industry (such as the overpriced petrol costs should you forget to return the car with a full tank, or the daily charge for renting a child seat to go with the car) and you can see how car rental can easily become a headache for those travellers who don't do their homework. Given that most of these policies have existed for well over a decade, you might wonder how much worse AI can actually make things for the customer. Still, if you had entertained any hopes that this revolutionary technology might make things more customer friendly, you could be waiting a little longer yet.
Wall Street Journal
5 days ago
- Automotive
- Wall Street Journal
How Tariffs Helped Turn Hertz and AutoZone Into Winning Bets
A Hertz car-rental site in San Jose, Calif. Investor Bill Ackman now has a large stake in the company. (Constanza Hevia H. for The Wall Street Journal)
Boston Globe
6 days ago
- Automotive
- Boston Globe
AI is making sure you pay for that ding on your rental car
Still, unexpected charges for damage that's barely visible to the naked eye are leaving renters wondering what's going on. Advertisement Kelly Rogers and her husband rented a car from Hertz at the Atlanta airport over the July 4 weekend to travel to a family wedding in Birmingham, Alabama. The couple, who live in Scarsdale, New York, booked a minivan to shuttle family around, and the drive in both directions was uneventful, they said. When they returned the car in Atlanta, they inspected it and saw no damage. A Hertz employee inspected the vehicle upon its return as well, they said, and did not flag any damage. Advertisement But once the couple had passed through airport security, they received a notification via the Hertz app that its automated system had detected a dent in the passenger-side front door. They were charged $195: $80 for the damage and $115 in fees, including those incurred 'as a result of processing' the damage claim and the 'cost to detect and estimate the damage' that occurred during the rental. Hertz offered to reduce the charge to $130 if they paid within one day. Rogers said the charge was inexplicable. 'It could have been a shadow,' she said in a phone interview. 'We were pulling it up on the app, and we're like, 'This is so bananas.'' The couple has been in touch with customer service and is seeking to have the fee dismissed. Spencer said the incident was reviewed and confirmed as a new dent. UVeye, which makes Hertz's scanners, says on its website that its technology can 'detect 5X more damage than manual checks' and generate '6X higher total value of damage captured.' Yaron Saghiv, the company's chief marketing officer, said in an email that its technology 'removes the need for manual walkarounds, increases vehicle safety, and ensures a reliable, objective record of vehicle condition.' Spencer, the Hertz spokesperson, said the company uses the scanners to make sure customers 'are not charged for damage that didn't occur during their rental, while bringing greater transparency, precision and speed to the process when new damage is detected.' As for the fees tacked on to the Rogers family's bill, Spencer said that damage fees 'are all incident-specific' and that they are calculated using multiple variables including 'the costs that are incurred, identifying and quantifying the damage, and administering the claim.' Advertisement Hertz and its subsidiaries, Dollar and Thrifty, are using the technology at Newark Liberty International Airport, Charlotte Douglas International Airport, Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, Tampa International Airport and George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston, as well as in Atlanta, Spencer said. Hertz plans to expand the technology to other 'major airport locations' this year, Spencer said, but did not specify how many or where. Sixt, another major rental car company, uses a different AI-supported tool called Car Gate, a scanner that relies on 'built-in sensors, cameras and a lighting system' to check for damage, according to the company's website. 'As part of the quality assurance, the photos are checked and verified,' the website says. Sixt did not respond to multiple requests for comment. A spokesperson for Enterprise Mobility, which owns Enterprise, National and Alamo, said the company does not use AI in its damage review process. Avis Budget Group, which includes the brands Avis, Budget and Payless, as well as the car-sharing company Zipcar, was reportedly testing AI damage scanning technology as early as 2019, but the company said via email that its damage assessment process 'remains human-led.' It added, 'While certain technologies, including AI, may be used to support internal efficiencies, they do not replace the judgment or involvement of our employees.' This article originally appeared in .
