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Dollar Rent A Car

Dollar Rent A Car review: tricked into extra charges 8

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Author of the review
8:46 am EDT
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When I arrived at the Dollar desk to collect the car I was in a hurry as my wife had been taken ill on the plane and I wanted to get away as quickly as possible to get to the hospital. This was already a bad start to our honeymoon.

So you can imagine I was in a real hurry but then had to spend a very long time at the San Francisco Airport desk insisting to the guy that I did not want to upgrade to a convertible, he just kept going on and on about upgrading, and I just kept telling him I did not want to pay a single thing extra than what we had already paid for (through CarHire300) and I refused to upgrade to any additional packages. It was ridiculous, I must have repeated my self 100 times or more - I said very clearly "NO I do not want to pay for anything more than the car rental which is already paid".

He said ok and then passed me the contract across the desk and keeping his hand on the contract at all times, pointed where to sign, which I did, took the keys and left.

I did asked him about petrol and what type the car took, he advised that the car had a full tank already, when I asked how much that would cost he said not to worry about it we would not be charged and to bring it back empty, which I thought was a bit weird, but had no time to query it - now I see why!

He never mentioned anything insurance or road safe and certainly did not inform me to expect any additional charges. I only signed it where he said to, I did not agree to any charges - yet here is what was taken additionally:

$104.85 - Personal Protection Plan.

$89.85 - Optional Supplementary Insurance called Road safe plus (This is a top up insurance that covers for items that are not normally covered in the standard breakdown package)

$27.64 - Conferrecchg (This is tax payable on any extras)

$15.87 - State Tax (This is also tax payable on any extras)

$54.11 - Pre paid fuel

$292.32 - Total Amount

I did not agree to any of these additional extras, we were already on an extremely tight budget for our honeymoon so there's absolutely no way I would have initialed for them.

This is absolutely terrible, I feel totally tricked. Was the guy at the desk on commission! How could this have happened when I did not agree to those charges!

Is this how Dollar gets money by tricking people into signing for something they know nothing about! I am totally disgusted and do not intend to let this rest until I get a full refund.

8 comments
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kmk160
, US
Aug 19, 2016 6:11 am EDT

I rented a car from Dollar for 62 days - June 4 to August 5, 2011. My online reservation stated 2 months at $715 and two additional days at $29 a day. However, Dollar charged me every 28 days and I had to renew the car at their counter each time which was very inconvenient. Since when is a month 28 days? I was charged $850.65 for the first 28 days; then charged $935.60 for the second 28 days; and charged another $229 for six additional days when it was 2 additional days, as per my reservation. I have been overcharged by$61.42. I am waiting for a refund.

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vitojdepiro
Shrewsbury, US
Aug 19, 2016 6:11 am EDT

I recently rented a automobile from Dollar Rent a Car at 1675 Airline Drive- Kenner, LA. 70062. The vehicle passenger doors would not open from the inside. The company would not exchange vehicle. To me this seems a real bad safety issue. Rental Agreement Number ZK019303-4. If this vehicle was in an accident there is no way to get out on the passenger side.

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Shaharga
, US
Aug 19, 2016 6:11 am EDT

Just to make it clear, we made our car rental reservation through a third party company called Booking Group (known as bookinggroup.com or economybookings.com). When troubles started Dollar blamed everything on the third party company. I'm not buying it…

Dollar robbed us 3 times:

1. According to the voucher we were holding the balance was EUR 127: "€ 127.03 is payable to Dollar on your arrival".

(Approximately $190 at that time)

Dollar charged us $250. After an 11 hours flight it was not easy to argue...what could we do?

Dollar response: "Our records indicate your reservation was booked as $250 in our system for the rental charges, which is what you were charged. Since the Euro amount was quoted to you by the third party company, and they booked the reservation in our system as $250, we must ask you pursue this matter further with the third party."

2. According to the voucher the drop-off location was Manhattan (no fee mentioned):

"Drop-off location: USA New York, Manhattan, Manhattan Downtown"

Dollar charged us with an extra $50, which was a Drop-off fee for returning the car to a different location than the original.

Dollar response: "Since our records indicate this vehicle was reserved with Dollar to return to JFK, we must conclude the third party booked with us incorrectly"

3. Dollar did not explain that the prepaid fuel plan is just an option; we understood that we have to take it.

Dollar response: "It appears you accepted prepaid fuel upon pickup. This was $34.29."

My recommendation: Don't book Dollar Rent-A-Car; Don't do business with Booking Group.

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BurnedByDollar
Orlando, US
Feb 17, 2012 5:34 pm EST

I FEEL YOUR PAIN! After being HOUNDED to purchase extras like toll savers, multiple types of insurance for over fifteen minutes (and repeatedly saying NO to each and ever one) at a counter in Orlando Florida I finally said "I DO NOT WANT ANY EXTRAS, I JUST WANT MY CAR. How can I do that?" The SCAM ARTIST behind the counter said "Just sign and click accept, and it's yours."

At the end of the week the bill was double what I agreed to.

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kga1978
, CA
Aug 29, 2011 1:11 am EDT

I understand this must be frustrating and I would be very upset as well. However, you have to read the contract before signing anything - the total price of the rental is listed on the right hand side always. I have rented from Dollar at least ten times and always know what I am paying for the rental. If there is anything on the contract when it is presented to you, this is where you question the charges and have them corrected. Do not sign anything until you have read and understand the charges. They have your signature on the contreact, there is probably nothing more you can do, but I wish you luck...and I hope the rest of your honeymoon went much better than the start.

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Ken Azar
Birmingham, US
Mar 29, 2011 3:03 am EDT

Almost the same thing happened to me. This company is border line criminal in the manner in which they treat people! Someone please form a class action and notify me. Cell [protected] Ken

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sdfsdfsdfsdfsdfsd sdfsdf
, US
Nov 22, 2010 6:57 pm EST

did you ever hear from them? same thing happened to me.

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watrjexa
Tampa, US
Apr 01, 2009 1:42 pm EDT

I have a rental from them now in Tampa, FL. I agree they have some horrible cars, for them to be new, they seem to have been driven really hard. They won't exchange. Only thing to do is not use them anymore, and our family has a corporate account with them.