Abel: Car rental scam claims

[ric_melb]

Seems hard to believe that a ding in the bumper bar could cost $4,800 to repair. I have had whole bumpers replaced for around $1000.

 

[NM]

Seems hard to believe that a ding in the bumper bar could cost $4,800 to repair. I have had whole bumpers replaced for around $1000.

Its a known fact that rental car bumpers are the super expensive type. They are specially manufactured so they look ok when you collect the car, but alter their appearance during the term of the rental agreement. Its taken a lot of testing and technology to develop these shape altering bumpers and that research has to be funded.

Oh, and they will also want to include the cost of lost revenue while the car is unavailable rental while the bumper is replaced. Thus lost revenue includes the inability to charge the next renter with the same repair bill for the same damage.

 

[oz_mark]

Didn't realise cars still had bumper bars, and when they did I thought their purpose was to take the ding and protect the rest of the car!

 

[Mal]

Well they're back in the news, and it appears things havn't changed too much:

Abel Rent a Car signs flout law | The Courier-Mail

ABEL Rent a Car, investigated last year by Queensland Fair Trading for unfair practices, is flouting federal consumer protection legislation by continuing to advertise $29-a-day car rental.

<snip>

In December Abel Rent a Car and its director Nathan Conn were fined for failing to comply with a notice to produce documents relating to an Office of Fair Trading investigation. A conviction was recorded against the company but not against Mr Conn.

Abel customers had complained they were bullied into accepting the cost for incidental wear and tear on cars they hired. Staff also claimed they were docked pay if they did not link customers to the car marks.

 

[theomatrix]

As a frequent user of Abel Car Hire Brisbane I have always found them to be courteous fair and at the very least honest with their dealings with me.
I had occasion to have a minor problem with a vehicle through no fault of theirs and upon alerting Abel Brisbane they immediatly offered me 50% off the next hire when ever I came back to Brisbane.
The fault was in fact something which neither the person handing me the keys or myself noticed, was the fact that the radio aerial was broken, I was not questioned or blamed and indeed was appologised to for the inconvenience and given the above mentioned discount.
Further to this on several occasions we have only driven the hire car for very short distances (under 200klm) in three days and for this they also rewarded me with 25% off at the subsequent rental.
In summary I would say that the flack they are copping is to my wayof thinking a little bit severe, but you know how it goes there are a lot of knockers and not many praisers in todays society.

Let me just say a few things wrong about this (as a past employee):

1. The Managing Director "Nathan Conn" is very tight when it comes to discounts, (50% discount offered immediatly apon advising abel of fault whould never happen unless you seen him in court)

2. The 25% discount of he subsequent rental was given to every customer tat I served and other staff served, the discount only applies to the rate per day (eg $29.00 per day) it doesnt reduce any further charges eg: Gst, Insurance reduction, booking fees and all the other fees ad charges they don't tell you about.

3. If a customer is given a set number of klm's per day and thy stay well under it the staff on return DO NOT CALCULATE AVERAGE PER DAY USED AND GIVE REFUNDS/DISCOUNTS.

4. all people in this forum are doing is telling others exactly what hapen and if you say it is too severe then what the company has and is still doing to customers if too severe.

5. The main policy of the company if if you give them money you don't get it back. No refunds Policy.

6. As quoted from rental terms and conditions:

"Refunds
There are no refunds for early returns of rental vehicles. Any change of plans, including requests to extend, must be notified to our office."

 

[theomatrix]

Seems hard to believe that a ding in the bumper bar could cost $4,800 to repair. I have had whole bumpers replaced for around $1000.

They own their own accident repair centre, thats why they charge what they want.

 

[serfty]

Welcome to AFF theomatrix

I appreciate your input; note the post you responded to was made in July last year, the poster registered one day, made their second post the next and has not reaccessed this web site since.

There is good reason to doubt their veracity from this alone, thank you for confirming this.

 

[petefromtassie]

Hi All,

I have just been done in this exact same way.

I rented the car, got a quick once over on the damage report. When I returned the car I was shown damage that I did not do, in fact I had noticed originally and thought nothing of it, I could have created a bigger dent by bashing a testicl_ against the panel, further there was a slightly larger make that was not pointed out or on the previous report. I filled out the damage incident sheet by repeatedly stating that no accident had occurred. I told them that there would not be sufficient funds on my card for the $4000 they wanted, but they said it could be forced, stupidly I signed the authorisation slip. I later check my bank account, the transaction had been refused, so I contacted the bank to cancel my card, they informed my that there was still a possibility that the transaction could go through on the closed account, and you guessed it, today four days after the fact my account has been charged $4000..

No happy..

I note on the "Accident Information Sheet" that I have to wait 12 weeks before they will be able to answer my queries? What the f*#k?

Does anyone have the address of the head office, any advice please.

Peter

 

[Mal]

The story continues ... with the Queensland Govt trying to ban the directors from operating car rental companies in Queensland:

Abel Rent a Car prosecuted over damage claims

More than 100 complaints about a rental car business in Queensland have prompted the Commissioner for Fair Trading to take legal action against its owners.

It's alleged the owners of Abel Rent a Car, Nathan and Steven Conn, charged customers for vehicle damages they were not responsible for or exceeded the insurance excess amount.

 

[Sprucegoose]

As a frequent user of Abel Car Hire Brisbane I have always found them to be courteous fair and at the very least honest with their dealings with me.
I had occasion to have a minor problem with a vehicle through no fault of theirs and upon alerting Abel Brisbane they immediatly offered me 50% off the next hire when ever I came back to Brisbane.
The fault was in fact something which neither the person handing me the keys or myself noticed, was the fact that the radio aerial was broken, I was not questioned or blamed and indeed was appologised to for the inconvenience and given the above mentioned discount.
Further to this on several occasions we have only driven the hire car for very short distances (under 200klm) in three days and for this they also rewarded me with 25% off at the subsequent rental.
In summary I would say that the flack they are copping is to my wayof thinking a little bit severe, but you know how it goes there are a lot of knockers and not many praisers in todays society.

where are you Pawley???

your claims seem implausible.:evil:

 

[straitman]

where are you Pawley???

your claims seem implausible.:evil:

Sprucegoose,

If you look up Alan Pawley you will see he joined AFF on 16th July 2008 and last logged in on 17th July 2008 09:03 AM when he made his second post

Travel Guru,
Absolutely not!! I wrote that completely of my own free will with no endorsements.
Alan Pawley

It does make one suspicious, does it not :!:

 

[Sprucegoose]

Sprucegoose,

If you look up Alan Pawley you will see he joined AFF on 16th July 2008 and last logged in on 17th July 2008 09:03 AM when he made his second post

It does make one suspicious, does it not :!:

yes it does Straitman, i will avoid Abel Car Rental and will advise others when the subject comes up


Clever people have worked out that reputable ethics are just good business and a sustainable business tool

cheers

SPRUCE

 

[Mal]

New update:

Nathan Conn From Abel Rent A Car's Expelled From Industry

Owner-operator Nathan Conn, who took over as managing director of the company in 2007, was today banned from the rental car industry for two-and-a-half years.

And of note to people who have been caught up with Abel scams:

Mr Lawlor said there would be another hearing next year to try to have compensation paid to consumers who have made complaints about Abel.

Abel is still operating, although supposedly under new management.

 

[straitman]

New update:

Nathan Conn From Abel Rent A Car's Expelled From Industry



And of note to people who have been caught up with Abel scams:



Abel is still operating, although supposedly under new management.

This just doesn't go away does it :?:

 

[Sprucegoose]

This just doesn't go away does it :?:

And nor should it Bill.

We all work hard for our money, these sucker fish are a blight on our society and economy. I am sick to death of people who think there is an easy way in life!!

Merry Christmas in any case.............

SPRUCE

 

[straitman]

And nor should it Bill.

We all work hard for our money, these sucker fish are a blight on our society and economy. I am sick to death of people who think there is an easy way in life!!

Merry Christmas in any case.............

SPRUCE

Sprucegoose,

Sorry, I think you misunderstood my comment.

I find it amazing that these leaches still manage to trade and that the authorities cannot effectively shut them down :!:

 

[markis10]

Maybe they have moved to Tassie to operate a better known brands franchise?????

Letters: Europcar under fire over rental damage charges

 

[Mal]

Mbe they have moved to Tassie to operate a better known brands franchise?????

Letters: Europcar under fire over rental damage charges

Ouch - I've never taken photos of a car before I've driven off with it... perhaps I should re-consider? Then again Hertz is a bit more reputable - at least in Australia and doesn't consider most very minor nicks a hassle.

Overseas I've still heard of a few issues with Hertz though.

 

[straitman]

Maybe they have moved to Tassie to operate a better known brands franchise?????

Letters: Europcar under fire over rental damage charges

Ouch - I've never taken photos of a car before I've driven off with it... perhaps I should re-consider? Then again Hertz is a bit more reputable - at least in Australia and doesn't consider most very minor nicks a hassle.

Overseas I've still heard of a few issues with Hertz though.

I have posted in the past of similar issues that I have had with Europcar in Perth and another example of an unregistered vehicle, in Melbourne, that my company took them to task over.

Needless to say they backed down very quickly.

Recently in Auckland we were given a car, by Thrifty, with a huge dent in the rear back panel. When I took a photo of it and went back inside they claimed no knowledge :!:

 

[klavdy]

I had another driver run into the back of my car recently, couple -three grands damage, car off road for at least two weeks.
RACQ took care of the rental car, picked one up from Hertz at OOL.
I often use rental cars, Hertz in particular.
Any way, they didn't have a car in the agreed bracket, upgraded me to a new Ford XR6 sedan for the first week then phoned after five days and asked if it could be brought back, they'd give me another car.
Fair enough, I was only expecting a Corolla in the first place.
Corolla had 30,000 K's or so on it, pretty beat up too, lots of scratches and small dings.
I took pics, made sure the acceptance form had them highlighted, off I go.
Two mornings later, go to get in the car and the windscreen is cracked completely across, from one side to the other.
There looked to be a tiny little stone chip, just under the RHS windscreen wiper, really difficult to see, and the crack had spread from there.
Straight away I rang RACQ, told 'em about it, they said ring Hertz, did that then took the car to OOL.
First up they said, "Oh dear, you will have to pay"
"No Way!" I say
Stood my ground.
Took the lovely Manageress out to have a look at it, she said, oooh, it does look like it just cracked, O.K, no charge, here's another car, we'll upgrade you to an Aurion for your trouble, would that be alright?
So, rather than make mebbe a couple hundred out of a windscreen, by doing the right thing by me Hertz will continue to have a long term customer.