Many companies don’t understand or respect the role of the media and so don’t feel compelled to respond to media queries about their operations.
So it’s not all that unusual for my media queries to be ignored, mostly by small companies.
Others answer some questions and ignore the trickier ones, or decline to answer questions such as “How many other customers did this happen to?”, saying that’s far too confidential a detail to be shared with the public.
But it is very unusual for a large corporation to politely refuse to comment on a media query at all.
“Thank you for the opportunity,” I was told by a representative of Thrifty Car Rental. “Unfortunately, we have made the decision not to comment.”
Thrifty and Europcar are owned by Motus, SA’s largest automotive group.
I regularly raise awareness about the huge financial risk consumers take when hiring a car, even if they pay for the most expensive “super waiver”, because most car rental customers don’t read and digest the terms and conditions of those contracts before setting off in the car.
As a result, they have absolutely no idea just how financially catastrophic renting a car could be if things go wrong.
There’s a widely held misconception that you buy “insurance” when you hire a car and that the “policy” protects you from financial liability, much the same way as your own car insurance policy.
In fact, the car-rental industry does not insure its vehicles: the companies “self-insure” by means of a waiver system. You can choose between a standard waiver or the more expensive super-waiver, which limit your liability for the costs of damage, theft or loss of the car, as well as damage caused to a third-party car involved in any accident, regardless of who was to blame.
But the biggest risk of all seldom, if ever, gets disclosed at a car-rental counter: many scenarios cancel the waiver and leave you responsible for the entire cost of replacing or repairing the car.
They include driving off tar or on “unsuitable” roads; damage caused by water, dust storms or potholes; single-vehicle accidents (such as hitting a tree); any damage to the car’s undercarriage; and not reporting an accident or theft to the company in time.
If you’re found to have been speeding, ignoring road signs or driving under the influence, you’re also liable for the full cost of repairing or replacing the car.
There’s also a big risk in assuming the company has marked every existing flaw on its checklist before handing you the keys to the vehicle.
It’s imperative that you do a thorough check, including checking the roof for dents, and looking underneath the car for damage — two things few people think to do.
“The onus is on you to inspect the vehicle immediately upon delivery to ensure that the vehicle is free of any defects and is not damaged and/or scratched,” Bidvest’s contract states.
Hertz’s contract requires customers to ferret around in the boot too — and go as far as making sure the jack works.
All of which brings me to the case of a Cape Town man who hired a Mercedes Vito minibus from Tempest at OR Tambo International Airport in early February for a trip to the Kruger National Park with his wife and another couple, something they’d done at least 10 times before.
“Before we entered the park, the undercarriage’s plastic protection came loose and was dragging in the road,” he said.
“As this did not hamper our driving and we did not feel safe to stop anywhere along the road or in the parking area, we decided to travel to the Malelane camp some 5km away before doing a proper inspection.
“The local game ranger assisted us to remove the plastic that was only connected to the body with a bolt. It was then that we also discovered that the tyres were very worn.”
Up until then, he said, the two couples had not yet travelled on any dirt or gravel roads “that could have caused any damage to the undercarriage”.
The vehicle was replaced with another at Mbombela, but a month later the rental company demanded R31,000 from him for the cost of “rebuilding the undercarriage” and replacing engine components, including the intercooler.
“The company says the vehicle was inspected on the day of collection and again after we left it at Skukuza, but my point of contention is that no customer ever goes on his hands and knees to inspect the undercarriage of a rental vehicle at time of rental,” he said.
“We just walk around the vehicle, look at their checklist and compare the dents and scratches.”
As for the report received from Motus, including photos of the damaged undercarriage, all taken a week after the minibus was returned, the man said the vehicle was driven from Mbombela back to Joburg.
He told Tempest: “The onus is on your company to prove that the damage of the claims is due to our use of the vehicle, and not any previous or subsequent drivers.
“This claim is not only excessive, but completely unsubstantiated.”
I asked Tempest/Europcar: “Am I correct in saying that undercarriage damage is not covered by any waivers, leaving the consumer fully responsible for repairs?”
And: “Does Europcar inform its customers in any way that they should make a point of checking the undercarriage a vehicle before departing?
“How does your staff conduct such checks? Are the cars hoisted up to obtain a proper look? Is the inspection area well-lit?
“I ask because the pickup areas are often not well-lit after sunset, putting the consumer at a disadvantage. And if they are not agile, such physical inspections are virtually impossible.”
Unfortunately, they’ve chosen not to engage with me about this case and the undercarriage inspection issue in general.
My advice, if you must hire a car, is before you start the engine, look high and look low — as in underneath the car.
Because if there’s a problem you don’t see, it could cost you — a lot — later.
CONTACT WENDY: E-mail: consumer@knowler.co.za; Twitter: @wendyknowler; Facebook: wendyknowlerconsumer
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