Or at least the second-rate place we used (Advantage) was.
First they tried to force us to buy their outrageously-priced insurance, blatantly claiming our insurance would DEFINITELY NOT cover anything. (And the cheapest plan was almost the price of the car per day; their “best” plan was almost TWICE the daily cost of the car.) Needless to say we called USAA from the counter and were told we’re completely covered.
Second, they sold us on their pre-paid gas plan—which was cheaper per gallon than regular gas stations OR their own outrageous post-rental prices…but they never told us the details. (Granted, we didn’t specifically ask how it worked, but they should really explain it.) So what we didn’t realize until the night before returning the car was that they charged us for a full tank UP FRONT but neglected to tell us. So we thought only using 1/4 tank was a good thing…because we’d only be charged the lower price-per-gallon for what we used. Then I noticed there was a line item for gas…so figured we’d get a refund. But NO, we apparently had to return the car with a full tank (as we received it) to be credited, otherwise we bought the whole tank. Or we could have brought it back on Empty (to use the $50 pre-paid credit). Which no one ever told us. So when we were returning the car and asked about it, the rep almost seemed overjoyed to let us know we got screwed. I’ve never seen such a shit-eating grin.
Are all car places this shady? It was my first car rental—though Tom has rented for work a few times. And we were both shocked.