Somebody dinged my rental car bumper once - not terribly. I got some Windex and paper towels and VOILA! All evidence of the ding was gone.

However, another time I was charged for a hairline crack at the base of the windshield that I am absolutely sure I was not responsible for. So when you are doing the walk around of the car before taking it on, be sure to check the base of the windshield! It was an expensive lesson to learn.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Update! I went by the rental place this morning and owned up to the incident, asked what I could do. They were very nice and said ‘it happens all the time’ and ‘no big deal’. Honesty is the best policy folks!

That's great OP, but don't be surprised if the local branch employees still turn it into their claims department and you get a letter in the mail in a few weeks.

THis. Hope you got it in writing, OP.

Yep, pretty much this.

They will care very much, and you’ll get a bill later, once thn and cost is assessed.

I did, thanks. They used their standard company protocol to determine whether I’d have to pay or not and the damage was so tiny it didn’t qualify.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you can’t afford these types of accidents, you should be paying for the loss damage waiver offered by the rental company. They are definitely doing to notice.

I’m not paying for the rental car - another driver’s insurance company is.

You can still add the insurance on. That's what we did when our car was in the shop and insurance covered the rental cost, but not the insurance. We decided to add that on.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Update! I went by the rental place this morning and owned up to the incident, asked what I could do. They were very nice and said ‘it happens all the time’ and ‘no big deal’. Honesty is the best policy folks!

That's great OP, but don't be surprised if the local branch employees still turn it into their claims department and you get a letter in the mail in a few weeks.

THis. Hope you got it in writing, OP.

Yep, pretty much this.

They will care very much, and you’ll get a bill later, once thn and cost is assessed.

Bumper scratches are generally normal wear and tear. They don't even repair them let alone bill you for them. Body damage is a different though.

I had a brand new (i.e. 0 miles) rental car and once scraped a 3 inch scratch on the back panel. No way to say it was there already. However, I just went to the Chevy dealer and asked for some touch up paint. Managed to repair it myself for a fraction of what they would have charged.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Update! I went by the rental place this morning and owned up to the incident, asked what I could do. They were very nice and said ‘it happens all the time’ and ‘no big deal’. Honesty is the best policy folks!

That's great OP, but don't be surprised if the local branch employees still turn it into their claims department and you get a letter in the mail in a few weeks.

THis. Hope you got it in writing, OP.

Anonymous wrote:Update! I went by the rental place this morning and owned up to the incident, asked what I could do. They were very nice and said ‘it happens all the time’ and ‘no big deal’. Honesty is the best policy folks!

That’s great news op! I’m happy for you

Cards like Chase Sapphire Preferred have LDW if I'm not mistaken so your CC may cover it too.

Too bad you aren’t in NYC. Last time I rented a car there they told me bumper damage didn’t matter.

Anonymous wrote:Update! I went by the rental place this morning and owned up to the incident, asked what I could do. They were very nice and said ‘it happens all the time’ and ‘no big deal’. Honesty is the best policy folks!

Most rental car places don't care if the scratch or ding is less than the size of a golf ball.

Anonymous wrote:Update! I went by the rental place this morning and owned up to the incident, asked what I could do. They were very nice and said ‘it happens all the time’ and ‘no big deal’. Honesty is the best policy folks!

That's great OP, but don't be surprised if the local branch employees still turn it into their claims department and you get a letter in the mail in a few weeks.

Update! I went by the rental place this morning and owned up to the incident, asked what I could do. They were very nice and said ‘it happens all the time’ and ‘no big deal’. Honesty is the best policy folks!

Anonymous wrote:fwiw I don't see the ethics the same way with a rental car as with damaging a stranger's car. Bring it back, see what happens.

I agree. I travel a lot for work and have driven hundreds of rentals. They almost all have cosmetic damage when you get them. Is the bumper black? Can you color it in?

the right thing to to is own up to it... you caused the damage.

now if you don't then you can always urn the car in and see what happens.

to go one step further.

if its a common color, then maybe get a sharpie and try to conceal.

or find some salty roads somewhere and try to get it dirty to help conceal.

thats if you want be sneaky...

Don’t say anything op. They may not even care.