In South Africa, a motorist returned a rental car with 40,000 kilometers more on the clock in just one month.
Many motorists resort to renting a car for several uses. This may be to go on vacation or in the event of a breakdown of their personal vehicle, if the garage does not have a courtesy car. And generally, the rules laid down by the agencies are particularly strict, in order toavoid all abuse possible, especially since they are still very numerous. But the story we are going to tell you is simply beyond belief!
An overused rental car
It is the American site Autoevolution which tells us about this unusual affair, to say the least, which took place in South Africa. About a month ago, a motorist rented a car from the Hertz agency, benefiting from a contract with unlimited mileage. His intention was clear: to enjoy the freedom of driving without having to monitor the kilometer counter. the principle, why not. But you will see that in reality, the man did not simply intend to use the vehicle to go shopping and go to his place of work. the surprise of the employees of the agency rental, the vehicle has been returned with 40,000 kilometers additional to the meter, an astronomical distance in just one month. This figure, remember, is equivalent to traveling more than 1,300 kilometers per day, without any break, for thirty days in a row. Even for a seasoned traveler, this performance seems hard to believe. Such a distance in such a short time far exceeds what a single driver can accomplish and suggests other explanations.
A complicated affair
We can imagine, for example, that the vehicle was sublet to other people or that shared driving made it possible to maintain the frenetic pace necessary to reach this total. In any case, this intensive use goes well beyond what could be described as “normal” or “reasonable” use of a rental car. But Hertz, anticipating the potential abuse of its unlimited mileage offers, included specific clauses in its contracts to counter this type of situation. In its general conditions of use, the company stipulates that use of the car must remain within the limits of honest driving and reasonable use. The journey of 40,000 kilometers in one month clearly does not meet these criteria, and Hertz has decided to act. The company requires the customer to pay compensation of almost 10,000 euros to compensate for unusual wear and tear inflicted on the vehicle as well as any anticipated maintenance costs. But faced with this request, the customer disputes and refuses to pay, presumably maintaining that his contract authorizes him to travel an unlimited distance without restriction. This refusal paves the way for a potential legal battle, which could serve as a precedent regarding vehicle rentals and mileage limitations.
A case to be continued, because it could lead Hertz and other rental companies to review the terms of their offers.
Source: www.autoplus.fr
