Car rental reservation with National Car Rental was made in the USA.
In Frankfurt, I picked up the car on 6/13/07 and returned it on 6/19/07.
I did not know, that I was actually covered by my Visa card (rental was charged to Visa) for any damage to the rental car. The rental agent in Germany did not make mention of this either. Instead, he sold me collision damage and extra coverage for the vehicle with a 500.00 Euro deductible. I wanted a smaller deductible and was willing to pay the additional charges, but was told, no smaller deductible was available.
When I returned the car, the rental agent pointed out and remarked in writing on the return document (I have a copy) “small scratch front windscreen” and “small scratch NSF wheel trim”. I did not see it when I checked out the car and accepted responsibility for the very minimal damage.
On 8/11/07 my credit card was charged with $797.89 (plus foreign exchange fee) by Vanguard AV Gmbh & Co. KG, Damage Recovery, Otto-von-Guericke Ring 15, Wiesbaden, Germany. Upon contacting this company I was faxed an invoice, which actually is an estimate, not a repair invoice, for the replacement of the windscreen (Opel Corsica was the car make & model) and the hub cap (only 23.65 Euro for the hub cap, rest f. the windscreen replacement).
I also was told, the car could not legally be operated without replacing the windshield in Germany due to the “small scratch”.
This is not true, because I personally called the TUV in Wiesbaden (Government Agency responsible for the technical vehicle disposition “out of service”). I was told by a TUV representative ”we do not put vehicles out of service, because of a small scratch on the windshield”.
I sent an e-mail to this company, that I was willing to pay an appropriate amount for the damage, but not 633.00 Euro for the replacement of a windscreen on an Opel Corsica, especially not, because I have only an estimate for the repairs not an actual repair invoice from a reputable repair shop.
I do not know, if they even replaced the windscreen, and/or how many other customers were charged for the same thing.
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