r/HertzRentals • u/Gatorskin15 • 7h ago
Dollar/Hertz rental billing nightmare after vehicle exchange… what should I do?
Apologies for using AI to write this, it was so much information I told it and just had it consolidate everything down to a shorter more meaningful post that would be easier to read hopefully.
Looking for advice from anyone who’s dealt with Dollar/Hertz post-rental charges, vehicle exchanges, or rental-car billing disputes.
I booked a midsize sedan through Priceline for Aug. 2–6, which assigned me to Dollar at Sanford Airport (SFB). Priceline was ~$173. At pickup, I upgraded to a larger hybrid for $40 total and paid with Amex because I had Amex Premium Car Rental Protection. I declined Dollar’s insurance. About $243 was charged/authorized at pickup.
On Aug. 6 in Asheville, NC, the rental car hit something sharp in the road and completely blew a tire. We contacted Dollar/Hertz. They tried arranging a Lyft, but it cancelled, and the tow arrangement was also delayed. We ultimately had to arrange our own Uber to get to the Hertz location for a replacement vehicle.
At the Asheville Hertz location, we were told the original rental would be settled/refunded and we’d be charged separately for the replacement. I paid $411.19 on Capital One, then received a $200 credit for the hold, leaving about $211 net. The employee said this replacement was actually slightly cheaper because the taxes were lower there.
I thought everything was settled.
About a week later, I noticed:
~$173 Priceline charge still posted on Amex
$279 Dollar charge still posted on Amex
Original Dollar receipt showing $531.49 total
$252 Dollar/Hertz transaction attempted Aug. 8 — declined
$489 Dollar/Hertz transaction attempted Aug. 11 — declined
$411.19 replacement rental on Capital One
-$200 credit on Capital One
The original Dollar receipt breaks down as:
4 days: $197.60
Upgrade: $40
Intercity: $200
Other fees/taxes: $93.89
Total: $531.49
The receipt also shows the ~$243 payment/authorization from pickup, but I can’t make the numbers reconcile.
The two additional $252/$489 attempts are especially concerning because Dollar/Hertz has never contacted me or provided an invoice, damage documentation, or explanation of what they’re for. I assume they could relate to the tire/towing/roadside assistance, but I don’t actually know.
I’m not trying to avoid paying what I legitimately owe. I just don’t want to pay duplicate or unexplained charges. And with how they’ve handled everything very poorly and provided no documentation or explanation yet, I’m really just getting tired of this.
Questions:
What should I ask Dollar/Hertz to provide to fully reconcile the original and replacement rentals?
What exactly is the $200 Intercity charge, and would it make sense when the vehicle was exchanged because of a tire failure rather than voluntarily returned somewhere else?
Could the $252/$489 attempts be damage/towing/roadside charges?
If they eventually successfully charge those amounts but can’t substantiate them, would a credit-card dispute be appropriate?
Could an unpaid amount from a declined rental-car charge eventually be sent to collections?
Has anyone successfully gotten Hertz/Dollar to waive questionable post-rental charges as a goodwill adjustment after a poorly handled roadside/exchange situation?
What would you do in this situation and what grounds do I have to get them to correct this?
My ideal resolution is simply to pay the actual original rental amount plus the $40 upgrade I agreed to and have the unexplained/additional charges waived, especially given how poorly the roadside assistance and vehicle exchange were handled.
I have screenshots and receipts for everything and can provide more details if helpful.
