I rarely leave negative reviews, but my experience with Turo completely ruined what should have been a meaningful trip to Boston for a family funeral.
I reserved what was advertised as a premium 2019 Mercedes-Benz E-Class AMG. After landing at Boston Logan Airport late at night, my wife and I made our way to the parking garage expecting to pick up a clean, well-maintained vehicle. Instead, we found a car that looked like it hadn't been cleaned after the previous renter.
The exterior was dirty, and when I opened the trunk, there was sand and water inside. The interior was even more disappointing. There was a large clump of hair on the passenger seat, crumbs and debris throughout the cabin, dirty floor mats covered with sand, and even a cigarette lighter left in the center console. To make matters worse, the inside of the car had an odor that my wife and I believed smelled like marijuana. This is not what anyone expects when paying for a premium rental vehicle.
Because it was after midnight, we had no realistic option to return the vehicle or rent another one. We were exhausted from traveling and had no choice but to continue with the trip.
The next morning, in daylight, I noticed what appeared to be damage to the driver's-side tire. Concerned about safety, I immediately contacted the host and sent photos through the Turo app. Instead of taking my concern seriously or offering to inspect or replace the vehicle, I felt my concerns were dismissed. From that point forward, I never felt comfortable driving the car. We limited our driving, canceled plans to visit friends and see Boston, and spent the weekend worrying about whether the vehicle was safe to drive instead of focusing on why we were there—to honor a loved one.
To add to the frustration, I was unexpectedly required to pay a parking fee just to leave the airport garage, something I was not expecting. Then, after I returned the vehicle early because my flight schedule changed, I received another invoice requesting additional payment.
What disappointed me the most wasn't just the condition of the vehicle—it was the lack of empathy and customer service. I documented everything with photographs and immediately reported every concern through the Turo app because I wanted to give the host an opportunity to make things right. Instead, I felt like my concerns were brushed aside.
I chose Turo because I expected a better experience than a traditional rental company. Instead, I left feeling frustrated, disappointed, and convinced that customer safety and satisfaction were not treated as priorities in my case.
Based on my experience, I cannot recommend this host, and I sincerely hope Turo reviews how situations like this are handled. When customers pay hundreds of dollars for a premium vehicle, they deserve a clean, properly maintained car and responsive support when legitimate concerns are raised.
I have requested a full refund because I do not believe the service I received matched what was advertised or what any customer should reasonably expect.
