# Accident Backed into a pole Express Drive Lyft Hertz Rental



## MVincentl (Dec 2, 2018)

I was going to pick up a passenger last night but before I got to them I was backing up and scraped the back, lower right portion of the bumper. The damage was minor, probably expensive though, car was very drivable and I just finished driving for the night. Problem is that the vehicle is an express rental through Hertz and I am freaking out. I just renewed and can drive for another 3 weeks. 

What should I do? I don’t want to lose my ability to drive for Lyft through express drive. Thank You


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## Cableguynoe (Feb 14, 2017)

Do what’s right. 

Man up and own up to what you did.


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## Iann (Oct 17, 2017)

Get some rubbing compound and buff it out.
All else fails get some spray paint and blame it on the previous driver that had the car. 
It's a rental don't admit to shit.


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## Fozzie (Aug 11, 2018)

Depends on how bad the damage is. If it can be fixed by buffing or a paint touch up kit, you could do that to save some cash, because we all know they're raking you over the coals with the fees they're charging you. 

If the damage is going to be more expensive, man up and notify Hertz. (not recommended, because they'll screw you again)


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## reg barclay (Nov 3, 2015)

First look through the terms of the rental. Is there any full or partial damage waiver on the car, or are you responsible for everything?


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## MVincentl (Dec 2, 2018)

I read my Rental Agreement and it says I have a loss damage waiver which states I am not responsible for damages in case of an accident. I paid extra for it. Will that cover me?



reg barclay said:


> First look through the terms of the rental. Is there any full or partial damage waiver on the car, or are you responsible for everything?


Please read above. I have a loss damage waiver, does that protect me?


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## mbd (Aug 27, 2018)

I think hertz covers it.
If it is a minor issue, return the car and tell them you have to go out of town for few days... then come back in 4 days and get a new car. Those people who work for hertz are not car experts, they will not see the hit.


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## reg barclay (Nov 3, 2015)

MVincentl said:


> I read my Rental Agreement and it says I have a loss damage waiver which states I am not responsible for damages in case of an accident. I paid extra for it. Will that cover me?
> 
> Please read above. I have a loss damage waiver, does that protect me?


If you purchased Loss Damage Waiver it should cover everything, regardless of whether you or another driver were at fault. That's how it works for regular rentals so it should be the same here.
https://www.hertz.com/rentacar/productservice/index.jsp?targetPage=lossdamagewaiver.jsp

I used to get a lot of regular Hertz rentals for my other job, always with LDW added. Had a few scratches and dings, some my fault some others, but was never charged a dime, because of the LDW.


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## jgiun1 (Oct 16, 2017)

reg barclay said:


> If you purchased Loss Damage Waiver it should cover everything, regardless of whether you or another driver were at fault. That's how it works for regular rentals so it should be the same here.
> https://www.hertz.com/rentacar/productservice/index.jsp?targetPage=lossdamagewaiver.jsp
> 
> I used to get a lot of regular Hertz rentals for my other job, always with LDW added. Had a few scratches and dings, some my fault some others, but was never charged a dime, because of the LDW.


Not 100% sure
Don't think the damage claim for a Lyft lease is handled the way in a typical rental. I just did a little reading on the subject month's back. Think you're dealing with a $1,000 deductible



mbd said:


> I think hertz covers it.
> If it is a minor issue, return the car and tell them you have to go out of town for few days... then come back in 4 days and get a new car. Those people who work for hertz are not car experts, they will not see the hit.


It all depends on where you rent from....airports, as long as you don't bring the car back with parts missing, you'll get away with everything. Now HLE local editions, they'll check.
As long as you didn't do an inspection report prior to picking up, you're good


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## Gtown Driver (Aug 26, 2018)

Rental car lot employees are known to be very picky even for personal use cars. They look up and down the car and if they see a scratch that they may think was done by you they're going to bring it up. Basically you might as well say something because it's their job to look up and down the car once you return it and have heard of customers getting blamed for scratches they said they didn't even do.

You could get lucky, but can't count on it. From what I know they generally are going to scan your car once you bring it back to them. The protection deal brought up sounds like a good idea also.


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## Iann (Oct 17, 2017)

These are all used up Hertz rentals that are only used for lyft now. 
Every single one has scratches or small dings.
Really sounds like it could buff out 
Let's see some pics


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## Gtown Driver (Aug 26, 2018)

Iann said:


> These are all used up Hertz rentals that are only used for lyft now.
> Every single one has scratches or small dings.
> Really sounds like it could buff out
> Let's see some pics


Makes sense I just know from working at a car dealer for a while that customers used to complain that the rental employees would be extra picky about any first seen dents or dings. Dinged up Lyft rental lot sounds like they would be less strict though.


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## Merc7186 (Jul 8, 2017)

I used to get Hertz rental cars for my company cars for years and never had any issues.

I ripped the back bumper off of one, mashed it almost back into place, never heard a thing.

Scrapped a quarter panel, zero.

Punched a hole in the back bumper, heard zip.

Its a rental, drive it like one. Dont say a thing, keep for the full time and swap out when ready


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## MVincentl (Dec 2, 2018)

Merc7186 said:


> I used to get Hertz rental cars for my company cars for years and never had any issues.
> 
> I ripped the back bumper off of one, mashed it almost back into place, never heard a thing.
> 
> ...


Unfortunately I have to bring the car in every four weeks for inspection. It is a dent and a scrape on the bumper, very noticeable. I know the loss damage waiver on a standard rental would cover it. But based on what was said above there is possibly a $1000 deductible on the Lyft/Hertz LDW. I wish I knew.


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## reg barclay (Nov 3, 2015)

MVincentl said:


> Unfortunately I have to bring the car in every four weeks for inspection. It is a dent and a scrape on the bumper, very noticeable. I know the loss damage waiver on a standard rental would cover it. But based on what was said above there is possibly a $1000 deductible on the Lyft/Hertz LDW. I wish I knew.


I'd say if you paid extra for LDW it should cover it. But if you want to be sure, how about calling them anonymously and ask about the T&Cs?


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## Jefferson DDBY (Jul 27, 2018)

You have 3 weeks. Drive as hard as you can to save up some money in case you have to pay. Buff it out as much as you can before the inspection. If you are renewing they never really look at the car. At least that’s been my experience. If you are switching cars or ending the rental completely they tend to walk around the car and look for damage. If it’s obvious they will check the photos to make sure the car was not like that when they gave it to you.

I think, based on my own experience with the Hertz program you will be able to go months without anyone noticing but be prepared to pay once they do. The LDW is for damage above the the $1,000 deductible. It’s not like a traditional rental.


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## tohunt4me (Nov 23, 2015)

W.D. 40 removes foreign paint from cars.
Soak. Rub ( with towel)soak. Rub. 


Iann said:


> Get some rubbing compound and buff it out.
> All else fails get some spray paint and blame it on the previous driver that had the car.
> It's a rental don't admit to shit.





Gtown Driver said:


> Rental car lot employees are known to be very picky even for personal use cars. They look up and down the car and if they see a scratch that they may think was done by you they're going to bring it up. Basically you might as well say something because it's their job to look up and down the car once you return it and have heard of customers getting blamed for scratches they said they didn't even do.
> 
> You could get lucky, but can't count on it. From what I know they generally are going to scan your car once you bring it back to them. The protection deal brought up sounds like a good idea also.


Wait UNTIL it is pouring down raining.

Bring car back.


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## Oscar Levant (Aug 15, 2014)

MVincentl said:


> I was going to pick up a passenger last night but before I got to them I was backing up and scraped the back, lower right portion of the bumper. The damage was minor, probably expensive though, car was very drivable and I just finished driving for the night. Problem is that the vehicle is an express rental through Hertz and I am freaking out. I just renewed and can drive for another 3 weeks.
> 
> What should I do? I don't want to lose my ability to drive for Lyft through express drive. Thank You


 you know the old saying, do the right thing

You simply have to tell Hertz about it and face the consequence whatever that may be there's no way around it

I did the same thing on my personal uber car and it's a very minor scratch nobody even notices in fact when I had an inspection the inspector didn't even notice it even though I pointed out to him and he said don't worry about it. I had a quote to get it fixed and then yeah was four hundred bucks which is below the deductible so I'm not going to even file a claim

One more thing buff it out with some white ( make sure it's white the colored stuff is too course) rubbing compound or something similar from Pep Boys, Etc, and a lot of the scratch marks will disappear because their paint from the pole and what remains will be very less visible

If you don't know how to use rubbing compound go on YouTube for some lessons

If you haven't penetrated the clear coat the rubbing compound should remove the scratch but if the clear coat is damaged then you're into some expensive but minor repair


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## Las Vegas Dude (Sep 3, 2018)

You could always take some parts off of it and leave it in a mall parking lot and say it was stolen.


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## Christinebitg (Jun 29, 2018)

Do NOT follow the poor advice here of trying to fix it yourself. You do not own the car, and you are not entitled to try to fix it yourself.

I had a rental car a bunch of years ago and a teenager sideswiped me. She knew she was in big trouble with her parents -- apparently it wasn't the first time her driving habits had been a problem. (For the record, she was Asian, and I'm sure her parents were going to put her through h*ll.)

She offered to pay me herself to get it fixed. "Sorry, it's a rental. I can't do that."

The LDW is intended for such things. Be glad that you have it.

Christine


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## flyntflossy10 (Jun 2, 2017)

just tell them you got scraped in a parking lot that didn't have cameras. your clause may cover that


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## possibledriver (Dec 16, 2014)

MVincentl said:


> Unfortunately I have to bring the car in every four weeks for inspection. It is a dent and a scrape on the bumper, very noticeable. I know the loss damage waiver on a standard rental would cover it. But based on what was said above there is possibly a $1000 deductible on the Lyft/Hertz LDW. I wish I knew.


Is the dent only on the bumper? If so you may be able to pop it back out by using heat gun on it.


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## JSTAR112 (Dec 19, 2018)

MVincentl said:


> I was going to pick up a passenger last night but before I got to them I was backing up and scraped the back, lower right portion of the bumper. The damage was minor, probably expensive though, car was very drivable and I just finished driving for the night. Problem is that the vehicle is an express rental through Hertz and I am freaking out. I just renewed and can drive for another 3 weeks.
> 
> What should I do? I don't want to lose my ability to drive for Lyft through express drive. Thank You


 just drive it out don't say anything until its time for you to fully return I messed my front bumper up but I got another month to save up the $1000 but im just gonna get my own car the note would be way less but yea when u renew they normally don't check it till its time for you to switch it out or get the oil change so Id just drive and save something in case I know for my accident its probably gonna be the $1000.00 or less


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## JSTAR112 (Dec 19, 2018)

MVincentl said:


> I was going to pick up a passenger last night but before I got to them I was backing up and scraped the back, lower right portion of the bumper. The damage was minor, probably expensive though, car was very drivable and I just finished driving for the night. Problem is that the vehicle is an express rental through Hertz and I am freaking out. I just renewed and can drive for another 3 weeks.
> 
> What should I do? I don't want to lose my ability to drive for Lyft through express drive. Thank You


i was just looing over my rental agreement recipt from my last renewal and it has ldw included which is the loss damage waiver I would check yours and call them and ask does that mean you have it if u havw that then youre covered no matter what


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