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The $123 Key
Ask Chris · September 28, 2000

Q: In July I rented a car from Hertz in Montevideo, Uruguay. While trying to start the car on the first day of the rental the "electric" key simply broke apart when I put it into the ignition.

Their Punta del Este office came out to rescue me, but now Hertz is charging me $123 for damage to the key. I would say they gave me a defective key. To think I would deliberately break a key, inconveniencing myself in a foreign country where I do not speak the language is ridiculous.

I've complained via both Hertz and my credit card company. Deaf ears! Do you have any suggestions?

-- Michael Ryan

A: Have you asked your credit card company about insurance coverage? Many credit cards specifically offer coverage for renting cars, although there may be a deductible in some instances. You're probably going directly to the grievance department rather than calling the benefits office first. It may be worth another call.

It goes without saying that car rental surcharges are one of the most complained-about issues for travelers. Hertz isn't alone in socking customers with everything from fuel surcharges to add-ons for additional drivers, insurance and, of course, taxes.

But this $123 does seem to single the largest car rental company out as irresponsible, if not a little greedy. No reasonable person would expect to pay that much for a simple key. Most reasonable people, in fact, would anticipate that a company like Hertz would absorb the expense of a new key as a cost of doing business.

Alas, this isn't a reasonable world. Many car rental companies - not just Hertz - are so fixated on the bottom line that they sometimes forget they're dealing with real travelers. Not all of their customers are on a lavish expense account. Some of them actually rented with the company because it offered a lower rate.

Next time you rent a car, start by reviewing the contract. Check all the options for insurance coverage, and if you think you need additional insurance, buy it. If something isn't clear, ask to have it explained (preferably in your own language).

Don't drive off the car rental lot until you've dotted your proverbial "I"s and crossed your "T"s. It's the only way to prevent a surprise somewhere down the road.

Christopher Elliott is a travel commentator and author of A Bridge to Nowhere: A Year in the Florida Keys. All e-mailed questions may be edited, condensed or republished at the site's discretion. Ask Chris appears weekly on this site.