Capital Rental Car- U-save
by hromero 
, Wednesday, February 13, 2019, 16:47 (2830 days ago)
I just wanted to share a poor experience one of our guests had with a car rental agency here in Zihuatanejo. Our guest had been staying with another hotel who recommended U-save car rental (i.e. Capital rental car) for a car that they were going to take to Morelia. They received the car, asked for and paid for full insurance, and noted relevant damages. Upon their return and arrival to our hotel they asked to have the car picked up. The car rental employee noted that one of the tires, which were well beyond their useful life, had a bulge. It is well within the realm of possibility that our guest hit a pothole or speed bump along the way that caused this problem. However, the car rental agency then proceeded to tell our guest that the insurance did not cover that failure and that they would need to replace the tire at full cost. Eventually we negotiated for half the cost even though the tires almost certainly needed to be replaced and their age contributed to the ease with which it was damaged. The guest authorized a bill that was denominated in U.S. dollars that would be charged to his credit card. The next day the guest checked their bill and discovered that he had been charged approximately $50 USD more than the bill showed. On contacting the car rental agency we were told that the USD amount had been converted at 22 pesos per dollar and charged to their credit card in pesos. This is a very poor conversion rate and should have been closer to 19 pesos. I can see using a poor conversion rate when actually receiving USD but when charging a credit card in pesos there is absolutely no reason to give such a bad conversion rate.
I would steer clear of this company as they are obviously out to cheat their customers in any way they can. I felt bad for our guest and what they went through.
Saludos
--
Humberto Romero
www.casaarcoiriszihuatanejo.com
Capital Rental Car- U-save
by Gringo Viejo , Kansas/Zihuatanejo, Wednesday, February 13, 2019, 17:00 (2830 days ago) @ hromero
File a dispute with the credit card company if you feel wronged in any way. The car companies and the CC companies have a very strict agreement which must be strictly followed by all parties involved. The CC will stand up for you if you have been wronged.
Capital Rental Car- U-save
by hromero , Wednesday, February 13, 2019, 17:05 (2830 days ago) @ Gringo Viejo
Thanks Gringo Viejo. I made the same suggestion to our guest.
--
Humberto Romero
www.casaarcoiriszihuatanejo.com
Capital Rental Car- U-save
by Gringo Viejo , Kansas/Zihuatanejo, Wednesday, February 13, 2019, 17:20 (2830 days ago) @ hromero
I rented cars for many years and saw just about every scam in the book that car rental companies use. I never got "the shaft" even when the rental company tried to charge me for "loss of use" of their car for rental. They have to do a very, very strict detailed report to collect on this issue and none of them ever followed the rules and therefore did not collect. The rules included submitting a detailed report to the CC company within fixed time limits that would prove they actually suffered "loss of use" charges.
The CC is your friend, they work for you not the car rental company.
Capital Rental Car- U-save
Correct me if I misunderstood. The car rental had a charge of $xx USD which they converted to pesos at a rate that is very favourable to them and then the rental company had the customer sign a charge slip for the amount that the rental company computed. I can’t see how the card company can help when the amount on the slip is for the total that the customer agreed to.
I’m not blaming the customer in any way and I hope I’m wrong but it just seems like another typical Mexican rip off. A family member was discussing how, after spending three months in Puerto Escondido, the most important thing he learned was to make sure to count his change every time he was handed change. “ oh, sorry, my mistake”. It is amazing that a country with so much to offer is so corrupt.
Capital Rental Car- U-save
by Talley Ho , Playa la Ropa, Wednesday, February 13, 2019, 22:04 (2829 days ago) @ GordJ
In the US, Italy, China, Guatemala and Mexico we have used our credit cards to secure automobile rentals.
US credit card companies, at least, scrutinize these transactions. If there are any issues, they have a formal method of checking out all of the claims.
In the cases we have been involved in, the credit card companies do an excellent job of investigation and making the customer happy.
International, domestic? If you are using a reputable credit card, it seems as though they do an excellent job of protecting the purchaser in our experience.
If you are wronged, it is important that you let your credit card issuer know. Other wise how can they protect you, and more importantly others who don't know/aren't in the position to use the system to protect themselves.
Not only are you taking care of yourself, you are taking care of others and helping to prevent their bad experience.
Capital Rental Car- U-save
by Gringo Viejo , Kansas/Zihuatanejo, Wednesday, February 13, 2019, 23:04 (2829 days ago) @ GordJ
It doesn't make any difference if the customer signs or not, an illegit charge is an illegit charge.
"typical Mexican rip off"
by ZihuaRob , Zihuatanejo, México, Thursday, February 14, 2019, 08:35 (2829 days ago) @ GordJ
Correct me if I misunderstood. The car rental had a charge of $xx USD which they converted to pesos at a rate that is very favourable to them and then the rental company had the customer sign a charge slip for the amount that the rental company computed. I can’t see how the card company can help when the amount on the slip is for the total that the customer agreed to.
I’m not blaming the customer in any way and I hope I’m wrong but it just seems like another typical Mexican rip off. A family member was discussing how, after spending three months in Puerto Escondido, the most important thing he learned was to make sure to count his change every time he was handed change. “ oh, sorry, my mistake”. It is amazing that a country with so much to offer is so corrupt.
Maybe I'm just The Luckiest Gringo in Mexico, but I have never been shortchanged by any Mexican in over 30 years here. And I have no idea what distinguishes a Mexican ripoff from a ripoff in Canada or the USA or anywhere else. People point to Mexico as being corrupt with such ease while ignoring much worse corruption under their own noses. Lobbyists. PACS. Super-PACS, Citizens United. These are what the rest of the world considers practices of blatant corruption. Most tourists in Mexico will never encounter corruption, and being shortchanged or getting a bad exchange rate simply doesn't qualify.
While I can certainly sympathize with the person who rented the car and got charged for a bad tire under questionable circumstances, I also sympathize with the rental car worker who is just following the company's policies to do their job.
The customer signed a slip for xx USD. The rental agency then converted the USD rate at a very favorable rate for them and made the charge in pesos. The customer never saw a bill in pesos.
I also don't necessarily blame the employee, but the company.
--
Humberto Romero
www.casaarcoiriszihuatanejo.com
Capital Rental Car- U-save
by Paulf , Mount Sterling, Ky 40353, Thursday, February 14, 2019, 01:53 (2829 days ago) @ hromero
A few years ago we rented a car at the airport to drive r/t to Morelia. When we went to return the car, the attendant reached under the car by the engine and had oil on his fingers. We were told we owed $250.00 US to repair the oil leak. I had to pay the bill. Soon as I got back to the hotel, I called my Credit Card. They said when I got back home, they would send me some papers to fill out. Because the Rental Car Company did not follow through with the credit card company for the claim, I got reimbursed for the damage charge.
Capital Rental Car- U-save
by Gringo Viejo , Kansas/Zihuatanejo, Thursday, February 14, 2019, 07:33 (2829 days ago) @ Paulf
Most, if not all, CC companies these days let you file a dispute on line thru their web site. Quick, easy, effective. Most, if not all, car rental companies do not even bother to respond, and if they do, they fail to follow the exact contract procedures outlined in their contract with the CC company and the charge is reversed.
ALWAYS file a dispute. You may actually be wrong but if the car rental company does not follow the procedures the charge will be reversed.
Capital Rental Car- U-save
by juanrojo , Thursday, February 14, 2019, 15:17 (2829 days ago) @ Gringo Viejo
edited by juanrojo, Thursday, February 14, 2019, 15:53
For background information SOME car rental companies will have a posted sign on their wall with the exchange rate posted. The casual tourist will be aware of the day's rate, say 19 pesos to the dollar. The sign will clearly state the rate to be used is 22 pesos. The casual tourist may think to themselves that's even better than the ATM gave us honey!!. They don't realize they are buying dollars with pesos and NOT pesos with dollars until they get home.
I realize that this was not communicated to Hromero's friends even with Hromero kindly intervening but it can occur and sometimes in writing on the contract. The customer should also check the initial rental amount for the same treatment if USD was involved then.
A rental company we use in a different market offers a choice of USD or peso payments and the peso payment always works out much better for Canadians especially but also for Americans.
Ultimately OUR charges are from peso bases exchanged by our bank in a normal way. The rental companies can charge whatever rate they like if a customer has signed a contract agreeing to a rate and probably without a contract but at great risk of loosing business. The agreed upon rate may not seem relevant to a customer initially paying cash for instance but MAY still be in a contract as a potential charge which optimists tend to ignore as an unlikely occurrence.
Hoteliers and other kind people should not have to be lawyers or bankers when helping out, kindly helping out, but get ANY agreement in the currency of the vendor and the exchange will be as fair as normal.
--
Please be happy always
