in getting rental courtesy car fixed before I send it back to avoid paying excess?

[ggirl]

basically the vauxhall corsa we have as courtesy car has been keyed..bastards!
happened when it was parked outside one of dd's friends
two long marks down one side
there is a £400 excess on the car

shall I try and get it fixed before it goes back
will it be cheaper than £400

again BASTARDS!!

For future reference - you can get car hire excess insurance policies really cheaply - from about £3 per day I think, or £40 for a years insurance, which is much cheaper than paying the car hire company.

update: dh took it for a quote, £600-700
so we've had a go at filling in with crayon and t-cut
still looks awful
it's being picked up tomorrow am
I am not going to say anything and hope for the best

Your prayers would be appreciated..thanks

£700 to fix two scratches?? Fuck me, I'm in the wrong business.

I know ,that's what I thought.
Said it needed respraying. Someone's having a laugh.

update:
car was picked up this am
we had tried to t-cut with no effect
bloke didn't even look at the car, just stuck on lorry , asked me to sign that he had picked it up and drove off
too good to be true?!

Once it's out of your hands and you have signed then you'll hear nothing more because even if they notice it when the car gets back they'll have to prove that it was caused by you and not the delivery man or during transit - and since you signed the form then they have no chance.

lucky you!!!

I had to pay over £500 on a hire car that was left outside for 5 mins and was keyed. Very upset. Didn't know you could get insurance so that's good to know!

hmm since posting update have received email of copy of thing I signed at the door
you know those electronic signing things you have no clue what you're signing
well looked at it and apparently they can take £££ on my card if they find fault
form has diagram of car
no mention on scratch I can see
still crapping myself and waiting for huge bill on card

oh no !

You could be very clever and get the card cancelled. Cheating I know, but what can you do? And as StressedMum said, how can they prove it was there before the lorry picked it up? He hasn't marked it down so let them argue it out!

But now that they have taken it back, how can they prove that it happened when you had the car?

I would have thought they can only take money from your card if they find a fault before they take the car back.

Also, what it the excess about-surely the Most" they can do is not refund that?

Isn´t that what it´s for -unless there was such great damage that the excess wouldn´t cover it?

I presume the guy that picked it up signed too? If so, it's not your responsibility now... Although I would cancel card just incase

hmm can't remember if he signed or not
he def fiddled around with it but don't think he signed it
anyway will wait and see
hopefully it's parked up somewhere now and no one has noticed

Make sure you get it done at a really good garage. my friend scratched her rental car, got it repaired by a mechanic and the rental firm on inspection found out, and kept her deposit!

On the flip side, my uncle lost a wing mirror (not his fault) off a rental car, had it fixed by a local garage and nothing was ever said. It's the luck of the draw I think.

fingers crossed for you. £400 excess is crappy.

It shouldn't matter whether he signed it, you signed it and he took it away. They should inspect the car before signing anything and definitely before taking it away from you. Once it's taken away it has nothing to do with you.

well nothing so far
looks like we're ok
and yes too late now anyway
big phew! from me
next time will take out insurance on excess

I think you need to stick in the next charity box you see... Good karma and all that.

Pleased it's looking good.

yes
will do
am great believer in karma