When renting a car, one typically assumes all necessary maintenance has been taken care of. Unfortunately, this isn't always the case. Stories of rental mishaps abound, from cars with non-functional headlights to vehicles with embedded blades in their tires. Adding to these tales is a recent experience shared by a TikTok user named Courtney (@theirishsparkle).
Courtney's story, which has garnered over 245,000 views, details her unexpected encounter with Avis. In her video, she sits in a rental car receiving an oil change, holding paperwork from Avis. “POV: You rented a car and they immediately make you take it in for an oil change…wtf,” reads the overlay text.
In the caption, Courtney elaborates: "I rented a car, went to go pick it up, and they told me it needed an oil change and that I would need to take it across the street. They insisted this was a normal practice. Absolutely not, sir. The whole thing took an hour. (Props to the oil change guy who was super nice to me, though.)"
Avis' rental terms specify that renters must return the vehicle in the same condition they received it, barring ordinary wear and tear. Routine maintenance, such as oil changes, typically falls under the rental company’s responsibilities. AutoSlash confirms this, stating that rental companies are responsible for maintaining their vehicles.
Commenters on Courtney’s post were quick to point out the unusual nature of her experience. One user emphasized, “All maintenance which an oil change is should be done prior to rental. I would call and speak to someone higher than the people at the pick-up place.” Another echoed, “I’m a rental manager, def not supposed to do that. That’s straight up negligent maintenance, ask to speak with an area manager.”
Other users chimed in with their own rental horror stories, ranging from dry-rotted tires to empty gas tanks, highlighting that Courtney’s experience, while shocking, is not entirely unique in the world of rental cars.
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Photo: Getty