Budget Car Rental False Damage Claims Pueblo Colorado

I fought, and won, false damage claims from Budget. You may not be so lucky. 

Last year (2012), I rented a small economy car from Budget for a two week road trip. Trip went great and without incident. I returned the car on time, during normal business hours, to a Budget representative, who looked over the car and signed off on my return. I had followed all the tips for a good car rental experience. 

Imagine my surprise when months later I received a bill for over 200 dollars, with an accompanying invoice which only stated "tire damage" under the charges. It took three phone calls to Budget's customer service before I was able to get any details. They claimed I had returned the car with a flat tire.

One, I drove it to their lot and turned it in to a rep, neither of us noticed a flat tire and she had given me the write-off that the car was returned with no visible damage. Second, all the local tire shops charge anywhere from free to ten dollars to repair a flat. Even if a tire had gone flat, how were they getting $200+ ? I was told by a customer rep that they had to take the car to their own mechanic services in another city and that I was being charged for related expenses, like towing. 

Outraged, I reminded them that neither myself nor the representative had noticed a flat tire when I returned it and that I had been cleared by that rep. After pointing out that all the tires were in visibly good condition at the time of return and that the rep had verified the external condition of the car, they dropped the claim.

Beware false damage claims and exorbitant fees, even if you do everything "right".