Bad Experience with Thrifty Car Rental

On Sunday, May 20, 2007 my wife and I picked up our rental car, a 2005 Hyundai Accent, in Dublin Ireland. On May 23, 2007 we were traveling through Killarney National Park when we parked the rental car and walked to see the Torc Waterfall. Upon returning to the rental car I tried to start the car and noticed the key would not turn in the ignition. I pulled out the key and noticed it was broke. The other half was in my pocket, where the keys were stored during our walk.

I immediately phoned Thrifty in Dublin to explain the situation. After several phones calls to Thrifty Dublin, Thrifty Cork and Thrifty’s Administrative Offices in Ireland we were told that a new rental car would have ti be towed to us as they could not get us a replacement key. After a six hour wait a new rental car did arrive and they towed our original rental car to Cork.

When returning the vehicle on Saturday June 2, 2007 in Dublin. The agent informed me that my file was flagged and Thrifty Ireland would be charging me 400-euro ($538.22) to replace the broken key. I told the agent that the charge was inappropriate and explained what had happened. After much deliberation back and forth the agent said that I could wait 1 1/2 hours until a manager came in, but as I had a flight to catch I could not wait. I then requested that he not process the charge until I could speak with a manager via telephone, but he said he had to charge it, and perhaps the manager would reverse the charge after speaking to me.

I did nothing out of the ordinary; the keys were stored safely in my pocket where I have stored my personal keys for 20+ years.

As of this date Thrifty will not even meet us half-way and we are disputing the charge with citibank. It is very difficult to swallow a $538.22 charge for a replacement key when the key was simply in my pocket.