Payless Charged Me for Pre-Existing Vehicle Damage
I rented a Fiat Egea from the Payless Rent A Car branch at Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen Airport. When I picked up the vehicle, I was rushed through the paperwork and asked to sign several documents without being given enough time to read them. No one pointed out or explained any damage to the front bumper or any other part of the vehicle before I drove away.
When I returned the car on Friday, the staff claimed there was a small scratch on the front bumper and had me speak with a repair technician over the phone. The technician said the bumper needed to be repainted and quoted approximately $171 for the repair. Even though I had purchased all available insurance coverage, they still demanded payment from me. Another employee then told me they could "settle it" for $75, and I paid that amount on the spot. They never showed me any prior damage records, inspection reports, photographs, or other documentation proving that the damage occurred during my rental. From what I later observed, the bumper had clearly been repaired and repainted multiple times, with visible body filler, making it obvious that the damage was pre-existing.
In addition, while driving the vehicle, it shook violently at speeds above 130 km/h, which raised serious concerns about its maintenance and overall safety. Despite renting out a vehicle with apparent mechanical issues, the company still held me responsible for what appeared to be old bumper damage and charged me extra.
On top of everything else, €170 was placed on hold on my credit card as a security deposit when I rented the vehicle. Although I returned the car and considerable time has passed, the €170 deposit has still not been released.
I believe these actions are unfair and have caused me unnecessary financial loss. I request a full refund of the $75 I was charged for the alleged bumper damage, the immediate release and refund of my €170 security deposit, and a thorough review of how this rental was handled.
