Ripoff by Discount Car and Truck Rentals, Halifax

My vacation in Canada was tainted by my car renting experience.

I had booked an intermediate car using Economy Bookings and was required to pay the first rental day. I thought that was okay.

In Halifax Discount Car and Truck Rentals upgraded it to a midsize SUV. Being foreigners they refused both our credit card (USA) and Finnish car insurances and we thus had to purchase their insurance. They knew nothing of my Economy Bookings prepayment and refused to honor it.

Yes, I unfortunately touched a wood fence while parking our SUV which we had affectionately named "tank" due to its size and stability. I made the rental company aware of the resulting small scuff and paint chip and was then firmly told that both the front bumper and wheel well needed to be replaced. They proudly told me that this multi-thousand dollar repair would only cost me 500 dollars because I had purchased their insurance.

Utter nonsense. The rental company will replace nothing and when the car is sold the purchaser might use a buffing wheel and a drop or two of paint to repair the "multi-thousand dollar" damage.

Customer service? Haha. Emails don't need to be answered and telephone calls not returned by both Economy Bookings and Discount Car and Truck Rentals. Who gives them the right to use the words Economy and Discount? Ripoff is more correct.