When one rents a car, they usually assume that everything they need to actually drive the vehicle has been handled.
However, this isn’t always the case. One renter complained that she received a car without working headlights; another alleged that he found a blade embedded in the tire of his rental car. A further user documented her experience getting a rental car, then having it break down soon after.
Now, an additional internet user has sparked discussion after claiming that Avis told her that she needed to bring in her newly-rented car for an oil change.
An Avis rental car needs an oil change
In a clip with over 245,000 views, TikTok user Courtney (@theirishsparkle) shows herself in the front seat of a car getting an oil change holding paperwork from the company Avis.
“POV: You rented a car and they immediately make you take it in for an oil change…wtf,” she writes in the text overlaying the video.
In the caption, she elaborates on the details regarding her peculiar story.
“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,” she writes. “(Props to the oil change guy who was super nice to me, though.)”
According to Avis’ rental terms and conditions, a renter “must return the Vehicle in the same condition you received it, ordinary wear and tear excepted.” This would appear to imply that taking the vehicle in for routine maintenance, such as an oil change, would not be the responsibility of the renter.
Additionally, as claimed by AutoSlash, “the rental car company is actually responsible for ensuring their vehicles are well maintained.”
@theirishsparkle 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.) #a#avisa#aviscarrentalw#wtfm#minivanp#povo#oilchange ♬ Come Check This (Quickie Edit) – FETISH
Commenters says it’s uncommon
In the comments section, users claimed that renters are not typically responsible for problems such as a required oil change.
“All maintenance which an oil change is should be done prior to rental,” detailed a user. “I would call and speak to someone higher than the people at the pick up place.”
“I’m a rental manager, def not supposed to do that,” echoed another. “That’s straight up negligent maintenance, ask to speak with an area manager.”
Other users simply shared their rental car woes.
“Hertz gave me one with dry rotted tires. And then tried to make me pay for the tire when one blew out,” alleged a user.
“I got one with zero gas,” recalled a second. “Barely made it down the street to a gas station. Enterprise lady told me she didn’t have a card to put any gas in it before I picked it up lol.”
“They did that to me too. But with a tire that had a plug in it and kept going low on air. They told me I had to take it in for a new tire,” stated a third. “I said no. Not my job.”
The Daily Dot reached out to Avis via email and Courtney via TikTok comment.
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