Rental cars are supposedly an easy and convenient way to get around. You drive the car for as long as you rent it, get your deposit back, and move on. It’s supposed to be a simple process.
However, one Toronto man noticed something that didn’t look right on his rental car bill. After renting a car from Avis in Montreal, he discovered an approximate $4,300 (5,900 CAD) charge for supposedly driving nearly 18,000 miles in just one week.
For context, Yuehao Huang flew from Toronto to Montreal for a week-long road trip with family, seeing Montreal, Mount Tremblant, the capital Ottawa and back to Quebec. He stated that was 1,400 kilometres (roughly 870 miles).
After checking the distance tracked by his iPhone and applying a little common sense, he realized the math didn’t add up.
The Moment of Realization
When Huang returned home from his vacation, he noticed the charge on his receipt. For those who haven’t rented a car before, rental car companies typically provide a receipt detailing any additional charges deducted from the deposit, along with an assessment of the car’s condition before and after the rental.
Seeing a $4,300 charge on his account must have been a real heart-stopping moment. That’s a lot of money to be charged for something he had no control over. Huang explained that the charge was in addition to the more than $712 (1,000 CAD) deposit he had put down.
How Far Is 18,000 Miles?
18,000 miles is a lot of driving for a week-long rental. To put it into perspective, Universe Today states the distance around the world at the equator is 24,901 miles. That means Huang was allegedly charged for driving a distance equivalent to more than 72% of the Earth’s circumference in just seven days.
Huang also did some maths as well, stating: “The way I estimated it is that would be me driving 180 km/h, 24 hours, no stop, no gas, no sleep,” he said to Toronto City News. “Also, if I really drove 28,000 kilometres, the vehicle would need an oil change and maintenance.”
No Luck at First
So naturally, what he did next was challenge the bill. After providing evidence, Avis investigated further before telling Huang to resubmit his claim, but no refund came his way. He also contacted his credit card company, American Express, only to be reportedly told that the “charges are valid.”
With both companies seemingly unwilling to resolve the issue, Huang was left questioning how such a significant discrepancy could go unnoticed and why he was being held responsible for the alleged mileage.
Good News Arrived
Finally, after speaking with Speakers Corner, a platform CityNews Toronto gives Canadian residents a place to share opinions, personal stories, and videos, they reached out to Avis and, within one day, passed on the news Huang had been waiting for.
“Following a thorough review, we confirmed that a data entry error resulted in the customer being incorrectly charged for excess mileage,” Avis said.
“We sincerely apologize to the customer for the frustration and delay in resolving the matter. We are processing a refund for the mileage charges.
“We are also reinforcing our procedures with our teams to help prevent similar issues in the future.”
With the money presumably back in his account, Huang provided an educational message from his experience, stating: “No matter how [much] you trust your rental car company, based on previous experience, remember to take a photo before you start driving and after,” said Huang. “I just didn’t realize this was going to happen.”