This car rental experience was very unpleasant.
We picked up the car at Bodo Airport in Norway on May 5th, and after driving 2000 kilometers in five days, we reached Rovaniemi in Finland. At that point, we smelled burning oil inside the car. We checked the dipstick and found the oil level was below the minimum mark. We called the rental office to ask what to do. The person on the phone asked for the license plate number, checked their system, and told us to buy oil at a gas station and keep the receipt, saying it would be deducted from the final bill. So we added 2 liters of oil in Rovaniemi, costing us 39.8 euros. The burning smell disappeared. After driving another 800 kilometers, we returned the car with a full tank to the Bodo Airport office on May 11th.
When we returned the car, the office was closed. We put the keys and oil receipt in the dropbox. The next day, the office emailed me, claiming we added too much oil and that the oil was full when the car was picked up. They even said they needed to drain some oil. I replied, explaining that we called the office before adding oil and were told to handle it ourselves. I asked why the person on the phone didn't mention the oil was freshly added. I also said I didn't want the 39.8 euros back but to adjust the charges accordingly. Today, they sent a bill that did not deduct the oil cost and additionally charged me 765 NOK for a service charge!
I always thought Hertz had good service, but this was an eye-opener. I've rented cars from Avis, Budget, Europcar, Alamo, and Sixt through Zuzuche, and never encountered such issues. All other companies provided a spare tire, but Hertz at Bodo Airport did not. I hope Zuzuche can resolve this. I'm willing to forgo the 39.8 euros, but if they charge the 765 NOK service fee, I will never rent from Hertz again and will reconsider renting through Zuzuche in the future. I will also share this experience on social media.
I didn't take a photo of the dipstick before adding oil. I have attached the oil receipt, email communications, and the office's charge notice. I hope the platform takes this seriously. Thank you!
Read More > Reviewed: May 16, 2019