********** charge of R10,800 on my card for supposed "changed tyres" on rental vehicle!!

<p>How dare they accuse me of changing tyres and charge me without contacting me to query this first??!?!?</p> <p> </p> <p>I am a Virgin Insurance client, whose car had to go in for repairs. As per my cover, I was able to get a rental car for the time period from Sandton Hilton Hertz, which I collected on 10/7/2017. At this time I was given a class C car, whereby it was supposed to be a Class D car, as to my "like for like" cover. Upon car collection, I queried this with the reception staff, to which I was told " oh well, it’s also an automatic". Fine, I was on my way to work anyway, thus accepted it. My partner and I then checked the car with one of their employees, noting down all the scratches, dents, and paint scuffs etc.</p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p>I would like to point you out to the fact that at no point of original car collection of 10/07/2017, was a note made of which tyres were on the car. Surely then it begs the question, was it not changed by someone even prior to my rental and now they are trying to pin it onto a client???</p> <p> Low mileage on the vehicle noted, happy with its state I then drove a short distance to work, barely 3km. That evening then, driving home ( which is about 13km ) I noted that the car made a “t*******” noise if you drive over 40km/hr, the steering wheel shuddered under my hands ant the vehicle veered to the side. </p> <p>It was that very same evening (10/07/2017) that I called the Hertz emergency line to report the wheel alignment feeling “out” and the steering wheel pulling to one side.(18h30 and 19h34 via my mobiles, but 2 more calls from my landline). As my calls got dropped and the Sandton office was closed, I called again on 11/07/2017, to which Virgin and their initial rental service was assisting me. They tried to get me a car for the 11/7/2017, but no luck of a class D said Hertz. Surely there are recordings of any of my calls done, thus also proving that from the beginning I noted an issue with the vehicle.</p> <p> It was not my error that we only managed to have it swapped out on the morning of 12/07/2017, it was arranged that they were to bring the 2nd rental car out to me at Pineslopes shopping Centre. The gentleman who arrived from Hertz to collect the 1st car had said, that “I hardly drove it, roughly under 50km was done, which wouldn’t mean much petrol charge, maybe R10”. Also he told me that he was to take it from there immediately straight to the service department to do the wheels. I then received the 2nd vehicle, class D, and carried out the same vehicle inspection check. Happily, we swapped cars. He had told me that he was happy with the state of the 1st vehicle, he doesn’t expect any problems, and it looks perfect.</p> <p>Has a specific lady at Hertz Sandton Hilton not then thought that at that stage the tyres might have been changed?? Surely it should have been noticed by them at that point that the tyres were different, so why contact me 11 days later to falsely accuse me???</p> <p> With the work I do, my vehicle is parked in a locked, security-tagged garage during the day, and in a locked estate at night. For both these places you need access tags. You can see with the little amount of km’s done over those two days, I do not drive around during the day, and have proof of being at work during those days, thus the 1st vehicle was there, parked.</p> <p> I feel they are **********ly accusing me of changing tyres, I would like to ask them where and when???????? And to provide me with proof! What would I want with tiny tyres, without a car??? Nor would they fit my Peugeot (a large sedan), which was in for repairs!!</p> <p>Unfortunately for them, I have picture proof of said 1st vehicle as well as which tyres, witnessed by my partner, were on it. Due to their false accusations and deplorable customer service, I will make a plan to have the 2nd car back to them by Sunday at latest, not Monday morning as arranged. Any further false charges to my Bank card by them will bring about action from legal. I have also raised this with Virgin, who I hope will never use Hertz Sandton Hilton for their rental needs ever again! </p>