wrote:
Is there a list of which ones do a credit pull everytime you rent a car? Would it be a soft pull? I have read that Thrifty will pull your credit and deny a rental based on whether or not they like your score so does that mean it's a soft pull? Do they really do them every single time you rent or just the first time? Or is it for debit card users?
And is it true one dispute could get you blacklisted for all rental companies? It seems a bit extrme for a partial refund dispute..especially if it wasn't even the first rental.
Edit - I did search and it does seem like the ones that accept debit cards do a credit check. Someone posted Avis/Budget swore to them they did a "SP" but it was a hard pull with a debit. So, no thanks.
Anyone know about the blacklisting?
No major rental car company (though I can only personally confirm Hertz, Avis, Budget, Thrifty, SIXT, and Enterprise) has ever hard pulled credit as part of a rental with them. If they are, there's something way off with your profile or way off with that company. I rent dozens of times a year and not once have taken a HP. Truth be told, I have not rented with a debit card in at least 10 years, but back then I didn't take any HPs either. Even then, I don't recommend anyone pays for travel expenses witha debit card, though. Debit cards + travel = hassle. If you can avoid it, do so.
Can't speak for disputes as I've never had to make one, but I will say there's a bit of "you get what you pay for" in the rental car world. If you rent from a budget rental place (Thrifty and SIXT come to mind here), they tend to have a bit lower customer service and tend to be more scrutinizing of every car you bring back. The big ones like Avis and Hertz tend to be less so. I've returned cars (yes, more than one) to Hertz with cracked windshields with no additional bills while I'll get the 'prove it' treatment with so much as a minor scratch that was already on the car at a place like Thrifty. It's a big part of why these days I only rent from Avis/Hertz, regardless of price.
