Fair Wear and Tear Guide

At Bargain Car Rentals, we constantly strive to provide vehicles of the highest quality. 

Before a Bargain Car Rentals vehicle is rented, any existing damage, with the exception of fair wear and tear, is identified and recorded. We encourage you to perform your own inspection and you are also encouraged to take a time stamped photograph of any pre-existing damage before leaving your rental location for your own records. 

If you detect any damage to the vehicle and it has not been recorded on the inspection report, you should take photos and notify a member of our team before you leave the rental location so that this additional damage can be recorded and your inspection report reprinted. Failure to do so may mean the damage is recorded as occurring during your rental.

The distinction between reasonable fair wear and tear and unacceptable damage is clearly outlined in this guide, if you have any questions, please contact Bargain Car Rentals directly or ask a member of our team at your rental location.

Fair Wear and Tear Includes:

Dents of no more than 20mm in diameter (excluding bonnets and roofs) where the paint surface has not been broken and there is no paint removal, paint cracking or flaking.

Fair Wear and Tear Excludes:

(a) Single dents of any diameter on bonnets, roofs, wheel arches, style lines, door sills or door edges;

(b) Multiple dents regardless of size;

(c) Any damage affecting or penetrating the paintwork.

Fair Wear and Tear Includes:

Isolated stone chips to any panel up to 2 mm in diameter.

Fair Wear and Tear Excludes:

More than 5 stone chips to an isolated area.

Fair Wear and Tear Includes:

Light scratches:

(a) Not more than 20 mm in length and not more than 1 mm wide;

(b) No paint surface penetration; and

(c) Can be polished out

 

Fair Wear and Tear Excludes:

(a) Any scratch where the metal, plastic or undercoat is exposed;

(b) Multiple scratches to more than 1 panel of any size.

Fair Wear and Tear Includes:

Light scuffing or scratches:

(a) Where there is no paint penetration;

(b) Which are no more than 20 mm in diameter;

(c) Which can be polished out; isolated stone chips up to 2 mm in diameter.

Fair Wear and Tear Excludes:

(a) Any broken paint;

(b) Multiple scratches of any size;

(c) Dents of 20 mm in length or more in diameter;

(d) Any damage to a textured bumper; and multiple stone chips of more than 5 to an isolated area.

Fair Wear and Tear Includes:

Light scratches and scuffing up to 20 mm in length.

Fair Wear and Tear Excludes:

(a) Wheel trims or hubcaps that are cracked, broken, missing, mismatched or not the original wheel trim or hubcap;

(b) Alloy rims for standard vehicles that are cracked, buckled, gouged or mismatched or not the original rim;

(c) Alloy rims for prestige and collection vehicles if:

  1. A scuff mark is more than 20 mm in length;
  2. The alloy rim is cracked, buckled or gouged ; or
  3. The alloy rim is mismatched or not the rim as originally supplied.

(d) Tyre tread and sidewall damage so that the tyre is unroadworthy e.g. cuts, bulges, gouges and abrasions, tyre misuse e.g. flat spots and burnouts.

(e) Replacement tyres that differ from those originally supplied.

Fair Wear and Tear Includes:

Minor cosmetic damage that does not in any way affect the functionality of the keys, accessories or equipment.

Fair Wear and Tear Excludes:

(a) Loss or damage to keys or remotes;

(b) Damage caused by incorrect fitting or usage accessories;

(c) Damage to aerials;

(d) Removal or damage to any item supplied with the vehicle (eg. parcel shelf, tools, spare tyres, wheel trims, hazard triangles, GPS unit).

Fair Wear and Tear Includes:

(a) Light marks that can be removed by vacuum or general cleaning;

(b) Light scuffing or smears or regular day to day debris that is removable by general cleaning.

Fair Wear and Tear Excludes:

(a) Any permanent damage caused by harsh or corrosive materials;

(b) Tears, cuts, scratches, holes or burns;

(c) Any damage to the structure, shape or positioning of a seat;

(d) Hair from pets;

(e) Excessive soil, mud or sand (other than from regular day to day use);

(f) Evidence of smoking in the vehicle;

(g) Odours or foreign matter; stains or marks that cannot be removed by general cleaning or require steam cleaning.

Fair Wear and Tear Excludes:

Scratches, chipping, cracks, holes or damage to:

(a) The windscreen;

(b) Windows;

(c) Lamps; and

(d) External mirror lens.

All such damage may affect the roadworthy status of the vehicle and may subsequently worsen over time from the vehicle continuing to be driven.

Our internal dispute resolution service will seek to resolve complaints relating to a customer’s rental.

Our Claims Department will conduct complaints handling in a fair, transparent and timely manner, and will only ask for and rely on information relevant to their decision in dealing with complaints.

We will endeavour to respond to a customer’s complaint within 7 business days of the date of receipt of the complaint, provided our Claims Department has all necessary information and has completed any investigation required.

Contact: claims@bargaincarrentals.com.au