AMAZON has linked up with a major rental car company across four US cities – giving drivers a new way to get great deals on used cars online.
Amazon Autos, launched last year, expanded into used and certified pre-owned vehicle sales and is currently working with dealers across 130 cities in the country.
According to Reuters, Amazon has partnered with Hertz, the globally renowned car rental company, to combine Amazon's online retail platform with Hertz's inventory of well-maintained pre-owned cars.
It allows drivers to browse and purchase used vehicles through Amazon Autos, with detailed listings, specifications, history and pricing.
Initially, the service will be available within 75 miles of four major US cities; Dallas and Houston in Texas, Los Angeles in California and Seattle in Washington.
The process, which is entirely online, allows customers to shop from the comfort of their homes, while participating dealers will handle the logistics – including delivery or pickup.
Hertz and Amazon plan to expand this service to all Hertz Car Sales locations across the US.
Hertz operates car rental services through brands like Dollar, Thrifty and Firefly in 160 countries and runs a car-sharing business in Europe, although the company has faced changes in rental demand – leading to a reduction in its electric vehicle fleet in favor of gas-powered cars.
They’ve also received criticism for its AI-powered sensors, which some customers claim have incorrectly flagged vehicle damage.
Bosses at the rental car company are rolling out the new software to help them check for damages, with scanners that can pick up marks or scuffs on the vehicle’s exterior.
The laser-focused machines can even pick up supposed damage that staffers cannot see with the naked eye.
However, one customer, Kelly Rogers and her husband, were hit with a $195 charge after returning their car at Atlanta airport, as reported by The New York Times.
They were charged even after a Hertz staffer checked over the car for any signs of damage.
And, the couple themselves inspected the outside as precaution as well.
Rogers and her husband were left stunned when they realized they had been charged.
“It could’ve been a shadow,” she said.
Elsewhere, a Louisiana woman says a simple trip to Walmart for an oil change has turned into a financial and emotional nightmare.
Molly Jones brought her 2018 Hyundai to the Walmart in New Roads back in February for what should have been a quick, routine service.
But the very next day, she claimed she could feel something was wrong as soon as she hit the road.
“So, I kept going forward. I noticed that the car started slowing down,” Jones told CBS local affiliate WAFB.
She says she quickly pulled over after noticing smoke billowing from under the hood.
By then, the car had overheated and wouldn’t go anywhere.
According to The Boston Globe, every person renting a car should take a few minutes to check some boxes before committing to a rental car.
Source: The Boston Globe
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