Avis Under Scrutiny for 'Impossible' Mileage Bills on Unlimited Rentals
Avis is under scrutiny following reports of a customer receiving a substantial bill for impossible mileage on an unlimited rental. The incident from Dubuque, Iowa, highlights ongoing billing inaccuracies within the car rental sector.
Impossible Mileage Claim Prompts Avis Scrutiny
Avis faces new questions regarding its billing practices. A customer renting a vehicle with unlimited mileage from Dubuque, Iowa, received a bill exceeding $6,000. This charge was for allegedly driving nearly 95,000 miles in one week. The rental, a white Toyota Camry Hybrid, was initially booked for $199.64. Such a distance would necessitate an average speed of 587 miles per hour. This speed is unattainable for a road vehicle. The customer's reservation and receipt both clearly stated "UNLIMITED" mileage. View from the Wing first reported this incident on August 2, 2026. It underscores persistent billing issues within the car rental industry.
Discrepancies in Billing and Contract Terms
The final Avis invoice contained multiple inconsistencies. The odometer out reading was 26 miles. The odometer in reading was 95,199 miles. This suggested a total driven distance of 95,173 miles. However, the invoice then listed "Total driven: 29,637 miles." It subsequently billed for 19,638 miles at 25 cents per mile. This resulted in a $4,909.50 mileage charge. This figure, combined with additional fees and taxes, reached $6,048.51 in overcharges. Even the billed 19,638 miles would require an average speed of 121.2 miles per hour. This is unsustainable for a week-long rental. Avis's own terms state customers pay mileage charges only "if applicable." The contract here explicitly noted "unlimited" mileage.
A Pattern of Avis Billing Anomalies
This Dubuque incident is not an isolated occurrence for Avis. In 2022, a customer reported an Avis rental showing 19,576 miles driven in 36 hours. This resulted from an incorrect starting mileage entry. Another Avis customer faced an $8,500 bill for 31,689 miles already on a vehicle. This was due to improper check-in and check-out procedures. A Toronto customer was charged over C$8,000 for 36,482 kilometres. This was for a three-day rental covering only 300 kilometres. Avis attributed this to an odometer-reading error after media attention. At LAX, a customer was billed over $16,000 for 30,500 miles in five days. This was later corrected as an employee entry error. These examples demonstrate a recurring issue with Avis's internal systems and processes.
Traveller Action Against Erroneous Charges
Travellers encountering similar billing errors must act decisively. First, dispute the error directly with Avis. Concurrently, file a chargeback with the credit card company. This should be for incorrect billing or services not agreed upon. Travellers should demand specific documentation from Avis. This includes prior and next rental records for the vehicle. Odometer photographs at pickup and return are also crucial. Any connected car odometer and location data should be requested. Agent entry logs provide further evidence. Obtaining a corrected final receipt showing no balance is essential. An unresolved charge can lead to collections or a ban from the rental company. Affected customers may also consider consumer complaints with regulatory bodies.
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