Unfortunately, when it comes to renting a car, it’s often the case that you can’t find exactly the car you’re looking for.
For example, one Internet user blamed the company for renting a Tesla from a rental company that had numerous issues with the car. Another user claimed that he rented a problem-ridden car from rental company Hertz, which resulted in his car breaking down on the side of the road for hours.
But even with all the potential issues with rental cars, they can still be valuable. One way to use a rental car is as a “test” car — renting one for a few days to get a better understanding of the realities of owning a car before buying a similar model.
That being said, as influencer James Charles (@jamescharles) recently pointed out, even doing this can run into problems.
How car rental companies “scammed” renters
Charles first gained attention online through his beauty content, but his content has since become more far-reaching. For example, he’s been doing a lot more car content lately, sparking controversy last month when he accused Tesla of lying about their range.
He is currently on the hunt for a new car, renting a few to see which one is best for him. That may have been his original goal, but he recently got scammed and is stuck in this process.
“For this episode, we rented an Audi Q8 e-tron, which was highly requested by you all, but we didn’t get what we paid for – far from it,” says Charles.
“This car is fully loaded with all the fun amenities and features and retails for $97,000,” he continues.
But as the video progresses, several issues become apparent that indicate the car is no longer worth its price, including scratches repaired with permanent marker and the fact that it’s actually a base model.
“The listing specified that this car was a 2024 model with the most attractive package the dealer could offer, which meant that it was the full-power version of this car with every feature, every light, everything unlocked,” he said. “And guess what? This is literally the default factory setup, the most basic version with a retail price of $75,000.”
“So I guess I’m angry, not at Audi but at the guy who rented the car,” he added. “We’re going to report them and get our money back. You’re a loser and now you’re trying to ruin my car review.”
Either way, Charles continued reviewing the car and decided he wasn’t satisfied: while he said he would have enjoyed a version with all the extra options, the difference between the top and base models was too significant for the price difference.
“Obviously, a $100,000 car is going to have more fun features than a $75,000 car, but $75,000 is still a lot of money,” he points out. “You’d think even the base model would have something to offer. If this car wasn’t comfortable, it would be a zero out of 10. This car is awful, but it is comfortable, so I have to give it an equal rating.”
James Charles Reply to @ben_mile Audi is going to send me a cease and desist regarding this video 💀😭 Yes, I got my money back!!! #review #car #Audi ♬ Original Sound – James Charles
In the comments section, users shared their thoughts on the car Charles ended up reviewing.
“I can’t believe you used a Sharpie to cover up the scratches,” one commenter said.
“Sorry but if I’m going to pay nearly $100,000 for a car I’d rather it have TVs in the seats or something,” another person argued.
“Can’t argue with him on this one. $75k is a lot of money for a car for most people. If you’re going to pay that much you might as well get it really good,” a third said.
The Daily Dot reached out to Charles and Audi via press email.
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Braden Vieira
Braden Bjella is a culture writer whose work has appeared in Mixmag, Electronic Beats, Schon! magazine and more.