Turo Car Rental Nightmare: A First-Time Experience Gone Wrong

My first time renting through Turo was a disaster. Despite following the rules, returning the car on time with a full tank, and keeping it clean, the owner accused us of several false issues.

We drove under 1500 km as agreed and kept the interior clean, even with kids on the trip. The exterior was a bit dirty due to snow. Still, the owner claimed damage that was either pre-existing or made up (The photos were not taken at the airport when we returned the car). Luckily, we had a video from before the trip to provide to my insurance to address the situation.

They also demanded we pay for gas they used two days after we returned the car. On top of that, they complained about dirt that wasn’t damage, wrinkles on the seats, and random “holes” under the car—all exaggerated or irrelevant.

This felt like a scam. Turo needs to do more to protect renters from unfair claims. I’ll never use Turo again and urge others to document everything carefully if they do. This was stressful, unfair, and ruined the whole experience.