Do Rental Car Tire Swaps Ever Happen?

Here's question that I've been wondering about lately. It's kind of an odd idea, but I'm chock-full of odd ideas (but most are not so diabolical).


Suppose Hank owned a Pontiac G6 sedan, but he did a lot of driving and he had worn out the tires. Suppose that Hank decided that rather than buying new replacement tires for his Pontiac G6, he would rent a similar Pontiac G6 for $24.99 / day at the the Airport Budget Car Rental, and then swap the tires from the rental car onto his own car. Buying a new set of tires can easily cost $500 or more, so Hank would benefit at the expense of the rental agency, which may or may not be very vigilant about examining the tire wear upon return of the vehicle.


I'm not proposing that anyone go out and commit this crime. Rather, I wonder if there is anyone out there who has worked in the industry (ie: BigJonnyG) who could tell me whether this type of thing is very prevalent. If I came up with it, someone else must have tried it before. So, how about it? Anybody know? I did a quick internet search on the subject and only came up with information about wheels stolen outright, but not swapped.

comments:

Eric said...
Maybe you could start a "tire business" where you replace people's tires for half price! You'd make a fortune, but would have to convince them to leave their car for the day... or at least several hours if you really get the system down. :)

Allyson said...
What a criminal mind you could have!

Tara said...
That's a pretty clever idea. I hope we get some answers. I'm very curious now.

Grandma Walters said...
Derek, why don't you cuddle up with that cute son of your and go to sleep instead of dreaming up such wild ideas (not to say CRIMINAL) ones!

margo said...
D I wonder about you sometimes....but is IS an interesting question.

BigJonnyG said...
Ah yes.. the good old questions that bring up the long since forgotten memories of the past... How I wish I knew the answer to such a question.
Oh wait I do.
In my vast years of experience working for a particular rental agency whose name for their protection I will keep anonymous. If memory serves me correct which it does, they never ever checked tires. The typical length that a vehicle stays with a rental agency was typically 30,000km, once that number was reached the vehciles then proceed to an auction where they are auctioned off.
Now the question remains, can a vehicle with under 30,000 km really ever need new tires....?
And would the rental agency be savvy enough to catch such a ploy... well my guess would be no. But I would suggest you seek out legal council before moving ahead with your villainous thought. Which I do feel is a pretty good one.
While you're at it, if you happen to see a Ford Festiva for rent anywhere let me know, maybe I could rent one, and get the speedometer cable my old car is needing :)
I hope this helps you in your quest to cute back on your expenses during these tough economic times

BigJonnyG said...
Just as a side note, I do remember working for a car dealership, where we often found honda civics jacked up on cement blocks with there tires and rims stolen, perhaps another even cheaper avenue for your would be to simply test drive the vehicle which tires match your own, and then simply do a little swap a roo at perhaps a car wash location, where your wife could be waiting with your current car jacked up and ready to go.
Just a thought, but it would save you from actually having to pay a rental company, when really you could get the tires and rims for free....
Because really a car sales man typically never goes on the test drive, and they certainly dont ever check the tires when they come back.
And the paper trail to find you would be much harder for them to follow as they dont track who is driving what cars...
Well Good luck!

D said...
I just want to clarify something:
This is not an avenue that I am considering. My mind simply wandered one time and the concept occured to me. Less sophisticated ploys have formed the basis for police dramas that show on network TV, and the screenwriters for those shows are hardly criminals. Perhaps I will write my own cop drama around this concept.
Consider this part of a literary exercise, rather than criminal scheming.

D said...
Oh, and i don't drive a Pontiac G6 either. This is all purely hypothetical. My name isn't even Hank.

BigJonnyG said...
Dont worry, i know your name isnt hank, and I do recal seeing you driving a Jeep Liberty at our last encounter at the airport a few weeks ago. So I can personally attest to the fact that you do not posses a G6.
My thoughts on a TV drama, it would work but there would have to be a dead body in the trunk or something.. otherwise the only stations that would pick it up would be canadian :)

David and Cheryl said...
Wow D, this is really turning into quite a discussion. It seems that if you need "something" taken care of this Blog would be the place to come.
So you solved the tire dilemna, now what about a pesky neighbor.....how do you take care of that? I think it becomes a bit trickier trying to swap a neighbor with out anyone knowing, and for that matter what do you swap or replace the neighbor with?

BigJonnyG said...
That reminds me dont you have a older brother... well call him BigHank that owns a tire store in the US.... would this older brother BigHank perhaps own a G6...? Just wondering :P

D said...
Yeah, BigHank has been my source for inexpensive replacement tires, so I haven't needed "alternate" strategies.
Given his experience in the Marines, I think I could recommend BigHank to solve the pesky neighbour problems. He already has experience dealing with pesky rabbit problems at my cousin's place. Neighbours can't be much different.