Vehicles get used. This guide sets out where we draw the line between normal use — which we absorb — and damage, which is chargeable. It exists so there's no argument at collection.
Fair wear and tear is deterioration from ordinary, careful use over the length of your hire. Damage is anything caused by an impact, neglect, misuse, or a failure to tell us about a problem. We photograph the vehicle with you at handover and again at collection, and both sets of photos decide it.
Bodywork and paint
| Fair wear and tear | Chargeable damage |
|---|---|
| Light surface scratches under 25 mm that don't break the paint and can be polished out | Any dent, crease or scratch through to the primer or metal; scratches over 25 mm; a cluster of scratches in one panel |
| Small stone chips on the front bumper, bonnet leading edge or mirror housings from highway driving | Stone chip damage across a panel consistent with driving on gravel — a prohibited road under clause 11 |
| Road film, dust, insect residue, bird droppings removed by a normal wash | Paint etched or lifted by fuel, chemicals, tree sap or droppings left long enough to mark |
| Minor scuffs to a bumper corner from ordinary parking | Cracked, split or displaced bumpers, torn wheel arch liners, damaged badges or trim |
Wheels and tyres
| Fair wear and tear | Chargeable damage |
|---|---|
| Even tread wear proportionate to the kilometres travelled | Tyres worn below the legal limit through wheel-spin, hard braking or under-inflation |
| Very light kerbing on a wheel rim, under 50 mm and not through the finish | Gouged, buckled or cracked rims; kerbing over 50 mm; damage to more than one wheel |
| A puncture from an unavoidable road hazard on a sealed road | Sidewall cuts, gravel damage or a shredded tyre — normally indicates driving off sealed roads |
| — | Any wheel or tyre damage from a pothole, rut or crossing on an unsealed road |
Glass, lights and mirrors
| Fair wear and tear | Chargeable damage |
|---|---|
| A single stone chip in the windscreen smaller than 5 mm, outside the driver's line of sight | Any crack, any chip in the driver's view, or a chip over 5 mm |
| Light polishing marks on headlight lenses from age | Cracked, broken or water-ingressed lamps; broken mirror glass or housing |
Interior
| Fair wear and tear | Chargeable damage |
|---|---|
| Light soiling of carpets and mats that vacuums out; ordinary sand on the mats after a beach day | Sand or mud worked into the carpet pile, seats or boot lining; anything needing a wet extraction |
| Faint seat creasing consistent with normal use | Tears, burns, punctures, ink, dye transfer, or permanent staining of upholstery |
| Fingerprints and dust on the dash and screens | Scratched or cracked screens, broken vents, switches, handles, cupholders or trim clips |
| A faint food or coffee smell that airs out | Smoke, vape, fuel, fish, pet or other odour requiring ozone treatment or a full detail |
| — | Pet hair anywhere in the vehicle, where pets weren't agreed in writing |
| — | Missing floor mats, cargo blind, tool kit, jack, charging cable or manual |
Mechanical
| Fair wear and tear | Chargeable damage |
|---|---|
| Normal deterioration of brakes, clutch and consumables over the kilometres travelled | Brakes or clutch damaged by riding, dragging, overheating or towing |
| A fault that develops through no act of yours, reported to us promptly | Damage worsened by continuing to drive after a warning light, noise or leak appeared |
| — | Water ingress to the engine, cabin, electronics or differentials from a creek crossing or floodwater |
| — | Underbody, suspension, exhaust or sump damage from an unsealed road, rut or obstacle |
The 4WD point, plainly
Our touring vehicles are 4WDs, and they're comfortable on long sealed touring runs — the Tablelands, the coast road, the highway north. That is what they're hired for. It doesn't mean they're hired for off-road use. Underbody damage, water ingress, sidewall cuts and gravel-rashed panels all read clearly as off-road use on inspection, and they're chargeable at full cost rather than capped at the excess, because clause 11 of the Hire Agreement was breached.
If a road you're planning is borderline, ring us on [07 0000 0000] first. We'd rather have that conversation than the other one.
How we assess it
- We photograph every panel, the wheels, the interior and the odometer with you at handover, and again at collection.
- Damage recorded at handover is never charged to you.
- Where damage is found, we send you the two sets of photographs and a written quote or invoice before anything is deducted from your bond.
- We charge the actual repair cost, not a fixed penalty, and never more than the excess for your vehicle class unless clause 12 applies.
- Small items are often cheaper to absorb than to process. If it's marginal, we'll usually let it go.
Disagree with an assessment? Contact us on [07 0000 0000] or hello@[domain].com.au and we'll review it, including getting a second quote if that's the fairest way to settle it. Nothing in this guide affects your rights under the Australian Consumer Law.