🛡️ Deposit when renting a sports car: What is it really for – and what do you risk?

When considering renting a sports car, there is one thing many wonder about: "What happens to the deposit?" That is understandable – after all, you are borrowing a car worth several hundred thousand, sometimes well over a million. And it’s natural to feel a bit uncertain.

At Avanti Utleie, we want to be 100% transparent about everything we do, and that’s why we dedicate this week's blog post to the topic of the deposit and what it actually covers.

📊 80 rental agreements – 3 cases with extra costs

We have had about 80 successful rental agreements. In most cases, the only deductions made are for:

• Toll fees

• Possible missing fuel upon return

But here are the only 3 cases where it has been necessary to use all or part of the deposit:

1. 💥 Curb-damaged rims

A customer returned with clear damage to the rims. In this case, we retained the entire deposit of 5,000 NOK, but the customer fortunately didn’t have to pay anything more beyond this.

2. 🔧 Broken rim

The car came back with a broke rim – literally. We had to cancel upcoming rental agreements and order original rims. Price: 8,000 NOK. The customer was charged the entire deposit + an additional 5,000 NOK (totaling 10,000 NOK). We, of course, reused the tires. Our goal is always to find fair solutions.

3. 🚨 Damaged steering system – total damage of over 100,000 NOK

This is our most extreme case: The customer returned the car with a damaged steering system. The workshop estimated the damage at over 100,000 NOK. Here, we had to take 40,000 NOK from the customer – the limit we have set for the deductible.

📌 What are our rules?

• Deposit: Usually 5,000 NOK

• Damage up to 40,000 NOK: The customer must cover this

• Damage over 40,000 NOK: We assess insurance – if it is appropriate and covered by the terms

• Our goal: To find a solution that is fair to all parties

✅ Renting a sports car can be safe

We believe many fear the deposit because they have heard horror stories. But the truth is: renting a sports car is safe, as long as you:

• Drive carefully

• Treat the car as if it were your own

• Follow speed limits and traffic rules

At Avanti Utleie, we have nothing to hide. We want you to know what to expect – and we hope this post gives you peace of mind.