Rented a Van and Busted a window

[masterh]

I am not having a good week. I got into an accident couple days ago and I busted a window of a van I rented today

I need you guys opinion though.

I busted a back window by hitting a trailer. it's a window for the back door (there are 2 windows)

I was going to pick up the window at junk yard for $80

but the thing is the car doesn't have a rear view mirror

I mean if the cargo van doesn't have windows on back doors , it's useless

but this van has windows and having a rear view mirror could've prevented problem.
(I am not blaming the absence of mirror 100% though)

I looked at other cars on ebay and they all have rear view mirrors for the car with back windows

I also noticed some sticky stuff on the windshield that used to hold the rearview mirror

so do you guys think I can argue about this?

I got an insurance but it doesn't cover the glass

[RetroSBK]

As a cargo, it would narmally only have side mirrors. The one in the middle really is pretty useless, even more so when you have a load.

If you use the rental company a lot, they will prolly cover it, but if it was me, I would cough up the $80... Its a good lesson to walk behind before you back up.. Could have been a kid playing there!

[Bun-bun]

You're grasping for straws here.
Cough up the $$ and fix it.

[Randimus Maximus]

Rear view mirrors are required.  period.  there was just a high end sports car that got recalled because it didn't have a rear view mirror installed (even though it would have been useless as there is no way to see out the back).

[mstevens]

so do you guys think I can argue about this?

You can argue about anything. Doesn't mean you can win.

The rental agency was wrong for not having a rearview mirror. You still broke their window. That old saying about two wrongs not making a right applies here.

[masterh]

I went to the ryders to see if other vans have rear view mirrors. they had it.

I am going to talk to them on monday and see what they would say

[cyrus buelton]

I recall when I was a volunteer fireman one of the trucks had a rearview mirror in it.........

kind of odd.

[ArguZ]

how cheap can one be ?

probably you should call your lawyer and sue em for giving you a car which possibly could be a danger for you and other people in traffic

you crashed it, just stand up for it
and yes...I know it sucks...but shit happens
be happy it was a window and not a kid...

[Rev. Millertime]

I don't think you can use the unsafe/missing equipment argument.  Pretty sure you lost that ability when you accepted the vehicle and drove off with it.

[Howie]

You can try threatening them with the fact they rented you a van that was missing a piece required safety equipment, but it is not quite like the defect was hidden and you took the van.  Chances are they might go for it.  Or you could own up to your responsibility.

[NAKID]

I say give it a shot. Explain to them what happened calmly, if they go for it, great, if they don't, cough up the $80.

Here's another angle they could take. You go in there telling them there is no rear-view mirror and that caused you to hit something, then they say there was a mirror in there when you rented it. Prove it wasn't there...