'You Shouldn’t Rip Off Your Customers:' Man Rents Truck From Alamo. Then They Try to Give Him a Van—So He Gets Even

A man says he got revenge on Alamo Rent a Car. But will his alleged revenge get him in legal trouble?

In a TikTok, creator @factorydirectwindowsaz claims Alamo charged him extra for renting an SUV when he originally wanted a truck.

In the TikTok, the creator says he was disappointed to hear that the truck he reserved wasn’t available. "So when I went to Alamo to get a car, I paid extra for a truck. They didn’t have any trucks, so they wanted to give us a minivan," he begins.

However, a minivan wasn’t a suitable replacement, he says, so @factorydirectwindowsaz requested an SUV instead. "They made me pay extra," he says.

This extra charge irked him, so he claims he decided to get even when he returned the vehicle to Alamo.

"They said I gotta fill it up, so I did," he says, training the camera on a water bottle next to a gas pump.

He then claims to be filling the gas tank with water. "Gallon of gas is $3, so each liter is going to cost me or save me 80-something cents. So, every time I fill this up and dump it in the tank, that'll be their problem to deal with," he alleges.

While he knows this move is spiteful, he justifies it, saying, "Sometimes you shouldn’t rip off your customers."

It's not clear whether this is satire or a skit. Either way, it can run afoul of the law to put water or any other liquid that doesn't belong in a vehicle in its tank.

What Does Adding Water to the Gas Tank Do?

Adding water to the gas tank is overall a bad idea, as this can cause immediate damage. Pouring water into the gas tank can lead to hefty repair bills, as multiple issues can arise.

Doing this will activate the check engine light, and the issues it causes can range from a rough-running engine to stalling and corrosion, CarParts reports. This contamination can corrode the vehicle's fuel system components and must be addressed immediately.

Intentionally pouring water into the gas tank, knowing it’ll cause damage, is obviously malicious.

Avvo law experts note that intentionally pouring water into the gas tank of someone else's car is illegal. Alamo could seek damages or pursue criminal charges.

Did the Alamo Customer Actually Pour Water Into the Tank?

Some viewers don't believe that he was actually putting water in the tank.

"He's filling it with water...at the gas station. Doesn't sound sus at all," one wrote.

"If the tank was low I don’t think you would make it to the rental," another pointed out.

"What exactly are you filling it with?" a third questioned.

The creator didn’t definitively show himself pouring the water into the gas tank. He also mentioned that he needed to fill the tank completely, but was only using a simple water bottle.

Some viewers understood his frustration and expressed approval of his alleged move in the comments.

"Sometimes a mfr has to learn a lesson the hard way," one TikTok commenter shared. 

"If you pick up the car at 1/4 tank, you return at 1/4 tank," another added.

Motor1 has contacted @factorydirectwindowsaz via Instagram and TikTok direct message. We have also contacted Alamo by email. We’ll update this if either party responds.