Angelika We have reported on car rentals in the USA quite a few times. There are several things to consider, and it can often be confusing for foreign tourists because, in my opinion, car rental companies all operate somewhat unscrupulously and often rip off customers. But I digress. When you pick up the car, most car rental companies here usually give you a sheet of paper with a picture of a car, and the customer is supposed to mark scratches, dents, and the like on the illustration to record any existing minor damages, so there are no misunderstandings later on. Every time, Michael and I wonder what actually counts as a dent or scratch. Rental cars in the USA typically have minor scratches, especially on the trunk, where luggage is constantly being loaded and unloaded, or on the bumpers. Americans generally handle their cars a bit more casually, and no one really cares if the front or rear bumper makes contact with another car while parking. We also keep noticing that different car rental companies have different standards. So we were pleased when, in Hawaii, the Alamo car rental agent handed us another sheet of paper, which, in addition to the obligatory car diagram for marking damages, included a guide explaining what should be marked and what shouldn't. A cut-out circle with a diameter of 5 cm served as a guideline: all scratches that fit within the circle were excluded. There was no need to worry about scratches on the bumpers at all. We have no idea if the circle system is only found at Alamo in Hawaii. We also wonder how many customers will actually use the circle, because, to be honest, I can't imagine that most American customers would have the patience for it.