did u hire from a proper car renting company or just some dude?

last time i rented a car in 2008, the company has a checklist form. when i took the car, both of us went through the checklist one by one, from headlights to tire condition to body surfaces. so if anything happens, we know exactly whose responsibility it would be.

in ur case, if u dont have the checklist form, the company might argue it was fine when u took it. later it'll become ur word vs their word.