I don't disagree with what you say. I personally loathe credit cards and credit in general, and I personally don't use any type of credit. I pay for my cars in cash.

I don't think you get the same purchase protection with a debit card vs credit card.

As far as renting a vehicle, I've tried on a debit card and been denied. But that was quite a while ago so things could have changed, and I guess have as you have done it.

You still get protection from a debit card but the bank will cancel and re-issue since it's considered a point-of-sale. I've had to do it twice. Banks are required to do this due to consumer protection laws. I actually think the CC protection leads to more fraud, I've seen over and over people on this very website say things such as I'm being silly for how careful I am with my debit card because the CC company will just pay the fraud. I think it creates more risky behavior. It would be akin to wrecking into people out of spite because you have car insurance.

As for renting a vehicle, their requirements are usually a bit more stringent, things such as showing more documentation that I live where I say I live, they'll put a hold on a larger amount, but I've never been outright denied from renting a vehicle for having a debit card.

Of course, having said that, I was denied the last time I tried to rent a vehicle because they had started running credit checks and I have no credit. This despite the fact that I had been renting regularly from them for 7 or 8 years (a few times a year). Can you imagine thinking credit was a better proxy than your own records for determining someone's trustworthiness?

I've never liked rental car companies, they're all shitty in 1 way or another, but that for me was the last straw. It will be a cold day in hell before I ever rent a vehicle again.

Instead I went out and purchased a vehicle to do exactly what I was trying to do with the rental, I posted about it here: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=34099429#34114741