Enterprise Rent-A-Car
2718 N. College
Fayetteville Arkansas 72703
United States of America
|
|
Enterprise Rent-A-Car Bad Rip-off and Lies!! Fayetteville, Arkansas
*UPDATE EX-employee responds: Not at all surprised
2Author
2Consumer
1Employee/Owner
My friend and I went to rent a car on 11/12/2011 from Enterprise in Fayetteville, Arkansas. Our plan was I rent the car and I let him drive it. He had to go buy some food for some cultural event at our university. So we get at the store. I rent the car using by Debit card and make mention to one of the agents that my friend would be driving. He then persuades me to buy their insurance and tells us the car will be fully covered. (He doesn't mention anything about listing my friend as an additional driver; I find out after we return the car). And so I pay a deposit of $250 that includes insurance for two days. I was expecting to get some of the deposit back. Me and my friend head off and I give him the keys and he drives to Oklahoma; I stay in Fayetteville.
On his way to OK, my friend has an accident. One side mirror is gone, and 3 wheels are damaged. He calls me and I contact the roadside Assistance to help him. I am told that I violated one of their policies since my friend was not the one who rented the car nor was he listed as an additional driver. They help him regardless to replace a flat tire. My friend continues on to OK makes all the food purchases and returns to Fayetteville Saturday night.
We return the car on Monday 11/14/2011. The customer agent seems happy to see us. He tells us that he heard about my friends accident and is happy that we had paid for the insurance. After a while he tells us that the Insurance will not be able to cover the damages since my friend was not listed as an additional driver. Me and friend remind him that we had told him that my friend was gonna drive and he made no comment about it. He then shows us the contract to "prove" that he had told us. Well what could we do?!! Our word against the contract!!! A little mad at his dishonesty, I listen as he tells me i will hear from Damage Recovery Unit soon about whether I will be charged or not.
Enterprise keeps all of the $250 deposit money.
I get an email one week later stating that the Insurance will not cover the damages considering thefact that I violated one of their policies.
On 12/08/2012 I receive a letter from Damage Recovery Unit noting the Date of
Loss as 11/12/2011 and a Balance Due of $2704.28.
Damages: $2,256.97,
Administrative fees: $150,
Loss of Use: $71.62.
Diminished of value : $225.69.
“Our review indicates that you are responsible for the damages to our vehicle. Enclosed please find documentation to support our claim. Please review this information and remit payment in full to the address above” followed by detailed instructions on how to pay.
Some of the damage costs include labor cost and paint cost, and other damages that did not happen as a result of my friends accident.
I need advice: where do I go from here? I know Ignorance should not be an excuse, but the customer agent never mentioned to me that I could add my friend as an additional driver. He let it slide and only told us when he could use the info to rip us off.
Help!! NEED YOUR ADVICE!!
Click Here to read other Ripoff Reports on Enterprise Rent A Car
REBUTTALS & REPLIES:
2Author
2Consumer
1Employee/Owner
Updates & Rebuttals
#1 Consumer Comment
AUTHOR: Robert - Irvine (U.S.A.)
SUBMITTED: Wednesday, December 14, 2011
POSTED: Wednesday, December 14, 2011
There are often quite a few "Enterprise" reports where a person is charged for damages they swear they didn't do, and one would have to figure that there is probably some truth to some of these reports. But in this case you admit the damage was done, so your problem is that you went against the contract.
Our word against the contract!!!
- The contract will ALWAYS win.
When you rent a car under your name they are only giving YOU permission to drive the car, you are not allowed to have anyone else drive the car. In order to do this they have to be added as an "authorized driver". This usually requires the same requirements as they do for the original driver(that is deposit and license requirements). They may also charge an "additional driver fee".
On his way to OK, my friend has an accident. One side mirror is gone, and 3 wheels are damaged.
- Well unless that car has 3 wheels on one side that seems to be quite an accident. Where I can't see how you would only have one side mirror gone and 3 damaged wheels without having ANY other damage. So the $2,500 may be well within the range.
He let it slide and only told us when he could use the info to rip us off.
- Unless you are going to claim that the agent could see into the future, how exactly did they rip you off? I am sure if they knew he was going to get in an accident he would have not rented you the car in the first place.
Your best action is to try to negotiate with them to see if they can reduce it. Then take that amount and go after your "friend" for that amount for the damage they caused. It would probably be a pretty easy small claims case if it took you going to court.
#2 Consumer Comment
AUTHOR: Flynrider - Phoenix (USA)
SUBMITTED: Wednesday, December 14, 2011
POSTED: Wednesday, December 14, 2011
" I know Ignorance should not be an excuse, but ..."
But, you would like it to be an excuse in this case. Here's what it comes down to. The contract said you were the only authorized driver. It had a section to add an additional driver which you left empty. You apparently signed this contract without reading it. You don't have a leg to stand on. The reason for written contracts is to avoid the whole "He said this.. She said that..." issue. What is stated on the contract is what will apply legally.
I'm afraid you've learned a very expensive lesson about contracts and rental cars. You never sign a contract unless you've read and understood it, and you never let someone drive a rental car unless they are an authorized driver.
#3 Update By Author
AUTHOR: rugden - Fayetteville (USA)
SUBMITTED: Wednesday, December 14, 2011
POSTED: Wednesday, December 14, 2011
Thanks for your input. Only 3 wheels and a side mirror were damaged, surprisingly. The accident involved the car spinning and hitting the roadside wall. It could have been worse, but only the aforementioned parts were damaged.
I'm going try to negotiate with them to see if they can reduce it.
Thanks!
#4 Ex-Employee
AUTHOR: Muffled - Lowell (U.S.A.)
SUBMITTED: Thursday, January 12, 2012
POSTED: Thursday, January 12, 2012
I am a former employee of Enterprise and nothing described in the customer's complaint surprises me. The rental agents (aka Management Trainees) are instructed to extract every possible nickle from the customer. Perhaps that is why very few of them remain with the company beyond the first year (they are under contract for a year to repay the clothing allowance). I won't go into the filth that is often found in returned cars and not properly cleaned.