Enterprise Rental Car Charges for Damage Already Present Elmwood Park, Illinois

In July 2012 my vehicle was hit by a bicyclist in the city.  My car was taken to have the glass and drivers side door fixed.  I was provided a rental car by Enterprise while it was being fixed.  Unfortunately, while driving to Indiana to visit my parents a deer ran in the road and we were in an accident.  We called and reported the damage and they told us to immediately go to the nearest Enterprise since they were about to close to get a new vehicle.

(The above damage was handled properly through insurance and has been taken care of)

The problem arises with the new vehicle we were given.  We got to the nearest Enterprise right in the nick of time.  The manager was just leaving.  He was about to leave and stayed to help us since he saw the car was damaged pretty bad.  He said he only had a Chrysler 200 and that it had some damage however, he was documenting everything for us.  We felt that with our string of bad luck we asked for the extra insurance.  He said he was putting it together for us and asked us for our credit card again (which we figured he was running for the added insurance).  He gave us the contract, and gave us the keys, walked outside with us and pointed across the lot (which was about a football field away- it was at the airport) and said that's where the car was.  

By this time it was about 12:45 in the morning and we were tired after all of the drama with the deer.  He never did a walk around.  We briefly looked over the car and noticed on the contract that he noted numerous dings on the roof and other small marks on the side doors and a scrap on the trunk.  After looking further at the contract, we noticed that we had the original contract from the other car and that he had simply wrote in pen and put a line through the other car and wrote in the new car name and number.  He never put together a new contract!!!!  By this time he had already gotten in his car and left.  So we figured it was okay and that he had put it in the computer as he said.  

On July 3rd our mechanic called and said our car was ready.  It was nearing closing for the Elmwood Park location.  We immediately called them and told them we were right around the corner less than 5 minutes away and we were dropping off the car.  It was about 8 minutes to closing.  He told us that they were about to walk out the door. We assured them we were right here and tomorrow is a holiday and we don't want to keep the car as we only have one parking space indoors at our condo.  He seemed annoyed and ready to leave and then asked where our mechanic is.  We told him.  He said oh that's great just leave the car there, we are about to go and get another car from them.  It seemed ironic.  He rushed us off the phone and said it would be okay because they were coming there anyway for another car.

We did as he said, left the car at the mechanic.  A month later, we received a letter saying there was damage.  I called them immediately and asked what this was about.  She said the notes stated that there was hail damage on the roof.  She said we would get pics in the mail soon.  I told her that there was NO rain the entire time we had the car and not even a week after we had it.  I also told her that the papers stated that the car had so many dings on the roof and other areas.  She said, yes there were dings on the roof, but now there are more dings and you are responsible for those.    I then asked about the insurance and she said that there was no added insurance on this car!  So WHY did he run our credit card again???!!!!  I was furious but I didn't want to go off on the lady because it wasn't her fault!  I got off the phone and waited a week for the pictures.

We got the pictures.  The pictures so NOTHING but white circles on the dark car and I don't see any dings.  The pictures were also taken on July 30th and we closed this car out on July 3rd.  Anything could have happened between the 3rd and the 30th.  I do not understand why the photos were taken so late if there was such extensive damage!  They also took a photo of the quote for the damage to be repaired.  The quote was dated July 30 but it was was over written as if someone changed the date.  Also the VIN number is missing numbers.  The quote listed the dings on the roof (from the invisible hail that occurred) and also included the dings on the doors and on the trunk (which was already on the original paperwork they gave us!) This came to a total of about $545 some dollars.  Then the letter says we owe $1000 even?  Ironic that it is an even $1000!  For what???  

First of all we never damaged the car, second the paperwork shows that the car already had dings on the roof.  Lastly, why are we responsible for the dings on the doors and trunk when the paperwork already said it was there!  I am a stay at home mother with a small child.  The original accident was stress enough for my wallet as my body shop found other issues not pertaining to the bicyclist that I had to fix.  Then the deer (which I am taking care of with insurance) but this is ridiculous! 

I didn't appreciate the person at Elmwood Park forcing us to take the car elsewhere when we clearly stated that we were in the car and around the corner.  He also knew that they were closed the next day for the holiday as he even stated in the call and said they would pick up on Thursday.  WHY?  We are right around the corner!

After all of this, we even called the manager in Indiana that gave us that car.  He even agreed that the car had numerous dings and that the paperwork was very clear of that!  He even suggested that every location has a budget and that repairs come out of the budget.  He said that Elmwood Park prob didn't want to fix the dings and they are trying to stick us with it since we took it to a drop off other than the store.  Really?  This should be illegal!  I am disgusted with them with their bad customer service and their laziness and will not be filing this with my insurance.  All I need as a stay at home mom in this economy is to have a higher insurance because of something I didn't do!  I haven't had an accident or ticket in years and I refuse to file this and make my rates go up because they are trying to throw this on me.  

My sister is an attorney and I don't care what it takes, I am prepared to take it to the next level if I have to!  $1000 is a lot of money!