Enterprise Car Rental - Beware!!

I read all of the comments from employees and I have to laugh. "I understnad your frustataion but we have to do it this way." You are not getting the point. We all know the policy (now anyway). Stop telling us the policy. Just practice good business...Make it clear to whoever is planning to rent a car that you will need a $X amount for a deposit. Upfront, clearly stated, no questions asked. Surprises are not good for business. If you want $250...tell us. Don't play these games.

I read all of the comments from employees and I have to laugh. "I understnad your frustataion but we have to do it this way." You are not getting the point. We all know the policy (now anyway). Stop telling us the policy. Just practice good business...Make it clear to whoever is planning to rent a car that you will need a $X amount for a deposit. Upfront, clearly stated, no questions asked. Surprises are not good for business. If you want $250...tell us. Don't play these games.

We always used a debit card with them because we preferred not to have credit cards at that time. We used any Enterprise location in Baton Rouge or Denham Springs, LA and was always given a $250 "charge" against our debit card at the point of rental. When we returned the car, we settled up and the excess money put back quickly in our account by Enterprise. My only complaint against them was when they decided to start running credit checks on those that use debit cards. I felt that after being a very good customer for three years and renting numerous times that being such a good customer should count for something. One thing about Enterprise that I like that was different from Hertz was you didn't have to give a credit card for everyone that would be listed as a driver on the car. My father in law rented a car from Hertz and both him and my mother in law had to provide credit cards and my husband couldn't be listed as a driver because he didn't have a credit card. However, when my father in law rented a car for us from Enterprise, he paid with a credit card and both me and my husband were listed as drivers without a credit card being needed from us. We now have our own credit cards so it's not a problem. There are pros and cons to any type of rental but I wouldn't do business ANY place that treated me as if I might be a thief. Having $200 available on a credit card doesn't ensure ANYTHING.

'Debit' cards are cash cards. That means, they actually represent real wealth that you actually possess at that time.

'Credit' cards should be called debt cards. They represent a debt you owe to the banks.

Wealth or debt, your decision.

I won't do business with Enterprise any more, which only means more money in my pocket or for their competitors.

now you know why debit cards are not really a good choice for the consumer. they purport to act like credit cards, but for car rentals are not good idea. i agree that enterprise should have let you know what the other fees or deposit was. remember, a debit card is NOT a major credit card in your name.

what could have happened is the charges went thru and you went into a negative balance with all the rip off junk fees.

next time, use a REAL credit card, not the FAKE debit ones. live and learn.

I have been renting with Enterprise for about 10 years. Maybe they're more willing to work with you if you are renting close to home. I've been dealing with the same branch for a long time. I have returned cars a day late, but that rarely happens, and I always call the branch to let them know that I will be a day late.

I dislike credit cards, so I only rent from companies who take debit cards or cash, preferably cash. I went on vacation once and used a debit card for my rental and my hotel. The available amount in my account kept fluctuating, even though the hotel clerk claimed to know nothing about that. So I prefer to use cash, money orders or traveler's cheques.

I wonder if the Enterprise location where the original complainant went was reluctant to help her because she was from another state? In any case, I do agree that she should have been informed of all charges and procedures over the phone before she got there. I once tried to deal with a different location of Enterprise - other than the one I usually go to - and I had a similar problem. I can tell you, it WAS very frustrating. I had been quoted one price over the phone, and I asked if that was the total with tax and everything. When I got there, I was told something else entirely. On that particular day I wound up going to another car rental business.

This is in reponse to the pro-Enterprise commentor who asserted that it is perfectly natural for a rental company to insist on a credit card for payment and suggesting that anyone who can't "convince" a bank card company to extend credit, or who can't maintain an adequate open line of credit ought to be looked on as a questionable risk for an auto rental.

I've rented cars from various companies for many years and have always had good experiences with Enterprise, using my credit card. Last year, because I was such a good customer, I got a coupon from them to allow me to rent a Mercedes C-Class for the discount price of $44/day, which is a great bargain imo. I used it and had no problems. I've never returned a car late or with any kind of damage, and I've probably rented dozens of cars over the past fifteen years.

Having recently decided to cease using credit cards, because I finally realized the awful way they do business and the ridiculous interest rates, I decided to only use my debit card from now on.

Long story short, I was flat out turned down by two different Enterprise branches because of my attempt to use a debit card. I was not warned about this in advance, which put me into some difficulties as I had to hustle to find an alternative means of transportation at the last minute. I told them it makes no sense to decline someone (really, discriminate against someone) who may have a debit card bank balance of, say, $20K (enough to pay for the entire car!) while accepting someone with a credit card that may, for all they know, have only a $2K or $3K limit -- enough to approve the rental but not enough to save the company's assets in the event of a serious accident or theft.

At another Enterprise location at a different time, when attempting to use a debit card at initial contact, I was made to fill in all sorts of additional personal information including my "job" (I own a company), extra local contact phone numbers, and so on, even though I had a track record with the company and no prior problems of any sort.

Then I was stll declined! And the branch manager then decided to reveal to me the little-known secret that, when using a debit card, in addition to providing all that additional personal information, you have to rent from the branch closest to the address on your driver's license. He then asked me why I hadn't gone to that branch, instead of his branch, which was about three miles further away (but more convenient for me due to being on a better public bus line and closer to the places I do most of my errands.) I felt like he was giving me the third degree, as if I had to justify why I was taking my business to him as opposed to a competitor which I could easily have done (and will do in the future.)

Am I a potential criminal car thief now because I made the fiscally wise decision to stop using credit cards with their exhorbitant fees and interest? Does my prior years of problem-free renting from this corporation count for nothing? In my mind, this constitutes a form of discrimination based upon method of payment, in which the customer (that's right, the one who's giving them money) is considered guilty until proven innocent. I've never encountered a business before that would turn down money, which in effect is what they were doing -- since I do have enough money to cover the cost of the car. When you add to this the stories of the little additional insurance games that these rental companies like to play, it seems that these are companies that in the future I will not be doing business with. I'd rather take the bus.

As far as for holding an amount on your credit card while you rent, something else needs to be said: Rental car companies are not in the business of extending credit. We are like the airlines, in that you don't get on the plane until you pay for your ticket. Period. Additionally, unlike the airlines, we don't really know when you are going to be back... You say it will be next Tuesday, but when next Tuesday comes and goes, we try to call you on Wednesday and Thursday, you finally call us back on Friday to say you'll return the car next Monday, but now you will be dropping the car at a branch 200 miles away...

Yeah, when you come in to rent a car, I am going to authorize your credit card for at least enought to cover the estimated charges for the rental plus a cushion to make sure I get paid when you don't do what you said you would.

Sometimes I wish customers could spend a little time on our side of the counter and see what happens and who gets blamed when deals go bad...

Those not familiar with renting cars are shocked when suddenly their credit card shows a hold of up to $1,000 on it. I know I was the first time it happened. The deposit was never actually charged because I always returned the car in good shape but it still lowered the available balance on my card until I returned the car. I have tried to pay cash for a rental but I would have had to submit a form and get approval long before I ever showed up for the rental.

I've used Enterprise a few times and found them fine. However, I can understand how frustrating and maddening your situation must have been.

The companies should say there will be an x amount of deposit against your credit card when you make your reservation - then everyone would know.

Those not familiar with renting cars are shocked when suddenly their credit card shows a hold of up to $1,000 on it. I know I was the first time it happened. The deposit was never actually charged because I always returned the car in good shape but it still lowered the available balance on my card until I returned the car. I have tried to pay cash for a rental but I would have had to submit a form and get approval long before I ever showed up for the rental.

I've used Enterprise a few times and found them fine. However, I can understand how frustrating and maddening your situation must have been.

The companies should say there will be an x amount of deposit against your credit card when you make your reservation - then everyone would know.

Those not familiar with renting cars are shocked when suddenly their credit card shows a hold of up to $1,000 on it. I know I was the first time it happened. The deposit was never actually charged because I always returned the car in good shape but it still lowered the available balance on my card until I returned the car. I have tried to pay cash for a rental but I would have had to submit a form and get approval long before I ever showed up for the rental.

I've used Enterprise a few times and found them fine. However, I can understand how frustrating and maddening your situation must have been.

The companies should say there will be an x amount of deposit against your credit card when you make your reservation - then everyone would know.

Those not familiar with renting cars are shocked when suddenly their credit card shows a hold of up to $1,000 on it. I know I was the first time it happened. The deposit was never actually charged because I always returned the car in good shape but it still lowered the available balance on my card until I returned the car. I have tried to pay cash for a rental but I would have had to submit a form and get approval long before I ever showed up for the rental.

I've used Enterprise a few times and found them fine. However, I can understand how frustrating and maddening your situation must have been.

The companies should say there will be an x amount of deposit against your credit card when you make your reservation - then everyone would know.

i understand the frustration, I had to deal with customers who ran into these situations regularly. Although Enterprise employees all have college degrees, it is not always possible to have someone with the best people skills. To put things in perspective. Enterprise asks for 200-250 dollars to give you a car worth $10,000-$30,000. It seems reasonable.

Cash has absolutely no ties to the renter, and so when from out of town, it is not accepted. The same as insurance claims, it is only taken if the insurance company hasn't come through with a Direct bill or the customer is being reimbursed.

If the direct bill is set up then absolutely no deposit should be taken. As for the Michigan trip. i disliked wokring at Enterprise very much and was excited to leave, however it is common sense that whenever you travel you have a small amount of Rainy Day money, incase of accidents etc. This then could have been placed in the card and used for your rental.

I am sorry you had to go through all of those problems, but from experience, Enterprise is one of the best companies out there as far as rentals, and also is the most flexible with rigid customers such as your-self.

Now matter what the cause of your need to rent a car, whether it be vacation, or replacement for your car while it's being repaired, we need to have assurance that we WILL be paid for the ENTIRE amount of the rental...

The reason we ask for (and place authorizations on) your credit card is to make sure we are going to be paid for our service. It is as simple as that. Admittedly, it is good business practice to explain this up front. For the vacationer, we ask for the credit card for a couple of reasons: One, if you give us cash and then don't come back on the day you say you will, we have no recourse when you say, "Sorry, I just ain't got it." when you finally do return and are faced with the bill for your rental charges. Well, we can send you to collections, but if you are the kind of person that needs to be sent to collections... let's face it we probably aren't going to get our money... Two, our ability to obtain a reasonable authorization on a credit card speaks (in a very general sense) towards your financial reliability overall. If you can't convince a credit card company to extend a certain level of credit (and maintain a sufficient and reasonable balance with them), then perhaps we should seriously consider the implications of entrusting you with our $25,000 vehicle. I truly understand individual circumstances, but we are forced to make value judgements every day, and we, as a rule, choose to err on the sid of caution. After all, it is ultimately our own paycheck at stake. If you don't pay, I don't get paid! It's as simple as that.

For the insurance/dealership replacement customer, regardless of what the insurance company rep/dealership service writer says to you, "we'll pay for everything, etc." if they don't agree to pay us (and authorize that payment through the computer), and actually write out that check when we send them the bill, then we didn't get paid for our service. Our rental contract explicitly states that we will bill a third party in your name, but if that party refuses (or fails to pay) that billing, the renting customer (that's you) is responsible for the charges. After all, it was you that came in to our office and picked up the rental car, it was you that drove it around as needed, and ultimately, it is you that is responsible for ensuring we get paid. Ninety-nine times out of one hundred, we get paid by the billed party, no problem. Again, this seems to be a problem of communication in general... Before we charge you, in lieu of the third party that has defaulted, we should inform you of what is going on and enlist your aid in seeing that we get paid.... That being said, at the end of the day, we did provide you the car, and on your word attempted to bill the insurance company/dealership/whatever and they didn't pay. We rented the car to you, not the insurance company/dealership... they didn't drive around in our car, you did. Please hold responsible the person that said they would pay for the service, not the company that provided it..

All that being said, I truly understand the need for full and accurate communication on our part. You deserve to be told of our policies before you rent so that there are no surprises, either at the beginning or the end of the rental process. We continue to work on this from day to day, in every rental operation we run. We're not perfect, but we are striving to come as close as we can to that goal as is humanly possible.

In December of 2003 my husband's car was in an auto accident, not his fault. Since the other driver's insurace company could not immediately come up with liability we had to use our insurance to get the rental car, which is GEICO.

They have a contract with Enterprise. Knowing that this rental was being 100% paid for by GEICO, approved by GEICO, Enterprise still asked for a credit card number. My husband supplied the credit card, which unfortunately is attached to our checking account.

That afternoon I saw a hit on our checking account from Enterprise for 200.00. I immediately called them and told them of the situation and directed them to credit it off immediately. They said they do this, "just to make sure you have credit available, just in case." I asked in case of what?

This was approved by Geico, our insurance deductables are "0" so we have no out of pocket expense, remove the charge. The manager said he would. It took them 3 days to do it. Thankfully it did not cause any overdrafts.
My car went into the shop on Friday July 30,2004 for vandalism.

Once again Geico said I needed to use Enterprise, told the adjuster what had happened in December and did not want to go through them again. She got approval to have Hertz who is in the body shop to accept rental. I had to give them nothing. I have reported this situation to Geico, but they said only Enterprise will give them a contract for their rental car coverage. Enterprise is just plain out dirty!

Someone who will never use Enterprise!

I empathize with the victem. i was a branch manager for a time and know the tactics and descretion we were allowed to use in renting cars. Many branches take cash rentals, but if you had to many incidents with bad cash rentals you were warned to be careful. If the employee decides you look untrustworthy..no cahs rentals. My branch had the highest cash rentals around and I only lost one car. I just had clientel who did not have credit cards, you adapt or do not do business. You experience is not unique, many peopl are denied rentals do to cash situation for no reason. There are other ways to secure the rental and a CCARD does not mean the branch can secure the car. What if you had the $200 on your card and they used it up for a deposit. What would they do now if they need more money for the rental. On almost every occasion that we tried to charge a ccard for additional charges they complained or got an attorney and we had to credit back all of the charges..once for 5k. Some guy took our car accross country and kept letting us authorize the charges(we did not knwo he was 8 states away) when we tried to exchange the car for servie, we discovered the situation. Bottom line, it is the companies responsibility to disclose all elements of the rental before you sign. Get Real is obviously a new employee still in his brainwashed phase of working for ERAC, his eyes will open when he gets his first paycheck.

To this employee: I think Enterprise rent a car is responsible for this because they are supposed to tell you what you need in order to rent the car. That should include all costs so you know how much is needed to rent the car, and how much is needed on their credit card. Enterprise should not have hit the customer with surprise fees once they show up there!

Hey Employee, You get real! Why wasn't Enterprise honest about the actual costs involved in renting this vehicle? How is one on a limited budget supposed to prepare for this if you haven't given them the correct price? Stop kissing a*s for your company and admit fault.

If there is anything I hate it's employees who merely kiss a*s in order to brown nose their boss! Did you collect browny points for this?

It's funny that you titled your rebuttal "get real", because you who are so obviously an increadibly phony person just like any kiss a*s at any company.

EDitor's Staff
staff@ripoffreport.com

To this employee: I think Enterprise rent a car is responsible for this because they are supposed to tell you what you need in order to rent the car. That should include all costs so you know how much is needed to rent the car, and how much is needed on their credit card. Enterprise should not have hit the customer with surprise fees once they show up there!

Hey Employee, You get real! Why wasn't Enterprise honest about the actual costs involved in renting this vehicle? How is one on a limited budget supposed to prepare for this if you haven't given them the correct price? Stop kissing a*s for your company and admit fault.

If there is anything I hate it's employees who merely kiss a*s in order to brown nose their boss! Did you collect browny points for this?

It's funny that you titled your rebuttal "get real", because you who are so obviously an increadibly phony person just like any kiss a*s at any company.

EDitor's Staff
staff@ripoffreport.com

To this employee: I think Enterprise rent a car is responsible for this because they are supposed to tell you what you need in order to rent the car. That should include all costs so you know how much is needed to rent the car, and how much is needed on their credit card. Enterprise should not have hit the customer with surprise fees once they show up there!

Hey Employee, You get real! Why wasn't Enterprise honest about the actual costs involved in renting this vehicle? How is one on a limited budget supposed to prepare for this if you haven't given them the correct price? Stop kissing a*s for your company and admit fault.

If there is anything I hate it's employees who merely kiss a*s in order to brown nose their boss! Did you collect browny points for this?

It's funny that you titled your rebuttal "get real", because you who are so obviously an increadibly phony person just like any kiss a*s at any company.

EDitor's Staff
staff@ripoffreport.com

To this employee: I think Enterprise rent a car is responsible for this because they are supposed to tell you what you need in order to rent the car. That should include all costs so you know how much is needed to rent the car, and how much is needed on their credit card. Enterprise should not have hit the customer with surprise fees once they show up there!

Hey Employee, You get real! Why wasn't Enterprise honest about the actual costs involved in renting this vehicle? How is one on a limited budget supposed to prepare for this if you haven't given them the correct price? Stop kissing a*s for your company and admit fault.

If there is anything I hate it's employees who merely kiss a*s in order to brown nose their boss! Did you collect browny points for this?

It's funny that you titled your rebuttal "get real", because you who are so obviously an increadibly phony person just like any kiss a*s at any company.

EDitor's Staff
staff@ripoffreport.com

Ok, I understand your frustration. I would like to point out that no car rental company would have rented you a car that day. It was obviously your fault for charging up your credit card.



Next time use some common sense and realize that you made a mistake. Of course Enterprise could have told you over the phone about the proceudre, but you should have asked yourself if you were unsure.