I started a new job two weeks ago and have to rent a car every week for work so I can drive to my client’s site. Of course I do not pay for my car, my company does (along with the parking fees and gas) so I don’t mind renting. However, I don’t actually have a choice of what rental company I actually rent from. Sadly, my company’s corporate agreement is with Enterprise/National.
When I first started I went online and looked for the nearest location to where I live. There was an Enterprise neighborhood location 1.2 miles from my house or a National at the Long Beach airport 4.5 miles from my house. Naturally I choose the Enterprise near my house, for I can earn National points at Enterprise locations. MISTAKE!
The first week I rented from enterprise I was given a 2010 Toyota Yaris. The car was functional and did the job. However I’ve never rented such a stripped down car in my life from a major car rental company. My last job had a corporate agreement with Avis and I was use to driving cars with power everything, CD players, Ipod connectors and even satellite radio in some of the newer models. This Yaris was the bottom of the barrel. The Ipod connector was there, however it had been removed. I had power windows but manual mirrors! Not ever driving a car, except for work (I drive a motorcycle) I had forgotten how hard it was to reach across the passenger seat while in traffic to adjust the mirror! Despite this, I still wasn’t 100% turned off until I returned the car.
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Upon returning my Yaris, I found that my corporate rate had ballooned from $91 for the rental to well over $120! Honestly I don’t care for my company reimburses me for all costs but I was confused on these added costs. On my online profile for nationwide/enterprise I had preselected reject all extra insurances (my company has their own insurance for us when renting). Yet, I was scammed! When checking out the car at enterprise they had pre-checked all the extra insurances and had me initial them. Inadvertently I had accepted the extra insurances (not reimbursable)! When signing the rental agreement, I asked them twice, “all of this is included in my corporate rate/agreement correct?” the lady reassured me that it was and that there would be no extras…..LIES! All LIES! After a short conversation with the branch manager a credit was made, my final bill was adjusted and I was on my way home until next week.
This week I returned to the same location to rent my car for the week. It was the Tuesday after Memorial Day (branch was closed on Monday) and I was running late for a meeting. They offered me a 2011 Toyota corolla. I took the keys and I was on my way. I did not do a walk around (I’m used to the airports where everything is done for you and there’s no hassles—my first mistake). The car was dirty (looked like the person before me had gone camping in it) and was in bad need of a wash and a vacuum. I didn’t care though; I was late and needed to be on my way. I was shocked that I was being rented a dirty car, but I didn’t have time to complain.
Three days into my rental when parking my car in my garage at home I noticed that my tabs were expired! I was appalled that Enterprise would rent me a car that tabs were expired since February! I tweeted to enterprise and they quickly responded to me telling me to get in contact with the branch. Being that I would only have the car for less than another 24 hours I decided to wait until I returned the car to return to the branch. After all I needed to leave my house the next morning for work at 7am and the branch didn’t’ open until 8am and the branch was already closed for the night by the time I realized the tabs were expired.
Yesterday upon returning the car, I brought up to them that the car’s tabs were expired and they honestly didn’t care! They told me that since the car was licensed in New Mexico and we were in California it was too difficult to get the tabs for! I was flabbergasted! They rented me an unlicensed vehicle and didn’t even care! To make matters worse, it was a manager who told me this! Then to add fuel to the fire, the then claimed there was damage done to the rear passenger door!
I walked out with the manager and they started to claim there were “ripples” in the rear passenger side door. I got on my hands and knees, examined the car from at least 4 different angles and I could not see any such “ripples” in the door. We walked back inside and they started to fill out the damage report! I honestly couldn’t believe this was happening. The car went from my garage at home to the USC parking garage every day. I never hit anything, nor could I see this “damage” they were speaking off. All they said was, oh well must have been a hit and run!
I got on my phone and called my company’s insurance to report a claim, for I wanted to have this done before I left the Enterprise location. I started the call at 5:50 and was on hold for almost 25 minutes before a claim representative was able to take my call. While on hold, the Enterprise location had closed. At 6:14, a minute before the claim representative came on the phone, the manager of the branch told me I had to leave for they were closed! I was shocked! Here I was being blamed for damage that was not even visible to me nor that I caused, and they were kicking me out of the branch before I even had a claim number to attach to my rental agreement! A minute later, while arguing with the branch manager about the fact that I wasn’t leaving until I had a claim number/spoke to my insurance, a representative came on the phone. I was able to get the information I needed and then leave the enterprise location.
Needless to say, two weeks in a row I had very poor experiences with Enterprise. However this one really breaks the camel’s back! I was speaking to my friend about this experience over dinner last night, and he informed me he had a VERY similar incident happen with Enterprise (different location). So let you all be warned. If renting from Enterprise CHECK YOUR CAR! Mark every dent, ding, scratch and more on your rental agreement or it will come back and bite you in your A$$! I’ve been in contact with my company and they are handling things now. I also wouldn’t be surprise if my company seeks out a new corporate agreement with either Hertz or Avis.
The Expired plates
