Other Car Rental Programs (ie. Alamo, Enterprise) - Free tip for Enterprise at FLL, don't lie when the info is on the key tag

I rented from Enterprise at FLL yesterday. Usually I avoid them as I worked for the company from 2007-2008 and have a lot of bad memories from that time, especially from my stint at the PHX Airport. However, their rate of $33 for a Standard Car picked up at FLL and dropped off at MIA couldn't be beaten.

Anyway, I was offered a choice of a Ford Focus or Nissan Sentra. I remembered back to my days with the company and both of those were Intermediates. I asked the gentleman taking me to my car and he assured me they were now classified as Standards. Fair enough, I thought, I certainly understand when you rent from ERAC you have to take the "or similar" printed on the reservation very literally. Just to be sure though, I asked the gentleman checking me out of the facility at the exit gate if the car was indeed a Standard and he said it was.

Later, however, I happened to glance at my keytag which is labled "IRAC" or Intermiedate. This made me rather irate. I'm an understanding guy, hell, I know what these employees are going through, and had they said "I'm sorry we seem to be out of standards, but you're traveling alone, is a Sentra or Focus alright?" I would have been more than satisfied. However, lying to me when I can prove you're lying is bad business.

Anyway, rant over, thanks for reading.

I rented from Enterprise at FLL yesterday. Usually I avoid them as I worked for the company from 2007-2008 and have a lot of bad memories from that time, especially from my stint at the PHX Airport. However, their rate of $33 for a Standard Car picked up at FLL and dropped off at MIA couldn't be beaten.

Anyway, I was offered a choice of a Ford Focus or Nissan Sentra. I remembered back to my days with the company and both of those were Intermediates. I asked the gentleman taking me to my car and he assured me they were now classified as Standards. Fair enough, I thought, I certainly understand when you rent from ERAC you have to take the "or similar" printed on the reservation very literally. Just to be sure though, I asked the gentleman checking me out of the facility at the exit gate if the car was indeed a Standard and he said it was.

Later, however, I happened to glance at my keytag which is labled "IRAC" or Intermiedate. This made me rather irate. I'm an understanding guy, hell, I know what these employees are going through, and had they said "I'm sorry we seem to be out of standards, but you're traveling alone, is a Sentra or Focus alright?" I would have been more than satisfied. However, lying to me when I can prove you're lying is bad business.

Anyway, rant over, thanks for reading.

There is always the "this vehicle was recently reclassifed as a standard, sir." to cover their lies!:D

Well, I recently rented at Alamo & the agent *tried* to give me a 2-door hatch back Fiat 500 as a compact so that he could upsell me "to something bigger." I just can't see how a 2-door hatch back can be a compact "or similar."

LAX

I recently reserved a compact at Alamo in PHX where you choose your car. There were literally no cars in the compact section when I arrived except for one single Mazda 2. I'm pretty sure that's a sub-compact since I can't imagine there being a smaller car sold in the US except for the Smart Car. Not cool to force people down a class when you run out of cars...

I recently reserved a compact at Alamo in PHX where you choose your car. There were literally no cars in the compact section when I arrived except for one single Mazda 2. I'm pretty sure that's a sub-compact since I can't imagine there being a smaller car sold in the US except for the Smart Car. Not cool to force people down a class when you run out of cars...

I wouldn't have minded if I was charged appropriately (ie: subcompact price). If the class of vehicle you reserved is not available when you get there, they are supposed to upgrade you to something bigger at no additional charge unless you agree to something smaller.

I guess with today's gas prices, most people prefer the smaller car that fits their needs.

LAX

I haven't used ALAMO must but gave them a try last month, I was needing a standard car from SAT to DFW for about a week. I arrive and went to the desk that had made an error on the paperwork and the charge was about $50 more than my reservation. I pointed this out and the guy at the counter promptly changed the rate to match my quote. I then went out to the lot and was told they had no standard cars left, if I was willing to wait 20 mins they would get one. I told them I had been traveling some time (had my wife and 10 yr old son with me) and that I would like a car now. He asked his supervisor if he could upgrade me and to which he agreed. I ended up with a fairly new Dodge Caravan, not the best on Gas but it was very nice.
For a budget car rental company they were pretty good it could have gone much worse a good example of how your workforce is your company. The rate I had was $230 for 8 days dropping off at another location so pretty good deal.
I am now heading to Florida in June and have booked with them again, I have another great deal for a convertible really hope its a mustang. Does anyone know what the "Similar" cars are in the convertible range ?

DB

I wouldn't have minded if I was charged appropriately (ie: subcompact price). If the class of vehicle you reserved is not available when you get there, they are supposed to upgrade you to something bigger at no additional charge unless you agree to something smaller.

I guess with today's gas prices, most people prefer the smaller car that fits their needs.

LAX

From my experiences with Enterprise (worked there for a year and a half or so), their pricing and systems don't actually differentiate between subcompact/compact. I worked in a local branch, not in the airports, so there may be more differentiation there, but whenever I'd pull up the latest rate quotes when dealing with customers, there wasn't a difference between compact, subcompact, economy.

I've found in facilities with both Enterprise and Alamo/National that the Enterprise classification is generally one class higher.

i.e. Alamo Intermediate = Enterprise Standard

Wonder if they pulled an Alamo car for you? (Can they do that yet, like Avis/Budget do?)

I rented from Enterprise at FLL yesterday. Usually I avoid them as I worked for the company from 2007-2008 and have a lot of bad memories from that time, especially from my stint at the PHX Airport. However, their rate of $33 for a Standard Car picked up at FLL and dropped off at MIA couldn't be beaten.

Anyway, I was offered a choice of a Ford Focus or Nissan Sentra. I remembered back to my days with the company and both of those were Intermediates. I asked the gentleman taking me to my car and he assured me they were now classified as Standards. Fair enough, I thought, I certainly understand when you rent from ERAC you have to take the "or similar" printed on the reservation very literally. Just to be sure though, I asked the gentleman checking me out of the facility at the exit gate if the car was indeed a Standard and he said it was.

Later, however, I happened to glance at my keytag which is labled "IRAC" or Intermiedate. This made me rather irate. I'm an understanding guy, hell, I know what these employees are going through, and had they said "I'm sorry we seem to be out of standards, but you're traveling alone, is a Sentra or Focus alright?" I would have been more than satisfied. However, lying to me when I can prove you're lying is bad business.

Anyway, rant over, thanks for reading.

Wait. You SAW the car first and were driving it out the gate? And you have a problem with it not being what you thought it would be?

Wait. You SAW the car first and were driving it out the gate? And you have a problem with it not being what you thought it would be?

No, he was told that the car he was getting was an SCAR and chose to trust the guy, knowing that Enterprise's idea about car classes are often pretty junky. It wasn't until later that he saw the keytag that said it was an ICAR and realized he'd either been lied to (which, unfortunately, is often part and parcel of the Enterprise culture, as he is well aware) or we now have cold, hard evidence of class creep. ;)