Other Car Rental Programs/Partners (ie. Alamo, Enterprise, Sixt) - Do I dare rent a vehicle from Enterprise?

I rent 3 or 4 times per year, usually from Budget, occasionally from Hertz.

I made a mistake on my schedule and find myself in need of a minivan for several days in YVR at short notice. The price for all the reputable rental car companies is around $800.00 for four days.

Enterprise offers a rate near $400.00, half of its' competitors' rates.

From various internet postings I have been warned about the tricks and scams to expect. For example, receiving a vehicle with various dents and scratches, then being charged many hundreds of dollars after being blamed for the damage that was there in the first place.

Should I risk it and rent from Enterprise, or should I pay $400.00 extra to deal with a reputable company?

I think implying that Enterprise is not reputable is unfair.

I spent ten months working there and since quitting have continued to rent there at various airports. At home city branches it's a good company though there are rotten apple employees who push the insurance too hard and the cars not the most desireable. At airport locations it's less enjoyable to rent from as their locations are often offsite and their car selection isn't as good as the other chains. However, for $400 you should happily rent from them. I never saw any evidence or heard anything about employees giving out dented cars and later trying to scam customers. Just make sure to do a thorough walkaround of the car with the agent and you'll be fine.

Have a great trip.

I was not implying that they are disreputable.

I have read so many horror stories from others who feel that they are disreputable that I fell uneasy renting from them.

Fortunately I have found a comparable rate using a discount code from another company so I have booked with them instead.

I was not implying that they are disreputable.



Um, you kind of are.

I've had plenty of satisfactory experiences with Enterprise, and some not go good. I could say the same thing about Budget, Hertz, Avis, etc.

Same here, rented many times, mostly in off-airport locations. Never had a problem.

I've never had a problem with Enterprise either.

I noticed Enterprise more thoroughly cleans the car prior to renting if the customer is using their corporate discount. Anybody else notice this?

I travel to Austin, TX about once a month. I've been renting from Hertz for about 10 years there. This year, their inventory of luxury cars went way down, but I saw a bunch of brand new Infinity G37 4 doors at Enterprise. I've now rented from Enterprise there about 6 times. Not only are the cars great, but the employees at this location are the best customer service reps I've ever encountered ANYWHERE! I love this Enterprise location.

So how reputable is it for Enterprise or any other car rental Company to rent cars out that folks may mistakenly think have side impact bags in them.

I was surprised to hear the story about Enterprise selling used cars to the public and not informing the public that the side impact bags never were ordered with the car in the first place.

I never knew that car rental companies did this and I wonder if they all do this.

Enterprise were rated #1 by JD Power for car rentals picked up at airports last year.

http://www.jdpower.com/corporate/news/releases/pressrelease.aspx?ID=2008244

My Enterprise experience is with the local one located next to my car dealer. They try to add stuff to my bill every time: either fuel charge, or an extra hour - that I had spent waiting while they go pick up the car from another Enterprise location. Their cars are not usually very clean, and they always try to upsell car as well as push insurance.

At YVR, I have a several day rental next week with National. By listing it as a "leisure" trip rather than business (and it is a leisure trip) they reduced the rate from $400+ to about $150CDN, and took off the 400km mileage limitation to unlimited. I'm National Exec Elite so I don't know if that makes a difference.

But you might try joining Emerald Club, or whoever else you're lookin at, to see if that reduces the rate. I have found that it does make a difference.

I know this is an old thread, but it may surprise commenters that Enterprise owns National and Alamo. I've only had good business experiences with them.

That said, what I find unnerving about Enterprise is the employees all dressed up in white shirt and tie, the women in suits and high heels, walking me slowly around the car examining it. Of course, I've encountered FTers here who would like this very much, but it gives me the creeps. I half expect them to slip me a tract.

But if their price is the best, I go with them.

I know this is an old thread, but it may surprise commenters that Enterprise owns National and Alamo. I've only had good business experiences with them.

That said, what I find unnerving about Enterprise is the employees all dressed up in white shirt and tie, the women in suits and high heels, walking me slowly around the car examining it. Of course, I've encountered FTers here who would like this very much, but it gives me the creeps. I half expect them to slip me a tract.

But if their price is the best, I go with them.

When I worked for Enterprise I often wore blue shirts ;). The company policy is solid blue or solid white buttondowns at all times. I do agree with you that it's very bizzare.

P.S. imagine cleaning a car in a creepy white shirt and tie...I used to.

I have reserved a compact from Enterprise at SEA.. Will come back and post my experience
when I return from the trip. I also read the reviews here/yelp etc and found they are pretty decent
with few exceptions. Hope the exceptions stays as exceptions.

Couple of questions :
Any recent experience on shuttle service from airport to their off-site location
and especially back to airport.
How safe is the off-site location exp in the late evening ?

Also, Thanks to CMK10 for the enterprise upgrade coupons.

I've just done two recently. Did the usual walk around, and recorded minor scratches diligently. Then on the road, both times, I discovered stains from spills on the seats. Fortunately, when I returned the cars, no challenges from their direction. (I know, fool me once... but I'm in a rut, I guess. Does make me wonder if other companies schedule seat steam cleaning, and Enterprise doesn't. I digress.)

But the special thing I've discovered was that renting in the 'burbs doesn't incur the t&f of the airport or downtown Boston -- which, in my experience, has pretty much leveled the playing field between those two types of outlet at all agencies. Renting from a location in Newton, MA, has saved me about half each time, when taxes have been $10 total per three-day rental. I would have to earn a boatload of partner points to offset that kind of savings. I am mentioning the point about taxes because, if Enterprise has the most outlets of any company, then our chances of saving big on t&f must be much better than at most other agencies, and this must be worth checking around many cities.

(Now, to see if my 2,000 ChoicePrivileges points show up -- I booked through the ChoiceHotels portal.)

I rented from Enterprise at YVR for my Whistler ski trip. I had reserved a midsize car and was upgraded to a minivan at pickup for free. Great experience.

Actually Enterprise is the ONLY car rental company that hasn't either scammed me or tried to scam me.

If Enterprise has a competitive price I'll always choose them.

Excellent customer service from Enterprise @ SEATAC.

We just returned from our SEA trip. The shuttle came promptly.
The driver helped us to load the bags, heavy items like stroller & carseat.
From my observation, the shuttle runs every 5-10 minutes.

We were promptly greeted at the off-site facility. All the agents got into
action and started attending the customers. The rental was in order.
Got the upgrade w/o a glitch. Asked about carseat and gps that
I denied. No big push for the insurance either. The car was ready within minutes..
full tank and it was clean inside-out. We were given instructions
to I-5 without asking. The car was good. The return was even easier.
Just dropped off - the agent did a check, printed the receipt. The shuttle
was waiting and the shuttle driver even loaded / unloaded our bags.

So, overall a wonderful experience. Good job Enterprise @ SEATAC.



I have reserved a compact from Enterprise at SEA.. Will come back and post my experience
when I return from the trip. I also read the reviews here/yelp etc and found they are pretty decent
with few exceptions. Hope the exceptions stays as exceptions.

Couple of questions :
Any recent experience on shuttle service from airport to their off-site location
and especially back to airport.
How safe is the off-site location exp in the late evening ?

Also, Thanks to CMK10 for the enterprise upgrade coupons.

Hi:

Nothing but good things to say about Enterprise in DEN. Rented for almost a month at about quarter of what I would have paid at the mainline companies. Jumped on the shuttle. I was the only passenger but we pulled out right away. A couple of miles to the facility. Attended to promptly by Nicole. Upgraded to a
2010 Focus from Economy with a coupon from the Entertainment Book. No pressure about insurance. Return was painless. Agent printed our receipt after doing a walk around the car. On to shuttle and back to the airport. It took twenty five minutes from pulling into the return lot to getting on the train after checking baggage and going through security. Very efficient.

My company has a corporate account with Enterprise and I travel twice a week on average. We've been using them for 2 years now and honestly do not have any negative experiences with them (and this is coming from someone that travels across the US).

The only complaint i do have is that they close early. Midnight i believe at most airports. Twice i was caught in a situation where my flight got delayed and when i arrived they closed. I had to rent from Avis for the first night and it cost about $200 if remember correctly (w/ GPS, insurance etc).

I rented car with Enterprise and I've never had a problem.

I've had excellent experiences with Enterprise. Frequent upgrades, sometimes across 3-4 classes (e.g. book compact, get Cadillac), nice service, giving me a car 1 hour after the place had shut down, that sort of thing. Sometimes they try to push the insurance, esp liability, a little bit more than I get with Hertz. Budget and Avis, but I'm used to it and brush them off. The people who've seen me before don't bother, but the new guys (and gals) seem to be fresh out of corporate training and try.

I've never had them attempt to scam me, and have gotten credit for leaving more fuel in the car than it came with. (Store credit for the next run).

One of my friends frequently manages to wangle last-minute upgrades from standard/full to a Merc at his local Enterprise (it's near a Mercedes dealership apparently, and they have gone over and gotten one for him when they ran out of cars). I've never managed that, though!

I've had excellent experiences with Enterprise. Frequent upgrades, sometimes across 3-4 classes (e.g. book compact, get Cadillac), nice service, giving me a car 1 hour after the place had shut down, that sort of thing.

That's not because they're nice or value your business--it's because they've run out of the smaller cars and it's the only thing they can give you. (Even if you see a few smaller cars on the lot, they can still be "LOFRs" (out of service for Lube, Oil, Filter, [tire] Rotation), on hold for VIP customers (which, no matter how much you rent, you are not :p), or whatever.

I am surprised you got a car an hour after closing. ERAC staff are VERY particular about closing the office down RIGHT at closing time. They're not very sympathetic to late people--they work 49-hour work weeks (11 hour days and in the office five days a week). Plus, they're all alcoholics (seriously, you HAVE to be if you want to work there :p), so they all want to go straight to the bar when they get off. They won't even let bad ESQI scores (their customer service metric, which heavily affects their bonuses) stand in the way of closing right on time. If you've found someone who will stay late, you've found a true gem.

Not saying anything bad about Enterprise--I rent from them myself--just that you should know what to expect (and how to game the system) when renting from them.

I've rented from Enterprise with no problem. Never leave any company's lot without damage to the car recorded. Better yet, ask for an undamaged car.

That's not because they're nice or value your business--it's because they've run out of the smaller cars and it's the only thing they can give you. (Even if you see a few smaller cars on the lot, they can still be "LOFRs" (out of service for Lube, Oil, Filter, [tire] Rotation), on hold for VIP customers (which, no matter how much you rent, you are not :p), or whatever.

I am surprised you got a car an hour after closing. ERAC staff are VERY particular about closing the office down RIGHT at closing time. They're not very sympathetic to late people--they work 49-hour work weeks (11 hour days and in the office five days a week). Plus, they're all alcoholics (seriously, you HAVE to be if you want to work there :p), so they all want to go straight to the bar when they get off. They won't even let bad ESQI scores (their customer service metric, which heavily affects their bonuses) stand in the way of closing right on time. If you've found someone who will stay late, you've found a true gem.

Not saying anything bad about Enterprise--I rent from them myself--just that you should know what to expect (and how to game the system) when renting from them.

Just so you know, policy in Group 50 (Phoenix) was that the branch does not close until all customers have been accomdiated. When I worked at the airport and we were supposed to shut down at midnight, I'd often leave at 1. When at home city, I'd leave at 7 instead of 6. And no one works 49 hour weeks, try a minimum of 55.

Your comments about everyone being alcoholics is insulting.

Just here to note - and especially because we seem to have a live one here - I have been awed at the dedication of some rental car agency agents staying late. I mean, on the pick-up end, I have shown up at 2:00am, 3:00am in small airports where their closure was at midnight or earlier. And there's one person waiting for one person -- me. I'm not just talking about Enterprise. (Yes, strong letters have followed!!!) Here's to you.

:-::-::-:

Just so you know, policy in Group 50 (Phoenix) was that the branch does not close until all customers have been accomdiated. When I worked at the airport and we were supposed to shut down at midnight, I'd often leave at 1. When at home city, I'd leave at 7 instead of 6. And no one works 49 hour weeks, try a minimum of 55.

Your comments about everyone being alcoholics is insulting.
I know there is a lot of variation between groups, but Group 45 most certainly does not stay late. Almost every night, someone shows up at their counter 5 or less minutes after closing and is angry they didn't stay. And they'll be the first to admit it and even tell customers over the phone who ask that they work 11 hours a day and so don't stay. (On a practical note, given the 10-15% no-show factor, how on earth do you wait until "all customers have been accomodated"? Since more than one out of every 10 deals just never shows up, I guess you'd just have to stick around until opening time in the morning just to make sure. :rolleyes:)

The dozen or so friends I have that work for Group 45 also will be the first to admit (and laugh about--no insult was or is intended) that being an alcoholic is a prerequisite to work for Enterprise. When I almost applied to work for them (thank God I didn't! :p), the advice given to me by everyone from city managers down to MTs was that if ever I was nervous about an interview, just imagine that the person who's interviewing me being $#!&-faced just the night before: it was probably true. Up to and including RVP Bill Gardner. But I'm saying all this in a light-hearted fashion; many of the good times I've had over the years have been courtesy of my alcoholic friends at Enterprise. ;)

55 hours at an airport, maybe, though no one I know here has ever complained about working 55 hours (they all complain about working 49--maybe you should have worked for Group 45). How would you do 55 at home city? 7am-6pm is, with the standard one-hour lunch break, 10 hours, so 50 for Monday through Friday. 9am-noon on Saturdays is 3 more, so that's 53 hours--2 short of your 55 figure. But whoever has to come in on Saturdays gets to flex another day of the week and take 4 hours off, for a total of 49. Unless you didn't flex in Group 50 and you had to work through your lunch two days a week, or perhaps your offices were open longer hours on Saturday, I don't see how you could work 55, though maybe your group's generous stay-late policy caused that. Your customers should count their blessings--which was the point of my post. Again, no insults intended--I have many friends who work there and rent from them myself and have no qualms about doing so, as long as I know how to work the system to get what I want from them and don't get shafted.

Again, no insults intended--I have many friends who work there and rent from them myself and have no qualms about doing so, as long as I know how to work the system to get what I want from them and don't get shafted.

Any suggestions as to how to work the system at Enterprise?

The only way I've had fairly consistent success is to ask the agent to drop the price if I pick up the supplemental liability insurance, suggesting that it's a quid pro quo.

I can usually get another 10 percent off, but that step only works for me since I'm going to pick up the SLI anyway (no car means no car insurance, and credit card coverage only covers damage to the rented car, not liability to third parties).

(By the way -- can I suggest editing your post to remove the name of the Enterprise employee that you suggest drinks too much?)

Any suggestions as to how to work the system at Enterprise?

The only way I've had fairly consistent success is to ask the agent to drop the price if I pick up the supplemental liability insurance, suggesting that it's a quid pro quo.

I can usually get another 10 percent off, but that step only works for me since I'm going to pick up the SLI anyway (no car means no car insurance, and credit card coverage only covers damage to the rented car, not liability to third parties).

That's the kind of thing right there. I've assembled a pretty hefty list of "best strategies for renting a car" in this post (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/thrifty/775689-consolidated-thrifty-promotions-discounts-thread-post9014162.html). There are some unique things to use with Enterprise, though. One major one--and I haven't used this one yet, and I wouldn't personally advocate using it unless you really are unhappy--is to tell them that you're "not completely satisfied." Enterprise customers are randomly sampled by phone surveys after they return and are asked if they are "completely satisfied." Anything other than "yes"--even if it's a qualified "mostly"--is a failure. Each Enterprise branch is graded on their customer service scores (ESQI--Enterprise Service Quality Index, IIRC). They have certain targets to meet (85% for the branches I'm familiar with), and if they drop below that, the branch manager's and assistant managers' (significant) bonuses go down the toilet. Therefore, they're strongly motivated to ensure every customer leaves "completely satisfied." If you tell them when you're returning that you're not (even if you have a BS complaint), they'll do pretty much anything to buy your happiness to ensure you say you're completely satisfied when the phone survey comes. Entry-level MTs are authorized to write off up to two days of rental charges without question from their manager, and even that can be flexed. I've seen whole rental charges get waived. Again, I wouldn't advocate making up excuses to get charges removed, but it's a tool in your belt.

(By the way -- can I suggest editing your post to remove the name of the Enterprise employee that you suggest drinks too much?)

I considered that, but per FT TOS, the names of senior executives are allowed in posts. (RVP is Regional Vice President.) Besides, it wasn't me who suggested he drinks too much--it was from the horse's mouth. I told a friend who works at ERAC about this thread this morning, and she laughed and agreed. I mean, mix fresh-out-of-college 20-somethings with company parties that provide full open bars, and what do you expect? ;) (Note I never said there was anything wrong with it! :D)

I'll let a moderator make the call whether that name should be stricken from the record.

I've rented from there a number of times - never had problem,sometimes I've gotten great rates compared to the others at the airport.

I get a slightly more upsell push on insurance than the other carriers, selling those is a big part of the rep's performance plan - as long as I'm polite but real clear I don't want it, they leave me alone.

In case you are super paranoid about their damage claims, take photos before you leave...

I've rented from there a number of times - never had problem,sometimes I've gotten great rates compared to the others at the airport.

I get a slightly more upsell push on insurance than the other carriers, selling those is a big part of the rep's performance plan - as long as I'm polite but real clear I don't want it, they leave me alone.

In case you are super paranoid about their damage claims, take photos before you leave...
Entry-level employees (MTs--management trainees--and MAs--Managment Assistants [who have about 8-12 months of experience and have passed their "Grill"]) don't get performance bonuses (although some locations give out very small bonuses to the top agents).

Assistant Managers and Branch Managers have a fairly low base salary (individually negotiated but, in the case of an assistant, not much over $30,000) but a fairly lucrative bonus plan (an Assistant can, at a good branch, pull down $50-$60,000 and a Branch Manager can go from $90,000 to over six figures). That bonus is based not on individual performance but rather the branch's profitability as a whole.

So, how does Enterprise incentivize their employees to produce? They qualify for promotion based on their sales figures. No sales=no promotions. And to ERAC employees, entry-level working conditions are so bad (long hours, low pay, etc.) that the dangling carrot of a promotion is their main motivation to stay. The oft-repeated mantra around ERAC is "six figures in six years," but a LOT of people get weeded out on the way to that six-year mark.

That, combined with the tactics they train their employees to use, can result in that "hard push" feel (though not all employees use that method). They do seem to be big on scare tactics, though--"The way it works if you don't take our coverage is that if anything happens to the vehicle, we'll charge your deductible up front," etc.).

As to proteceting yourself, you're absolutely right. The one area they won't compromise in no matter how unsatisfied you are is vehicle damages. They're super strict--stricter (as a whole) than any other company I've dealt with. But just make sure everything is clearly noted (and take photos, if you feel more comfortable doing that) and you should be fine.

jackal I find you implying I got to flex when I worked Saturdays and had a "standard one hour lunch" to be quite amusing. I worked through lunch and was at the branch 7 to 6:30 and then 8:30 to 12:30 on Saturdays more days than I care to remember.

For someone who has not worked the job and merely has information for a select group of people in one of Enterprise's many groups I think you speak in very general terms. Do not minimize how hard the job is, how frustrating and how far from rewarding it was. So many customers were people who were looking to "how to work the system at Enterprise" as DCAview put it and would make up complaints or threaten employees to get lower rates.

I quit the job because of the stress associated with it, but the work ethic and the skills I learned there continue to serve me well. I love Flyertalk but the way Enterprise and its employees are talked about on here hurts. Absolutely there are and were bad employees there, but the majority were good people who got lost after college. I wish everyone would remember how hard that job is when they complain they waited 15 minutes for a car and they don't like the Cobalt they were given.

I think you're completely misunderstanding me. I have nothing but respect for my friends and other people who work there. I also know (better than you think) how hard the job is, how frustrating it gets, and how far from rewarding it is. That's why I didn't apply! I saw that daily and decided it wasn't worth it. In fact, beyond having respect for ERAC employees, I have pity on them. Yes, as you indicate, you learn a lot, but it takes a toll on you.

The guys who work at Enterprise are truly the embodiment of "work hard, play hard." Unfortunately, the "work hard" portion is taken to the extreme and makes it to where more people than not are actively looking to get out (like you).

Again, I never said anything bad about Enterprise employees; only Enterprise as a company. Telling of my experience (nearly daily) of seeing them leave on the dot (regardless of unhonored reservations) wasn't intended to be a poor reflection on them but rather on Enterprise for making them work such excruciating hours (including switching up schedules all the time--you never know what day and shift you're going to be working until a few weeks out, and you often get stuck with rotating schedules, including a "turn and burn"--closing the office at midnight and coming back at 6am or some such).

As for not flexing and all that...well, you should have asked for a transfer to Group 45! :p Your Group 50 bosses in Arizona sound like hard***es...and I thought my guys had it bad! ;)

From various internet postings I have been warned about the tricks and scams to expect. For example, receiving a vehicle with various dents and scratches, then being charged many hundreds of dollars after being blamed for the damage that was there in the first place.

Should I risk it and rent from Enterprise, or should I pay $400.00 extra to deal with a reputable company?About 5 years ago, I found myself on the receiving end of Enterprise's "that microscopic bumper ding will set you back $400" scam. (My own car had been rear-ended, and the other driver's insurance picked Enterprise to supply the temp replacement. Among other things, this meant that I didn't have credit card coverage that would have left the bank's carrier to duke it out with Enterprise.) It took a call to the regional VP to get them to back off. Sadly, I wasn't the only DC-area driver (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A7236-2004Oct4.html) with this experience (http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A5988-2004Nov22?language=printer).

Perhaps Enterprise has cleaned up its act, but I wouldn't know because I'll never do business with them -- even involuntarily, as I did last time -- ever again. That said, I've continued to rent with Alamo & National since they were acquired by Enterprise, and have had no problems.

Wherever you rent, you are well advised to do the full walkaround & document every ding, dent, and scrape. I hate being the PITA customer who does that, since it's typically a waste of my time & an employee's, but I'd hate much more the prospect of being cheated out of hundreds of dollars.

QUOte:That, combined with the tactics they train their employees to use, can result in that "hard push" feel (though not all employees use that method). They do seem to be big on scare tactics, though--"The way it works if you don't take our coverage is that if anything happens to the vehicle, we'll charge your deductible up front," etc.).

I will admit that I did fall for the scare tactic -- figured it was a scare tactic but didn't know what else to do. I have the AMEX Premium Rental plan but was told by Enterprise that they will only go through primary insurance (called my insurance company to confirm coverage and find out the deductible). We had a 1200+ mile trip planned over 4 days with a brand new GMC Acadia and I had to take the coverage at that point for peace of mind throughout the vacation...

Wherever you rent, you are well advised to do the full walkaround & document every ding, dent, and scrape. I hate being the PITA customer who does that, since it's typically a waste of my time & an employee's, but I'd hate much more the prospect of being cheated out of hundreds of dollars.

I hear these complaints a lot, and I never understood them.

First of all, it's not a scam. I find it extremely difficult to believe Enterprise would knowingly charge a customer for damage that has already been paid for by another customer or was known to be on the car before the customer picked it up. (A greedy franchise owner of another brand, maybe, but Enterprise [which doesn't franchise], for all their faults, is a very straightforward and professional company.) I have to believe it was damage that was unknowingly caused during the course of the rental or, at the least, on the car before picking it up but missed during the walk-around.

Enterprise has measurements built into their clear clipboards they use to do the walk-around to determine if the damage is below the threshold of "normal wear and tear." The standard is scratches 2" or less or dents "the size of a golf ball" (really, the diameter, so about an inch and a half). If your damage is below those restrictions, then you should be able to dispute it right then and there using their own measurement standards. If it's bigger than that, well, there's no excuse for not marking it down when you pick the vehicle up.

Second of all, by being meticulous about damage, they're just minimizing their risk. Every bit of damage--even minor wear and tear--costs the rental company money in the form of repair costs, diminished value, and administrative overhead. They're not being unjust; in fact, they're being completely fair. If anything, people are spoiled by the "high-end" agencies like Hertz, which have spoiled people by overlooking some [sometimes even major] damage. I guess when you charge three times what Enterprise does, you can afford to absorb some of the costs associated with damage. Enterprise's rates are so close to break-even that they can't do that, and I wouldn't expect them to.

Even the non-Enterprise person quoted in one of the above-linked articles said the same thing:

But Marianne Sullivan, president of the Minneapolis-based Association for Car and Truck Rental Independents and Franchisees, says the industry standard is that "any damage is significant," even small scrapes, because they reduce the value of the car that eventually will be sold back to the manufacturer or to the public.

"On the contract there is standard language that explains the condition you leave in is what we expect back," she says.

Sullivan cautions consumers to "be mindful" during the walk-around inspections when the car is rented and when it's returned. "Be diligent about pointing out scratches," she says. "It generally prevents an awful lot of problems."

Also, I've never understood the complaint about walking around the vehicle. It's not a waste of time: it's part of the due-diligence process. You wouldn't buy a gemstone without inspecting its quality. A bank wouldn't loan you money without checking your credit. I think the walk-around process is actually positive customer service and also reinforces the need for people to check the vehicle out. (Enterprise does have a higher number of "first-time renters"--people who aren't used to renting cars and so need a little extra help with the rental procedure.) At other companies, too many people ignore the walkaround or don't look closely enough, which actually causes a lot of problems at other agencies, unless they're the ones like Hertz which really don't care about damage.

I will admit that I did fall for the scare tactic -- figured it was a scare tactic but didn't know what else to do. I have the AMEX Premium Rental plan but was told by Enterprise that they will only go through primary insurance (called my insurance company to confirm coverage and find out the deductible). We had a 1200+ mile trip planned over 4 days with a brand new GMC Acadia and I had to take the coverage at that point for peace of mind throughout the vacation...

There are laws requiring certain things from insurance companies and regulating how everyone is to deal with each other. The underwriters that handle the credit card coverages are not subject to the same payment/collection requirements that insurance companies are, and so rental companies often choose not to even hassle with these companies (too often, they just deny claims on some tiny technicality, such as the customer not notifying them within 48 hours of the incident, and leave the customer liable for the charges anyway). If you're not going to file a claim with your own insurance company, they'll often (and Enterprise is not alone in this) require you to pay up front and seek reimbursement from your credit card coverage provider, since it's too hard to collect from these companies.

That's one reason that I usually take LDW on short (1-3 day) rentals instead of using AMEX. On longer rentals, the savings is worth the potential hassle to me involved with using the AMEX PCRP.

As for charging the deductible up front, while Enterprise is the only company I've seen do that on a consistent, nationwide scale, it makes sense in most cases (all except for the tiny damages that are CLEARLY less than what your deductible is, but damage to cars has to be literally minuscule to be that cheap--people always underestimate the cost of repairs). Once a customer leaves, it becomes MUCH harder to collect from them. Right then and there, you have them and their credit card and their signature within easy reach. And if you can get the customer's deductible, then they're out of the equation and you can deal with the much-easier-to-deal-with-and-collect-from insurance company for the rest. You have to keep in mind that the rental companies often deal with people who aren't as upstanding and responsible as us FlyerTalkers tend to be--there are a LOT of deadbeat renters out there who will simply never pay. Even with the relatively stringent qualification steps Enterprise uses for the riskier segments of the population, like debit card and cash rentals--and those are people other agencies often shun completely--there are a lot of people who rent cars who just can't pay their bills. The procedures in place are used to minimize the potential for problems down the road.

I think that what Enterprise calls their claims department is very reflective of what their actual job is: "loss control." They're going to incur losses in many of these situations, but they do what they can to control that loss.

Jackal,

Your points are well taken, but why would anyone rent from Enterprise at all after the safety scam they pulled regarding the 66,000 Impalas they ordered without side curtain air bags? But you've already answered my question - people do stupid things for money all the time. In this case, felony stupid.

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...Enterprise has measurements built into their clear clipboards they use to do the walk-around to determine if the damage is below the threshold of "normal wear and tear." The standard is scratches 2" or less or dents "the size of a golf ball" (really, the diameter, so about an inch and a half). If your damage is below those restrictions, then you should be able to dispute it right then and there using their own measurement standards. If it's bigger than that, well, there's no excuse for not marking it down when you pick the vehicle up.

Second ... repair costs, diminished value, and administrative overhead...

I was recently educated about this. I am extremely picky on pickup about any scratches, smudges that can't be rubbed out by a finger. Recently, I've gotten black cars. While the scratches are no more serious than on other lighter-colored cars, they show up a lot more, and I don't want a subjective advantage to be taken because of how it looks. It was a comfort to learn that there are metric standards.

To the second point, I am amazed that jackal doesn't mention downtime - first - which dwarfs the other costs.

Thanks, Jackal, I appreciate the time it took you to write that post and present the information :)

I hear these complaints a lot, and I never understood them.

First of all, it's not a scam. [...] I have to believe it was damage that was unknowingly caused during the course of the rental or, at the least, on the car before picking it up but missed during the walk-around.

Enterprise has measurements built into their clear clipboards they use to do the walk-around to determine if the damage is below the threshold of "normal wear and tear." The standard is scratches 2" or less or dents "the size of a golf ball" (really, the diameter, so about an inch and a half). If your damage is below those restrictions, then you should be able to dispute it right then and there using their own measurement standards. If it's bigger than that, well, there's no excuse for not marking it down when you pick the vehicle up.

Jackal, it's your own business what you "have to believe." In my case, the "damage" was a rear-bumper paint scratch roughly 1/4" long. In the theology of what I have to believe, that's not even worth noting when one takes a car out, and yet it is exactly what the Enterprise employee insisted on calling assessable damage.

And for the record, nobody at this location had a clipboard, clear or otherwise, with metrics for wear & tear.

Second of all, by being meticulous about damage, they're just minimizing their risk. Every bit of damage--even minor wear and tear--costs the rental company money in the form of repair costs, diminished value, and administrative overhead. That's bunk. Minor wear and tear is built into the rental pricing structure. You might as well argue that they should charge you for bringing a car back with dust & road grime on it, since they incur costs cleaning the car for the next rental. Or that they should impose an additional "tire tread wear fee."

"Minimizing their risk" is what you call it. As to the local DC agency in 2004, it was a scam, pure and simple. I suspect that's why the regional VP ultimately relented in my case -- not because he was willing to eat $400 of actual costs, but because he either a) had the damage report photos & could see the damage was minuscule or b) knew from experience that the DC location had a recurring problem with hyperbolic damage claims. (Maybe both.)

To the second point, I am amazed that jackal doesn't mention downtime - first - which dwarfs the other costs.Downtime is obviously a big cost, if the vehicle is actually taken out of service. Of course, the rental agencies don't take cars out of service, let alone have repairs made, every time a vehicle comes back with a small bumper ding or scratch.

Wherever you rent, you are well advised to do the full walkaround & document every ding, dent, and scrape. I hate being the PITA customer who does that, since it's typically a waste of my time & an employee's, but I'd hate much more the prospect of being cheated out of hundreds of dollars.

I do this. I can't believe anyone wouldn't do this. I always note every single mar prior to pickup, inside and out and it never takes more than 5 minutes. It's pretty simple to me - if you didn't make note of it before you picked up the car, and there's a mark when you return it, how can you prove it didn't happen while the car was out with you?

I must be a very lucky renter. I don't rent often, about 4 times a year on average, but have never ever had a problem with any rental return with any company, including Enterprise.