Rental Cars

Has anyone had any good or bad experiences with rental cars in the states.  We reserved a car with Enterprise in September when we return to the states and it makes me a little nervous that we pay AFTER the car is returned.  Has anyone ever dealt with Enterprise rent a car?  Just need some reaasurance..

I've rented with Enterprise on probably close to forty separate occasions over the past seven years (they're often the only one that will rent to under-25s!), and aside from one occasion where they lost my reservation (at Atlanta airport, somewhere I've rented from at least half of those times!) but still found me a car, I've had no problems whatsoever.  (I've also rented from them once here in the UK and also had excellent service and no problems.)

Be sure you have a credit card, not a debit card, and be prepared for a hefty deposit (ranging from $150 for a couple of days, to the estimated cost of your rental, if it's a long one) to appear as a temporary authorization on your statement - that's about all.  If you have any other specific questions, feel free to ask.

Aww cool Meg thank you so much for answering.  I am not worried about the deposit, I have a credit card, so I guess we are good to go.  Thank you so much.

No problem!   I've also rented from Budget a fair few times (they and Enterprise are the only rental agencies in my hometown), and had good experiences with them, but I'm definitely an Enterprise girl.  I was so familiar with them that by the time I turned 25 and had my pick of agencies, I just stuck with them!

Hiya

Yeh enterprise are reputable and I've hired from them when in the USA - no problems at all, they kept laughing when I was talking to the desk girls at my license not having a photo!

One of my extended family cousins, she actually works in H.R for Enterprise in NYC, but last time was unable to secure me any discount or a freeby upgrade! I''ll have to wait till next time!

Otherwise, they're not to worry about, they're a multi national company etc so you should find the whole experience with them stress free.

Cheers! DtM! West London & Slough UK!

Oh great, I feel so much better.  I was just worried about paying after returning the vehicle, I mean it sounds logical but I just didn't want to get burned.  We picked enterprise because they were the cheapest around, and they had a shuttle service from the airport. 

Be sure to check with your current car insurance and/or your credit card to see what your insurance coverage would be. The rental company may try to stick you with an extra daily insurance charge but you can decline if it would already be covered.

Also don't pre-pay the gas when you pick-up the car.  Fill up the car on your way back to the drop off.  You'll save a ton of money!

And be sure you do a thorough once over of the car before you take possession of it - inside and out. We rented once from Enterprise and the guy tried to rush us through the looking over of the vehicle. I'm glad we looked closer because there was a dent that we might have gotten stuck with paying for. And make sure they document every little scratch on the car.

We have rented with Enterprise several times and never really had a problem besides what I mentioned before. But I do know someone, or their insurance company actually, that got stuck paying for a scratch that she did not cause (this was a Hertz rental).

Thanks for the advice I never thought of any of that.  I will definitly be doing some research.

Enterprise is a good rental company, I wouldn't worry. 

i just booked with enterprise today actually.

one more hint- always check the car throughly b/f you vacate.  i am always leaving stuff in rental cars- and i've never managed to get it back.

i just booked with enterprise today actually.

one more hint- always check the car throughly b/f you vacate.  i am always leaving stuff in rental cars- and i've never managed to get it back.

Yeah, that's a very good idea.

Our research group hired 3 off-road trucks in Guatemala City back in February and our (very disorganised) course supervisor left extremely important research papers and a £20,000 UV camera (for measuring volcanic gases in plumes - I think it's currently the only one in existence) in the back of one of them when we dropped them off. He realised what he'd done several hours later (at midnight) and had to rush to the car rental place to retrieve them 4 hours before our flight home to the UK - he would have been in BIG trouble if they'd been lost stolen!!!

Yeah, that's a very good idea.

Our research group hired 3 off-road trucks in Guatemala City back in February and our (very disorganised) course supervisor left extremely important research papers and a £20,000 UV camera (for measuring volcanic gases in plumes - I think it's currently the only one in existence) in the back of one of them when we dropped them off. He realised what he'd done several hours later (at midnight) and had to rush to the car rental place to retrieve them 4 hours before our flight home to the UK - he would have been in BIG trouble if they'd been lost stolen!!!

 

I'll say!

I use to use Enterprise regularly and the thing I don't like about them is they really push the extra insurance. I think the employees are on commision to sell the insurance. Adding the insurance can double your rental rate I think. Anyway their presentation is very scary. "you will be charged even if the damage isn't your fault"
I once signed up for all the insurance and then asked if I was falled insured for everything. Answer was no.
I think it depends on location. I like Alamo and they have been very good. They are the one I have used for the last few years. Good rates to.
I think I rented from Budget at Heathrow and I seemed to get a brand new car each time