Complaint Review: Enterprise Rent A Car Union NJ - Union New Jersey

I was in a really bad accident and had my car totalled, so after a week trying to pull myself together, I went online and claimed what I felt was a super deal on a weekend rental special at Enterprise. I reserved a compact car online, because that's what I was comfortable driving, and paying for, since I didn't have rental reimbursement on my coverages.

I have to say, looking back at every interaction with those employees, there were red flags that I probably would have caught if I hadn't been in such a vulnerable position with my recent accident. Then again, maybe that's what they were counting on.

Anyway, I went to pick up the car, and the agent seemed very polite when she took my information, however they were obviously short staffed, and the waiting room was beginning to fill up. She told me that my reserved car was out for an oil change, and she didn't want to keep me waiting since it was going to be a few minutes so she'll walk me out to show me what she can offer me.

I followed her out, as she went down a short list of cars that were obviously not in my price range. I told her the car I reserved was what was in my budget and what I was comfortable with. During this time, an older gentleman came in and dropped off a car and I asked if his car was in my price range, she did not respond, but kept trying to upsell my rental. When I wouldn't budge, she offered me an intermediate for the same price and I agreed since the car she pointed out looked pristine.

We go inside to complete the paperwork, and she fudges around making verbal exchanges with her colleague and eventually picks up some keys and I follow her outside. I was shocked when she walked with her clipboard toward a car that we never mentioned, and even worse, was filthy all over. I voiced my discontent and asked why would she rent me such a filthy looking car. She claimed that the car was cleaned a couple of days before and blamed the previous day's snow storm for the condition of the exterior, then advised me that I could visit the car wash up the street for a complimentary wash by showing the Enterprise Key Chain.

She then did the walk around, and I pointed out some scratches on the car which she explained were considered normal wear and not necessary to be noted. The car was so filthy with snow, salt and sand, I was desperately trying to scan as she walked around trying to discern what was filth from what was a ding. The walk around was brief but throughout, she kept trying to explain why I should by there very expensive insurance.

I kept declining, and she kept pushing, but I held my ground, since I had no intention of doing much driving, and figured if anything extraordinary happened, my insurance would cover it. I left the lot and barely drove the car, using more than a hundred miles less than was allotted. I returned the car on Monday, to find that the same agent on her way out as I was exiting the vehicle. She met me at the car and decided to do the check there and then, giving me the okay as we went back inside to complete the transaction. Staffing was again an issue, and there was a couple people walking in as she was closing me out, while the phone kept ringing off the hook and she kept stopping to answer the calls. I was getting nervous because I was on my lunch break and didn't have a lot of time.

Earlier that day, my insurance company had mentioned a special rate for their clients with Enterprise, so I called and asked about it for mid week rental and got the quote, so I mentioned to my agent that it might be easier for me to take another car for a day, since by the time I got out and got a taxi back, I'd be really late. I mentioned the special quote and she searched the system to confirm it. She couldn't find a car in her inventory that satisfied that quote so she said, my best bet was to remain in my current car. She then took my receipt for my weekend rental to close it out and start fresh. At this point, I'm in there for more than half hour.

When she seemed overwhelmed with people coming in and me anxiously staring her in the face while she fiddled with the computer, and answered calls she finally said, you know what, just go ahead I don't want to keep you. I'll change it in the system. I was so glad to finally be out of there, I said, thank you and went on my way.

The next day, I called the agency to find out if they could possibly bring me back to work once I dropped the car off. They told me that they couldn't since I was technically in a different city. So I asked if I could drop it off at the one located in the same city as my job and have them ride me back. The manager said she would put a note on my account and make an exception to the $30 drop off rule. Okay, so I take the car to the pre arranged location, and of course, they're short staffed. I'm the only one when I walk in, but this agent will not stop talking on the phone, taking call after call explaining rental policies and the different pricing options for their fleet. What?

I was about to blow a gasket when he asked me for my contract. I told him that the rep at the other location took it from me and didn't return it. He said he had to call the other location. What? This info is not in the system? Okay, so he calls over there on speaker and I recognize the person answering the phone as my agent since I've spent so much time with her, that and her name. He starts talking in a low voice and then is apparently put on hold for about 5 minutes and then comes over to me and says you don't have a copy of your contract? I repeat," she never gave it back to me when I originally took the car back yesterday".

Then he says, because I want to show you this. And he walks me out to the car and points to a panel under the passenter door. I'm not seeing what he's obviously seeing so I ask, what? He says it's dented. I say, where, what? I touch it, and now I'm thinking that he's high, because I don't see any abnormality. Then he says go look at the other side. Lo and behold, the two sides don't match. What I thought was a design curve in the bottom panel, under the door, which coincidentally, I never noticed that part of the car until he showed me it was there was indeed what looked like someone may have taken a large rolling pin and leaned it against that strip. No scratch just a different look than the other side of the car, in my eyes.

In my shock and horror, I immediately think, he's trying to play me and I say, we never looked at that part of the car in my original walk through. That is not a part of the car I would even notice or think to look at closely. Then I tell him, I'm going back to the original lot, and I drive away trying to remain calm and feeling like I had just been violated.

I get back to the rental lot and the first thing I look for is a surveillance camera located in the lot where we did the walk around. I was relieved to find two. I ask for a manager and explain my shock and disbelief that this was being insinuated. I explained to her that I had no incident with the car, and furthermore, that was not a part of the car that we looked at; techinically under the car door. I explained that with a close up walk around such as we did, I would have had to bend down and under to see that, and the agent definitely didn't do any bending and she should check the surveillance to confirm it.

The manager responded that while I may not necessarily have had an incident, it could have been parked somewhere and gotten damaged. I then pointed out to her, that if the car got hit, scratched or damaged within the last 24 hours, why would all of the filth, snow and salt debris that is consistent throughout the body of the car, not have a break in the pattern where it was damaged. Wouldn't it be logical that if something happened after the car was given to me in that condition, that there would be some demarkation where the damage was? She admitted that she saw my point, but had to follow protocol and file a claim.

I was livid to say the least. Now, I felt violated all over again. I kept pleading with her to check the security footage for the time of the walk around to prove that we didn't bend over to look at the bottom panel of the car. She wouldn't give a response. Then I asked for my contract that the original agent never returned. I said maybe the other agent (inexplicably absent at this time) noted it on the paperwork. Her reply was that she didn't know where it could be and they don't keep the original copies. What? It's only been a day. Why do you guys fill these things out if you're going to throw them right out? This was a big sign, and I knew right then that I was going to consult an attorney.

It seemed that their business is built on taking advantage of vulnerable people and taking short cuts all around. What else could they be capable of? This lady proceeds to type up a report writing that "the renter stated she doesn't know when the damage happened." I read this as she non challantly says, I'll give you a copy of this for your records. Was she going to forge my signature on this? Because I wasn't signing that BS! I crossed out the erroneous statement and wrote a rebuttal, fully explaining the true gist of our exchanges.

While this is going on, she is sneakily ringing up charges for deductibles on my credit card and then has the gall to tell me, " I only charged you for half of your deductible because I realize it's a lot" What? Who are these people? If you are on the up and up, follow protocol all the way. This was a huge sign that they are shady. She filed a claim with my insurance company which I have fully challenged, and intend to file a report with the BBB as well as The DCA. They have ticked off the wrong one!

I am not letting this one go. I'll keep you updated.