I really hate car rental companies

"LJ909" (lj909) 02/22/2018 at 15:19 • Filed to: None

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Boy do they make it difficult for you if you are a local renter for some reason. The following is a dumbass list of whats required if you’re a local renter from a few rental companies. I had to go through this with them( and just ended up with a Turo rental) last weekend. One of the main things I hated was the fact that nearly all of them want a major credit card. and many of them seemed to penalize you if you used a debit card. Someone how to them that insures you will be a good renter if you have a credit card:

Sixt: This was my first stop at the suggestion of a few people on here because of their great prices. And great prices they do have, especially for luxury cars. But what they wanted if you are a local renter and if you use a debit card was laughable:

You’re only limited to economy and intermediate class. Pretty much you will be driving off in an Accent or Focus.

2 utility bills dated within the past 3 months that match the address on the drivers license.

And for some reason that the rep couldn’t explain himself, those bill couldn’t show a past due balance or a balance at all. They have to show full payment. Why would that be required for something that is being used for address verification?

I passed on Sixt of course.

Hertz: Didnt require much bullshit, but just wanted a major credit card with a deposit equal to the price of the rental. Nope.

National: National was almost like Sixt in their bull:

2 of either proof of income such as pay stub or a utility bill with no past due balance.

Drivers License of course

And a deposit that’s equal to the cost of the rental. Pass on them too.

Alamo: Wanted a credit card and a deposit of $200 plus the total cost of the rental.

Budget: Was the simplest but also had the most basic rental fleet out of everyone. No bills or proof of income needed her. All you needed were your license and you had 2 options: if you made a phone reservation, the deposit would be $100, over the counter it was $200. They were easy but I passed on them because I didnt want to pay $260 bucks for a Chevy Malibu.

Not to mention that what didnt make sense was the fact that most of the insurance coverage plans they have cost more then the total rentals themselves.

The deposits really got to me though, because form past experience and from reading online, the deposit are released back to you yes, but many times people don’t get them or they take almost 2 weeks to give you your money back. That’s the main reason why I’m against them. But screw rental car companies. They keep it up, companies like Turo will outdo them because of all the hurtles they make you jump through.

CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever > LJ909 02/22/2018 at 15:56

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I’ve rented tons of times locally and never had to do any of this. That’s crazy!

CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever > LJ909 02/22/2018 at 15:56

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I’ve rented tons of times locally and never had to do any of this. That’s crazy!

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > LJ909 02/22/2018 at 16:02

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I guess I’ve always rented with a credit car and have had none of these shenanigans.

ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com > LJ909 02/22/2018 at 16:07

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Until a visit to local Enterprise location to rent a vehicle a couple of years ago, I had never even considered that folks would want to rent a vehicle with cash or a debit card. It was a long bit of time waiting in line for all these folks to , usually unsuccessfully, try to rent a car. I also learned that day that many rental car companies will do a credit check on folks trying to rent cars with cash/debit cards. A hard pull seems like a steep cost for renting a car. While overhearing their stories made me feel for them, I also understood the rental car companies side of things. 

They’re handing a stranger the set of keys to a 20k+ plus vehicle and expecting them to both bring it back, and to bring it back in the same condition it left in. Having at least one bank that’s extended someone an unsecured line of credit strikes me as a reasonable and minimal indication of someone representing an acceptable risk, or at least having a likely hood of being able to make the company whole if something bad happens to the car.  That said, I hope you get the rental you need.

BigBlock440 > LJ909 02/22/2018 at 16:11

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I’ve never had to do any of that, though I guess I just used a credit card, and made an online reservation and paid right there.

LJ909 > ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com 02/22/2018 at 16:15

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Yea its just a lot. Many of them do run credit checks. I dont agree with that either. I see their side of it though but only a to a point. None of that insure a rental will be good or brought back. There’s a risk no matter if you have a credit card or a debit card, and usually the people with a lot of credit cars are the bigger risk from what I’ve seen. Running credit to rent a car is the equivalent in stupidity of running someones credit as part of them applying for a job.

TheRealBicycleBuck > LJ909 02/22/2018 at 16:22

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I disagree. Someone who has bad credit or a bunch of outstanding debts is a high risk. It sucks, but it’s true. A credit card comes with a credit line and many of them offer rental insurance even if the customer doesn’t know it. A debit card has a hard limit of whatever is in the bank account at the time of rental and that’s subject to change. That’s why they pull a deposit and encumber the full amount of the rental.

When doing personal rentals, I put it on my Amex, then use my debit card to pay the bill when I return the car. It makes the process go a lot easier.

LJ909 > TheRealBicycleBuck 02/22/2018 at 16:31

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Yea true. But at the same time, someone with high income and a bunch of credit cards at the limit or maxed can be just as much of a risk as someone with outstanding debts. And from he line of work that I do in finance, I know that to be true way too often from what I see on a daily basis. That’s why I said there’s a risk no matter who you are. Someone being past due on their cell phone bill doesn’t mean that they aren’t going to be a good renter. Its just too much red tape that I think will eventually do them in.

How can you do that though, charge it on your Amex then use the debit to pay the bill? Most rental companies charge you once you enter your CC info.

fintail > LJ909 02/22/2018 at 16:36

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Airport locations or local? I’ve rented from local branches of Enterprise, Hertz, and Budget, never had an issue. Always used a CC though, as I like to get perks. I’ve heard airport rental agencies can be much more demanding, like you mention.

That lead pic is like my Hertz nightmare - roll up with a premium or luxury reservation, and all they have is Sentra, Lancer, 200, Avenger, Corolla, Malibu.

CompactLuxuryFan > LJ909 02/22/2018 at 16:39

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Sounds like all of them just want you to use a credit card with a decent enough limit. Having one on hand is so useful for so many things nowadays.

TheRealBicycleBuck > LJ909 02/22/2018 at 16:39

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“How can you do that though, charge it on your Amex then use the debit to pay the bill? Most rental companies charge you once you enter your CC info.”

They may put a hold on the card, but they do not do a final charge until the rental is returned. That’s your opportunity to put it on a different card. Hotels do the same thing.  

“That’s why I said there’s a risk no matter who you are.”  

There’s always a risk, but the companies have learned what constitutes a greater risk and are working to mitigate that risk. “High income” renters still have to go through the same process if they try to use a debit card instead of a credit card.

LJ909 > fintail 02/22/2018 at 16:45

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Both. Hertz local locations near me are notorious for their bullshit. One local location told me that they couldn’t rent to people with a debit card unless you had some kind of discount club membership such as AAA or Costco. I asked her why would a policy like that be in place that essentially severely limits who’s able to rent a vehicle? She couldn’t answer.

And yes that’s annoying when that happens. Reservations really mean nothing to them. Not to mention their car classes are totally different than ours. How is a Jetta a fullsize and a Pacifica or Sedona a “specialty” vehicle?

LJ909 > TheRealBicycleBuck 02/22/2018 at 16:48

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They may put a hold on the card, but they do not do a final charge until the rental is returned. That’s your opportunity to put it on a different card. Hotels do the same thing.

I’ll have to remember this. How do you change the payment info though if they already have it for a specific card that’s going to be charged? Do they even allow you to do something like that?

RacingShark > LJ909 02/22/2018 at 16:48

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You’re a bit misleading with the ‘local renter’ part. This is 100% due to the fact that you are trying to rent a car without a credit card.

“one of the main things”. THE ONLY thing. You have to have a Credit card to rent a car. Or else you’re gonna jump through a lot of hoops so that the rental car company can make sure they get their money.

You’re not a good renter because you have a credit card, but it’ll make it much easier for them to get more money from you don’t pay.

This policy exists because they’ve all been fucked before by people renting in cash and running away with the car, keeping it longer, or returning it with damage.

LJ909 > RacingShark 02/22/2018 at 16:53

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My whole point is if they put customers through this then they are going to loose business. Just make it only where you have to have a credit card to rent. Its an annoyance for customers like myself that have credit cards, but dont to use a credit card. Thats why I just ended up with Turo.

ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com > LJ909 02/22/2018 at 17:07

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You have them change the payment when you return the car. I’ve done it in the past. At that time they’ll check the car for damage and fuel level, and then calculate the final bill and allow you to pay for it however you want. They’ll remove the hold on the credit card, but how long it takes to be released back as available credit will depend on the payment processor and the bank issuing the credit card.

404 - User No Longer Available > LJ909 02/22/2018 at 17:21

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Personally I find my local in-town renting experience MUCH better than airport renting. Did the weekend Enterprise $19.99/day deals before when I needed to transport something my Solstice wouldn’t hold. No pressure to get CDW or anything, just book, waltz in and off I go to Ikea.

Complete opposite of my experience renting at Vegas last time... guy nearly wanted to beat me up when I declined the CDW. Made up BS statements that “it’s the law”.

Pistol Whipped Cream > LJ909 02/22/2018 at 17:29

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These are standard car rental company practices. The more you pay for a rental car (National vs Alamo), the better service you receive ( usually ). The companies are just trying to protect themselves and keep their insurance companies happy. Seems like you could have saved yourself a lot of effort if you just used a CC.

I choose a rental company when I travel over Turo because if I have a problem with a car they will bring me another car.  I can also swing into another location and swap cars if need be. I have done this in the past and Hertz was very apologetic.

LJ909 > Pistol Whipped Cream 02/22/2018 at 17:37

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Nah that’s not the case though. I’ve used a CC in the past and still get shit service. That’s a common misconception about CC’s: that using them means some kind of exclusivity or better service. Its all about the company not the customer.

Saracen > LJ909 02/22/2018 at 17:39

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I’ve rented countless times and I have never had this problem. But I’ve always used my travel credit card with a very high credit limit.

I never use a debit card. I use my credit cards for everything and always pay them off on time. Because I love maximizing points accrual. It’s free money.

Also, my Chase Sapphire Preferred covers rental car damage so I always waive the rental companies collision insurance.

Textured Soy Protein > LJ909 02/22/2018 at 18:02

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Do you not have a credit card? As long as you have a credit card, it’s no big deal. The deposit they put on credit cards usually is only a hold, they don’t run it through as an actual charge that gets added to your balance. All it affects is your total available credit vs. your limit.  

Don’t ever buy any insurance from a rental car company, it’s almost always totally redundant. You’re probably already covered through some combination of your regular car insurance and whatever credit card you use to book the rental.

I get car rental deals through USAA, and about half the time their discount with Budget ends up being my cheapest option. I compare it against Hotwire. There you don’t get to pick which rental company you use, instead you say where you’re picking up from and it shows you a list of car types and prices. You have to prepay and after you pay it shows you which rental company it’s with.

Why you booking on the phone? You’re not my grandma.

LJ909 > Textured Soy Protein 02/22/2018 at 18:14

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I have a credit card, I just didn’t want to use my credit card, especially not for something like a rental.

I never get insurance really though, and if I do its only if I have the car for 4 or more days which is rare.

I try and use my AAA discount but its bogus in that you only ever see savings if you rent through Hertz. But I wasnt booking over the phone. I like to call and speak to an actual person before anything so I know whether or not to waste my time going down there.

Pistol Whipped Cream > LJ909 02/22/2018 at 18:27

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!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!

I said usually. Mostly depends on who you rent from.

Eric @ opposite-lock.com > LJ909 02/22/2018 at 18:43

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Why didn’t you want to use your credit card? They’re not some kind of dark magic. Hell, most of them provide insurance as well, so you can pass on the rental company’s insurance. The hold they place will come off after you return it, they charge it at the end, etc.

What’s funny is that they make you jump through all these hoops, yet with a credit card they don’t even know your limit. You might only have $500 or $1000 and they’d never know.

Eric @ opposite-lock.com > LJ909 02/22/2018 at 18:46

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In most cases they’ll let you pay with something else at the end, too. I often get asked this and tell them to put it on the card that was used for the reservation.

Credit cards protect you in a lot of ways and most give you rewards for using them. One of mine is somewhere around 2.5% back if I use it for travel (rental cars included).

Eric @ opposite-lock.com > LJ909 02/22/2018 at 18:52

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At the end they usually ask. But you can also use the CC for like a late drop or similar, because they just charge whatever card was on file. If you return at a normal time, they’ll ask how you want to pay and you can pay with the debit card or cash at that time if you prefer. Obviously easier to just tell them to charge the card, but if you don’t want that for whatever reason it’s easy to do.

LJ909 > Eric @ opposite-lock.com 02/22/2018 at 18:52

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I just dont use my credit card often that’s all, and I wouldn’t use it with something like this anyway.

Eric @ opposite-lock.com > LJ909 02/22/2018 at 18:59

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So, now that I see later in the comments that you have a credit card: Why the hell don’t you use it? What made you so afraid of them?

I have ridiculous limits on my cards (unsecured) and I’ve never paid a dime in interest...

Eric @ opposite-lock.com > LJ909 02/22/2018 at 19:00

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I asked on the original post why that was... Feel free to respond there. I really am curious.

LJ909 > Eric @ opposite-lock.com 02/22/2018 at 19:09

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Not afraid (because if I were I wouldn’t have gotten one in the first place right?) just financially conscious. With the line of work that I do and the amount of people I see on a daily basis with crappy financials I’m very careful not to dig a hole for myself. I use them here and there but not often.

TheRealBicycleBuck > LJ909 02/22/2018 at 19:43

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As others said, you just ask them to change it when you turn in the car or check out of the hotel. They usually ask me if I want to keep the charges on the card on file. It’s really no big deal.

Besides not having to d eal with the hass le of proving your worth to them, the best thing is having the insurance coverage that comes with using the card. If something bad happens, the insurance kicks in. If nothing bad happens, you use your debit card. 

fintail > LJ909 02/22/2018 at 21:29

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I suspect the agents/reps you are dealing with don’t really know the reason behind the tight rules. They don’t make the policy, and aren’t paid enough to understand it or explain it. Like what I say when something at work blows up and is more than I can get into - “above my pay grade”.

I think these rules have existed for some time, and probably won’t go away. If you’ll be renting from a corporation, you might want to get a credit card, if anything, just for it.

It’s reservations, and the basic fleets in general. It’s a completely different world in Europe, where the “luxury” cars are often just as cheap as Sixt here, but better equipped. I’ve rented a zero option Charger as a “premium” and a zero option 300 as “luxury”, and that’s a little funny. Neither were bad cars, but that’s some class creep - maybe each one should be down a class.

RacingShark > Eric @ opposite-lock.com 02/23/2018 at 10:44

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Good point. The Credit card is really just needed to guarantee the rental company that they can get money. When the final bill comes, they will probably take whatever you want to give them. (This assumes you return the car and discuss it with them. Key drop probably won’t work)

RacingShark > LJ909 02/23/2018 at 10:47

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That’s true. They do lose business. I’ve seen people walk out because they: Didn’t have a CC, didn’t have US License, or weren’t 25.

I’m guessing though that on average, they come out ahead. Better to lose a few hundred $$ on a rental than get a car stolen or wrecked and not be able to collect.

Eric @ opposite-lock.com > LJ909 02/23/2018 at 20:22

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How does not using credit cards make one “financially conscious”?

Granted I don’t work in any industry where I’m privy to the financial situation of others, but we always get high praise from those that look at ours and I often help people in trouble out of it. It’s also something that has killed relationships for me (when they can’t manage money and even after my effort to teach them, they still can’t grasp it).

Based on what you do, I’m very surprised that you’re worried about digging a hole with them. If you stick to a budget with money in your checking account, I don’t know why you couldn’t with a credit card. Hell, checking balance minus credit card balance is all you need to know what you have left available...

I just have such a hard time understanding the mentality.

I really hate being in debt, but I don’t see it as debt if I can pay it off immediately. It’s just free interest and rewards for spending the time to pay them once a month.