The car rental industry is setting itself up for a fall when some consortium with money and integrity (or at least a little less greed) sees a chance to run over their entrenched, duplicitous business model. Somebody needs to do to the car rental industry what FedEx did to the Postal Service.

Evidently these policies don't apply to the rental companies themselves. Just last weekend I rented a car from Budget in Las Vegas. When I picked the car up, the tank was only three-quarters full. I got that documented as I exited the lot and after returning the car and some negotiating was able to get a small discount applied to my bill. Remember, document everything and if there's a problem: complain, complain, complain...

They are scum. There are no ethics in business anymore. The perfect business would be to pay a company that provides you with absolutely nothing (kinda like car insurance is to good drivers.) The new rule with most businesses is, "If it's legal, it's moral. Moral is only important if it's a function of sales." Like sweatshop clothing.

There corporate folks must sit up all night scheming how they can increase their profits regardless of how. There is such thing as karma, pencil pushers beware!

i too was screwed in manchester and will never again use dollar rent a car

Renting a car is one of the biggest hassles in traveling. There needs to be better regulation of the "fees" that get added in. Their employees are trained to believe they are doing us a favor in some of the "add-ons" they try to sneak in.

It is sad but true, that American businees is no longer about a good product at a good price, but about what you can get away with and for how long. I applaud Mr. Dentali's perseverance. If more of us follow his example, maybe these companies will start to wise up.

Gas tanks on many cars are designed with a dead space to prevent overfilling. No matter how you try to top it off, it will slowly bleed down such that you will be able to get at least a half a gallon into the tank some 15 to 20 minutes later. Some years ago a rental company tried to hit me up for the half gallon they were able to put in. I refused to pay and they backed down. It pays to fight back.

well done Mr Dentali, if more people stood their ground like you did, these companies would soon realise they just cannot get away with ripping their customers off.

It's time for a Class Action suit.First the Graves Amendment to the 2006 Federal Transportation Act and now this.
THIS HAS TO BE STOPPED!

Fee 'em to death ... that's the new corporate mantra. Just look at the phone companies, both land and wireless, credit card companies, retail (you really need to get the 3 year maintenance contract that's only 1/3 to 1/2 of your original purchase price), etc, etc ... Why can't these companies just own up, charge a fair price and stop all this **** nonsense?

Good for you, Steve. I'd say more, but I would have to think too hard to stay within the guidelines for my remarks to be published here.

Does this suprise anyone? No businesses are charge "3%-5% transaction fees" if you use a credit car at their store. It all dates back to banks whose ATM's you dare use charging anywhere from $1.50-$2.50 use fee. Get used to it people, the rental car companies are banking on %90 of the people not complaining. Either way they win, we lose.

way to go. I am tired of the screw the customer mentality. You are right, the nickels and dimes add up, and we just as well have it instead of them.. The one that get me is the documentation fee when buying a car. If they can't do the paperwork for free then they can keep the car

That's outrageous!! SCAM!!

More evidence of how less-than-competent firms manage to survive tough times.

Dish Network is always sneaking fees onto the bill, too. $5 here, and $5 there, if a receiver wasn't able to dial out one morning...Bamm. And it doesn't even make any difference to them since I would be the only one who suffered. Somehow I signed on at $29.99/mo and now it's $50/mo.

well done to Steven Dentali for standing his ground against rip off charges.

Good show! Only by spending time and money are you able to find a fair-play from the rip-offs who dominate the marketplace. Mr. Dentali should be awarded the Medal of Fair Play and 2 oak leaf clusters

This was tried before by Alamo in the late 1980s. All it created was bad will which offset the additional revenue.

debt collection fraud- different co same debt from 1989 wells fargo--change dates on debt-call employee, apartment manager, parents and in-laws
credit reporting co. (all 3)notified did nothing. federal reserve did nothing. BBB did nothing.

thanks for th etip will not use dollar this year.

Enterprise car rentals are crooks

This past September, my mother and I traveled to Virginia to visit my sister, who had just relocated there. We flew into Baltimore, and rented a car through Enterprise. While we were filling out the paperwork for the car, we were informed that we had to decide how we wanted to pay for the gas tank to be filled upon return of the car. You can return the tank empty and pay a lesser per gallon fee, or attempt to return the car with the tank full, and pay a higher per gallon fee. What they don't come right out and tell you is that if you choose the first option, which appears to be the cheaper option, you are paying to fill the WHOLE tank, even if you return it 3/4 full. So if the car you rent has a 25 gallon tank, you are paying for 25 gallons of gas. Luckily, I figured this scam out, and opted for the second option, which in reality is the cheaper option.

The lesson my mother and I learned: read the fine print, and BUYER BEWARE!!!

I have recently had a rude awakening in Best Buy. I returned an item that cost $150.00. There was nothing wrong with the item other than the person I gave it to for Christmas could not use it. They refunded my money but charged me a 15% 'restocking fee'. I was infuriated. They took $24 from me and I received nothing in return for my money. I am very aware of what it takes to 'restock' something - you flash the scanner over it which puts it back in the inventory in the computer (1.2 seconds) - you put a sticker on it (2 seconds) and walk it back to the shelf for someone else to buy (3 minutes from one side of the store to the other for a total of 3 minutes 3.2 seconds) - after now having made $24 pure profit on an item that you have not sold. This to me is pure robbery and a vial abuse of the trust of your customers. I will never step foot in another Best Buy. I find it interesting that Target, Home Depot, Wal-Mart and other large retail stores do not charge this 'restocking fee' and yet a store as successful as Best Buy feels the necessity to rob from it’s customers - it is a scam.

Dollar rips off its customers. I rented a car at LGA.
It was a Friday afternoon with several customers being handled by only one customer service agent.
The mid-size I reserved wasn't available. They offered to upgrade at their cost, unaware they actually charged me an extra $20.00 per day on the contract. When I returned the car and questioend the charge, I was told "you signed the contract" before you drove off, so we will not waive the charge. Needless to say, I will not be renting from Dollar in the future.

I have had a dispute with Enterprise renting car which was never solved due to their none customer service and i was trying to reach out to have this company put on a black list but i couldn't. Could you please help????

I have had a dispute with Enterprise renting car which was never solved due to their none customer service and i was trying to reach out to have this company put on a black list but i couldn't. Could you please help????

The name of the game in the world of commerce is fraud-deception-extortion whether the "enterprise" is a grocery chain, automobile dealership, insurance company, medical office, property assessor, home builder...

The POWER of the Consumer is the ULTIMATE power in a society such as ours in the United States. Want $2.50 gas back in a hurry... all we the people have to do is Not drive or buy any gas 1 day a week for a month. By then the Oil companies will be lowering prices, quickly and even the government, padded by oil company hush money for years, will be begging we...the people to drive!

I have had a dispute with Enterprise renting car which was never solved due to their none customer service and i was trying to reach out to have this company put on a black list but i couldn't. Could you please help????

Perhaps all prospective renters should get a signed certificate from the car rental companies indicating that the gas tank is full before they take the car out of the parking garage. There are many times when the tank is not absolutely full and the rental companies should also pay up.

now if we can get to the credit card companies and their ruthless tactics....

Guess what, we rented a car yesterday from Avis in Harrisburg, PA area and they do not give a choice but charge $40 for full tank of gas if you use the gas or not. My commute is 2 miles/day and we rented a car 2 days. I will never be able to use the full tank in two days for commute to work. They gave excellent rate for 2 days rentel but now with $ 40 on top for gas, it is not be that exciting. Sorry Avis, we will think about next time before we book it.

All you have to do is look at the gas gage.I think that tells you if it's full or not.

Perhaps all prospective renters should get a signed certificate from the car rental companies indicating that the gas tank is full before they take the car out of the parking garage. There are many times when the tank is not absolutely full and the rental companies should also pay up.

The name of the game in the world of commerce is fraud-deception-extortion whether the "enterprise" is a grocery chain, automobile dealership, insurance company, medical office, property assessor, home builder...

I've noticed many business "nickel and dime" their customers with these mysteriously named charges and fees. Angers me to see them get away with it! Glad to see these guys exposed when they are caught. Give them hell!

I travel a lot and rent cars quite often. I always avoid the "pay now" option and choose to fill up before I drop off the car. I usually rent through Alamo and have never had an issue with overage fees or inaccurate charges. Who knows, maybe Alamo is owned by Dollar now?? Either way, may I suggest that folks do their homework before renting? I always book at least 2 cars at any given airport so that I have the option of either rental agency based on car availability, price, fees, etc... They can only charge what we're willing to pay!!

Somebody has to step up and you did. thanks

Watch out for Dollar, they have slipped the "accept insurance" box in with all the other deny boxes. Totally legal but totally abhorant. They lost my business after 15 yrs of being a happy customer. They overcharged me $144 for insurance I didn't want and lost $thousands in future business

Hey, you have to make a profit.

Pretty soon we'll be charged a "key" fee. We pay for the rental, insurance, gas, floor mats, cup holder (if you don't want a cup holder, there's the "cup holder removal" fee, etc but to actually enter and drive the car we'll need to pay a $20 "key" charge to get the car key. Cheap metal spiral key ring is extra.

The car rental companies are worse than the airlines. This week I had reserved a car with Enterprise at Dulles Airport. When the bus picked up a group of us we were informed that they had no cars and would drop us at National who would honor the rental. What he didn't tell us is that they would give us a car but not at the rate we had with Enterprise. The initial offering too a $38.99 a day rate to over $100 a day. What is even more amazing is after some haggling I got a $31.99 a day rate. It seems the walk up rate was far less than the advanced reservation rate. Buyer be ware!

I had an experience with a rental car company which left a bad taste in my mouth and will never use them again. I was on a business trip, rented a car a few weeks or so later I receive a check for a refund on the car rental ($15.00 dollars as I recall) So (not thinking and not reading the small (very small) print, I deposited the check into my account. About a week or so later I receive a packet from a shop club with all these discounts, and that the yearly fee of $100.00+ annual membership will be charged to my credit card. Promptly I called them and asked why I was in this club and they said the car rental has a working agreement with them, and that I should of read the small print. Of course I read them the riot act and informed them that the rental car company will not have to worry about me approaching their counter again. As the ole saying goes "It has to be too good to be true!"
My wife and I are going on a vacation trip in February. I am renting an mid size car for 8 days. The discounted advertised cost was approx. $280.00, but the final cost which you need to be aware of up front (including insurances) brought my rental to well over $400.00. I know with taxes, recovery charges, etc (which are getting out of control also) you almost have to be an accountant to understand what the definition of certian charges. Thank You for your article, now there is something else I need to keep an eye for.

It is amazing that "franchise" location can and will do anything they want. If they have the corporate name of a major car rental company they should follow the rules of all the other location, and be monitored to do so. It's an excuse for corporate to pass the buck! The "franchise" National car rental in San Juan Puerto Rico, rents vehicles with bald tires and roach infested. When called to complain no one got back to me.

Great let me tell you corporate greed is at an all time high so lets us set them straight. If we do not fight for what is right who will.

That is not the only scam. Dollar has sneaked in the "accept insurance" box in with all the deny boxes. You think you are not accepting insurance but when you return you get charged for it. I had been doing business with Dollar for many years until I got a $144.00 charge for insurance I thought I had denied. Legal but surely unethical, and no way they would change it. So for $144.00 they lost thousand from me and my collegues and whomever else I contacted.

That is not the only scam. Dollar has sneaked in the "accept insurance" box in with all the deny boxes. You think you are not accepting insurance but when you return you get charged for it. I had been doing business with Dollar for many years until I got a $144.00 charge for insurance I thought I had denied. Legal but surely unethical, and no way they would change it. So for $144.00 they lost thousand from me and my collegues and whomever else I contacted.

I worked for Enterprise and left because I saw some of the most ridiculously unethical things take place. Along with the gas issue, rates were increased based on the appearance of the customers that came through the door. If they looked like they were poor, uneducated, sloppy, had tons of kids the rates went up because they were potentially a risk of either not paying, not returning the car, or trashing the car. I left because I nearly lost my soul working there. It was by far my worst job EVER and I will never give them my business!!

Why shouldnt they do us that way. They know we'll just take it because we have the mentality that there's nothing I can do. Phone companies,cable/satillite companies have been doing this for years with their universal fees, that no one can tell you what that fee is. I dont like it but there's nothing I can do.

So it is legit if I top off my car and drive 20 miles to the rental and turn it in. It is not 100% full. Maybe next time I rent, I should immediately top it off to see it they truly filled it.

This is all quite interesting to consider since the way that the rental car companies gauge how much fuel is in the tank is by the fuel gauge! I do not know how many times the fuel gauge has dropped from "FULL" within 5-10 miles of picking the car up! Any car will travel 30-60 miles on a topped off tank before the fuel gauge will drop for "FULL". I can guarentee you that if you return the car and the fuel gauge says "FULL, they will not even top it off, but will rerent it to someone else. Be aware!

You want another rip off? How about the practice of calculating a tax on a tax? Rental companies make millions on this practice. They keep the excess amounts that are due to be paid to the local and state governments. This is a class action suit begging for a good law firm.

I had an experience with a rental car company which left a bad taste in my mouth and will never use them again. I was on a business trip, rented a car a few weeks or so later I receive a check for a refund on the car rental ($15.00 dollars as I recall) So (not thinking and not reading the small (very small) print, I deposited the check into my account. About a week or so later I receive a packet from a shop club with all these discounts, and that the yearly fee of $100.00+ annual membership will be charged to my credit card. Promptly I called them and asked why I was in this club and they said the car rental has a working agreement with them, and that I should of read the small print. Of course I read them the riot act and informed them that the rental car company will not have to worry about me approaching their counter again. As the ole saying goes "It has to be too good to be true!"
My wife and I are going on a vacation trip in February. I am renting an mid size car for 8 days. The discounted advertised cost was approx. $280.00, but the final cost which you need to be aware of up front (including insurances) brought my rental to well over $400.00. I know with taxes, recovery charges, etc (which are getting out of control also) you almost have to be an accountant to understand what the definition of certian charges. Thank You for your article, now there is something else I need to keep an eye for.

I am amazed you did not mention the even sneakier version lurking for rental car customers. The companies (and most do this) offer gas at 5 - 10 cents below the going price for gas and say if you choose to allow them (the rental company) to fill the tank you pay this so-called discount price. Sounds good doesn't it? What they don't tell you is that unless the rental car is running on fumes, you don't win back a dime, since they don't disclose very clearly that they charge the 'discounted' price for gas for an entire tank, even if the tank is full, half-full, quarter-full etc. In other words if you have a 20 gallon tank a customer can pay $$58 to the rental company if they chose their option for a tank. If they had filled up themselves to top off the last quarter tank it would have costs $15, (paying let's say $3.00/gallon vs. the $2.90 the car rental offers.) Where's the saving, it is just the consumer being taken - again. Some corporations have in their travel policies that no employee is allowed to take the rental car company's gas/fill option for just that reason.

I had the worse experience ever in renting a car with Enterprise Rental Car this week. They rented me a car that was defective. After asking several times to be picked up with another car, I finally went back to the airport returned the keys and paperwork and told them were the car was left and asked them to give me another car. (These were the instructions I received from the local manager). I waited until 10:30 P.M. that day and they could not give me another car, then I walked away and rented another car from another company. This incident happened on Tuesday. I went by the place were I left the car Wednesday and then Thursday and Enterprise Rent a Car had not picked up the car from the parking garage in Fort Lauderdale downtown. I would be still waiting at the Airport for them to find the car.

2 bucks to move the shifter to reverse at 70 on the highway? I'l pay for that!

EVERY company will have complaints. I agree that renting a car is a pain in the you know what. They are learning from our own government how to tack on stupid random fees. Get the government out of our lives and life will be much simpler.

Take your time read your contract, ask questions and if you don't like it or don't understand it go to another company and tell the rental company why your not uaing their service..BUYER BEWARE

I frequently visit Southern Maryland flying into BWI.I use either Budget or Enterprise depending on the specials they are offering. There has never been a problem with either of these companies. (I usually rent in Waldorf, MD) Twice I have been upgraded at no charge by both companies when the car I reserved was not available.

I rented a car at the Las Vegas McCarron Airport. The rate was reasonable, but the final bill was a shocker with taxes and fees doubling the charges EVEN including a "concrete" fee. A new system of bussing with a central car rental facility must be costly, but apparently they want to pay it off in a very short time. I have visited Las Vegas from Illinois 28 times, but this gouging made this my last visit. The taxes and fees on cars, hotels, and entertainment has gotten out of control.

Businesses do and will continue to do things like this because:

* The sole purpose of business is to generate profit, a concept lost on most people;

* It's legal, usually;

* Our government of the people by the people for the people is owned by business therefore it does little or nothing in the people's interest;

* Most people don't complain and take action;

* It costs more to complain than to accept;

Quite simply, they do it because they can, and will continue until profit is adversely affected. What's usually on the menu when a flock of sheep and a pack of wolves meet up to decide what's for dinner?

Just a tip, if you have full coverage on your personal vehicle, check with your agent to see if that coverage extends to a rental. It often does for up to 30 days but it's hard to get the rental companies to acknowlege it.

I rented a car at the Las Vegas McCarron Airport. The rate was reasonable, but the final bill was a shocker with taxes and fees doubling the charges EVEN including a "concrete" fee. A new system of bussing with a central car rental facility must be costly, but apparently they want to pay it off in a very short time. I have visited Las Vegas from Illinois 28 times, but this gouging made this my last visit. The taxes and fees on cars, hotels, and entertainment has gotten out of control.

I agree with you amillion percent if there anything as such, this is what is wrong with corporate America today, all they think about is how they can bleed people with all these unmitigated charges.

Once you give them your credit card or debit card, it becomes free for all, the bank does it despite the fact that they are using your money banked with them to fill their pocket, the car company just like what you just articulated here.

Nobody seems to care about the customer anymore, laws are being enacted by congress siding with these thieves because of the donation they get from these companies, so what does an average person does, you end up spend more money to try and get back what was not supposed to be charged in the first place.

You will think that common sense should prevail in a trivia thing such as having filled the gas tank and of they know that you did but they still want to rob you on broad day light.

The worst thievery are being committed daily by people who sits behind the desk with a pen in their hands than people who go out and commit crimes either voilently or not.

I agree with your principle in going after the $2.00, but can you imagine how many people who have just decided they don't have the time to deal with thievery such as this.

If these companies can do this to say about 1000 car rentals a month, that equate to $2000.00 profit that winds up in their pocket multiply that by 12 month, that is $24,00.00 a year not taking into consideration that the car was returned gassed up to be rented to the next person whom they will end up charging another $2.00 on and on.

It's just plain thievery, simple as abc.

lets not go into "class action", talk about rip-offs! I have been involved in two, both won with rewards in the hundreds of millions of $s. In one I got a check for $8.00 and the other I could have received $25 if I had gone through the bother. HOWEVER, the law firms received tens of millions of dollars! How is that justice, I was the agrieved and got virtually nothing. Talk about ethics?????

I rented a car in Dallas and two months ater returning form my trip I received a letter telling me that my credit card had been charged $125 for toll charges I had not paid when driving in Dallas. It is a new program in which there are not actual toll booths but cameras that record license numbers and send a bill to car owners for the toll. Since we were driiving a rental car, they charge the rental company the toll which was $5.00. We were charged an additial "Service and processing fee" in the amount of $120.00. When we called to compalin, we were told this had been fully explained to us by the rental agent. The rental agent did not speak English very well and it was very hard to understand her. I had been atthe counter for over an hour even though I had pre-booked my car. I was ready to get out of there and did not read the contract through as I was initialing. I did initial the area rejecting the "Toll charge waiver" READ YOUR CONTRACT CRAEFULLY

I also have a complaint about all auto rentals at MHT. when planning a recent trip, I discovered all rental agencies had increased their prices for a weekly rental by approximately 50%. When I questioned the increase I was informed it was because of the "Holiday Season". Real reason, NH presidential primary. I solved my problem by using another airport.

Anyone rent a car in Kansas City lately ? Look at the receipt and see how much the local government adds on in local use taxes.

My personal favorite is the return policy at Sears. You give them money, but when you return something they give you a sears only gift certificate. Ensuring that they still make their money. Sad but true.

Rent a car at the airport in Phoenix, Az. The added tax on renting a car for 7 days is the same as the cost of the rental of the car. ie. $175.00 rental fee is over $300.00 total for 7 days. Now that's a rip off!!

WOrse than any of this is my poor buddy that had to pay over $700 in damages to a car he didnt cause with Enterprise He failed to inspect the car upon taking it, and when he returnedd it they pointed out a small dent neither of us he didnt notice. He rented the car for $30 for one day, and it sure ended up costing him big time!

As a Rental car Agent, I see the need for the gas option at time of rental.. Dont forget the consumer who is short on time who does'nt want the hassle of figuring out gas in a large unfamiliar city. Remember, at least at my company it is just an option.. We don't force you to to take anything we simply offer or suggest it. It's the consumer who makes the choice.... There are benefits to taking the option, and this article has not addressed any of those... It's consumed gas people, it's not a mysterious fee....

I noticed while renting cars from various rental companies in California last year that a full tank of gas filled by the company, was not a full tank of gas. It appeared that they filled it just to the full tank line, and not the couple gallons above it. Each car was about two gallons short and at California prices thats about $ 10.00 dollars on each rental. The only way you could fight back, is to leave the electrical on, and fill your fuel tank just to the full line also when turning it back in, instead of just filling the tank until the pump shut off......This was skimming at its best in California.

lets not go into "class action", talk about rip-offs! I have been involved in two, both won with rewards in the hundreds of millions of $s. In one I got a check for $8.00 and the other I could have received $25 if I had gone through the bother. HOWEVER, the law firms received tens of millions of dollars! How is that justice, I was the agrieved and got virtually nothing. Talk about ethics?????

The fact is, sneaky car rental companies aren't to blame here: sneaky car renters are. Everybody knows that "full" means that the gas gauge says so. But the gauge can be off by several gallons. MANY renters choose to rip-off the rental agencies (and their fellow renters) when they fill up 30, 40, 50 miles away en route to return the car. The gauge is still, technically, reading full, but the tank is far from it. If the rental agent doesn't top off the tank, the next renter pays for the previous renter's cheating. Complaining about rental companies ripping off their customers is the pot calling the kettle "black."

I happen to agree with the rental company.
heres why the tank on your car has na above full limit of 1to2 gallons.
when the needle says full you are not completely full, that is where the word top off means.
so for 2 to 3 dollars that is not bad.

Also, you reserve a high fuel economy car, but when you arrive they "Upgrade" you to the biggest gas guzzler on the lot. What an "Upgrade", the privilige to spend tons of money on additional fuel consumption.

Advantage Rent A Car in orlando, excellent experience Xmas week, a little slow at counter, but treated me fairly and I was able to upgrade to a mini van at counter for $300 less then if I booked that size car originally

Dollar/Thrifty must not allow a franchise to set policy that would increase the cost of rental. They are sending a very poor message that effects the entire company. Very foolish

Also sneaky is the amount of time you have to return a car. Don't get me started on "rental car days" vs. real days ... but yesterday I returned a car to National in Albany. The old 1 hour grace period is now 1/2 hour. I returned the care at 1:02 pm that I had rented at 12:27 pm the day before, and was charged and extra $20 for those 5 min. Inspired by Mr. Dentali I called to appeal and they took it off. Go National! Go Mr. Dentali!

Also sneaky is the amount of time you have to return a car. Don't get me started on "rental car days" vs. real days ... but yesterday I returned a car to National in Albany. The old 1 hour grace period is now 1/2 hour. I returned the care at 1:02 pm that I had rented at 12:27 pm the day before, and was charged and extra $20 for those 5 min. Inspired by Mr. Dentali I called to appeal and they took it off. Go National! Go Mr. Dentali!

Our car was having work. We went to enterprise because our insurance/warrenty provider had an agreement with them. We paid in cash up front and were told we would have to provide proof of mortgage, with electric bill and water. Then we were over charged 15$ per day (above the negotiated price)which would be refunded when we returned the car.

I bought a refrigerator from Best Buy and they refused to honor the warranty when it broke. I took them to court and I won. During the trial they produced an e-mail to show how they had discussed internally how they WERE responsible for repairs (trying to show I was unwilling to negotiate). Unfortunately for them they sent me a letter dated the SAME DAY as the internal e-mail that refused to pay for the repairs/replacement. I will never shop there again. Management is big crooks and yet they treat their customers like they see themselves. Don't believe me? Shop there once and see for yourself.

This has been in discussion on the travel boards for a while. One bit of advice that gets tossed around is never rent a car without having a camera with you. Use it to document everything both on pick up and on return. Even take a picture of the gas gauge. Try to make sure the employee sees you taking the pictures. And complain when a company tries to pull a ridiculous stunt like this. If it makes enough people mad, they'll stop trying to charge you to top off.

Through the years, I have personnally experienced many of the same issues mentioned by the respondents. As a result, I now only rent from one provider, Hertz. While their rates are higher than most, I have found their customer service to be exempliary and have never, ever, experienced the unscrupulous tactics stated above.

Now this whole rental car thing.....It is a very soar subject to me. I do not recommend enterprise to know one. I dealt with them for 4 yrs no problems. Then Easter weekend 3 yrs ago I tried renting again from them they pulled a credit report and everything came back and said we can not rent to you because of your credit. SO needless to say I have not rented or recommended anyone to them for there foul customer service and a scheduled rental. I deal with AVIS and have never had a problem my local one has always been accomedating. If I make a reservation and that vehicle is not available they upgrade me free of charge. I am sorry that someone has had a bad experience with them. I would have called into the customer call center and they would have helped me fix the problem immediately.

Sadly, why doesn't anyone complain about the government doing the same thing with fees for everything anymore. Calling them "fee's" instead of tax hikes so it doesn't need to be sent to the voters? And when those fee's for parks, or whatever, get collected, the original tax monies are used elsewhere.

I visit the USA every summer and rent a car (full size) for 6 weeks in total at 2 or 3 different places. Since I use Avis I never get any problem. Fortunatly I rent it by phone at the international phone desk and all is include! but I still control the bill since They make a mistake in Italy where the local desk at the airport adds some taxes. Avis refund me directlythe difference. I never paid the gaz in advance because ou spend too much time to control the level of your tank to make sure you use all for what you paid. It's pitty that the rental companies don't give discounts for long term renting (I paid 6 times the price per week)

My wife had the same problem only with insurance. She and her sister spent three weeks in Hawaii and rented an automobile. When returning it there was an insurance charge of $250.00. When she questioned it she was told that is the policy. After much haggling they reduced it to $125.00. By the way she informed them that our own insurance would cover any problems. Upon returning home we contacted our Credit card co.
They in effect said there was nothing they could do about it. We eventually had to pay the $125. Oh the rental co is Alamo.

I have rented cars many times only to find that while the fuel guage read full, it was significantly less than full, as guages often remain on full for the first 50 - 100 miles. When I return the car, I first top it off. There should be some way that rental customers don't have to get penalized by paying for the gas because the dishonest previous renter returned the car with less than a full tank. It should be upto the rental agencies to see that the customer starts out with a truly full tank of gas. When I've complained to some rental agencies about this, I was told that that was just the way it is, and was given no credit for gas that should have been in the car.

CALCULATED THEFT: I dropped my rental -FULL- at Hertz rapid return drop box. A month later there was a $74 charge for gas on my credit card. After 20 minutes on hold, I explained I had a receipt showing a fill up less than a mile from the airport. "Oh, well, we'll take it off" she said. To make matters worse, I had only driven 25 miles and they allegedly put 10 gallons in the car? A 2.5 mpg Carolla? It is theft, pure and simple. They know the majority of business travelers will not notice the late charge or complain.

My wife had the same problem only with insurance. She and her sister spent three weeks in Hawaii and rented an automobile. When returning it there was an insurance charge of $250.00. When she questioned it she was told that is the policy. After much haggling they reduced it to $125.00. By the way she informed them that our own insurance would cover any problems. Upon returning home we contacted our Credit card co.
They in effect said there was nothing they could do about it. We eventually had to pay the $125. Oh the rental co is Alamo.

I quit using the bottom tier of car rental companies (Dollar, Thrify, Budget, etc.) many years ago because of these numerous invented charges and consistent poor service with an attitude to match. I only rent now from the leader in the industry and have never had to lodge a complaint for any reason. They have sustained superior service and the rates I receive from them are very satisfactory. They are number one for a reason.

I always rent my car from Enterprise in St. Louis Park, Mn.(3-4 times a year) Never ever had a problem with them and the staff was great. I'll continue to rent from them.

When I was under 21, my boyfriend and I drove from Illinois to Las Vegas and back. My car was used, but I had just bought it. Five miles before we got home, two deer jumped over the median right in front of my car. We hit the one because there was nowhere else to go but a 20ft drop (which we would have hit the other deer) or the 4ft concrete median. I had a squeaky clean record.
Because I lived off-campus at college, I had to rent a car. My insurance company would pay for it up to $10/day (cost of a compact). Enterprise wouldn't charge me less than $20/day because I was under 21. I asked them what rate they would offer a 25-year-old with a bad driving record. They said the charge would not apply to the person over 25 because it was an age-related charge. So, somebody over 90 who can no longer see straight wouldn't get this charge? Is this not age discrimination?

The gas overcharges are nothing. At a major airport several companies (according to a frequent car renter on the "car rental bus")were not noting dents, missing wheel covers, rips in the upholstry or deep scratches on the check out sheet, and then charging every renter for the same problem. And they charge alot. His advise, which I have followed ever since, was to do the walk around, carefully, and note defects. An attendant at MDI wanted me just put it on MY copy, myself, and he would not annotate the company copy, or initial my copy and sign it. It took me another 15 minutes to go back in the terminal where I had already stood in line for 45 to get it signed. The 45 minute line seems to be a nationwide problem, except with Avis and Hertz, who cost twice as much but provide adequate staffing at their counters. And note that there are really little competition, since what looks like 8 companies are really just 4.

Enterprise. They are the WORST of all. Never do business with them! Dollar, Alamo and National are awful also. The only rental company I trust is Hertz. They have integrity and treat their customers fairly. Enterprise ripped me of 300.00 once and it took me 7 months to finally get my money back. Pure Scum Enterprise!

I'm not surprised to read this article - I have had my own unpleasant experiences with car rental companies. I once rented from Avis in Phoenix, Az, and when filing out the rental form at the counter I clearly told the rep that I wanted to decline insurance because both my own insurance and my credit card would cover any damage. The rep said "OK, in that case initial here, here, and sign here." I took the rep at his word and signed were he told me to.

Three days later, when I returned the car, they tried to make me pay an extra $15/day for insurance coverage I thought I had declined. They pointed to the contract and said that I had signed for the coverage, and indicated my initials next to some legalese and the letters "LDW" which they said meant "loss damage waiver."

I admit I was foolish in not making sure I understood EXACTLY what each term meant when I put my initials next to the text. I had trusted the Avis rep to be honest when I told him I was declining coverage and for him to tell me to sign in the correct places.

It was clear this was no accident but a deliberate policy to rip off customers because another customer who was returning his rental at the same time was making the very same complaint I was. In the end they decided to waive the charges rather than have two angy customers making a scene in front of new arriving customers. But had there not been a slew of new arriving customers, and had the other "victim" not been there for us to complain together, they would have ignored my protests and proceeded to rip me off.

All you have to remember is: CAVEAT EMPTOR

In other words "let the buyer beware"

Otherwise assume the "BOHICA" position.

def. b-o-h-i-c-a = "bend over here it comes"

I am having a similiar issue with my bank
"Capital One".
I am buying a home and the underwriter needed a print out of my checking account statment for a month.
I asked the teller and they told me it cost $3.00 dollars. I was furious. I have $18,000 dollars in my account and they want to charge me for a statement printout.
I will be banking elsewhere as soon as my new home closes.

I agree with the majority of the comments. I'm currently in Houston on buisness and renting a car. My daily amount is $44 but the added taxes are around $20 a day. while the taxes are not the rental companies fault, why should I be paying for the new sports stadium in a town I don't live in? As far as the rental companies are concerned, I stick to one company and belong to their loyalty program. Its a two way street....I'm loyal to them and they treat me well and handle issues quickly for me. Lets be honest...how many renters pick up a car with a full tank, drive 30 miles and don't put gas in it at all. If we want to be treated honestly and fairly, we have to be honest and fair also.

I happen to work for a rental car company. I agree with some of this I read and each situation merits its own judgement. People, you would not believe how much money we refund daily for common customer ignorance when it comes to a rental contract. And Enterprise does care about customer service first and foremost. Just read JD Power and Associates and look who's always on top. Thanks.

Dollar Rent A Car is THE worst of THE worst!! All car rental companies charge an extra "holding" fee of about $100.00 to $300.00 that's placed on your credit card at the time of rental. The extra "holding" fee DOES come off of your credit card...however Dollar (and Dollar Rent A Car really needs to change the name of the company to something a bit more appropriate like !@#$ Me Over Rent A Car) however Dollar charges the highest "holding" fee as compared to other companies. The reason for this is because Dollar is weak company.

Thanks to the person who wrote about dish-I was considering switching to dish-think I will stay where I am

Look,it seems to me that anytime you use your money anywhere,theres always a chance you will be rob.So the best thing to do is to be alert and beware also dont be afraid to complain until they listen.Like one said documented everything.Dont let anyone tells you what you should pay.You only pay if you want to.Good luck you all.

Thank you for the article. As the CFO of a company with offices in 5 mid-Atlantic states, I will do my part in no longer authorizing or reimbursing employees who select Dollar as their rental car company. Perhaps if other companies follow suit, these rip-off practices will inevitably cease to exist.

Time for a bit of perspective.

You all own or drive cars, right? How long does it take for your gas gauge to drop below full? Sometimes it can be 70-80 miles. If the rental car companies give you a car with a full tank, and you return it two gallons short, they are just minimizing the difference. I worked for a Thrifty franchise through college, and I know that the people who check the gas gauge when you return the car aren't going to be able to tell how long ago you filled up the tank.

I just think its funny how all these comments are about how everyone rips you off, and everything is so damn expensive, but I bet you turn around and complain to your boss the second you aren't given a huge raise every year.

I just finished arguing over a rental for the week after christmas with Avis. I had rented the car in Green Bay because I had to fly in for a family funeral. I had declined the refueling option and filled it up myself the night before my return flight. I drove a total of 4 miles to the airport to drop off the car. When I checked my credit card charge something didn't look right, so I called. They informed me that they had charged me to fill the tank. I offered my receipt as proof, but the agent insisted I must have not filled it "completely" because they were still able to get 2 gallons into it. I complained to the corporate customer service and now they say they will refund the $44 they charged me, but it will be intersting to see when that finally shows up. Avis won't get my business again!

IN DEFENSE OF TOP OFF FEES - - - - - - - - - - - -
Just a thought from one who works in the car rental business - - - Rental companies are not the only ones who are scam artists, the CUSTOMERS are as well. I can not count the customers who tell you to your face that they "just filled the car up" only to find that it is not full. Sure, the gas gauge reads "full" but in reality (and this takes experience to discern)the customer has driven 10-15 miles since they put gas in the car. Full? Well...matter of opinion. It took gas to drive those 10-15 miles didn't it??

If I could get away with it, I'd charge the top off fee only mine would be 3-5 dollars. Hey, gas is now over $3.00 a gallon in Virginia, Maryland and higher in West Virginia. Why is a $3.00 top off fee so ridiculous?? Gas is a big expense so why let the sacm artists get away with it?? Like in grocery stores and elsewhere, we all pay for the thievery of a few.
Ultimately YOU the CUSTOMER will pay through higher rental rates so why not be honest from the beginning??

When will they learn that the extra dollar exacted from the consumer....is not worth the "dollars" lost in good will and extra business....

Beware of returning a car after the drop off date. I rented a car in raleigh n.c from Budget for a two week stay. I needed the car a extra week and called them up prior to the return date to Add a week to the rental. No problem they say. Returned car as promised and the weekly fee was turned to daily fee of over an additional $400.00 I told them if I knew this before I would return the car and sign out a new one at a cheaper rate. Budget couldn't care less. I stopped using them and beware of additional fees

Want to get rid of car-rental companies, and airports, too? See my idea at http://www.LeviCar.com.

fuel should be topped off to the first "click", by both the rental car operator and the customer. where rac companies get you, is when the renter drives, say 30 miles, and when asked "did you re-fuel": the customer responds, "its full"..The agent, either responds with " did you re-fuel" or the rac system charges fuel based on a cents per mile diven basis.
If you are looking for ethical treatment from a rent a car operator, try looking off airport. Alos, bear in mind excess fees are mostly driven by stadium taxes, increased sales taxes that apply only to hotel & rac operations. As far as getting screwed on "insurance" issues, do your homework, most rac facilities pay commissions to agents who sell (deceive) the most.. Some managers` performance bonus is baswed solely on the sale of incremental revenue.
Not all of the rac people are crooks, but there are are lot who are.

What no seems to have noticed is that although they are charging a 'top off' fee, there is no way that they will use that to actually top-off the tank. And no way for the next person renting to check it. This is simply $2 in their pocket for nothing.

Enterprise Rent a car is notorious at this practice of charging customers for Gas. First they provide a tank that is half empty, but mark their contract stating it is full. Next when you return it more than what you had, they pin you for a charge. This practice is very prevalaent at Most Auto dealers like BMW and Mercedez. The Enterprise office at South Bay BMW in Torrance is notorious of deploying this practice. They do not check the car when you return it if the gas is at right level, but they charge it to your credit card and you only find out when you recive your credit card bill

On a recent trip to western Canada my wife and I flew into Edmondton where we rented a car from Dollar/Thrifty. We had made arrangements to return the car to the Vancouver air port Dollar/Thrifty location. As anyone knows rental companies charge a return fee for one way rentals.This is a $348.00 charge at Dollar/Thrifty. Durning the course of our trip, we realized the "Home" of this particular car is the Vancouver Airport. In essance we were returning the car to its "Home" location. In the process of returning the car I ask for the one way return fee to be waved since I returned the car for them. As you would expect the answer was NO. Not wanting to cause a scene at the rental counter I decided to handle the problem once home. A call to Dollar/Thrifty headquarters got a response of "you have to deal with Edmondton Airport where the car was rented". After an explanition of the situation and a request for a credit the managers response was No. She said company policy was no refunds of one way charges. After a somewhat heated discussion about their business pratices she relunctly offered me half credit of the charge. In responce I informed her I didnt bring the car half way back but returned the car to it's "HOME". I also brought to her attention that another customer wsa charged the same one way fee to drive the car from Vancouver to Edmondton. I explained to her that charging for a single service to more than one person is fraud and to expect a letter from The Ohio Attorney General. Figuring this issue was not going to "DIE" she agreed to a full credit. Moral of the story: If your renting a car one way check the registeration for the "HOME" of the car, you might save yourself a return charge.

The guy obviously is crazy. He spends all that time on the phone and wasting paper to fax. He spends 200 bucks just to get 2.16 back. Sounds like your typical business man. I deal with people like him everyday where I work at the airport. them type of people complain about the dumbest things such as small airline fees.

I work for a rental car.I have been there only 3 months,and all the little taxes will eat you up.The Wallmarts of cars.suck you dry,to the last drop of blood

Several years ago, I had a problem with my personal vehicle and took it to the local dealership to be repaired. The dealer had an agreement with Enterprise that since the car was under warranty, the dealer would cover ALL costs with Enterprise. Enterprise picked me up, drove me a mile down the highway to its shop, and promptly required a credit card and $50 for gas fees. I explained the dealer agreement. Enterprise not only refused to call the dealership to confirm, but refused to return me to the dealership OR let me use their phone (this was in the era before cell phones -- how archaic). I wound up walking a little more than a mile down a busy interstate access road in high heels at rush hour. When I called Enterprise coporate to complain, I got a lot of flimsy excuses -- and a bouquet of flowers. The end result was worse for Enterprise, though -- the dealer quit using them, too.

I did love John D"s idea of not buying gas for one day a week for a month to lower prices. BUT IT WON'T WORK!
1.The demand worldwide will simply take up the slack.
2.You WILL STILL HAVE to put gas in your car the next day.
3. We Have not drilled any new oil fields in years even though we HAVE the oil because of the tree huggers.
4. Even if we do drill for the oil we have, No NEW refineries have been built in the last 15 years to produce gasoline. (they have been trying for the last 12 years to buile a refinery in the middle of the desert in Arizona, but the tree huggers have continualy blocked it on the theory that some coyotes rabbits, or pack rats could be affected.)
5. Current refineries have to produce 50 different blends of gas because each state has its own regulations, instead of producing two blends, one for summer and one for winter. This raises costs and decreases supply even though the number of drivers has dramaticaly increased.

I was screwed my Dollar Rent A Car and not only will I never use them again, I passed the word and many will not use them again.

fuel should be topped off to the first "click", by both the rental car operator and the customer. where rac companies get you, is when the renter drives, say 30 miles, and when asked "did you re-fuel": the customer responds, "its full"..The agent, either responds with " did you re-fuel" or the rac system charges fuel based on a cents per mile diven basis.
If you are looking for ethical treatment from a rent a car operator, try looking off airport. Alos, bear in mind excess fees are mostly driven by stadium taxes, increased sales taxes that apply only to hotel & rac operations. As far as getting screwed on "insurance" issues, do your homework, most rac facilities pay commissions to agents who sell (deceive) the most.. Some managers` performance bonus is baswed solely on the sale of incremental revenue.
Not all of the rac people are crooks, but there are are lot who are.

Let me tell you what Enterprise did. My mother-in-law was visiting from Ohio. We had to take our car to the shop and we used my mother-in-law's credit card to rent a car while it was being fixed. Enterprise came and picked them up and we used the car for one day. We were told to take the car back to the car shop and they would pick it up there. Three days later they finally came and got the car and charged us for it while it sat at the shop they told us to take it to. We got them to take the charge off but now 2 months later it is back.

They're in the business to make a profit, just like everyone else. Do you do work or sell goods for free? Don't think so. I agree they need to be more up front with their fees, but however, if you don't like paying fees or charges when you rent a car, don't rent a car when you travel! Plain and simple. Stop whining and understand that this is how they make a living too.

These kinds of practices seem to be rampant in all kinds of business enterprises these days. It's like they count on people to be too busy to take the time to fight over the nickels and dimes--and we are busy!--but just think about how those nickels and dimes multiply over millions of customers and millions of transactions. I too am absolutely sick of it! And I applaud those who do take the time to fight this kind of thing (I've done my share as well). Recently my mother found that she was being charged $2.00 every time she used a store credit card, even though she paid off the balance every month. Having to pay to use the credit cards they are continuously wanting to offer us. She called the company and they ended up taking off the charges. She's retired and has more time to deal with this kind of unethical nonsense. I wonder how many millions (billions?) of dollars are lost by the consumer and put into corporate pockets (already well-lined) every year. Another question? How many man and woman-hors are lost each year in productivity due to technology headaches? Computer problems, having to relearn with every new update to toolbars, etc. All this nit-picky stuff! So much technology I DON'T buy just because I KNOW in the end it's just going to eat up precious time, patience, and inner peace! Thanks for listening. :-)

Watch out for City taxes in Chicago for rental cars 18% city tax on top of sales tax. Ouch.

I rented a car from PAYLESS in Tampa only to find when I looked at the bill before signing,the reserved rate was increased by 50%. When I asked the reason, I was told that my drivers licence was not a US licence and there were new laws in the US which put a premium on rentals with foreign licences.
I demanded to see the law (I had just arrived from Indiana and this ''new law'' was never applied )which of course they could not produce.
I stood my ground and made an issue in front of all incoming customers.
Two things happened..1)They backed off and ...2)I decided that I will never rent from Payless again.

It seems like there is no honesty and integrity in corporate america, anything and everything goes for corporate america to make a profit.
I was charged by Uhaul $50.00 plus the cost of additional gas, even though I did put gas in the tank before returning it.

Last march my I took a trip with my husband and my dad to Orlando, Florida. The Dollar Rent A Car company could probably smell us coming thousands of miles away...we were new to the idea of renting a car. What was originally supposed to cost my dad approximately $300 ended up costing us close to $800. They charged us all these extra fees and made it sound like we had to accept everything otherwise we would not be able to rent the car. It was absolutely ridiculous. We are going on a trip again at the end of February and this time we are not going to rent a car at all. It might be more difficult to get around, but that outweighs being scammed by another rent a car facility.

We also recently had an experience as well with Best Buy. One of the local stores was selling Guitar Hero II for Xbox 360 at a discounted rate of $39.99. My dad purchsed one. The next day, my husband and I wanted to purchase one as well, so we went to the store closest to us, which happened to be across town from the other Best Buy my dad had gone to. They were selling there Guitar Hero II bundles for $79.99. When we asked about honoring the price that the other Best Buy was selling their's for; they told us they could not. My dad spoke with many different managers and finally he was told that each franchise as the right to sell their items for whatever they would like. Unfortunately, the store that was selling them at the discounted rate had sold their last one an hour before this entire incident. So, my husband and I opted to buy the Guitar Hero III bundle from Walmart for only $10 more than what Best Buy was selling their Guitar Hero II bundles. And I also saw those signs for the restocking fee that some mentioned previously in this discussion. Best Buy will not be getting my sales any longer. Terrible customer service and policies!

As an over-12-year veteran of the car rental industry, I can state in no uncertain terms: You get what you pay for! While the average customer would like to see all the taxes, excess fee and such rolled into the rate, the competetive, price-conscious nature of the industry makes this impractical. Imagine tomorrow if one car rental company advertised the bottom-line rate, which was $15.00 a day more than it's competitors average daily rate, how much business would that company generate? Want outstanding service? Pay for it; there are certainly some car rental companies whose service exceeds the competition, but their rates are considerably higher. I am thoroughly amazed at those people who scour the internet for the rock-bottom price of a rental car, then complain that the service they received was not up-to-par. Again, you get what you pay for.

Everyone complains about the small rental fees, don't forget about all the 'taxes' on the bill, airport access fee, and upwards of 30% rental/sales/luxury tax. THOSE fees all come from the local governments using 'tourists' to pay for local projects. The problem is, even if you rent locally, you are subject. Imagine trying to keep your prices down for consumers when every year you have to add a few percent 'tax' on the top from local governments.

I rented a luxury car in Phoenix. This car had a key code pad on the door in case you locked the key in the car. Well, I was missing my keys. So, when I called the car rental company to get the code, I was informed they never got a code when they purchased the car and no way to get one now (what!!) How silly... So, I used my AAA to get the car opened. Found out someone stole my keys in the rest area when I went in to change my clothes! So, again I phoned the car rental company to find out they do not have a spare key for the car (what!!) how silly. They said the spare key is already on the key chain they gave me. Unfortunatly, the key chain is soldered and there is no way to get the other key off. So, When you rent a car, my suggestion is to have metal cutters in your pocket (not on the plane of course) and cut the 'extra' key off the key chain!! Thanks Hertz

I've gotten screwed at Manchester twice by Dollar. They charge up front for the full tank whether you ask for it or not, then they tell you they'll take it off when you return and it's full. Then, they don't take it all off. Dollar says that location is privately owned when I complained so they couldn't do anything. It's a screw job for sure. Watch out, they underprice everyone there then stick it to you.

These companies depend on the fact that it will cost the consumer 100 times as much to dispute the "fee" (fraud) as to just pay it. THANK YOU Steven Dentali for taking the time to stand up for all those who couldn't or didn't have the time and money to do it for themselves. Until we all decide to invest in stopping this BS, they're just going to keep piling it on.

These companies depend on the fact that it will cost the consumer 100 times as much to dispute the "fee" (fraud) as to just pay it. THANK YOU Steven Dentali for taking the time to stand up for all those who couldn't or didn't have the time and money to do it for themselves. Until we all decide to invest in stopping this BS, they're just going to keep piling it on.

I am so glad to learn I'm not the only one sick of these practices! Class action suit--yes! Any law firm out there willing and ready to take this on? You'd have lots of people signing up. Airlines, too. Outrageous that expensive airline tickets cannot be changed without a very high fee, even when the change is done days and weeks ahead of time. How many of us have lost hundreds/thousands of dollars over non-refundable policies? 100 dollars here and there for no added value. Really, there is a "how much money can we make off of people in order to up our profits?" mentality rather than "how can we best serve the customer and give a great product/service for a fair price?" No wonder there is less and less customer loyalty as well.

Thank you for this report. Will you please forward my $2.00 reading fee?

Whats the best thing to do, pay in advance and bring the car back on fumes or top it off yourself ?? Any suggestions ?

I cannot deal with Enterprise due to poor policies and extra charges. Never have the size car you want available.I find Hertz has best customer service and selection as a rule.

Looks like Sir Charge has more relatives than we thought. Must be his borther Lord Overcharge. Is this any different then restaurants adding 15% tips to your bill?

You should Rent from Hertz, haven't heard any complaints about them in these blogs

Enterprise at the Seattle airport charges multiple taxes and fees...too numerous to list.I had the car for 14 days and the "extra"charges totaled a weeks rental?Fine print somewhere in the contract which was not mentioned on-line or at the counter.Needless to say customer beware!!!

My favorite one is the extra coverage insurance they usually try to tack on at the time of rental. This is usually preceeded by the cautionary threat that
" in case of any accident you will be responsible for the full value of the vehicle". Naturally, most of us have auto insurance that also covers rental cars, so that 12.00 per day ( 4380.00 per year)gratuity is not necessary. I had a great laugh once in London when this shy Indian girl at the Hertz counter gave me this pitch and I said " Don't worry, when I return this car it won't have any value"

Good job Mr. Dentali!!!. I wish more people would stand up against these rip off companies.
My husband and I travel quite often and have been ripped off by car companies like National and Avis. I thought that I was singled out when trying to fight for what is right but after reading your article and the numerous comments from other people, it's nice to know that other people feel the same way.
We recently purchased an electric dryer from Sears and after taking it home we found out that there was no wires or plug to connect it to the wall outlet. I called Sears and told them that the box was incomplete. To our surprise, the agent told me that the item was sold separate, that it would cost me an additional $29.99 plus tax. I asked to speak to a manager. After speaking to the manager he said that the charged would be waived because I should have been told about it up front.
I am affraid to buy a car now, would I have to pay extra for the key?

Mr Dentali, you put the scam on the map.
My question is: Who gonna put an end to this scam?
I just hope that, the law would not want us to wait untill a crime has been committed befreo they can take action.
In this case, a crime has been committed.
Oops, sorry, it is all Political... Politician screw...

The power of the people is at hand. Because of Dollar's bastardly deed, the people of this nation should unite and boycott Dollar until they go under. This will send a clear message throughout the car rental industry not to nickel and dime the consumer ever again. I take my hat off to you Mr Dentali for standing your ground. As of today I will not use or recommend Dollar to anyone. Let the boycott begin!

Thanks for posting this article. I will be traveling next weekend and I will know to stay away from Dollar and Enterprise. I think I will reserve a car and then have my husband walk up before me to see if he gets a better rate. I am planning to use Alamo.

The "top off" terms is used in many services. Beware anytime you see this term. from your washing machine at the laundromat to your favorite eatery. Always ask if there are additional charges. Your dry in laundromats will only cycle without the heat. etc.. buyers beware!

Good for you Steven Dentali. What's right is right! I applaud you for standing for a pricnciple regardless of the dollar amount.

just las night I rented from Thrifty. i declined ALL the extras only to see when I got home that I had been charged a TRIPsaver fee of $4.99/day (I have a 3 day rental so that's an extra $14.97). I called customer service this morning only to be told that they cannot remove any of the extras over the phone, I have to go back to the counter. I found this to be a "trick" on their part as I'm sure that they know that this is an inconvenience for me to return to the location to take care of this today . . . I will however be complaining on Sunday when i return the car.

I didn't know Dollar was unable to prevent their franchisee's from committing what amounts to pure fraud. A top off fee when they don't top it off? I will rent elsewhere!

Wow. That is very very sneaky!

Now I've rented with Enterprise and I've never had a problem with anything like that. They always tell me just to bring it back with whatever was in there (or close to it). So if it had half a tank when I got it, I just bring it back with half a tank. Which to me is fair.

The wrong approach is to view the customer as a victim that has to protected from business. This approach invariably results in government intervention in the form of regulations that offending businesses help write. The regulations stifle competition and ultimately leave the consumer with no choice where to take their business.

Fortunately, as long as competition exists, the ultimate payback is to take your business elsewhere. Companies have and will continue to go bankrupt because they forget who pays the bills (the customer). The consumer is the boss as long as we remember it.

Yes !! but there needs to be a web site for (all to see) just how a what company is doing these things.
not a blog !! but a web site like a news alert???

what if they really do top off the tanks. it takes time and gas to do it. who wants to get into a rental car where the gauge starts going below F by the time you get out of the airport? if they really top off, this cost money and they should be able to charge for it. if they don't, then it is a scam.

It does not make any difference where you go, almost all large corperations are out to screw the people. The almighty dollar. I went to Circuit City and wanted a refund on a gift card item because they did not stock the item they were rude and I swore I would never ever go into another Circuit City store.
The large box stores, the national car rentals are out to take advantage of anyone any time. The almighty dollar takes control. When I rent cars I use U-Save or any rental agency away from the airport. Use a shuttle service to a local hotel and rent from there. Some times the hotel gets a better rate. At the Portland Maine Jetport the airport has a tax added with the state tax. Plus the inflated rental fee. Ripped off again.

Next time you rent a car, ask if your insurance covers the car. They will rpobably tell you tha it probably does not. Individual insurance covers you as the driver of any car. Just something that insurance companies and rental companies wont tell you because they are both making a ton of money. It is simply an add on to measure the effectiveness of their employees and make money. People are actually promoted base on their ability to decieve people and get them to accept these unneeded services. If the car is not insured because you expect to be luck and not accept their expensive insurance, they would not give you the keys to their cars. Does the car dealer let you drive off with his lot when you make a purchase. No, but all of his cars are also insured. But did you ever notice that you can test drive a car for 3 days without buying it. That is because it is insured. In some cases the insurance collected from renters is enough to pay for the car on a monthly basis. Lastly, you never need to buy the insurance.

I've just finished reading through all the comments, and thank GOD that I did. Thanks to all for their comments, I've learned a lot and will surely take them into consideration when I do rent a car from any of the car rental agencies out there.

I wish the article mentioned more about requiring a receipt if you fill the tank yourself - how do these companies justify that when there's a gauge in the car that shows whether the tank is full?
Thanks Dentali for going through all that. It's worth it, if enough people do to the point where the fee is costing the company more in handling customer service than it's worth - that's the only real way to pressure them into getting rid of it...

I recently had a weird experience this holiday season in Florida. I rented a car from National/Alamo and did not take a pre-paid gas option. When I was returning the car, the gas station next to the airport was charging $4.53/gallons of gas... when everywhere else the price was ranging from slightly below to slightly above $3.00/gallon. After asking around, I found out that this was all deliberate and was guided to a Gas Station about a mile away that was charging $3.09/gallon. Looked to me like a case of some kind of underhanded deal between national and the particular gas station!

Mr. Dentali's actions should be the norm, NOT the exception. Seriously, the phone company fees are ridiculously outrageous and seemingly unregulated. Every time there is a surge in technological innovation, we, the consumers, are going to pay for the surcharges associated with these technological "advancements" thus, paying the tab for profiteers such as AT&T, Exxon etc. People, STOP using these products and services and demand greater accountability - higher costs of living for MOST Americans yet oil companies are pulling in record breaking profits. Americans wake up already and take action by writing your congressman and/or senator (that is if you even know who he/she is). Stop complaining and start writing!

Robert of San Antonio -- you've hit the head on the nail. Business need is the new morality.

There is another fee being used by the lower tier agencies that no one has talked about (or know about). I rented a car in Philadelphia from Dollar and I had the option to accept or reject a maintainance fee. If you reject this fee and if your rental car breaks down the rental company is not responsible for responding to the breakdown. Now they do not even back their own vehicles anymore. Whats Next?

I had this happen to me as well. So, the next time I rented from them, I topped off my tank with water.

It won't change until the car rental companies are sued by the NY Attorney General. The only institution that seems to still stick up for the American public. Although we used to have the FTC and SEC until their leadership was replaced by Republican fund raisers instead of competent people.