gail

I am aware that when one reserves a car they do not take credit card info - therefore making it more difficult for rental agency to calculate no-shows and easier for consumer to just not show up.

DH sometimes rents a car for long work-related road trips. Often cheaper for client and less wear and tear on our car. This means rental is sometimes from suburban location near our home, and Enterprise is really the only easy option. (it is closest and if I can't drive him they pick him up). However, a couple of times they did not have size car he reserved ("we have upgraded you to a mini-van") and today, no vehicle at all. They had to get one from another office 20 minutes away.

Anyone else experience this and if so, suggestions? Obviously, he could use another agency, but that would be logistically difficult.

SuzieTrue

I've had it happen at the Denver airport. Avis was having a hard time getting cars ready for the next rental. We spent an hour in line then got upgraded for no charge. After that we became preferred members and a car is waiting for us.

yk

Isn't this the Seinfeld Episode?

Agent: I'm sorry, we have no mid-size available at the moment.

Jerry: I don't understand, I made a reservation, do you have my reservation?

Agent: Yes, we do, unfortunately we ran out of cars.

Jerry: But the reservation keeps the car here. That's why you have the reservation.

Agent: I know why we have reservations.

Jerry: I don't think you do. If you did, I'd have a car. See, you know how to take the reservation, you just don't know how to *hold* the reservation and that's really the most important part of the reservation, the holding. Anybody
can just take them.

BTW, AFAIK, almost every rental car company pulls this "upgrade" trick on customers based on reports I've read here and elsewhere. Sometimes if you are firm and refuse the upgraded car, they somehow suddenly will "find" a car of your preferred size, but if their lot is empty, you're SOL.

Anonymous

I once arrived at Williamsburg via Amtrak, and the little local car-rental place at the station didn't have enough cars for all the train passengers who had booked them. I was the last person in line to get a car, since I was willing to take one with a nonfunctioning air conditioner and cassette player. The passengers behind me in line weren't quite as calm as Seinfeld.

yk

BTW, given the limitations your husband has (small suburban locations + free pick-up and drop-off), I don't think there are any other alternate options.

But if your husband does rent from Enterprise pretty often (does Enterprise have a loyalty program?), perhaps send an email to their customer service about today's "No Car" incident? Not sure what that will accomplish, but it won't hurt I guess.

montereybob

I travel a lot and this happens to me all the time. I have found 2 things that are sometimes effective as workarounds:

1. Take what they have at the time but call back everyday until they get the car I want and then do a trade which I have found they will always do with no extra charge.
2. Take what they have and, if I'm driving to another town anyway, trade it at their office in another town that has the car I want. Usually, no extra charge for this either.

nytraveler

It can happen anywhere - but is less likely at larger locations and earlier in the day.

I have often been upgraded at no cost from thee compact I rented (but I won;t take a van or SUV).

Got a Mustang once - since it and an SUV were all they had. I thought great - a chance to drive an American car to see if I might buy one. But - it was a little piggy of a car. Had enough pick up to get on the highway, but didn't handle very well on the curves (felt like a much bigger car) and even though it had only a couple of hundred miles on it the emergency brake didn't work. The second day I had it I had to have one of the hotel bell staff come out and release it - and it took him several minutes. (And I'm not a petite, weak little woman - I'm 5'9" and 140 and work out.) After that I just ignored the brake.