The fact of the matter is- ALL car rental companies industry wide have the same basic foundation. They're all the same! Employees work long shifts, late hours, and are under pressure. Cars are now being kept longer by ALL rental companies, which means higher mileage --equating to dirtier, more damaged vehicles.


ALL rental companies OVER BOOK- just like the airlines and hotels. They are dependant upon the 15-20% no show rating every day. As an airport employee of 3 years, I have witnessed 2+ hour wait times with EVERY one of the rental companies. Sometimes, people arrive 4-8 hours past their res. time.

While they are quick to point out this late arrival is no fault of their own, blaming the airlines for delays, they are also the ones who blame the rental company for something that is also no fault of theirs- isn't it the airlines we are to blame, after all?? Don't forsake a rental company for not having your prized Dodge Charger when the airline or weather made you late and you failed to atleast change your reservation pick up time. Don't complain about your car when you booked the cheapest possible rate for the cheapest car. You get what you pay for- if you want power options and room for you, your wife and 4 kids, don't book a 4 seater economy car and complain when you get a 2 door chevy!!

While rare, the excessive waiting time does happen when the no shows are low, or when flights are delayed and reservations are adjusted at the last minute. This also happens with rental companies, on occasion, due to fleet mismanagement and "promos" that lure in 140 people booking a minivan when that location only has 60 on that particular day.

Customers can also be just plain idiotic. If you keep it longer than you said you would, should you not pay more than originally quoted?? If you stray from your part of the rental agreement, you may be penalized. If you wreck the car, regardless of fault, you may have to pay loss of use fees or a high deductible. Don't blame the rental company for your travel woes and high costs...instead consider yourself lucky to be traveling at all.

If you book for 4 days, and arrive a day early making it a 5 day rental, don't still expect the same quote as what was recieved for 4 days.
THAT just doesn't make sense, yet it's something a customer would yell about and curse a rental company over.

If you go to a hotel, get quoted 109. a night, and then stay an extra night or arrive a day early...do you really think the quote would not be adjusted to include that extra night? Please- THINK!!

Yes, it may be obvious that I not only work in the airport, but for a car rental company. I can honestly say that we have had many people ask us for the CDW/LDW after having a previous experience with a damaged rental and a credit card that doesn't cover what it claimed it would due to some hidden loop hole.

We also sometimes have people tell us how disappointed they were for not taking the 24.00 LDW and then having to pay 900.00 for a fender bender. (those 1,000 deductibles hurt)

No, we can't add the coverage on after something happens and you realize you should've taken it...sorry.

~~~We have people who finally make their way to our company after having similar problems with almost all of our competitors...claiming they're giving us a try because every other place provided some sort of horrible experience.

Time to wake up and realize many things mentioned about a certain rental company are infact industry wide practice.
Others need to take ownership for decisions made and know what they are signing for.

Now, don't even get me started on the airlines and travel agents. Believe me, those too are almost all the same!!