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RENTAL CAR TIPS

Marcy Schackne is mad.  She recently waited 2½ hours at LAX just to talk to a car rental agent. After completing her paperwork, she inspected three vehicles that were "beyond dirty" before finding one suitable to drive

Car rental rage: Why everyone’s losing it at the counter right now

March 30, 2026March 30, 2026 by Christopher Elliott

Marcy Schackne is mad. 

She recently waited 2½ hours at LAX just to talk to a car rental agent. After completing her paperwork, she inspected three vehicles that were “beyond dirty” before finding one suitable to drive

Categories On Travel
Avis charged me $250 for smoking weed

Avis charged me $250 for smoking weed in my rental car. But I don’t even smoke! 

March 18, 2026March 18, 2026 by Christopher Elliott

Gary Mullen-Schultz thought he was getting a reliable rental when he picked up a vehicle from Avis in Sacramento. Instead, he got something else — a vehicle that reeked of marijuana. Now Avis wants him to pay $250 to get rid of the smell. Can it do that?

Categories The Travel Troubleshooter
My Enterprise rental car broke down! Do I deserve a refund?

My Enterprise rental car broke down! Do I deserve a refund?

March 2, 2026February 17, 2026 by Christopher Elliott

When John Sand landed in Munich and picked up his rental car from Enterprise, he was ready for a fun-filled European road trip. Instead, he took an unexpected detour that left him without wheels for 36 hours and forced him to navigate a Kafkaesque customer service maze.

Categories Advocacy
Stacey Wall rented a car from Enterprise in Phoenix and took photos of a small dent on the door before driving it. Weeks later, she received a $1,391 damage claim dated three days after returning the car. Despite providing timestamped evidence of pre-existing damage, Enterprise insisted she was responsible. After escalating the issue, Enterprise reviewed the photos again and agreed to drop the claim, leaving Stacey relieved but questioning why this happened with her rental Windstar.

I have proof that I didn’t damage my rental car. So why do I have to pay?

November 24, 2024October 9, 2024 by Christopher Elliott

Stacey Wall has proof that she didn’t damage her rental car. So why does Enterprise want to charge her, anyway?

Categories The Travel Troubleshooter
Josephine Donatelli was charged $515 by Enterprise for a missing head restraint and hat shelf from her rental car. However, she insists she returned the vehicle exactly as she rented it. Enterprise sent the claim more than a month after the return, with insufficient evidence to prove it was her rental car, including no photos with identifying details like a license plate. After disputing the charge with her credit card company and contacting Enterprise, a representative apologized for the error and refunded the money, acknowledging the confusion and promising future rental credits.

Billed $515 for a missing head restraint on my rental car. But is this the right vehicle?

August 19, 2024August 14, 2024 by Christopher Elliott

Enterprise charges Josephine Donatelli $515 after it discovers a missing head restraint in a rental vehicle. But was it her rental vehicle?

Categories The Travel Troubleshooter

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