The ABSOLUTE WORST car rental experience of my life.
on June 4th, 2015, I rented a car from Hertz at McCarran Airport in Las Vegas. I previously did a lot of searching online to find the best deal, and opted to pay more with Hertz because they offered the Ford Fusion Hybrid, a green vehicle I wanted to test drive for the weekend. When making the reservation through their national call center (there's no way to talk to ANYONE at the local office), they recorded my request for that particular car.
I then called back to ask again, and they confirmed that the Fusion Hybrid was in stock at McCarran and waiting for me. They also confirmed that I could leave my own car at the rental facility for the 2 days I would be renting their Hybrid.
So I arrived to pick up the car and was surprised to find out that they DON'T CARRY the requested car, there are NO hybrid cars available, and there is NO customer parking. So I had to park at a nearby mall, walk half a mile back to the rental facility to finish paperwork, drive home, and pay my roommate to take me back to pick up my car from the mall so it didn't get towed. And while they provided a discount on the car they rented me (a Chevy Cruze), it was still more than the other deals I found online.
Driving back on 6/6, I tried reaching the local facility to confirm that someone would be able to drive me home after dropping off my rental. Again unable to reach anyone, I spent more than 90 minutes of my drive cycling through their national call center phone bank, getting non-answers and disconnects, I never did get an answer.
When I arrived back at McCarran, one of the attendants checking in the car said he had seen the manager pay for a cab ride home for a client before. After explaining my experience to the manager, I requested just that - reimbursement for the cab ride home. He refused.
In fact, he REFUSED TO DO ANYTHING to compensate me for the added expense and hassle caused by the lies told by their national call center in order to get my business. It was bait-and-switch, and I feel victimized.
Based on the fact that I could have gotten a similar car cheaper from another vendor and not had to pay for any rides, I feel I am now owed:
I was, as usual, offered a plethora of unnecessary options as every rental place does to include the fuel purchase option. I declined because I said I would refill myself. The sales person stated that I don't have to worry if I fill it up myself the option is removed and would not be charged. It seemed like a safe bet in case I was running late and couldn't fill up for some reason. Needless to say, I returned it full and they charged me still the $34.12 for the option. I called them immediately upon returning home to AZ to inform them of their mistake. The person who answered agreed and said in approximately 3 weeks my credit card would be reimbursed.
4 weeks later I called back since it did not of course come off my credit card. The person who answered stated that there had been no notes on the account pertaining to this and that I would have to provide proof that I had filled up the car i.e. a reciept from the gas station I had used. (As if the reciept can prove I filled it up!) I know that they checked the mileage and gas so her statement that the person did not mark down returned full was a lie or just ignorance. Since the first person I had talked to a month previous acknowledged I HAD filled it up I assume a lie. I am a Gold member but will never rent from them again out of principle.
This was the Hertz San Antonio Airport location on W Cargo St. Avoid it or at least don't fall for this little scam.
Hertz Corporation Reviews
The ABSOLUTE WORST car rental experience of my life.
on June 4th, 2015, I rented a car from Hertz at McCarran Airport in Las Vegas. I previously did a lot of searching online to find the best deal, and opted to pay more with Hertz because they offered the Ford Fusion Hybrid, a green vehicle I wanted to test drive for the weekend. When making the reservation through their national call center (there's no way to talk to ANYONE at the local office), they recorded my request for that particular car.
I then called back to ask again, and they confirmed that the Fusion Hybrid was in stock at McCarran and waiting for me. They also confirmed that I could leave my own car at the rental facility for the 2 days I would be renting their Hybrid.
So I arrived to pick up the car and was surprised to find out that they DON'T CARRY the requested car, there are NO hybrid cars available, and there is NO customer parking. So I had to park at a nearby mall, walk half a mile back to the rental facility to finish paperwork, drive home, and pay my roommate to take me back to pick up my car from the mall so it didn't get towed. And while they provided a discount on the car they rented me (a Chevy Cruze), it was still more than the other deals I found online.
Driving back on 6/6, I tried reaching the local facility to confirm that someone would be able to drive me home after dropping off my rental. Again unable to reach anyone, I spent more than 90 minutes of my drive cycling through their national call center phone bank, getting non-answers and disconnects, I never did get an answer.
When I arrived back at McCarran, one of the attendants checking in the car said he had seen the manager pay for a cab ride home for a client before. After explaining my experience to the manager, I requested just that - reimbursement for the cab ride home. He refused.
In fact, he REFUSED TO DO ANYTHING to compensate me for the added expense and hassle caused by the lies told by their national call center in order to get my business. It was bait-and-switch, and I feel victimized.
Based on the fact that I could have gotten a similar car cheaper from another vendor and not had to pay for any rides, I feel I am now owed:
$8 difference in rental rates
$31 cab fare + tip
$5 roommate gas money
-----
$45 owed to me by Hertz
I was, as usual, offered a plethora of unnecessary options as every rental place does to include the fuel purchase option. I declined because I said I would refill myself. The sales person stated that I don't have to worry if I fill it up myself the option is removed and would not be charged. It seemed like a safe bet in case I was running late and couldn't fill up for some reason. Needless to say, I returned it full and they charged me still the $34.12 for the option. I called them immediately upon returning home to AZ to inform them of their mistake. The person who answered agreed and said in approximately 3 weeks my credit card would be reimbursed.
4 weeks later I called back since it did not of course come off my credit card. The person who answered stated that there had been no notes on the account pertaining to this and that I would have to provide proof that I had filled up the car i.e. a reciept from the gas station I had used. (As if the reciept can prove I filled it up!) I know that they checked the mileage and gas so her statement that the person did not mark down returned full was a lie or just ignorance. Since the first person I had talked to a month previous acknowledged I HAD filled it up I assume a lie. I am a Gold member but will never rent from them again out of principle.
This was the Hertz San Antonio Airport location on W Cargo St. Avoid it or at least don't fall for this little scam.