Enterprise Rent-A-Car — Attraction in New York

I made a reservation online well in advance, ensuring that I will be able to rent the car with a German driver license and a German passport (which is, as I know from previous rentals, accepted by other major car rental agencies in the area such as Hertz and Avis).

According to the conditions stated in their website and the confirmation email (I quote):

" Driver's License Information

Customers traveling to the United States and Canada from another country must present the following:

Their home country driver’s license, and

If the home country license is in a language other than English (or French, for rentals in Canada) and the letters are English (i.e.alphabet is an extended Latin-based alphabet like German, Spanish, etc.) an International Driver’s Permit is recommended, but not required, for translation purposes in addition to the home country license. "

I faithfully entered all details of my license and passport into the system, and received no warning flags that I am missing any documentation. Five days prior to the pick-up date and after having made travel plans based upon it (booked Airbnbs at my travel destination), I was contacted by Enterprise that an International Driver’s Permit would be required for renting the car, which is obviously not in agreement with the conditions outlined above.

In an attempt of a clarifying call, I pointed out that requiring an International Driver’s Permit is not in agreement with the conditions that I was presented with at the time of reservation. However, to my disappointment the agent reacted very inflexible and not very helpful, by simply insisting that an International Driver’s Permit is ultimately required.

Very...

I have to start by saying the young Irish guy who works here (named Collin (or Colin) I think) here is super nice, professional, and a great worker. That is the only nice thing I can say about the experience and why I'm giving two stars instead of one. I rented a SUV (Jeep) to drive up to Westchester to pick up some baby furniture from my wife's parents and bring back to our apartment in Astoria. On the drive back the car randomly started overheating and smoking in gridlock on the Bruckner Expressway. Remembering the trick I used with my beater 1986 200K+ miles Toyota Camry that I started driving in 2000 when I turned 16, we blasted the heat and eventually that pushed the engine temperature slightly below the red zone and the smoking stopped.

We got back to the apt thanks to the heater and got it towed from there. I tried to call the store afterwards to process refund and to report where the car had been towed and, after being on hold for over an hour, I ended up taking the subway and walking to the store. It turns out that the great and super helpful person working there couldn't answer the phone because it was packed and he was apparently THE ONLY ONE working at the location.

Long story short, Enterprise sucks and I will never trust them for a rental again. However, Collin (or Colin) rules and should get a promotion--or at least...

Note to GEICO It is essentially a criminal Enterprise that in no way maintains the Enterprise standards of quality or customer support.

This place will sell out its insurance customers any time it gets a better deal from the public.

I got a verbal confirmation when I booked through the 800 no. AND a follow up call from their office confirming it, but when I got there they denied this booking existed - even though I showed a call log from their office and had two adult witnesses in my car at the time!

Needless to say, they made no attempt to source a car from a sister office for the abvious reason that they are in cahoots, as I found out when I went to said sister office on Queens Blvd!

If you think you must go, at the very least get your order in writing. But it probably wouldn't matter because they consider insurance customers disposable. And they will lie to straight faced!

Also, don't believe the ads - THERE IS NO WAY THEY WILL PICK YOU UP OR DROP YOU OFF!

I have used other suburban Enterprises in the past and I was highly satisfied but this is a bandit operation. If you don't believe me read the other comments on poor maintenance and dangerous cars.

PS I did complain to...