We were a one-car family and we found it very convenient and cost effective to rent a car when my wife's schedule and mine conflicted. We mainly used Enterprise, especially on the weekends, because of their special weekend rates.
My wife had a trip planned in April to visit her aunt who lived about 150 miles away. I went to our local Enterprise in Fairborn, Ohio and rented a Chevy Cavalier for a couple days. It was clean and polished, I gave the exterior a cursory once-over and signed and initialed the documents and drove off. My first stop was a drive-thru pharmacy, where I noticed the driver's side window was off-track and had to manually straightened before the window would fully roll down and back up. I made a mental note to tell the Fairborn Enterprise office when I returned the car.
I drove the car home and parked it in the driveway. My wife and our three children got in the car and drove off for their trip; I stayed behind because I had to work. Most of the trip was over the highway, she got off the highway and completed the last twenty miles of her trip on a State Route. She parked in the driveway, spent a few days visiting, got everyone back in the car, and drove home and parked in our driveway. The next day I took the car back, stopping only to fill the tank with gas.
I parked the car in front of the Fairborn Enterprise office and went inside to drop off the keys. The young man behind the counter was doing the necessary paperwork and without even looking up and out the window said there was damage on the car. I was very surprised and aligned myself with his line of sight and asked where? We both moved closer to the window and after moving my position to vary my line of sight, I saw some small dents on the passenger side front panel.
A second associate came rushing in with some paperwork as he was helping a customer in the parking lot. The first associate asked him Did you see the damage on that car. Without slowing down or even looking towards the parking lot full of cars, he immediately said Yes and left as quickly as when he came in.
I was still in shock and the first associate started filling out a damage report and said the Dayton Enterprise office would be contacting me.By this time the second associate returned and was looking over the paperwork. I told the second associate about the window that was off-track and he looked very irritated and went out to inspect the car for himself and I followed him out the door. He pointed out the dents on the car and proceeded to test the window problem, which still went off track as it was rolled down. He asked how it happened and I told him it was like that when I picked it up. I went back in and got my copy of the paperwork and left.
I thought the whole thing had been written off until my insurance company notified me a few months later and told me Enterprise had filed a claim. The amount of the claim was approximately $1022 and since my deductible was $1000 I told the insurance company I would deal directly with Enterprise.
Enterprise management, as I expected, pointed out I had not noted any damage during my initial inspection and I was liable for the damages, and threatened me with legal action if I did not pay.
Well, they were right. I did have the chance to inspect the vehicle and did not note the damage. That was my first mistake, one I will not make again.
My second mistake was not taking the vehicle back when I discovered the damaged window (which was an indicator the vehicle may have been struck hard enough to cause the window to go off track).
My third mistake was assuming the Fairborn Enterprise office would act in an honest and ethical manner when dealing with customers. If it were not for the terrible acting job between the two associates and the damaged window I could have been convinced that someone vandalized the vehicle while it was parked in the driveway.
But, I believe a more likely scenario is a previous customer damaged the car and the associates did not catch it or an employee caused the damage. Whichever, it true I believe the associates decided to nail the next guy renting the car with the damages.
These mistakes cost me over $1000 and I hope others can learn from my mistake.inspect rental vehicles thoroughly; report any damage you find immediately; and most important if you need to rent a car in Fairborn, Ohio, do not use Enterprise.By the way the Avis Rent-A-Car is right down the street.
Robert - Fairborn Ohio
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