First, I made a flight reservation on southwest.com. Then I made a reservation to rent a car down in El Paso with Dollar off southwest.com and I was able to use my Rapid Rewards. I would get a credit for flying and a credit for renting a car. I got a confirmation for the flight and rental car. I selected under Company - "Shop All Rapid Rewards Partners." The dates where Friday Feb. 13 pick up the car 1pm, and return on Feb. 17 check in time 4pm. I selected compact car//cheapest car I could get as I would not use the car very much. When the rates came up under each car rental and car, I notice that "Economy car" would be cheaper than a compact car.
So, I chose the economy Rapid Rewards/Dollar came up as $92.50 for economy car (base rate). This was my first time I ever rented a car. I went on booking the reservation. The price came up to $133.90- (Approximate total). Mileage Charge - unlimited, and taxes was included.
So I reserved the car with my debit car (visa Logo) and I had called Dollar 800# twice to make sure I had everything ready to go so when I would arrive in El Paso I would pick up the car and go. The first reservation I made I had to cancel it as when I booked my flight, and I had used my mother's credit card and when it said is the same card I used for the flight would be the same for rental car. Not thinking I said yes. Dollar would not let me use my mother's credit card. It had to be in my name as I am the driver. I canceled that reservation as my mother was going to be the driver and would use her credit card for the rental car.
I booked a reservation this time under my debit card because I am the driver and Dollar would not take my mother's credit card as she won't be the driver. Picking up the car. I used my own insurance as I have insurance with State Farm. I filled out the form and gave my debit card information; again the approximate total was $ 133.90 and I booked it and got a confirmation #. I printed out all the paper work off my printer so I would have it.
When I was leaving for the airport I had my confirmation # for southwest flight and a confirmation for the rental car. I put the papers of the flight information in my purse and the papers for the rental car in the outside of the suitecase in a zipper compartment/pocket. (I had the cancel reservation that was in my mother's name and the current reservation in mine just in case there was a problem. I got to El Paso and got my luggage. As I was standing in line at the Dollar rental car which was right across from the baggage claim, I could not find my reservation papers I had in the pocket of my suitecase. I was upset but I got up there to the lady at the dollar rental car and I told her I had a reservation under my name and I am here to pick up the car. The lady said, "Ms. I see you selected economy car and you have a reservation." I said yes. "I asked her how much is it going to be?" I was thinking it would maybe be a little bit more for taxes. She ignored me and she started naming cars and I said "all I want is the reservation for $133.90 or cheapest car."
She asked me if I wanted a car called Sebring? I never heard of the car and I said how much is it going to be? Ignored me again and said "It is snowing outside are you sure you want a cheaper car?" I said, "Yes." I got rough with her and said I why can't you give me a price. She got all the paper work together and asked me to sign here, there, etc. I told her I will not sign until I know the price. She it will be $280.00. I asked her why so much? She ignored me.
By that time all I wanted to do was get out of there as I had to travel 4 hrs with back pain and I was no mood for games. I signed as she kept giving me the run around. I know I should just walked away and not signed. I should have went somewhere else as I did not feel comfortable as I wanted the reservation I made and she tried to upsale me cars that I did not want. I asked her "am I getting credit for rapid rewards" and she said "Yes." On the rental agreement. It first said $309.436 and she crossed it out and put $280.00 so the paper never showed what was my amount I would be charged. I did not like that.
I got home in Artesia, NM to my parents' house and I showed the rental agreement to them. They were not happy as they paid for my trip and they did not honnor my reservation, the price was not what I agreed to on the Internet, and I did not get credit for rapid rewards. The was the whole purpose of renting a car so I could get some rapid rewards credit.
On the rental agreement we could hardly read it so my mother called the 800# for Dollar and spoke with a lady. Since the confirmation was not in my suitecase we did not know it. The lady at the 800# looked up and gave us the confirmation # and said the lady who helped me at the rental car place in El Paso made a commsion off me and did not go by the reservation I made. She told my mother and I to call customer service Monday-Friday 8-5 central time.
Monday night we started looking at the rental agreement closley and my we found the actually # to the rental car place on the rental agreement. 915-778-5445 and I called. I spoke with a lady and she was not nice to me. She told me to call back in Tuesday morning as the manager Issac will be there around 9am. So, I called and spoke to the manager. I was not happy at all with him as she kept telling me I was not suppose to take the car and sign the rental agreement. He told me he was going to end the call as I was mad. Please do not hang up on me I just want to know why the lady to not honnor my reservation? HE said that was not really a reservation. I asked him why they even have it on the Internet if it is not a vaild reservation.
Finally he said when you drop the car off tomorrow for me to come inside and he would give me 10% off the bill, instead of Monday/Tuesday are during the week rates he would make all the days weekend rates. I went inside on Tuesday and the manager was there. He printed my new rental agreement up but said only 5% instead of 10% I asked him and he said he did give me 10% and then I asked him am I getting credit for rapid rewards and he said I had to bring it up and I have to give him the card so he can enter that rapid rewards # in. If I had forgotten about it I would have not gotten credit for it.
I checked my bank account online and found out I was charged $309.43 and not was he said it would be $243.49. My mother had regionally put $170.00 in as we thought it would be $133.90. So when I got the car she had to go put more money in my account. Now, I have overdrawn my account as they did not give me the credit. I called last night to the dollar rental car place in El Paso and I was upset. The guy I talked to finally pulled my account up and said it will take 24-48 hrs to have credit my account but the manager did not tell me that as my mother could have put money in my account so I will not be charged more.
This is fraud and I made a complaint to dollar customer service which will take 10-20 days before I hear anything and I will make a complaint to southwest as the rental company will not honnor the reservation on the Internet and I gave out my debit card # over the Internet so anyone could have access to it. Either way I was ripped off. That was my first time I rented a car and it will be my last.
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