Nationalcar Reviews 63

IF I COULD NATIONAL, NORTH SHORE ON PEMBERTON, I WOULD GIVE THEM A “0 STAR.” WE WAITED 4 DAYS FOR A RESERVATION, TOLD THEY WOULD SEND RESERVATION SUNDAY OR MONDAY WHEN CAR CAME IN. MODAY ON THE PHONE WAITING FOR HOURS AS CARS CAME AND WENT, WITH LINE UPS OUTSIDE. FINALLY SPOKE TO MANAGER AGAIN, PROMISED TO KEEP THE ONE LARGER CAR LEFT AND CHARGE SAME CAM CLARKE RATE AS SMALL CAR. WHEN MY DAUGHTER CAME, HE HAD HER SIGN A CONTRACT, WHICH WAS DOUBLE THAN RATE PROMISED AND SHE HAD NO CHOICE. SHE DIDN NOT REALIZE AND OWNER OF COMPANY WOULD NOT DO ANYTHING. THEY ARE NOT REPUTABLE. GO ANYWHERE ELSE, LIKE ENTERPRISE ON NORTH SHORE. THEY WILL HONOUR THEIR MISTAKES AND NOT TRY TO CHARGE YOU MORE THAN PROMISED. OWNER REFUSED TO DO ANYTHING!

Overcharged and no response – Very poor customer experience!

I reserved a car through Enjoy Travel with National Rent a Car at Cologne Airport between July 3–10, 2025, for €388, including insurance, cross-border fees, taxes, and everything else.

At the counter, however, I was charged €688, which is €300 more than the confirmed reservation. Nobody explained this overcharge to me.

Moreover, they had entered my email address incorrectly, so I never received the contract or important documents.

I emailed Enjoy Travel to report the issue, but received no response at all.

As if that wasn't enough, while driving through Gent (Belgium), I received a LEZ fine, which I wasn't informed about in advance. National car rental demanded €30 additional processing fee.

This is completely unprofessional and unacceptable. I kindly request a refund of the €300 overcharge, and compensation for the lack of transparency and customer support.

▪ Rental period: 3–10 July 2025
▪ Contact: +90 505 904 4758

Keine Antwort, überhöhte Gebühren und unklare Zusatzkosten

Ich habe zwischen dem 3. und 10. Juli 2025 über National Rent a Car einen Mietwagen bei Enjoy Travel am Flughafen Köln gebucht. Laut Buchung betrugen die Gesamtkosten inklusive Versicherung, Grenzübertritt, Steuern usw. 388 €.

Am Ticketschalter wurden mir jedoch 688 € bzw. 300 € Zusatzgebühren berechnet. Eine klare Erklärung dafür gab es nicht.

Außerdem wurde meine E-Mail-Adresse falsch eingegeben, sodass ich weder Vertragsunterlagen noch Anweisungen erhalten habe.

Ich habe Enjoy Travel umgehend per E-Mail kontaktiert, aber bis heute keine Antwort erhalten.

Zudem bin ich unwissentlich in eine Umweltzone in Gent (Belgien) eingefahren, ohne die Autovermietung zu informieren. Daraufhin wurde mir nicht nur ein Bußgeld, sondern auch eine zusätzliche Bearbeitungsgebühr von 30 € berechnet.

Ich bitte um Rückerstattung der 300 € Überzahlung und entschuldige mich für diesen schlechten Kundenservice.

▪ Mietzeitraum: 3.–10. Juli 2025
▪ Kontakt: +90 505 904 4758

I always hate getting a hire car. Does not matter how much insurance you get it never covers everything as is the case with this mob. Your tired. You have traveled for days, you are punchy. You think from the confirmation email you have everything covered..First off he would not take my CC which every other place on our 8 week trip had so I had to transfer money over to another one and be charged a conversion fee from my bank. He then wanted to put a hold on my CC card for $1500 which I asked him to check. He then wanted to hold $500 which again I told him was wrong. On their website and confirmation email since I was receiving a small car was only $300. It was just a struggle with everything from the get go. As we were leaving he said “oh and if you get a chip in the windshield we replace the whole thing which you will pay for”. Real hard work getting the car.

If I could give 0 I would I went to pick up my car at RDU through the emerald plan via my at organisation it was all booked and there was a manager African American built guy if you ever go there I think he was the manager he refused to give me the car because I didn’t have a return flight. He was so rude in his manner. I ended up renting with thrifty who didn’t ask for the same thing I rang national to complain and they did nothing and I wrote to the CEO who did nothing.

I had a flat tire in the middle of the road. I got no assistant despite waiting for 2 and 1/2 hours on the road and multiple phone calls. The operators on the phone were unsympathetic and totally worthless and of no assistance. I had to get the car towed on my own accord to the closest National/ enterprise dealership to get a replacement card. The car I had did not even have a spare tire that I could change.
Getting a replacement car which was in the category I booked was next to impossible. I had to change three cars at three different locations before I got a car that matched my original reservation.

I'd like to them higher however, as big as they are they need to maintain their fleet much better. We have a corporate account and rent multiple vehicles on a weekly basis. Making a reservation is easy, most of the staff tries and usually is helpful. Where they completely fail is with the maintenance of their vehicles. I've rented from the Charlotte airport location a dozen+ times over the last 5 months. I've had problems with at least half of the vehicles; it's not topped off with gas, the air conditioner doesn't work, it needs oil, it needs the brakes changed, it's due for service, windshield wiper fluid is out, the tires are low, the key fob batteries die and you have to use the key to get in the car and so on.

We're Emerald members, why are so many of the cars NOT maintained? Let me guess, it's too expensive. For a routine rental you can set up the rental, pick up and drop off easily. Try to change or extend your rental you log into the site and then it says you have to call them. Then you're on the phone for 20-30 minutes just to extend a rental. Why be an Emerald member, just because it's a bit cheaper but you waste time extending rentals and the cars are not maintained in the emerald isle?

Same thing with enterprise. Why do they refuse to let you talk to someone that works at the location you are renting from?
Flight got delayed and I land after they close, asked three times to talk to someone who actually works there and never was able to. Only spoke to people with strong accents that were 0 help.

If I could post a Negative number, I would. I had to wait a few weeks to post this review because I was so furious. I bundled a car rental with my flight through one of the common bundle companies. I paid in advance, SIX WEEKS prior to travel for a flight and rental car from NATIONAL. My flight went great, actually arrived early and I proceeded to the car rental desk in the (PIE) Tampa-St. Pete airport at 1130 PM on March 11th 2025. At the desk, the young clerk began processing my paid reservation when he said there was a balance due from the prior year for $250. In 2024 I had my rental car broken into, breaking a window while in San Francisco. I did, however, pay this when due, last year. I told the clerk this and he gave me a phone number for the companies claims or billing department but that call center was closed and wasn't staffed again till the morning. I was worried I would have to pay the 250 again but was prepared to, and figured I would sort it out the next day. I wasn't expecting what would come next... The attendant said he couldn't give me the car, period, end of story. I explained I prepaid, and the company had six weeks' notice to let me know if there was an issue. I asked to speak to a supervisor, there wasn't one present but he called one and had him on speaker so I could listen to their conversation. The supervisor told him, I could me correct and had paid the prior bill, but they had no way to verify until the call center opened in the morning. I was furious, it was the middle of the night in a relatively small airport with a couple hour drive ahead of me and no car. They wouldn't even REFUND my money!!! I ran to the other rental companies' desk, and they had one car remaining, unfortunately it was a high-end vehicle that was 5X what I already paid NATIONAL. Furious but happy to get a car, I figured NATIONAL would make things right the next day. Having no other reasonable options in the middle of the night I rented my second, very expensive car from another company. The next morning, I called the previously closed center, and the nice phone rep said I was correct, that I paid the 250 and I should not have been on the do not rent list. She removed me from it, 8 hours too late, and then I was transferred to about 4 other "managers" none of whom could help me. I requested, one, a refund for the car I prepaid for but wouldn't give me and second, some kind of compensation for what I had to pay the other company, perhaps a free rental in the future. I was told she couldn't help me and there was no person further up the chain she could transfer me too. She said someone would call me in the future. No one ever did!!! My emails and later calls all unhelpful. They kept my money!!!! In closing this company took my money, refused to give me the car I prepaid for 6 weeks in advance, refused to refund me and left me stranded in the middle of the night in a small airport 1K miles from home. They are criminals.

I reserved the car in Denver and got an online price of $500 or so dollars for the 10 or 11 days I was there. When I got there, everything was great as it usually is. I went right to the car, didn't have to sit at a counter renting it, but when I returned it, the bill was $720. I didn't notice it right away because they email it to you after you've already dropped off the car. I called after I got home and I left a message and a woman named Mia called me back. She got the particulars and then call me back again which I thought was great. She explained the situation said that some of the fees had gone up since I rented it 6 months earlier but there was some changes in the contract of the account I was using and therefore the price had gone up essentially 40%. I told her that wasn't right, and if the price was going to change they should have told me before I rented the car perhaps in an email so I have the choice of whether I wanted to go with the price that was now 40% higher. She agreed and said that she would request a refund for me and it should process in about 30 days I called her back about 45 days later and she ghosted me I texted her and called her numerous times after that point and she never returned my call. Not a good way to treat your customers. Now I'm going back to Denver and I'm not even looking at National car as an option.

We rented at the Las Vegas airport and Dee and Reggi were excellent in assisting us with our rental. Nice to get great service! We always rent with National!

What a scam! Booked a 'Mercedes E class or similar luxury car', but when I arrived was served multiple excuses for why the car wasn't available. I could, however, get an 'upgrade', and ended with a Mazda CX-5 with a puny motor and no navigation system.

Will never use again.

I am not happy and will be seeking additional resolution. I rented a car, it was vandalized at my hotel while I was sleeping. The person was arrested and charged. I'm being stuck with the bill for this vandalism and the national rep said, and I quote, "it's easier for us to get the money from you than the other party." I can't press charges because it's not my vehicle. National isn't pressing charges to reimburse me for the charge. I settled the payment with your team but wondering if I should seek legal consult as there is a police report of the known assailant, location of said person, etc. Yet somehow I'm being stuck with the charges. I am at the highest tier possible with your company but I will no longer use national, and will advise my entire team to not do so as well as this was a poorly handled situation. I, the customer, is being stuck with charges instead of your team going after the person who damaged the vehicle. Absolutely ridiculous.

I urge anyone reading this review- DO NOT USE THIS COMPANY. There are several other options out there. Long story short- I rented an SUV (-Wrangler) for 1 week in Miami, FL. During the 7 days- we may have used the car for 3 days (all short drives). Our final 2 days, we had not used the car and on our day of departure, the car would not start. We called National and they attempted to send us an uber as we needed to get to the airport for our flight. The uber never arrived and I came out of pocket for a ride to the airport. Despite paying a considerable amount for the rental, I only asked to be reimbursed for the out of pocket cost to the airport. I was instructed to send a receipt however it took several emails before I heard back. I reached out several times and was passed around to several representatives and managers (four to be exact) and to this very day- my claim goes unsettled. The customer service at this company is very much lacking. Emails and calls go ignored and when you do get an answer- the reply leaves one wondering how this company is still in business. The last manager told me to reach out to a voucher company. I have no clue as to what he was talking about. No instructions were given at all. This was the last time I’ve heard from National. I will never use this company again.

National stole over $800 from me. I rented through Priceline, got a poor car from National and was offered an upgrade, which I returned for the next day. In the return line, the worker from National asked me if I was "closing the contract". I said I don't know what that means but I'm upgrading, so I guess so.
What "closing the contract" meant was that my rental agreement was voided. Surprise! On a 22 day rental for $920, I had a car for one day and was then denied a car or a refund. They said deal with Priceline.
The confusion in the car line and the failure to explain that I was being asked to forget $900 was NATIONAL's FAULT. Not Priceline' nor mine.
At "customer service" phone line, I just met a wall, zero interest in helping me, and refusal to acknowledge to origin of the problem.
I am 66. This has been the worst customer service I have ever had. National is fine with taking money for no service. I call that theft. They don't care
Ivan, the manager at the counter last the Sacaramento airport, should not be working with the public in any capacity. He was completely unhelpful and escalated the situation. He is terrible with human beings.
DO NOT USE NATIONAL CAR RENTAL. THEY ARE NOT HONORABLE.

This is a letter i sent to them since back in September and they totally ignored me
Dear National Car Rental Team,

I am writing to express my deep dissatisfaction and concern regarding the final bill for my recent rental agreement (#860199571), which I believe borders on unethical billing practices.

I originally made a reservation for 8 days, from August 30, 2024, to September 7, 2024, with an estimated total of $697.42. Due to a change in my plans, I returned the vehicle early, after only 4 days, expecting a lower final charge. However, I was charged $597.38 for just 4 days, which is shockingly close to the cost of the full 8-day reservation.

This discrepancy is not only confusing but also feels grossly unfair. For a rental period cut in half, it does not make sense that the charge would only be marginally less than the original 8-day estimate. This is especially concerning as the rental rate for the 8 days was quoted at $501.33, while the rate for 4 days amounted to $433.24. The additional fees only exacerbate the situation.

I find this to be an unacceptable business practice and am requesting a thorough review of my charges. If this issue is not resolved, I will ensure others are made aware of these unfair practices, as I believe this type of billing is misleading and unethical.

I have always appreciated National Car Rental's services, but this experience has left me feeling cheated, and it has shaken my confidence in your company. I am asking for a prompt correction of the charges or a detailed explanation justifying why I was billed nearly the same amount for 4 days as I would have been for 8.

Thank you for your attention to this matter. I look forward to a swift resolution.

Sincerely,
Dawson Brookes
Reservation Confirmation #: 1568570472
Rental Agreement #: 860199571
Invoice #: 80047283896

Although I had a confirmation that included Taxes and Fees National charged me Taxes and Fees nevertheless.
Asked on pick-up point and send 3 three mails afterward to reservations and to customer service. Never got a reply or explanation.

We rented a car in Bangor and were headed to Bar Harbor. When we arrived in Bangor, the National Line was very long and they did not prioritize Emerald Club even though we had to go stand in the line. When I finally got to the counter, the agent said that 7 people called in sick so they had issues getting the cars cleaned and ready for customers. The wait would be an hour. I went to the Avis counter and got an SUV for the same price immediately. The National rep cancelled my contract but this was a terrible experience.

We rented a car at the Burbank, California airport and it was a great experience for the service that National gave us. There was some confusion about the car we would get, but it was all cleared up when we returned the car to the airport. The car was freshly washed when we picked it up. This was a nice touch.

I’ve been an executive elite member for years. After my most recent experience I will never rent with them again.
They have no medical emergency policies and price gouge when a customer experiences an unfortunate medical emergency. They do not have an international customer support center when renting outside of the US and do not have an escalation policy to help customers. They do not return calls promptly and keep customers on hold for hours.
Be aware and rent from another agency.

I booked the mid size emerald but manager prevented me to choose any vehicle in the emerald aisle. The manager was choosing the vehicle for me which is odd and giving me the option to choose between 2 vehicles. I booked this option so I could choose any vehicle I want as I have certain needs. As a previous executive elite, this has never happened. Truly unacceptable! That manager is incompetent and he does not deserve that position.