New twist on windshield damage

[Waiting]

Hello

I'll start by saying that I honestly do not think that Enterprise is "out to get me" or trying to "scam" me. I think that my situation is just the result of a very busy day for the branch.
If anyone can tell me what I should expect next, or if there is something that I should do to prevent any more problems, I would greatly appreciate it. I’ve never had a problem with Enterprise before, and I’ve used this particular outlet on and off for the past 10 years.

Here's what happened:

I know it was a busy day, because I almost didn’t get my car. Shortly after 10am, I received a call from Enterprise, telling me that my 11am reserved rental would not be available, and that they had no other cars available. Around 10:45, they called back to tell me that they could give me a free upgrade to an SUV, because they had one coming in from another town. He said they could try to have it ready by 11:15 at the latest.

I went in, gave my credit card/license, and waited for the car to be brought up. (The form was printed at 11:11). He walked around the SUV, as I put all of my stuff in the SUV (I had several bags and my suitcoat on a hanger). I did not see any major scratches or dents, and neither of us looked at the windshield. He presented the form for me to sign. As I signed it, I told him that I would be using my insurance. He asked what my deductible was, and then he told me I had to move the car I came in past the telephone pole (to the back lot). He went inside and I walked around to close the driver side door, turned it off, moved my car, and then walked hurriedly back to the SUV (I would have run had I not been in heels). I left around 11:22. After I got past the traffic lights, and started to get on my exit, I noticed a crack in the lower right corner of the windshield. I drove to the turn-around and went directly back to enterprise to show them (the turnaround was a little ways, but not far).

The original representative was on the phone, and he asked another girl to go look at the crack and help me. She came out, I pointed out the crack. It was long, but not very noticeable. It originated in the corner from just under passenger windshield wiper. The representative and I went back in to write the damage on my receipt. She could not find the top copy of my paperwork, so she noted the damage on my pink copy. I asked if I was all-set, and she said yes.

I believe that the problem is that, during the time that I had the car, the crack became more noticeable. When I returned the car, the original representative said that, even though it was in writing, it could not have been there when I picked it up. He said that, even though the girl wrote the damage on my receipt, that she had wanted to talk to him about it (so why didn’t she?). We argued. I asked for my pink sheet back (the one where the damage was noted), at first, he couldn’t find it. I was very insistent, and he eventually found it and gave my pink copy back to me. (At that point, I paused to allow another customer to add a driver to her contract. No sense in ruining someone else’s day).
After the other customer left, he presented me with accident forms. Shocked, I absolutely refused… I did not have an accident of any kind shape or form ! He asked me if I had any idea how the crack got there, I said that it didn’t happen while I was driving, and that I never left the car. I tried to tell him that I thought the crack had gotten bigger, but he did not believe that. He said that the girl had told him it was big, so it didn’t get any bigger. He said that their damage person would be investigating the damage, and would probably call me sometime within the next couple of days.

The damage person called me that day. He was very nice, and he sounded a little surprised that the branch had documented the crack on my copy of the contract (I'm using his lingo here). He was supposed to get back to me a few days ago, and I’m wondering if the delay means that the matter has been dropped.

The only other discrepancy is the timeline – the branch says that I didn’t come back for 40 minutes, but my receipts prove that it was more like 20. I can see how the representative could mistake the time, there were only 2 people there to handle customers, phones and everything, so I don’t know if this is even important.
If you’re actually still reading this, here is my timeline (based on my receipts).

11:11 contract printed
11:15 rental brought up, rental loaded, papers signed, receipt (copy) given
11:17 rental turned off, door shut, non-rental car moved, etc.
11:22 leave Enterprise 1st time
11:31-ish turn around to return to Enterprise
11:40 show crack in windshield, have Enterprise document
11:42 leave Enterprise 2nd time
11:52 arrive at McDonald’s Drive through
11:57 credit card authorization to start pumping gas
12:00 gas receipt prints for 11 gal, drive straight through to next stop
2:15 credit card purchase of maps
Etc, etc.

[Car Prep 57]

Originally Posted by Waiting

Hello

I'll start by saying that I honestly do not think that Enterprise is "out to get me" or trying to "scam" me. I think that my situation is just the result of a very busy day for the branch.
If anyone can tell me what I should expect next, or if there is something that I should do to prevent any more problems, I would greatly appreciate it. I’ve never had a problem with Enterprise before, and I’ve used this particular outlet on and off for the past 10 years.

Here's what happened:

I know it was a busy day, because I almost didn’t get my car. Shortly after 10am, I received a call from Enterprise, telling me that my 11am reserved rental would not be available, and that they had no other cars available. Around 10:45, they called back to tell me that they could give me a free upgrade to an SUV, because they had one coming in from another town. He said they could try to have it ready by 11:15 at the latest.

I went in, gave my credit card/license, and waited for the car to be brought up. (The form was printed at 11:11). He walked around the SUV, as I put all of my stuff in the SUV (I had several bags and my suitcoat on a hanger). I did not see any major scratches or dents, and neither of us looked at the windshield. He presented the form for me to sign. As I signed it, I told him that I would be using my insurance. He asked what my deductible was, and then he told me I had to move the car I came in past the telephone pole (to the back lot). He went inside and I walked around to close the driver side door, turned it off, moved my car, and then walked hurriedly back to the SUV (I would have run had I not been in heels). I left around 11:22. After I got past the traffic lights, and started to get on my exit, I noticed a crack in the lower right corner of the windshield. I drove to the turn-around and went directly back to enterprise to show them (the turnaround was a little ways, but not far).

The original representative was on the phone, and he asked another girl to go look at the crack and help me. She came out, I pointed out the crack. It was long, but not very noticeable. It originated in the corner from just under passenger windshield wiper. The representative and I went back in to write the damage on my receipt. She could not find the top copy of my paperwork, so she noted the damage on my pink copy. I asked if I was all-set, and she said yes.

I believe that the problem is that, during the time that I had the car, the crack became more noticeable. When I returned the car, the original representative said that, even though it was in writing, it could not have been there when I picked it up. He said that, even though the girl wrote the damage on my receipt, that she had wanted to talk to him about it (so why didn’t she?). We argued. I asked for my pink sheet back (the one where the damage was noted), at first, he couldn’t find it. I was very insistent, and he eventually found it and gave my pink copy back to me. (At that point, I paused to allow another customer to add a driver to her contract. No sense in ruining someone else’s day).
After the other customer left, he presented me with accident forms. Shocked, I absolutely refused… I did not have an accident of any kind shape or form ! He asked me if I had any idea how the crack got there, I said that it didn’t happen while I was driving, and that I never left the car. I tried to tell him that I thought the crack had gotten bigger, but he did not believe that. He said that the girl had told him it was big, so it didn’t get any bigger. He said that their damage person would be investigating the damage, and would probably call me sometime within the next couple of days.

The damage person called me that day. He was very nice, and he sounded a little surprised that the branch had documented the crack on my copy of the contract (I'm using his lingo here). He was supposed to get back to me a few days ago, and I’m wondering if the delay means that the matter has been dropped.

The only other discrepancy is the timeline – the branch says that I didn’t come back for 40 minutes, but my receipts prove that it was more like 20. I can see how the representative could mistake the time, there were only 2 people there to handle customers, phones and everything, so I don’t know if this is even important.
If you’re actually still reading this, here is my timeline (based on my receipts).

11:11 contract printed
11:15 rental brought up, rental loaded, papers signed, receipt (copy) given
11:17 rental turned off, door shut, non-rental car moved, etc.
11:22 leave Enterprise 1st time
11:31-ish turn around to return to Enterprise
11:40 show crack in windshield, have Enterprise document
11:42 leave Enterprise 2nd time
11:52 arrive at McDonald’s Drive through
11:57 credit card authorization to start pumping gas
12:00 gas receipt prints for 11 gal, drive straight through to next stop
2:15 credit card purchase of maps
Etc, etc.

If the crack was noted on your contract, you have nothing to worry about. And that includes if the crack lengthened while you had the vehicle.

This sounds like needless frustration on your part and a complete waste of your time.

[Waiting]

Thanks - I absolutely hope you're right ! You can imagine my shock when the branch told me that they had reported the crack to their accident person anyways - despite my having it in writing. Right now, I'm treating that pink piece of paper like gold !

[JD Dude]

Let's see how long it takes for all of ERAC's little "Waiver bitches" to come running to this thread and say something to the effect of " If you weren't so cheap and just bought our wonderful CDW, you'd have nothing to worry about." Might take a few hours, they're probably all tucked away right now dreaming of the wonderful Monday morning that awaits them.

[MarbleCheese]

Originally Posted by Waiting

Thanks - I absolutely hope you're right ! You can imagine my shock when the branch told me that they had reported the crack to their accident person anyways - despite my having it in writing. Right now, I'm treating that pink piece of paper like gold !

The pink copy is garbage - you could add any damage to the sheet after you left the office.
What you need is the damage marked on the branch's copy and I don't believe that was done.

[Waiting]

Again - thanks for all the input.. The branch already told their accident guy that they were the ones that documented the damage on the pink copy. The origenal rep is simply saying that they wrote it by mistake.
After reading the last post, I called my insurance company, and they said that, if Enterprise doesn't just drop this whole miserable thing, they (insurance co) would definately use the pink copy to deny the claim. (which I suppose means that this would be drawn out forever - much to my dismay)

[Waiting]

...I suppose I could ask for all of that day's contracts - to prove that the handwriting/sig is from the representative.. I wouldn't have thought of that without this site, so this is helpful

Originally Posted by Waiting

...I suppose I could ask for all of that day's contracts - to prove that the handwriting/sig is from the representative.. I wouldn't have thought of that without this site, so this is helpful

You should be fine. The branch screwed up when they documented the damage on the pink copy. They should have taken the original and lined it up with your pink copy to add the damage. Loss control more than likely knows this and will probably hit the branch with an undocumented damage charge. That is what should occur.

Have good old LC pull the priors I got 10 bucks says it marked on at least 1 of the last 3 contracts

I find it funny that right after you left in the rental you had to go put gas in it. Yep, that is the ERAC way!