Alamo Rent A Car
Reviews and Complaints

i totally agree with you!

Alamo: Why are you Charging me a hidden Fee?

Between May 10th and may 24th, 2009, I rented a Ford Focus through a travel agency in Costa Rica, from where I come from (turhokeanos.co.cr) with ALL INCLUSIVE in Orlando Florida.
Every thing was fine, until they charge an extra $123.53 "Carefree Personal Protection" (CPP) which I NEVER order.
Seems to be that the rental agent at the Orlando International Airport decided that I needed such insurance, but she never ask me for that, the only thing she said was: do you need a GPS in Spanish? I answered: I don’t need a GPS in Spanish. And she printed the receipt and made me sign with my initials.
If I bought an ALL INCLUSIVE PACAGE to the travel agency, why I will need an additional CPP? And I told her: give me only what is included in my reservation.

What I think is, she is getting a great commission, selling "extras" that customers don't order, don't need and don't know are paying.

Let me ask you: Will be the First and last time, I ever rent a car with ALAMO?
Alamo: don’t take advantage of honest and hard working people, give my money back.

Carlos Calderon; from San José, Costa Rica.
RA# [protected] RES#[protected] Contract ID S00208NK

Alamo: Why are you Charging me a hidden Fee?

Between May 10th and may 24th, 2009, I rented a Ford Focus through a travel agency in Costa Rica, from where I come from (turhokeanos.co.cr) with ALL INCLUSIVE in Orlando Florida.
Every thing was fine, until they charge an extra $123.53 "Carefree Personal Protection" (CPP) which I NEVER order.
Seems to be that the rental agent at the Orlando International Airport decided that I needed such insurance, but she never ask me for that, the only thing she said was: do you need a GPS in Spanish? I answered: I don’t need a GPS in Spanish. And she printed the receipt and made me sign with my initials.
If I bought an ALL INCLUSIVE PACAGE to the travel agency, why I will need an additional CPP? And I told her: give me only what is included in my reservation.

What I think is, she is getting a great commission, selling "extras" that customers don't order, don't need and don't know are paying.

Let me ask you: Will be the First and last time, I ever rent a car with ALAMO?
Alamo: don’t take advantage of honest and hard working people, give my money back.

Carlos Calderon; from San José, Costa Rica.
RA# [protected] RES#[protected] Contract ID S00208NK

I also rented a vehicle from Alamo Car rental. I rented in Tampa where they would not allow me to upgrade to Escalaide or Suburban as I was returning car to Miami. Did not realize your company was that small that you would miss one vehicle.

I was willing to pay.

When returning car to Miami I was not able to fill car up with gas due to local gas station was not open at 5:00 am. When I told the Mexican guy this and that there was still 3/4 of a tank in truck he then charged me 97.00 for 14 gallons of gas. He did not even check the vehicle to see how much gas was required.
This amounts to prices beyond loan sharking.

When I was paying my bill inside due to no one working outside when I was asked if I needed a receipt and I indicated that I did, he told me to walk down to the end of the counter and get it myself, rather than getting of his ### and doing his job.

I rent vehicles 10 months of the year, and needless to say that will be the last time with Alamo and National as they are related.

I would highly suggest to any body renting cars to avoid these two companies as this is not the first time I have been treated poorly by this company.

Not sure where they get off with this attitude with the number of car rental options available.

Mike Crouse

I rented a car from Alamo at the T F Green Airport in Rhode Island. I made an electronic reservation for the car, a GPS device for the week, and on my E-reservation chose NOT to have insurance coverage since I am covered by my own insurance. When I arrived to pick up the car, I was asked three separate times if I wanted coverage, and three times I emphatically refused. Since I was in a line with several other people, the sales person whipped the document across the counted and said, "initial here, here, sign here, " and so I did. He then printed out a recept, stuck it in the rental folder and directed me to the car lot. It was only later that I noted that the document included a charge of $160.00 for insurance. Every call to Alamo has met with the same response: you signed, therefore it's a legal document. However, this is clearly fraud which takes advantage of a rushed situation where people are travel-weary, hurried, and interested in completing the rental transaction. They are running a scam which relies of people's inattention to 'legal' documents.

why don't people just simply call, and ask for a police to attend if this is possible at the time. And state that the rental agent is committing a scam explain the situation to the officer, and see what can be done to rectify, and have on record this situation taking place. As well you need to read the total cost, and sign the document, and just take a copy of it yourself without giving the agent the chance to screw you over.

I've just been forced by Alamo to buy Extended Protection at Savannah Airport. The Agent said it was a requirement of Georgia State Law and that she would not let me have the car without it. I feel stupid but I'm from the UK and can't be expected to know the details of each state's law. Surely I am entitled to expect that the Agent will not tell me a point blank lie.

Watch out for Alamo Auto Rental on Kauai. They run a scam on extended insurance coverage. After the agent asked if I wanted the extended coverage, which I did not, and I initialed the 3 to 4 "I decline" coverage lines, and sign the rental agreement, they quickly swamped forms. I asked to have a copy of what I just signed, the agent refused saying “it’s ok this copy will be on file, please sign this one other form.” I felt the agent was a credible person of a credible company, so I blindly initialed. When I returned the car, I was surprised to learn the last form actually stated I “accept all additional coverage.” I asked to see the manager. The manager was rather harsh in greeting me with “this is your signature, right?” I asked to see my original. They said it was sent to corporate. I asked for their number. They refused to give it to me until I gave them the rental agreement in my hand, which was the version they swap. Therefore, I gave it to them to copy. It was right after they had a copy that I realized they would show this swap agreement as the original. I grabbed the copy, but as soon as I had the copy, the agent loudly said “give us back our original!” At that time I knew it was not a single occurrence and the whole place was in on the scam.

I have the same situation just like this. This is happened to me in Orlando Airport on 06-Nov-2007, you say not is not not enough, the trick they play is to rush you to sigh the paper without explanation. They quaintly highlighted the insurance and ask you to sign there. If you do not read line carefully and you will be scammed. When you found out, it is legally contract. That is how they make money from you. If this is the way they make money, Who knows what that insurance really covered, if something really happened to that car, you have to pay for the lost.
Does anyone know where can I file a complaint to let them fix this issue?

I've been there. A rental agent would try to push insurance or something else they're selling and I'd say, "NO", and they'd try to get me to quickly sign the contract since there was such a long line behind me. The difference between you and me is, I look at the big bold number on the page that states the total. If it doesn't match what I expected, I let 'em have it.

You're not a kid anymore, be an adult and take responsibility for what you sign. If you're stupid enough to sign for something you don't want then you should be stuck paying for it. I got a bridge for sell if you just sign on the dotted line...

Subject: Defrauded after renting a car from Alamo International, Barcelona Spain - Car Rental in Barcelona Spain

BUYER BEWARE! I made a reservation thru Alamo for a compact car in Barcelona Spain. The total charge for my rental should have been $199 (including a GPS unit I rented at the airport for 21 euro). Upon my return from Spain, I discovered three separate charges from Alamo on my credit card statement totaling $65 in overcharges.

After several conversations with a rude and inefficient customer service department, I decided to have the overcharges reversed by my credit card company. Based on this experience and the other reviews I have now read, I will NEVER again go back to Alamo or National (they seem to be affiliated). Hope this review will help someone out there avoid the heartaches that this business can cause by their poor practices. Absolutely the worst rental car company I have utilized.

Alamo: Why are you Charging me a hidden Fee?

Between May 10th and may 24th, 2009, I rented a Ford Focus through a travel agency in Costa Rica, from where I come from (turhokeanos.co.cr) with ALL INCLUSIVE in Orlando Florida.
Every thing was fine, until they charge an extra $123.53 "Carefree Personal Protection" (CPP) which I NEVER order.
Seems to be that the rental agent at the Orlando International Airport decided that I needed such insurance, but she never ask me for that, the only thing she said was: do you need a GPS in Spanish? I answered: I don’t need a GPS in Spanish. And she printed the receipt and made me sign with my initials.
If I bought an ALL INCLUSIVE PACAGE to the travel agency, why I will need an additional CPP? And I told her: give me only what is included in my reservation.

What I think is, she is getting a great commission, selling "extras" that customers don't order, don't need and don't know are paying.

Let me ask you: Will be the First and last time, I ever rent a car with ALAMO?
Alamo: don’t take advantage of honest and hard working people, give my money back.

Carlos Calderon; from San José, Costa Rica.
RA# [protected] RES#[protected] Contract ID S00208NK

Here a copy of text straight from their website::

Email

For reservation inquiries and updates please contact alamoukweb@emea.vanguardcar.com. Or you can go to Rates & Reservations to check for availability and rates.

For technical issues or feedback on the site, please contact alamoukweb@emea.vanguardcar.com

For correspondence related to service and billing inquiries. Please include reservation or rental agreement number whenever possible. alamocr@emea.vanguardcar.com

Reservations [protected]
Internet Help Desk [protected]
Customer Relations [protected]
Main Switchboard [protected]

Their site CLEARLY says that they only accept debit cards WITH PROOF of a return airline ticket and that even though the website will TAKE the debit card number, it will not be able to be processed at the kiosk. This is because they have to key in your flight info into their computers manually.

Alamo and National have the most liberal policy regarding debit cards in the industry, and I think they are pretty darn good. You just have to clearly read the policies and follow the rules.

I wouldn't rent u a bike without a major credit card...so why would Alamo give you a 20k car wih no security ? Or just beacuse your credit crippled they should feel bad for u ?

Let me give you an example of Alamo's "customer service." I rented an Alamo car. I fully paid all charges and have the credit card statements to prove it. Nevertheless, I have received repeated harassing phone calls from them about unpaid charges. Twice I thought I had resolved this with them to their satisfaction. Yet the calls continue and the callers are exceeding nasty and accusatory.

It's unfortunate that some people believe they can rent a car without any financial requirement or security. Regardless from whom you rent a car from, that company is entrusting you with a $18-$60k+ vehicle. Some form of security is required. Regarding Alamo, they have the most advanced and user-friendly interface web site in the business. On their main page, www.alamo.com, is a direct link to their rental policies. It specifically states it's debit card policy and other rental requirements. It's all spelled out for the customer if only they take the few seconds needed to read it. It doesn't take much to be a responsible consumer... get a clue.

A respeito, de meu contrato de locação, [protected], do ultimo dia 05 de junho de 2009, em Miami FL., não entendi, porque quatro meses apos a locação, recebo em minha residencia aqui no Brasil, uma notificação, me informando, que cometi uma violação de transito, no dia 12de Junho, valor da violação, $1, 00(Hum DolarAmericano), porem fiquei estupefato em saber de uma taxa de administração de $ 10, 00( Dez Dolares), totalizando $11, 00( Onze Dolares), que abuso, deveria em primeiro lugar com uma queixa judicial, por terem me alugado um automovel Toyota Yaris, sem ter feito a menor revisão, que depois de alguns dias de locação, tive que retornar a Alamo, no aeroporto de Miami, para troca-lo, e ter sido muito mal atendido, por um funcionario, que so faltou me jogar a chave de um outro auto na minha cara!(O auto esta la no lugar tal, va la buscalo !, etc etc etc), ai lhe disse que eu tenho 59 anos, sou um cliente, e tenho suficiente cultura para NÃO aceitar este tipode tratativa, pedi a presença do gerente, que me escutou, e meu deu razão, me forneceu um automovel, gigante como agrado de Urso, pois o mesmo, utilizava 01 Galão de gasolina, para cada 05 milhas.
OK, agora voltando ao assunto da penalidade, quando foi no dia 23 de Outubro de 2009, voltei para Miami, pois ja tinha uma nova reserva, com a Alamo, que por sinal e uma grande companhia, e que alguns funcionarios insatisfeitos não poderão jamais denegrir a Alamo, mostrei a carta que havia recebido sobre a cobrança, e a senhora que me atendeu, sempre no mesmo esquema, de te vender seguros e te arrumar taxas para pagar, me disse, que não teria nenhum problema, por que eles debitarian, em meu cartão de credito, que eu não me preocupasse!( Palavras textuais), pois pasmen hoje recebo outra carta do mesmo departamento(CITATIONS DEPARTAMENT), me cobrando novamente.
Qual a Conduta que eu deveria ter, alem lógico de pagar os $10, 00!

While I like Alamo as a rental company in general, the St. Louis airport location is TERRIBLE! We have had trouble with service at this location as well. I hope that you get your problem resolved.

Rented a car in June2010.Online quote $579.59.When we got to washington the price was $867.42.lakily enough we did not trust them anymore and we hired a car from Hertz.Although we paid nearly twice we did not have any problems.
Now we are waiting for Alamo to explain such a big discrepency in renting price.
We wont be using them in the future, thats for sure!

I rented a full size car at O Hare International Airport, it was a KIA Optima, the car was not cleaned properly and it has cigarette smell inside the car. I just want you people to know.

You lost me as your customer !

By caving in and disconnecting your sponsorship of the NRA, of which I am a proud member.

Just sitting at rental cars lobby at Tulsa International Airport. I'm not renting from Alamo, but stopped to the kiosk and asked which way was the parking lot for Hertz. The lady behind the counter was so unnecessary rude with me, for no reason... Very unpleasant way to start the day.
But now I'm positive to never ever rent from Alamo.

Hi there
This is NOT a complaint, this is to express my gratitude for all the help I have received from your Kauai office in Hawaii.
The staff: Wallace had gone above and beyond to help me find a solution. Also with the help from Ocean, the station manager.
I want to let you know that you have amazing staff at the Kauai office, and what an amazing experience to have been treated with the "Hawaii experience" first hand!
Thank you
And please let them know I really appreciate their help!
Mahalo
Sue Shih

Aggressive manager... Only happens when all else fails. Next time, try to be civil.