Enterprise Car Rental in Canada

[Tombstone]

Ok, I'm reaching out to my fellow OCUKers here to see if anyone has any recent experience of this because its doing my head in.

Here is the scenario, I am flying to Calgary in December, the plan is to hire a small pickup from Enterprise at Calgary Airport. I am returning in early January.

What I am very much struggling to find out, is what exactly the costs of this will be, specifically in relation to a deposit/CreditCard Hold. I am willing to pay now at the point of booking. But I've contacted both Enterprise UK and Enterprise Canada and asked them this question - "If I pay now at the time of booking, is there a deposit or credit card hold when I arrive to pick up the vehicle and if so, how much is it"

Each person that I have spoken to has given me different answers, from there is no deposit if you pay now.. to .. you pay now and then there is a $400 deposit when you collect the vehicle... to (and this one is entirely bizarre to me) you pay now and then there is a deposit when you collect the vehicle which is equal to the amount you pre paid (ie...you pay double).

The policies on their website say " To account for Renter potentially incurring additional amounts owed under the Contract, renters without a ticketed return travel itinerary will be required to provide a deposit of $400, or $850 for the following vehicles classes: Performance Sport, Executive Luxury SUV, Luxury Sport, Executive Luxury Sedan, Large Executive Luxury Sedan, Executive Luxury Sedan Electric and Large Executive Luxury SUV at the time of rental. " , which I read as if I have a return flight booked there is NO deposit at all. However, I've asked all the people I've had contact with does this mean there is no deposit if I have a return flight and none of them have come back to me with an answer to that question.

All I want to know is, how much am I going to need when I arrive, for the rental. You would think thats a simple enough quesion ! Has anyone done a rental in Canada recently with Enterprise and has any insight into this??

 

[Deleted User 298457]

Expect to pay a couple k 'hold'. Always use a credit card regardless as it gives you section 75 should they try and make a claim. Insurance/damage pre auth is different to deposit too. Language could be confusing them.

 

[danlightbulb]

I rented a car for a few days in Toronto back in October. I remember trying to ask the same question as you and also getting confusing answers. However in the end there was no hold charge at all. That was with Enterprise too.

Also I was confused by how the petrol works over there. Couldn't tell for sure if the car I hired was petrol or diesel so I asked that and was met with a lot of confusion. In the end determined that they call petrol 'regular' and to get it at the pump you only have one nozzle but you press what button you want.

 

[Ahleckz]

I rented from Enterprise in Halifax, Canada for 24 hours and had a $200 CAD deposit on my credit card taken.
This was in 2018 and not at an airport location though.

I also had no idea if it was petrol or diesel. Asked the guy at the petrol station and he said it could be either. Took a punt at petrol! So definitely ask before leaving.. and don’t get into the wrong side of the car when you first get in.. whoops!

 

[Tombstone]

I rented from Enterprise in Halifax, Canada for 24 hours and had a $200 CAD deposit on my credit card taken.
This was in 2018 and not at an airport location though.

I also had no idea if it was petrol or diesel. Asked the guy at the petrol station and he said it could be either. Took a punt at petrol! So definitely ask before leaving.. and don’t get into the wrong side of the car when you first get in.. whoops!

Hehe yeah I dont need to worry about the side of the car, have driven in Canada a lot, its just that normally we always book the car hire with Alamo and they seem a lot more clear than Enterprise on exactly whats needed at rental. Thanks for the answers all, seems like with Enterprise it could be anything from no deposit to a grand deposit then

 

[EvilRob]

As long as you have decent excess cover in place, is this worth spending energy worrying about? Do you not have a suitable credit card to use?

 

[Tombstone]

As long as you have decent excess cover in place, is this worth spending energy worrying about? Do you not have a suitable credit card to use?

I have spent my entire life making sure that I am always in control of my monies, so that I know where every penny is going out and every penny is coming in. Frankly I find it disgusting that money management isnt a mandatory GCSE course, sickens me how many kids today grow up with no understanding of how to properly manage their finances...but thats a whole other topic. I have 3 credit cards, all of which are suitable to use but thats not the point. The point is that, as I say, I like all my finances to be planned and organised. So if I am going to rock up to the Enterprise office to pick up a vehicle, I like to know in advance exactly what the associated costs will be rather than just do it on the fly so to speak.

 

[Deleted User 298457]

Edit

 

[Tombstone]

Edit

eh?? Did you miss the post where I thanked everyone for their answers??

EDIT : ahh, edited...I assume you realised your mistake and corrected your error of going with the knee-jerk insult instead of reading the thread. You have gained 1 point in Forum Usage.

 

[EvilRob]

I have spent my entire life making sure that I am always in control of my monies, so that I know where every penny is going out and every penny is coming in. Frankly I find it disgusting that money management isnt a mandatory GCSE course, sickens me how many kids today grow up with no understanding of how to properly manage their finances...but thats a whole other topic. I have 3 credit cards, all of which are suitable to use but thats not the point. The point is that, as I say, I like all my finances to be planned and organised. So if I am going to rock up to the Enterprise office to pick up a vehicle, I like to know in advance exactly what the associated costs will be rather than just do it on the fly so to speak.

Fair enough. I wouldn't consider it a cost, just some arbitrary amount of money that I'm going to get back one way or another.

ETA: I agree that it's a huge miss not to teach kids how to manage their finances properly at school.

 

[Tombstone]

Fair enough. I wouldn't consider it a cost, just some arbitrary amount of money that I'm going to get back one way or another.

Yeah its not strictly an outgoing as it should (as long as all is fine) be returned but one of the reasons why I am financially comfortable is that I am so strict on keeping tabs on all my financial movements. Its just something I've always done through my life, I find security in knowing exactly how much money I have at my disposal on any given day so its not something I restrict to this situation, its just something I do with every financial transaction every day. A bit anal of me I know but it works for me.

 

[danlightbulb]

Agree with OP these credit card hold policies are horrible to contend with. Some companies don't do it either which shows its just a policy choice thing. Its like with fuel policies, the full to full is the best so why do other companies try to do something different just to rip you off. Captive market though so very difficult to shop around.

 

[Deleted User 298457]

eh?? Did you miss the post where I thanked everyone for their answers??

EDIT : ahh, edited...I assume you realised your mistake and corrected your error of going with the knee-jerk insult instead of reading the thread. You have gained 1 point in Forum Usage.

I did (y)