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I reserved a zipcar on May 15th, 2010 for the day...If you book a car for over 8 hours it automatically books at day rate. I called to double check that it was indeed mine for 24 hours. I was assured it was and as long as it was back within 24hours I was fine...When I returned home I parked and locked the car and left it out front of my apartment over night. In the morning I try to gain entrance into the car to drive it back tot he garage and it would not let me in. When I called they told me the car was late and I had to do a whole new reservation to be let in to return the car. I was charged $150 late fee plus the "extra" hours of rental plus the extra hour the following day to return the car. Then I was told headquarters couldn't do a refund. It was out of their control...The company's "headquarters" can't process refunds. Beware this is an absolute scam! When I called they said it was no problem as long as the car was returned within 24 hours. Now, I'm being told my initial day rate of $74 has turned into over $225...I think not! This is robbery and they're masters at it! Beware!
Signed up for this service in late May, never received the first zipcard after 2.5 weeks, after sending it to my address (a house) in Ottawa, Canada. After that time, called, received a polite but useless "we're sorry, we don't know what happened, we can send it again?" to which I responded yes. Received an email saying it was sent, however, another 2 weeks later, zipcard has still not arrived. Called back, received another polite but useless statement, and another offer to send out a THIRD zipcard. After sending it to a second address, another house, in Toronto, Canada, I waited another 2 weeks to see if it arrived. I'm not sure if I have the patience of a saint, or am just a [censor], because of course the third card never came. I called back, only for them to say they couldn't courier it, and the best they could do was to send out a FOURTH zipcard. At this point I gave up, because after almost 2 months this is now a waste of my time, and was clear to me this problem wasn't getting resolved. Of course I said I wanted to close my account, and wanted a refund of my membership fee, which supposedly would be refunded to my card within 3-5 business days. Just like the card which didn't arrive within 5-7 business days, the refund also did not arrive. Had to call back (if you're keeping track this is the 6th time, some other calls were made along the way) only for them to say that there was some problem with the account and the refund is now "pending". If it doesn't arrive in another week, I will be more than livid. Do not sign up for this fraudulent business.
I'm in the uk and this lla sounds very possible. They charge your account without consultation and since using them my card details have been used in Haiti. Very unhelpful there is a link between using zipcar and real fraud. Do not use this company. My bank have now blocked zipcar from charging me and are investigating. Stay clear. This company will only bring you headaches. The customer service people are like robots and can't tell you anything they just repeat themselves like reading something off the screen. They're not there to help you and once you sign up they have full access to your account.
This company is a front for someone making a lot of money. The main office can not help with anything. The car that was rented suddenly wouldn't start and as a result was towed. I did not stay with the car as I got a ride back to school from a friend. I've been charged for additional hours and late fees that should not have been applied. How can I be charged for both a full day rental and hours on the same day? Shortly after the incident with the car, my account was suspended. Calling the corporate office they said they could see nothing wrong with the account. Then I got an email stating upon review of my account, it was terminated. Called the corporate office they said they had no information and to call the closest local office (which is in another state!) I called and could only leave a voicemail and never got a return call. All I want to know is why my membership was canceled after 57 days. There should be a reason why I was canceled. All payments were current - Stay away from this company. The service stinks and honestly I find their business dealings unethical
Signing up with them was no easy task.
1. If you sign up under a student rate, they will take forever to "verify" that you are a student. My verification only happened when I finally went to the office to pick up my Zipcard after applying almost 4 weeks before (I was waiting to get "verified" before I picked it up). The "verification" I had been waiting forever for entailed the secretary checking to see that my email address was a student one and "approving" me in some back room.
Once you sign up, they're not as practical as you'd think.
2. Cars cost about $10 an hour to rent. I have to pay $83 to go to NoHo from Boston for an evening to see a $22 concert? No way. This service should be treated like an emergency credit card - as in, you should never use it unless you have absolutely no other options. It's not an everyday convenient service.
They flaunt their robbery.
3. If you've been to their corporate office suites, you'll understand where all your money is going. That place was like Google, a playground for adults. Two Mac desktop stations, an orange leather couch, modern lighting, furnishings and construction, fancy glass rectangle "business cards." These masters of robbery are living like kings.
If signing up was a hassle, I'm afraid of what the smallest of issues, like if the tire needs air, will be like.
P.S. There is no way to reach A PERSON unless you call their local office, press 0, then leave a message and hope they get back to you. Tried emailing applications@zipcar.com, and the responder knew nothing of my situation and was of no help whatsoever. The responder told me that ZipCar was waiting for "the affiliate"-the school-to approve me. Which clearly wasn't the case. The school had to do nothing.
I actually stopped my credit card from getting charged by Zip Car. Long story short. I rented a car May 4th, 2011 and there was a warning light that said, 'Tire needs air now!'. I went to put in air and the air nozzle cracked off. It was already partially cracked. The tire needed to be replaced. I waited with the car for over two hours for roadside assistance. Now, they say I owe $726.55. I won't pay this no matter what agreement I signed. I could have left that car, but I stayed with did the due diligence and stayed with their damaged vehicle and then got charged. Stay away from this company