About National Car Rental
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National Car Rental offers SUVs, cars, vans and trucks at more than 1,500 locations worldwide. Drivers can purchase roadside protection and supplemental liability protection for an extra cost. The Emerald Club program lets drivers enjoy an upgraded vehicle selection, free rental days, priority service and easy check-in and checkout.
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National Car Rental Reviews
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It's so easy to get your car, especially at the airport. You can go right to your car after picking the one you want. They are well cleaned and well maintained. The car return process is easy and efficient. The people are very nice too.
Ken, we're happy that you've chosen to rent with us and it’s great to hear that you are enjoying just a few of the many perks that the Emerald club has to offer. We'll see you soon! – Carol H.
I’ve been renting from National for a few years. Last year decided to sign up for the Emerald Club. So much more convenient. Less hassle to use the Emerald Isle. I don’t have to go through the counter which is always such a hassle. They always want to add to you rental especially insurance that I know for a fact my insurance covers rentals. You go pick your car and leave that simple. Price is very reasonable. I’ve only had experience in Detroit and Florida locations but never a bad one yet.
Deb, we're thrilled that you've chosen to rent with us and are happy t to hear that you're enjoying just a few of the many perks that the Emerald club has to offer. We'll see you soon! – Carol
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This company double charged the full cost of my 4 day rental. The customer service I've received has been nothing short of horrible and nonexistent. The result was that I couldn't check into my hotel out of state. They're still holding my money after promising it would be resolved yesterday within 25 minutes. Don't book with these people!
Reese, I apologize that our service did not meet your expectations we would like to look into this further. Please email Care@Nationalcar.com with your contact information, your reservation or rental agreement number, and all the details of your experience. Thanks. –Carol H.
I was able to resolved this issue.
If I could give 0 starts, I would. The vehicle provided to me was smaller than the size promised on the website. Also, the car had an awful odor that made the trip extremely unpleasant. However, the biggest disappointment were when roaches started appearing from everywhere as the car had a roach infestation. I have visual proof of the issues mentioned above. After letting customer service from the branch known my concerns, the representative informed me that the branch manager would contact me. However, I was never approached by anyone. As a result, I find myself quite dissatisfied with your customer service.
Yani, thank you for your review. We are committed to maintaining the highest standards of cleanliness today and every day. If those standards were not met we’d like to speak with you to learn more. At your convenience, please email Care@Nationalcar.com include the exact rental location, your contact telephone number, your rental agreement or reservation numbers and any further information regarding your experience with us. - Carol H.
My husband rented a standard full-size car for 7 days in Seattle. The order confirmation stated that the price would be $350, however, the National Car Rental charged us $850. We called their customer service 4 times, and they kept saying someone would call us back. We waited for 9 days, and received nothing. I also sent the email to care@nationalcar.com, and a person called Pegan said the National Car Rental secretly may change our contract without noticing us. Pegan refused to provide any further help. How can I trust National Car Rental in the future??? Is contract lawful in this company??? I am so regretful that we chose this company, and I feel so sad that I have trusted this company for years.
Jiaqi, thank you for sharing this with us. We'd like the chance to address this with you directly. Please email care@nationalcar.com with your contact information, the reservation or rental agreement number, the exact rental office location and any other details so we can research this promptly. – Carol H.
I received a response from the company that they would provide the appropriate refund.
I have rented from National at Orlando International Airport several times this past year. I have not had an issue until this past week. I booked my reservation with a confirmed total of $290.65. As instructed, I went to the Executive area and selected my vehicle. I checked out as usual and proceeded to my hotel. I was shocked when I checked the receipt to see that I had been charged $866.40—nearly triple the amount I had agreed to! I contacted customer service immediately and they responded a day later, asking for my original confirmation, which I promptly sent. I waited another day for a response, at which point I was told my case was being sent to the Orlando office and that I would be contacted "as soon as they can get the billing fixed." I waited for another SIX days with no word. I again contacted the main customer service group to note that I had not heard from the Orlando office.
Later that day I finally received an email from Bryan **, Tri-Brand Station Manager, who said that the code I used to book my rental was no longer valid, but "in the spirit of making it right" he had refunded me $126. Somehow the rate no longer working was my fault, and they were entitled to triple my cost when I drove off the lot??? Furthermore, I was able to use the same code for a subsequent reservation in October. I immediately replied that I was entitled to a refund of $575.75, once again attaching my original confirmation for $290.65. Bryan did not respond for over two days. I sent emails to both National customer service and Bryan letting them know their response was unacceptable and that I would be charging back the amount, filing complaints, and contacting legal services, to which I have not received a response.
The real kicker is that when I returned the car, I accidentally left my Gucci sunglasses on the front seat. I returned to the lot 10 minutes later and watched the car I had just returned drive away. I went to the kiosk and told them I needed my sunglasses back. After about 10 minutes the rep told me that the car had already been cleaned and the glasses were not in there. How unbelievably dishonest. I guess I shouldn't have expected anything more considering how dishonest the entire staff at the Orlando office appear to be.
Emily, thank you for sharing this concern with us and we certainly understand your sentiments. We'd like the chance to address this with you directly. Please email care@nationalcar.com with your contact information, the reservation or rental agreement number, the exact rental office location and any other details so we can research this promptly. – Carol H.
I booked a seven passenger SUV months in advance for vacation from National this past year. I'm due to pick the car up the day before my family was going on vacation and I had work at noon. Pick up was 10am. I got there just before 10am, and initially waited a half hour to forty-five minutes In Line. Meanwhile over hearing all the complaining frustrated people in front of me, and the kid at the desk telling everyone "there's nothing he can do about it", I wasn't paying too much attention...probably should have been.
It's my turn and he proceeds to take my driver's license and credit card, takes fifteen more minutes at least getting everything into the computer then proceeded to tell me he doesn't have anything for me of what I rented. So I'm standing there dumbfounded at the lack of care in this kid and the fact that it's always too good to be true with anything it seems anymore. He tells me he has a minivan and that's it. So I ask to see it first. Meanwhile I'm scouring the lot for something else. ANYTHING ELSE that would work for vacation. I see a Ford Explorer and figure that would work just as well for what we needed.
I come back in and ask the guy if I could just take the explorer instead out there, I don't necessarily need seating for 7, five would be ok. And guess what that rude kid at the counter said? "No, I can't. Sorry there's nothing I can do". "What do you mean no? Why not?" He never gave me an explanation, nothing. Didn't want to talk to me, didn't want to help me. He was rude and I was talking to a wall. I honestly think from his attitude that he was annoyed that I didn't want the van. He was annoyed that I was a woman in my thirties that didn't want a van and was upset about it and he didn't want to deal with it or fix the situation... No I don't want a van, that's not what I booked. Just because I'm a woman doesn't mean I drive minivans and should be happy with it. Jerk.
So I reluctantly took the van. However I called National car company corporate and spoke with a supervisor to try and confirm or deny the line of crap he gave me about why there was nothing else sitting on the lot I could have. (Cars sitting out there that I actually booked that he wouldn't give me)... He told me when they didn't have a car for me, that the reason was because all, ALL OF THE seven passenger SUVs were recalled. All makes and models were recalled.... What the heck.. All makes and models? At the same exact time? All different years too? It made no sense.
So the lady I talked to from national was very nice on the phone. I explained the issue and my question and what I had been told. She told me (I KID YOU NOT) that there was a recall on the MINIVANS in the area that I picked the car up from. So..long story short. They not only had terrible customer service. They lied and then also gave me a recalled vehicle to drive on vacation with my family which I fought in the first place not to have. No one has reached out to me yet, I'v emailed, called, left my number with that woman I spoke with, nothing. So I'm going to keep writing reviews so everyone knows how awful the service was and hopefully will rent with another agency. I have rented many many cars from many different places and nothing compares to this in how terrible it was.
Amanda, I apologize that our service did not meet your expectations we would like to look into this further. Please email Care@Nationalcar.com with your contact information, your reservation or rental agreement number, and all the details of your experience. Thanks. –Carol H.
National makes it very easy to pick up and drop off a car. That creates a problem if you need your Rental Agreement after the fact. They only provide the receipt on their website. I'm trying to file a damage claim via my credit card (charged for damages I didn't create, but that's another story) and I can't obtain the required documents. Buyer beware, they want you in and out quickly for their own benefit.
Martine, thank you for your review. All damage claims are handled by our Damage Recovery Unit. Please contact that team directly at 1-866-300-3239 or by email at CustomerClaimConcern@ehi.com. Thank you! – Carol H.
The SUV we rented did not have tags, so it was unavailable. They had no vehicles to replace it. We called several days in advance to be sure that we had a vehicle available for our trip. My wife is Emerald Elite and was assured when she called that her VIP rental would be available. They were unable to find a replacement. I would never rent from this location if my wife wasn't required to rent here for her company rental. The other rental companies at the airport had plenty of inventory.
Paul, we're sorry to hear of your disappointment. If we can help you out, please email Care@Nationalcar.com with your full name, contact telephone number, email address, the reservation or rental agreement number, the exact rental office location and any other details so we can research this promptly. Thank you. – Carol H.
National did not charge us for the entire trip but the way their manager and regional managers were talking was very rude. I think they don't consider customer satisfaction as a part of their process. The way their regional manager was talking was very rude. But upgrading the rating as they did not charge for the worst service they had given.
Don't ever book a rental with National!!! Their roadside assistance is a scam. We literally were trapped on the road for whole night because of flat from where we had to catch a bus to Aspen CO. They had rental cars nearby but they didn't care for us. We booked with other rental company. They hanged on us for 5-6 times. No help at all from National. Will never recommend to anyone and will never book with them.
Tushar, thank you for sharing this with us. I do apologize for any inconvenience. We'd like the chance to address this with you directly. Please email care@nationalcar.com with your contact information, the reservation or rental agreement number, the exact rental office location and any other details so we can research this promptly. – Carol H.
This incompetent "car rental service" - if you dare disgrace the industry by calling it such - didn't have my reserved vehicle. Employee was belligerent and called me a "chink". I'm sure some people would find that hilarious but personally I didn't. I'm not even Chinese, I'm Korean.
Hummus, we take this seriously and would like to discuss your experience further. We'd like the chance to address this with you directly. Please email care@nationalcar.com with your contact information, the reservation or rental agreement number, the exact rental office location and any other details so we can research this promptly. – Carol H.
After several months of calling, this issue was resolved. National Car credited me back for the billing mistake, it is a shame that it took so long. I will update my rating on the fact that it was resolved and this is the only issue I have had with them and I will try using them again. Lesson learned, do not drop off car without someone inspecting it before you leave.
I have always used National for car rentals but not impressed with recent rental. Picked up car at Atlanta airport for business and returned the next day. No one was there to check in the car so I left to catch my flight. Upon receiving my bill, I was charged $250 which when I called, I was told it was from smoking in the car and having it cleaned. I DO NOT SMOKE and I did not even drink anything in the car. Numerous calls and being told someone would contact me and nothing. Seems National does not appreciate my business and as much as I travel, I Do Not have to use them.
Tim, thank you for sharing this concern with us. I do apologize for any inconvenience. We'd like the chance to address this with you directly. Please email care@nationalcar.com with your contact information, the reservation or rental agreement number, the exact rental office location and any other details so we can research this promptly. – Carol H.
National Car Rental author review by Lauren Fix
National Car Rental was the first company to offer one-way rentals, computerized reservations and a loyalty program. The company is now owned by Enterprise Holdings.
Executive travel: National Car Rental focuses on providing white glove services to executive travelers, with Emerald Club options to skip the counter, choose any car from the Emerald Club Aisle and be on your way.
Loyalty program: Customers who enroll for free in the Emerald Club enjoy benefits such as skipping the counter, choosing any car from an Emerald Aisle and applying rewards points to rental days or other travel rewards. Choose Free Rental Days or your favorite frequent traveler program.
Convenient communication: With email, online, telephone and app connections, customers can make reservations more quickly than ever.
Pay tolls electronically: Drivers pay a small daily fee plus the cost of tolls to use the TollPass electronic toll payments program, thus avoiding long cash lines and unpaid toll violations.
Business programs: The National Business Rental Program for any size business offers travelers even more value, speed and convenience. The On The Go Meeting & Convention Program is for car rentals dedicated to the success of your meetings. They also offer Government programs, Military programs and association programs.
Age: National will rent cars to drivers as young as 18 with a major credit card.
Lauren Fix, also called The Car Coach, is an automotive and auto finance expert. Her understanding of vehicles has made her the “go to” person on TV, radio, print media and the Internet. She has authored multiple books and writes a column for several outlets, including Parade Magazine, NewsMax and Car Coach Reports. She is a regular guest on major news and morning shows, discussing the latest updates on cars and car financing that will help drivers make smart decisions when buying, maintaining and financing cars.
National Car Rental Company Information
- Company Name:
- National Car Rental
- Year Founded:
- 1947
- Address:
- 600 Corporate Park Dr
- City:
- St. Louis
- State/Province:
- MO
- Postal Code:
- 63105
- Country:
- United States
- Website:
- www.nationalcar.com
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