Comments on: Car Rental with a Debit Card

By: What is the Difference Between Credit Card and Debit Card?

What is the Difference Between Credit Card and Debit Card? — Sat, 23 Jul 2011 12:17:19 +0000

[...] purchasing something that might have a variable price, such as gas, hotel charges, or a car rental, the retailer does not know for certain how much your product or service will cost, and will [...]

By: Do and Don’t Buy these Things with a Credit Card

Do and Don’t Buy these Things with a Credit Card — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 20:51:41 +0000

[...] Car Rentals can simply make your life difficult if you do not have a credit card. They might require things like a recent utility bill to “prove” you can pay your bills [...]

By: Jeffrey Kosola

Jeffrey Kosola — Sun, 07 Feb 2010 15:51:45 +0000

If being unable to rent a car is the worst thing that’ll happen to me for not owning credit cards, then I’m okay with that.

Well said Red. I feel the same. I was a pain renting this time, but I know the tricks now. I understand a company has to protect itself, but there are also going to be people like us who choose to paid the old fashioned way and they need to understand that. Oh knows, maybe sometime in our live we’ll see cash disappear and have to switch to some form a plastic or a “Credit Chip” implanted in our arms

By: Red

Red — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 23:11:53 +0000

I’m with Matt and Jeff here. I’ve actually rented a car with a debit card before, but if I couldn’t, I would look until I found somewhere that could provide it for me. With a debit card that is backed by Visa or Mastercard, Enterprise could still run the transaction as credit and charge you whether you have the cash or not. Through my bank, Suntrust, the transaction would go through, and I would be penalized by Suntrust for not having the money to cover the transaction. But Enterprise would still get their money.

I don’t think “most people without credit cards are ones with bad credit.” I don’t have any credit cards now because I chose to stop using them as a crutch. I think it’s more important to have an emergency fund for emergencies, instead of calling on plastic to do the job. If being unable to rent a car is the worst thing that’ll happen to me for not owning credit cards, then I’m okay with that.
.-= Red´s last blog ..Bitten by the debt payment bug =-.

By: Matt Jabs

Matt Jabs — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 03:56:13 +0000

Raffi: My heart goes out to you… I used to believe the same thing.

Trust me friend, it is not only possible… it is easy, and it is right. My your eyes be opened in wisdom.

Cheers!

By: Jeffrey Kosola

Jeffrey Kosola — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 02:28:15 +0000

Thanks for comment Raffi. You bring some good points to the table. I completely understand that they need a process to cover the company’s risk. I just have a hard time seeing the difference between a $300 hold on a debit card and a $300 hold on a credit card. That credit card may have a limit of $350, so how would that play into the equation? Isn’t the $250-$500 hold on the persons account just to cover the deductible in case of damage or theft?
Again, you made some good points. Thanks for taking the time.
Jeff

By: Raffi

Raffi — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 00:59:45 +0000

Most people with no credit cards are people with bad credit and can not get one. If you were to buy a $10,000 car the bank asks you a zillion questions and qualifies you from credit to job to income and so on. How could you expect a rent a car company to just hand you the keys to a $30,000 car with a debit card which is only good for the money that the account has in it (it could be as little as $300). Try and ask a friend for their $30,000 car and see what they say. There has to be some sort of qualification standard and the credit card is that standard. Anything less than a credit card is risky business for car rental companies. They have had to swallow a lot of damages to rental cars from cash and debit card customers who are only good for the few hundred dollard they have in their account. After the car is damaged or totaled all the rental company can get out of them is a finger.

By: Jeffrey Kosola

Jeffrey Kosola — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 21:36:49 +0000

Free market consumerism is what I try to practice everyday. I think about while I’m performing my day job (how can I provide better value and service) for our customers. I think about in my real life by giving my money to people and products that have my consumerism in mind.

Thanks for the great comment Matt. I know from all your posts how you feel about credit cards – SHRED THEM I just received a new card today because the old one expired. I’m calling to cancel the account, but I’m thinking of video taping the death of the card. I’ll post it here once I have the perfect plan.

Jeff

By: Matt Jabs

Matt Jabs — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 20:01:44 +0000

“Oh well just another reason to declare NO CREDIT CARDS. Yes we could have gotten out a credit card to use, but I’m not going to use it went I don’t think its necessary. The whole ordeal took over a hour and I can say that after this experience I will never use Enterprise Rent-A-Car again.”

Amen and Amen!

Most people would give in and say, oh… well this is all the more reason to use credit cards. WRONG. You have the right attitude.

Why should you have to have a CC just to rent a car. If you don’t believe in that, then you do what you did… you take your cash money elsewhere and work with someone who will. I guarantee you will find someone around town who will rent to you.

That ladies and gentlemen is called “free market consumerism”, and is a top-notch example of capitalism.

Way to go man.