Auto Rentals and Leasing
ACE Rent A CarHeadquarters
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Complaints
This profile includes complaints for ACE Rent A Car's headquarters and its corporate-owned locations. To view all corporate locations, see
Customer Complaints Summary
- 392 total complaints in the last 3 years.
- 146 complaints closed in the last 12 months.
If you've experienced an issue
Submit a ComplaintThe complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.
Initial Complaint
Date:11/25/2024
Type:Service or Repair IssuesStatus:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
On Nov 1, 2024 I rented a car from ACE car rentals. On that day I was asked for a ****** deposit returnable on return of the car. I complied. I then returned the car with no damage on Nov 4th and went on my way. I waited a couple days then contacted ACE they informed me it had just been sent out. Now I waited near 2 weeks and called again. For I still have not received my deposit back. This time I was told that it takes 11 days and i'm on day 10 I wait a couple more days and I still do not see my deposit. So here we are.Business Response
Date: 11/26/2024
Hi ****,
After looking further into your reservation, I can assure you that we did release the hold of 200 USD on November 8th at 4:13 PM. Since the deposit was put as an authorization hold, the charge would be shown as a pending transaction. Once the hold has been released on our end, you should not see any pending charged from ACE Rent a Car and that means the funds were returned back to you. Please email us at ************************************* if you have any other questions or concerns.
Initial Complaint
Date:11/25/2024
Type:Product IssuesStatus:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
Dear Better Business Bureau,I am filing this complaint regarding an issue I encountered with **** and their partner, ACE Rental Cars. The situation caused significant financial loss and inconvenience due to unclear communication from *****On November 22, 2024, I rented a car from ACE through ****. I was instructed via email to bring my drivers license, credit card, and reference number to pick up the car. I followed these instructions and traveled over two hours to the rental location, incurring $80 in transportation costs. However, upon arrival, the *** representative informed me that I needed to provide proof of my own insurance to complete the rental process.This requirement was not mentioned in the email I received from ***** nor was it made clear during the booking process. I have rented cars numerous times from companies like Enterprise and Budget and have never been required to show my personal insurance policy. Based on this experience, I assumed this was not a requirement unless explicitly ********* a result, I was unable to pick up the car, and the rental was marked in ****s system as a no-show. When I contacted **** for a refund, they refused, citing their systems record. Not only have I lost the money I paid for the rental, but I also wasted $80 on transportation costs, along with hours of my time.The lack of communication from **** and the difficulty in reaching their support team have made this situation extremely frustrating. I am requesting:1.A full refund of the rental payment.2.Compensation for the $80 transportation expense.I believe ****s lack of clear communication regarding insurance requirements and their refusal to refund my money is unacceptable and unfair. I request BBBs assistance in resolving this matter.Account Information:Email associated with my **** account: *******************Business Response
Date: 11/26/2024
Hi *****,
It does state in our terms and conditions "Proof of valid full coverage insurance must be presented at the counter. If customer does not have proof of coverage, coverage must be purchased at the counter to qualify for the rental." I have attached a screenshot of the entire page as confirmation. We highly recommend our customers to look over the page before booking a rental so there are no confusions at the front desk. At this time, we will not be offering any refund or compensation.
Customer Answer
Date: 11/26/2024
I rented the car through the **** app, not directly from this company. This company operates as a partner with ****, and the email I received did not indicate that I needed to bring any insurance policy with me. Attached is a screenshot of the email I received on the day I booked the car and went to pick it up.
Even when I asked the representative if I could purchase insurance directly from them to save time, as I was already there, he refused. He explained that because I am under 28, their insurance would not cover me. He insisted on not giving me the car, citing terms and conditions that were not disclosed prior to booking and paying for it.
Please note that there was only one hour between booking and picking up the car, which means it would have been very easy to cancel the booking if he had good intentionsCustomer Answer
Date: 11/26/2024
Better Business Bureau:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined the response would not resolve my complaint. For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.I rented the car through the **** app, not directly from this company. This company operates as a partner with ****, and the email I received did not indicate that I needed to bring any insurance policy with me. Attached is a screenshot of the email I received on the day I booked the car and went to pick it up.
Even when I asked the representative if I could purchase insurance directly from them to save time, as I was already there, he refused. He explained that because I am under 28, their insurance would not cover me. He insisted on not giving me the car, citing terms and conditions that were not disclosed prior to booking and paying for it.
Please note that there was only one hour between booking and picking up the car, which means it would have been very easy to cancel the booking if he had good intentions
Regards,
***** *****Customer Answer
Date: 11/27/2024
Yess, but they didnt meet what they mentioned in their response in the email I received. It didnt indicate that I should bring any insurance proof with me. Additionally, they refused to let me purchase insurance from them because Im not 28 years old. I was surprised by all of this when I arrived at the location. Why didnt they mention these requirements before I paid, booked, and traveled to the location, wasting my time?
Initial Complaint
Date:11/24/2024
Type:Product IssuesStatus:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
Hi, we booked a car through **************** which sourced it to ACE Rent A Car at ****************************** on 10/4/2024, scheduled pick up time was 8PM; we took flight NK2901 from SJC to LAS on and the flight was delayed and landed at 10:02PM, and we had to wait in the airplane for another 20~30minutes since the gate was not ready for our plane. We called ACE at about 11PM when we finally took the shuttle to the car rental center to locate ACE's shuttle since ACE is not located at the airport car rental center, however, we were told not to go to ACE since they didn't have any cars available. The representative told us to get a refund via their website, so we did, we filed the claim on 10/5th, and followed up after we finished our trip. **************** contacted ACE and informed us that ACE won't refund because we were more than 2 hours late. However, that 2-hour window was not mentioned or highlighted in the confirmation email, so we were not even aware of it, also the flight delay was totally out of our control. Even according to their own customer care representative, " When you have a pre-paid reservation as you did the ***** period for pick up time is 24 hrs from the reserved time of pick up. In your case they would have held your reservation until 8pm on 05/10/24", but now ACE is using this 2-hour window as an excuse to deny refund to us.Business Response
Date: 11/25/2024
Hi Hainan,
Since you booked using Discover Cars, you will need to contact them to request your refund since you paid directly through their system. We only receive compensation for pre-paid rentals when the reservation has been honored and completed. Please have them contact us at ************************************* and we'd be more than happy to inform them that there were no vehicles available. If you have any other questions or concerns, please feel free to reach us by email at ************************************* or by phone at ************.
Customer Answer
Date: 11/25/2024
Better Business Bureau:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined the response would not resolve my complaint. For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
We have contacted **************** as advised by ACE right after ACE RENT A CAR told us to do so on Oct. 5th, and after that there has been a long chain of email communications, **************** informed usit was ACE that holds the payment and would not refund to us, and they brought ACE customer care into email communication with us. Please see attached the email communications with **************** and ACE customer care.
Regards,
Hainan ****Business Response
Date: 11/26/2024
Hi Hainan,
After looking further into this case, it looks like you disputed the charge and Discover Cars will have to look further into this. The charged from your card came from them and you will need your bank to contact them to further look into this matter. There is nothing more we can do from ACE RENT A CAR, thank you and have a good day.
Initial Complaint
Date:11/24/2024
Type:Service or Repair IssuesStatus:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
On 11/24/2024 I went to this location to pick up my reservation. I was told they do a credit check, I got denied the reservation. I called Equifax number given by attendant, ******* said I had excellent credit. This place uses bait and switch, sells you unnecessary features, and can pretty much what ever they feel like. Now I need to know why is there no sign indicating about credit check. Why I was denied. Just horrible place.Business Response
Date: 11/25/2024
Hi *****,
It does state in our terms and conditions " A credit check will be performed for all debit card customers and all local renters, regardless of payment type, to determine their eligibility to rent." After looking further into your reservation, it shows that no score was found from the credit check. If you would like to further discuss our policies or discuss your rental experience, you can always reach us by email at ************************************* or by phone at ************ and we'd be more than happy to assist you.
Customer Answer
Date: 11/25/2024
Better Business Bureau:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined the response would not resolve my complaint. For your reference, details of the offer I reviewedThis company doesnt honor anything. Its the all bait and switch, to make customers pay more. At a 1.0 online rating obviously something wrong. Dont rent from this company.
Regards,
***** *********Initial Complaint
Date:11/21/2024
Type:Sales and Advertising IssuesStatus:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
rented 11/15/2024 - Rented vehicle everything was fine until next day, the check engine light came on. I contacted rental place and was assured that everything is okay, it was just a sensor. About 4pm, the vehicle started stopping when pressure was applied to the gas. There is no emergency line or after hours line to contact should anything happen with their vehicle. Monday morning, the company was contacted and i was assured that i would receive a credit. No credit was dispensed. I was accused of removing a sensor that would not monitor my speed. When talking to a mechanic, they said what happened to the car stopping was the transmission slipping. Im just a girl, i have no idea how to remove anything off of the motor. I swapped into another vehicle, and the vehicle was lit up like Christmas day.. The abs light was on, brake light, a wrench.. it was a mess. The brakes were squeaking and metal to metal. I was charged $548.59 for 2 inoperable ************** were rowdy and had very nasty attitudes. overall i was highly disappointed with the way this company handled me and how they handle business in specificity. Will never return and will advise everyone to steer clear of this company. They are scammers and fraudsters! They mentioned they would not be doing anything to satisfy me because they said i ******** with their vehicle. This is outrageous. Ive rented vehicles for a year and have never had this happen to me.Business Response
Date: 11/22/2024
Hi JahVyree,
If you can please email us at ************************************* with your confirmation number (3 letters followed by 8 digits) so we can find your rental reservation, we'd be more than happy to look further into this case for you. We want to assure you that our main priority at ACE Rent a Car is to provide the safest and most reliable vehicles to our customers. We truly look forward to hearing from you so we can get this resolved right away.
Initial Complaint
Date:11/18/2024
Type:Customer Service IssuesStatus:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
I rented a car from ACE on Saturday, November 16. I returned the car at 5:45pm, MST, on the same day (11/16/24). My two kids backpacks were left in the trunk when I returned the car. I have called multiple times (including 2 hours after I returned the car), and get the same answer that they checked the car and didnt find them. I filed a claim on their website repeatedly asked to speak with a manager and was denied every time. I dont understand how two regular size backpacks magically go missing when they were last in the rental car and now nobody can find them.Business Response
Date: 11/19/2024
Hi ******,
If you can please email us at ************************************* with your confirmation number (3 letters followed by 8 digits) and the location you rented from, we'd be more than happy to look further into your kid's lost backpacks. I want to assure you that our main priority is to provide the best service to our customers and we look forward to hearing from you soon.
Initial Complaint
Date:11/15/2024
Type:Customer Service IssuesStatus:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
ACE rental car over charged me for my rental car. I paid for the first two days and needed to extend for another three. They charged me for all 5 days. When I asked for refund I was given the runaround. Transferred to lines that dont pick up calls, just tell you to leave a message.I went in the location and they say a manager is not there to help me.. I call the number and he never called me back. I called and spoke to a girl who tried to go over the charges, but the math was not matching what my receipt said and she had no explanation. Told me she would transfer me to a manager and nobody picked up.This company has a ton of hidden fees and is probably ripping off a lot of customers. When people see a discrepancy.. they do anything to avoid giving a customer a return. Knowing that they are overcharging and either hoping you dont catch it.. or if you do you will get exhausted from calling and not want your money back.Business Response
Date: 11/18/2024
Dear ******,
After looking further into your reservation, I can see that the location did not charge you for all 5 days and only charged you for the extension. When it comes to extending a reservation, we do not match the rate you originally reserved the vehicle. I have attached the final invoice that breaks down all the charges made for the reservation. If you have any other questions or concerns, please feel free to reach us by email at ************************************* or by phone at ************, and we'd be more than happy to assist you.Customer Answer
Date: 11/18/2024
Better Business Bureau:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined the response would not resolve my complaint. For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
[Provide details of why you are not satisfied with this resolution.]
Regards,The math still does not add up. If you go through and add the fees do not equal the $337 dollars that I was charged. The business receipt they turned in looks different than mine. Compare and add it up. I need a ***** dollar refund. I paid the third part $86 for the first two days. Those days started on Sunday the 27th when I picked the car up. So I already paid for those days. The 27th and 28th. I am attaching that Priceline receipt as well. Where is my refund? This business is a scam and a sham.
it wont upload the Priceline receipt.. but I have that as well
Confirmation number POV16597879
Ihave no reason to lie about being scammed.
****** ****Business Response
Date: 11/20/2024
Dear ******,
The price you paid online was for the vehicle itself. It does not include the refundable security deposit and additional add-ons like insurance (if needed because it is a requirement), toll pass, pre-paid fuel, etc. I have attached the final invoice that breaks down the charges made for the reservation. We did authorize ******* at the time of pick up, which was put as a pending charge. Your final charge came to be ******. That means that you should not see any pending charges from ACE and should only see one posted charge of ******, meaning that the remaining funds were released back to you. An authorization hold is put as a pending charge and means that we did not take it fully out of your account but simply held on to it. You would not expect to see a posted charge that shows a payment that was refunded back to you. At this time, all charges are valid, and we cannot offer any refunds at this timeInitial Complaint
Date:11/13/2024
Type:Service or Repair IssuesStatus:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
I arrived on Friday, 11/8/24, at 8:25 for a 9 a.m. reservation, only to be told by the agent, Lakwanza, that we were too early and couldnt start any paperwork or wait until 9 to get the car. When we finally got the car a subcompact ****** Sentra instead of the regular sedan, we reserved it had worn tires and the maintenance light came on as soon as we started it. The light turned off by itself, so we decided to go, but later Sunday, 11/10/24, the car wouldnt start, and the key fob stopped working entirely. I called and spoke with the manager, *******, who implied that it was my fault for leaving the lights on (which I hadnt, as Id last driven it in daylight) and asked if I was able to use my personal insurance because it would probably be faster than if he was to send a tow truck or a two way tow. I explained I shouldnt have to use my insurance since I paid for insurance when I reserved online and at the counter when picking the car up. I was told an arrangement would be made for a two-way tow (they would bring a car and take the car that wasnt working) or a tow, but someone would be calling me back. We were left stranded for three hours while drizzling, which caused us to miss a prepaid event wed planned for that day. A regular tow truck arrived, and the car was started. We then headed straight to the airport (4.5 hours before our flight) to return the car as we werent sure if the car would not turn back on if turned off. At the airport the staff mentioned that there was no tow charge as if theyd done us a favor. We asked to be compensated for the experience and was told ******* would follow up on Monday. Its now Tuesday evening and theres still been no call. I reached out again and the representative at the ******* airport location stated that he couldnt see anything in their system that someone was contacting me, and it was nothing he could do. Total paid $224.40 and they still have a $300 hold for the rental as of Tuesday, November 12, 2024.Business Response
Date: 11/18/2024
Dear *******,
After looking further into your reservation and speaking to the manager, we have provided a courtesy discount for the rental experience you had at our ******* location. I have attached the new final invoice and refund receipt as confirmation and you should expect to see the funds back into your account in 7-14 business days. If you would like to further discuss this matter, you can always reach us by email at ************************************* or by phone at ************ and we'd be more than happy to assist you.
Initial Complaint
Date:11/10/2024
Type:Service or Repair IssuesStatus:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
I purchased on priceline in advance for *****. I purchased a small car. I was to pick it up at midnight. I was a little delayed on flight due to disabled people being seated. I called rental car 800 number to advise them of this they said no problem I have a 4 hour pick up window. It took half hour for rental car van to pick up from airport. I get to counter. The *** says busy night all small cars are gone. I told him I reserved in advance and showed him *****. He said you can either pay the difference or not get a car. He said cars are expensive this weekend, which is true if I didn't go through priceline in advance to get lowest rate. He said I could go somewhere else or pay 108 dollars more for my rental. I had no choice at 200 in morning. It was a bait and switch. He did not honor my reservation. He acknowledge the 4 hour pick up window. The gas was not full when I got in and they claimed it was.Business Response
Date: 11/12/2024
Hi *****,
After looking further into your reservation, we have spoken to the location and have refunded you back the upgrade fee that was originally charged for your reservation. I have attached the new final invoice that breaks down all the charges as well as the refund receipt as confirmation that we have processed the refund. You should expect to see the funds back into your account in 7-14 business days after it has been processed. Thank you for taking the time-sharing your rental experience with us at ACE Rent a Car and we truly appreciate your feedback because it brings insight into how our business is operating and ways we can improve.Initial Complaint
Date:11/08/2024
Type:Service or Repair IssuesStatus:AnsweredMore info
Complaint statuses
- Resolved:
- The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.
- Unresolved:
- The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.
- Answered:
- The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.
- Unanswered:
- The business failed to respond to the dispute.
- Unpursuable:
- BBB is unable to locate the business.
I returned a car to ACE Rental, and it had a small (approximately 2 cm) crack in the windshield that they claim happened during my rental period. I can't confirm or deny that, because of the condition of the car when I picked it up (at night, in the dark, by the open area of a parking garage, with dead insect stains on the windshield). Regardless, when they sent me the collections claim, through a third party claims/collections agency, they charged exorbitant fees for administration, loss of use (several days), and removed/replaced parts that were not impacted by the damage (e.g., windshield wiper motors, the front gutter of the windshield, etc.). My insurance company told me this seems to be common practice by the company and is integral to their business model (fraudulent claims to offset inexpensive rental costs), and in fact my own research into the area showed that a windshield replacement of the same make/model/year of the car would be done on the same day for between $200 and $500. This seems like a total scam to me, and I want to safeguard other travelers from similar issues.Business Response
Date: 11/11/2024
Hi ********,
When it comes to disputing or removing damage charge claims, you will need to contact our partner ************* Claims by phone at ************ or by email at ****************************************************. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to reach out to us by email at ************************************* or by phone at ************ and we'd be more than happy to assist you.
Customer Answer
Date: 11/11/2024
Better Business Bureau:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined the response would not resolve my complaint. For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
While their response indicates that I should contact the third party associated with pursuing the claim, the fact is that the rental agreement was with ACE, and therefore this complaint is with ACE. They will need to address the discrepancy in their appraisals and work done, or have their third party address them, in this space. I am not pursuing a BBB complaint with the third party to the agreement, just as I would not complain about a collections company for a fake charge, but instead address it with the primary company from which the charge was incurred. In other words, they are attempting to make a fraudulent claim and then relying on their claims subcontractor to remove their liability. It does not, however, remove their liability; they could just as easily say that i need to file a BBB complaint with their administrative assistant or the front desk personnel who rented me the car.Regards,
******** *********
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