Carl’s Rentals

These people earned me a parking ticket for a Penske overnight drop off.
Sunday night I drove over to see if they had a key drop box, no information online so I had to go check myself. They had a drop box but no place to park the Penske 12′ Rental Truck. I found a spot half a block away which turned into a 30 minute parking spot at 8am the next morning. I parked the truck, left the key in the drop box and made a note of the phone number listed on their sign (which I also could not find online).
The next morning I had to be at work at 6:30am and this place does not open until 7:30am. I called Carl’s Rental at 7:30am on the dot and talked to Bob. I let Bob know my situation and the location of the truck (which was a stone’s throw across the street). He explained he was the only one on site and would not be able to move the truck to his yard. He also mentioned the Penske pickup people would be there at 9am. I explained the truck would be illegally parked after 8:30am and I did not want it to get a ticket. Bob said there was nothing he could do as he was the only one there, despite me giving him an hour to help me out.
He called me around 9am to say the truck had been picked up and it had been ticketed. As the renter who signed the agreement I am responsible for the ticket.
Thanks Bob, I hope your business learns some better customer service.

I appreciated that just dropping by they had *all* the moving boxes I needed. The lady helping me, Vicki, also asked the simple question, «Need any tape?» Well, yes I did. Normally I hate add-​on-​sale questions, but hers seemed truly out of concern for making my box experience go well. The physical plant is ragged but its way-​convenient location on University between Hillcrest & North Park totally offset that for me.

Avoid this place at all costs!!!
I will give them credit for having a lot of trucks available on very short notice, but not the size that I wanted, of course, so I took a smaller one (for the same price) and made two trips, which I paid mileage for. Maybe the surplus of trucks was due to the fact that others are smart enough to not rent from them. I will be next time.
I should have walked out the door immediately after I saw the homeless man hanging out inside the store who kept interjecting into my conversation with the not-​so-​friendly clerk. He repeatedly told me and other customers in line that she was his sister. After paying the $ 400 cash deposit (due to my Visa card being canceled after my identity was stolen a few days earlier) I proceeded to find my truck in the parking lot. The homeless man followed me outside to ask for some money and then told me that the clerk was not really his sister, but his «street sister, if you know what I mean, man…» Great way to make an impression on your customers.
During the high-​speed speech I was given about the rules and policies I had to follow, most of which I couldn’t even keep up with at the rate it was spewed to me, I looked at my contract and noted the return time, which was highlighted clearly at the top. More about that in a moment.
The only real problem I had with the truck was that it wouldn’t shift out of third gear. And there was no hand truck for my use as promised. Oh well.
The real trouble occurred when I returned the truck, at the time and date clearly indicated on the contract. There were several signs posted declaring that the store would be closed on that day, which had not been there two days earlier. I called the number that was listed and was greeted with «Hello, this is Carl.» Aha, I thought, finally some sanity! Maybe now I can get some real service. I explained my dilemma to Carl, and he told me to just leave the keys in the drop slot on the wall. I replied that there was no visible drop slot and I had been told by the sketchy woman that there was NO NIGHT DROP WHATSOEVER and I would HAVE TO return the truck and keys during normal business hours. Which it was at the time, though no one was there to help me.
After several minutes of Carl essentially telling me what an idiot I was, that he «put the fucking hole in the goddamn wall» himself (YES really) and he didn’t know why I couldn’t see it, I finally tore a sign down from the building, and lo and behold, there is the key drop slot! I tell him this and he says something about how he can’t believe that bitch did this and he’s gonna tear her a new one for causing an argument between him and me over the phone. Yeah, really cool. Thanks for being so helpful, Carl.
As soon as I hang up the phone I realize that I am still owed a $ 300 refund from my deposit. I call Carl back and explain this to him. He says I’ll have to come back tomorrow. I ask him if he is really helpless to do anything as the owner of the business, from his perch in his other shop less than a mile away. He says yes, tough shit.
If you’ve ever had your bank accounts drained fraudulently, you can understand what a hassle this presents, even to get the damn deposit in the first place. To then have my money held hostage by this unorganized business was beyond my tolerance level. But there was nothing I could do, except find a way to get back there once more, since my car was totaled the same day as my bank account. Great timing.
When I returned the next day I was advised that the «incorrect parking fee» had been waived since I was upset. I let her know that had she been there for me to ask, I could have backed the truck in as expected, but no one was there to help me. She told me sarcastically, «So sorry, next time someone has to have a surgery I’ll call and ask for your permission.» I told her that the least they could have done was call and let me know, rather than inconvenience me with this horrible experience over the phone and the extra trip. She really didn’t give a shit that I was upset.
Oh well.
My bad.
I should have known from how poorly the building is taken care of.
Be warned!!!
ps I’ve had many other mediocre but unremarkable experiences renting from Carl’s over many years. But now that I see the inside workings of this awful place I regret all of the repeat business I’ve given them. Movin’ on…