Investigation Finds ‘Rental Car Nightmare'
Phoenix car rental agency rented unsafe cars, charged unexpected fees and employed rude workers.
An undercover television news investigation of a Phoenix car rental agency showed serious problems in many areas of the business, such as cars with mushy brakes, vehicles that smelled like urine and vehicles with leaking parts, or parts missing completely.
The investigation of Saban’s Rent-A-Car by TV station ABC15 in Phoenix took place after the station heard about several customer complaints.
During the investigation of Saban’s, now under the name of Phoenix Car Rental, reporters went undercover to rent three cars and uncovered many customer stories of unsafe cars, unexpected fees and rude employees.
Of the three cars rented in the investigation, two were 12 years old with missing pieces and interiors “that have seen better days,” according to the report.
Investigators took one rented 1997 Chevy Lumina to certified mechanics who found various problems including no washer fluid reservoir in the vehicle, weak engine mounts, and leaking rear strut and steering hose.
The investigators also took a rented 1997 Ford Taurus to the mechanics, who found problems such as a valve malfunction and a wobbling wheel.
The Better Business Bureau lists 64 similar complaints against Saban’s and rates Saban’s an ‘F’.
More Rental Operations

Global Carsharing Fleet Projected to Reach 768,000 Vehicles By 2030
A new Berg Insight forecast outlines several business models driving the projected growth in public carsharing worldwide through 2029.
Read More →
Rental Car Fleet Sales Show Mid-Year Strength
June gains ensured rental fleets closed out the first half of 2026 in positive territory.
Read More →
Surprice Mobility Opens Corporate Rental Station at Milan Malpensa Airport
The Milan opening is part of Surprice Mobility's broader strategy to expand its corporate operations while increasing the use of technology across its network.
Read More →
Brazilian Executive MBA Targets Growing Domestic Rental Car Industry
Rental car companies face a unique combination of challenges that are rarely addressed in traditional programs.
Read More →
Green Motion Expands Into Japan With Master Franchise Agreement
Japan's tourism industry, business travel market, and demand for vehicle rental services are reasons the country represents an important market for the company.
Read More →
ACRA Carrying Fuller Industry Load As AI and EVs Lurk In Future
The leading car rental professional business group details an active legislative, regulatory, and macro-trends agenda affecting car rental operators.
Read More →
World Cup Travel Data Shows Longer Car Rentals and More One-Ways
A recent analysis of FIFA bookings found varied demand patterns that influenced rental car pricing.
Read More →
A Leveling Force: AI Morphs Into A Rental Car Profit-Seeker
Revenue managers can’t match the emerging AI tools gobbling lots of data that could counter the competitive race to the rate bottom.
Read More →Stop Losing Money On Rental Tolls
Regardless of your rental fleet size and structure, fleet managers, executives, and owners can gain valuable insights into an often-overlooked area of fleet operations.
Read More →
Rethink The Future To Avert A Race To The Bottom
Rental car operators heard a sobering industry message and a stern challenge at the close of the International Car Rental Show.
Read More →
