I talked to three different people including one supervisor, who said I should call the local affiliate and work that detail out with them. Before we pick up the vehicle, I will have called several credit card companies, my car insurance carrier and AAA to verify that all the extra insurance they offer is redundant coverage, as well as to see if any extras will make using one card more beneficial than another. Having read the experiences of others, I also plan to ask for something in writing that assures us of what the total cost will be given that we return the car when promised. I will give an update at the conclusion of the trip to let you know how things went. It comes to mind that you might expect that type of activity from smaller companies but not the industry leaders.
Rental cars are definitely a buyer beware situation.
I would like to know what drives their marketing departments. They flood the market with coupons that are mostly inconsequential. Many Web sites offer better discounts than the mailed coupons. I think that they sell these vehicles at the end for close to their cost. It appears to be a profitable venture that should demand ethical business practices.