My family and I rented a van from Enterprise to drive to California. We had planned to visit Disneyland, Universal Studios and, of course, the beach.

As we were getting ready to go to Disneyland the first morning, we noticed the back tire was flat. We decided to take a shuttle to Disneyland and get help when we returned to the motel.

That afternoon, we phoned AAA roadside assistance. Someone arrived within a couple of hours, and when he looked for the spare tire, he discovered it was flat, too.

Eventually, the van had to be towed. We took a shuttle from our motel to Disneyland for the rest of our vacation, but we didn't have the convenience of a van. We missed Universal Studios and the beach. The van wasn't ready until the afternoon of our last day in California.

When I returned the van, I was informed that I owed $865. I had to explain to the Enterprise representative on duty that I had paid $657 for repairs while in California and that they were supposed to be reimbursing me. Our vacation was ruined, and now instead of Enterprise paying us for the repairs, they're asking us to pay them.

Luz Marquez, Albuquerque, N.M.

As soon as you noticed a problem with your rental vehicle, you should have called Enterprise. Instead, you waited several hours and then phoned AAA roadside assistance.

In fact, Enterprise probably would have furnished you with a new van.

In trying to resolve this, you had numerous phone conversations with the Enterprise location from which you rented. A problem like this is better resolved in person, when you return the car, or in writing (preferably by email) when you're back home.

I contacted Enterprise, and it reimbursed you the $657 you paid to repair its van.

— Christopher Elliott