FatCat--I don't think anyone here doubted your version of events and the comments in this thread on Hertz, as JD said, are mostly unfavorable. We used Hertz many years ago, had some issue, that I don't even remember what it was and since then, we have always just used local people, with no affiliation to any names of rentals in the US.
Oh I know Carol, it just seems a theme on forums that there is always someone or a few someones that are the self declared "experts" and feel at liberty to dismiss anyone that does things differently or has a differing opinion. It gets old and to be honest probably drives people away from sharing. I know it has me on more than one occasion.