If I reserve something, I expect it to be there. Car rental companies should not be allowed to play the game of lying to consumers under the understanding that

If I reserve something, I expect it to be there. Car rental companies should not be allowed to play the game of lying to consumers under the understanding that lying is "by now standard practice". This is what consumer protection laws are explicitly for. If a car rental company wants to 'play the odds' and say that they're likely, but not definitely, going to have a car available, then sure that's their prerogative, BUT then they should not be legally allowed to make it appear like you are actually reserving a vehicle that will be there...that is fraud. Let's look at an analogy with even just the same object. Let's say I run a car dealership. 9 times out of 10 you get the car that I told you you're going to get. But every tenth time, I just happen to be out of stock because I didn't predict that a market could have shortages and didn't plan accordingly. In that instance, I then give you a completely different car than the one you thought you were buying, oh and this one also happens to reek of vomit and smoke. This would not in a million years be acceptable.