NandoDave

Hi folks,

This is a question to the Avis advocates amongst us to give me some gauge on if my feelings are justified or not - I'm worried I may be overly upset for what is possibly, in your eyes, a trivial matter.

Made a booking directly on Avis UK website in January for a 'pay now' 10 day Intermediate SUV on a one-way SFO->LAX in February. I used an AWD provided on the 'offers' section of the website to attain what I believe to be a very attractive rate, in the context of all rental companies stationed in the SFO rental center, not just Avis.

I had a problem logging into as a Preferred member, and not wanting to lose out on the rate, booked without preferred number being against the booking. I have the card, but I have no chance of status with Avis so it isn't massively important to me to have my number attached to the booking.

So, I roll up after my 10 hour BA flight from LHR to the desk at SFO. The agent runs through the usual contractuals, and up pops on the signature screen an estimated $70 as the second of three signature points. I asked what it was, the desk agent said it was estimates for what I had already included on my voucher and I wouldn't be charged any more than my voucher. Now I thought I'd seen this before as an estimate of the 'full to full' cost if I returned the car empty, so I proceeded to go ahead. Got the printouts and off we went downstairs.

Downstairs, with a niggle in my head about this $70, got to the car and it was an Outlander with 30,000 miles on the clock. For some reason, I wasn't expecting to be given a car at 30,000 miles from Avis... it got me really scrutinising the contract more than I usually would. Noticed that I had PAI and PEP 'accepted' that hadn't even so much as been discussed at the counter and that roughly totalled the $70 with some extra taxes included.

So back up to the desk, jump the queue as I was now in 'no-messing' mood, asked a supervisor what these extra insurances were 'included' for and she pointed me to the agent I had dealt with.

He said "oh you don't want those now? let me just rip that one up and get you a fresh contract", without so much as 20 seconds I was on my way $70 better off according to the contract.

Then I went about my rental in the Outlander which turned out to be ok if not a bit shabby after 30,000 miles of rental usage, got to LAX to the drop off and all is fine - no additional charges.

Now here's the thing - I've booked lots of car rentals in the US over the years and always worried about being fleeced like this, but in the say 10 times of renting a car, I have never had a problem with any agency be it Avis, Budget, Hertz, Alamo or Dollar. I least expected it from a brand name such as Avis at a corporate counter such as SFO - perhaps this was wrong of me to assume that franchise outposts of lower quality rental agencies were more susceptible to this behaviour?

I'm here, 3 weeks later, still feeling like someone tried to rob me!

Is this something I should pragmatically expect to happen once in a while, or should I raise this with Avis to expect some form of response and redressed?

Does anyone know if the paper trail of the original contract could have been 'wiped out' by the desk agent at the time?

Thanks for your considerations,
Dave

IAHtraveler

I'd complain to corporate on it so they can be aware. Its noted who rented your vehicle so they can tell. Not that they'll care, but its worth a shot.