Perhaps we should start separating out Avis USA/Canada and Avis everywhere else. Based on personal experience and observations on FT:

Avis USA/Canada is a run-of-the-mill, business-oriented rental car agency that has the same average ups-and-downs of any other rental car company. Many are franchised locations, but most airport and major city locations are corporate owned/operated.

Avis everywhere else (Europe, Central/South America, some Asia) seems to be all franchised locations, and poorly run ones at that. It seems that the majority of complaints about Avis comes from non-USA/Canada locations.