Originally Posted by LAX
You can "screw" Budget all you want (again, I am NOT defending Budget), but if you are paying a higher base rate at other rental agencies, what difference does it make? May be you won't feel "cheated" when ABC rent-a-car tells you up front that you will be paying $9.50 more than Budget so you won't get hit with the "hidden surcharge" when you return the car. However, at Budget, you at least have the option to have the charges taken off, unlike ABC. Honestly, if you can find comparable or better base rates else where, I say why bother with Budget, too!
LAX
why do you keep insisting the $9.50 automatic charge is a good deal because budget is cheaper than everyone else. Not so. I have been a loyal budget customer for years but last week when I flew to FLL, I rented with someone else - its as $1.00 more and I DID NOT have to stand in line for 30 minutes to get the $9.50 removed from my bill. In fact, when I turned the car in, as a precaution, I asked the attendant if he needed to see my gas receipt and his response was, "no, we don't like to make the customer feel like we don't trust them." I just reserved another rental for next week - it was $30 cheaper than Budget and again, no line to stand in.