IAHtraveler

Has anyone had any issues trying to use the Drive Free coupons (the rent 2x, get a free day)? When trying to use them, at several different locations over different days of the week, I keep getting the same results:
1. Before coupon and without any AWD listed, the daily rate is ~$35/day and has unlimited miles. Adding the coupon and not changing anything else, the daily rate goes to over $65/day (which still matters because the % fees still are listed under the estimates). However, the mileage charge also increases to $0.70-0.80/mile, depending on the size of vehicle selected. Adding my corporate AWD doesn't reduce the daily rate or mileage fee.
2. Before coupon and without any AWD listed, all types of vehicles are available. After coupon, it shows everything smaller than full size (which are the coupon-eligible vehicles) is sold out.

Basically false advertising

username

Well, I never felt Avis is an honest company so this is no surprise...

In the old days, the free weekend coupons did not require the % taxes and fees since the base was 0. Now, with the points and I guess with this coupon, they charge all the % taxes based on some arbitrary amount.

I have always wondered if Avis is really remitting the % taxes charged to us to the airport/city/county/state authorities.

moseslin

Consider yourself lucky, at least you received coupons. I was supposed to get 2 drive free coupons, but I never received any notification about them. I reached out the customer service who acknowledged that I should receive them, but nothing has come of it. After some additional back and forth, I'm still waiting on the coupons over a month later. I look forward to responding back with my woes of redeeming the coupons, assuming I ever receive them.

bedelman

I recently tried to redeem a Drive Free coupon. Avis.com accepted the code and quoted a zero base rate, but insisted $0.28/mile, which was nowhere mentioned in Drive Free conditions. The location then struggled at length (17 minutes and six phone calls to a supervisor -- I timed and noted) just to print my contract, which specified a still higher rate. What is going on here? I needed the car so accepted the contract with the agent's handwritten agreement that it is indeed free. But I'm expecting more trouble.

The very opposite of a straightforward promotion. Leaves me with a negative view of Avis, as an untrustworthy partner with poor IT, even as they say they're giving me something for free. Doesn't make sense.

guv1976

I had a different problem with this promotion.

I only had three qualifying rentals, so was only entitled to one free weekend day. When I did not receive it after getting the email saying that the codes were being mailed the week of April 15, I called Avis Customer Service and initiated a case. Eight days later, I got an email from Avis saying, "We apologize, upon review of your rental during the promotional period the AARP discount code was used. To qualify for the Drive Free program you must use a discount code associated with a corporate or small business."

I then found online the promotion's terms and conditions, and found no language that required use of a corporate or small-business discount code, and no language excluding the Avis/AARP discount code from the promotion. I then replied to the Avis email pointing this out, attaching a PDF of the terms and conditions. Less than 24 hours later, I received another email from Avis, and a code good for one free day, valid any day of the week, and even good for a one-way rental.

Overall, a good return for the investment of my time complaining to Avis -- as long as the code actually works.