RustyC

Yeah, those "third tier" car companies can be a dodgy bunch. I've crossed Enterprise off the list entirely because their insurance hassle was so out of line with other companies'. Last time I rented from Payless was on Guam (a franchisee, I believe), and that worked OK. But if the location is bent on trying to recover a lower rate through add-ons (as Enterprise seemed to be), you're in for problems. Even worse is if they pay agents based on it.

Usually the antidote for me has been to aggressively work the Entertainment coupons and other discounts to get the first-tier companies down to third-tier prices, or very close. Have had good luck with National lately, though I hope Alamo doesn't ruin them. It's also important to recheck about a week out; very often I'll find that either the rate has dropped or another first-tier company with coupons has beaten it.



[This message has been edited by RustyC (edited Dec 28, 2003).]

pinniped

I'm with Rusty on this one: work the discount/coupon/promo code combinations to their fullest extent, and you'll get a near-third-tier price.

If that doesn't work (e.g., because you want a specialty car or are renting for a length of time that isn't well-supported by promo codes), use Priceline. Not because it will save you boatloads of money as it will for hotel rooms (it won't), but because it will get you a decent rate on a known product and keep you away from thee Joe's Rip-Off Rent-A-Car counter.

If you ever get an opportunity to rent from Payless at MCI...don't. Even if they are throwing you an $89/wk. midsize, don't bite. It just isn't worth it.

[This message has been edited by pinniped (edited Dec 29, 2003).]

AllanJ

Did you choose EZ or did Orbitz?

If you chose EZ, did their web site say anything about how gas is handled?

If Orbitz chose EZ for you, did Orbitz' web site say anything about how gas is handled?

If the rules you can see before you book do not require that you buy gas up front, you should not have to.

By the way, the computer can be fooled into making the gas cost less by feeding it 5/8 when the tank is 3/4 full. Feed even a lower amount to compensate for the fact you can't bring it back empty without danger of running out of gas before you get back.

According to my last web shopping, EZ in Florida is affiliated with (owned by?) L&M which I also do not recommend. Although many praise L&M, L&M has an occasional customer service hiccup where renters have simply had their reservations not honored.



[This message has been edited by AllanJ (edited Dec 29, 2003).]

LexPassenger

Four years ago I made the mistake of thinking Dollar was "cheaper" in Spokane.

We reserved a full-size and were given an SUV with a broken mirror. We went back to request a different car, were told there weren't any, said we'd see how the broken mirror worked.

Went back to trade it in the next morning because, honestly, I could not see well enough through the broken mirror. Got a real car.

We were called the next day to be asked how we were going to pay for "the damage". Assuming they meant the (reported mirror) I said it had been reported. Was then told the bumper was "ruined".

We drove back to the airport to inspect the ruined bumper. Looked fine to me, until a 1/4 inch hairline crack in the middle was pointed out. Now, we had driven this vehicle to our hotel and parked it head in with a hedge in front, and then returned it to the airport. No possible chance for damage unless vandals were passing through the hotel parking lot with baseball bats, eh?

The manager said he "knew" the damage had been caused while we had the car, since he had "instructed" all his employees to report "immediately" if any dings "larger than a quarter" were brought in.

The fact that I had, and produced, a quarter, showing that the "ding" in question was smaller, and quite likely NOT reported by his employees, was shrugged off.

Fortunately, Diners paid for the almost $900 damage claim.

Fortunately, Hertz had a car ready and waiting.

I now only rent from Hertz.

The Dollar franchise in Spokane seems very questionable to me. I got the distinct impression they were ready to claim damages from whoever was unfortunate enought to get that car. I believe it was a repeated scam. Please, everyone, be warned not to rent from them.

Guys, this kind of rip-off IS NOT worth the few bucks you MIGHT save on the rental, is the lesson I learned.

Fredd

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Bidkat:
[B]There seems to be something about south Florida and rental car scams.

I second that emotion - I've had several. One wasn't a scam, but we had found a bargain rate (see the pattern?) at Alamo. We arrived in MIA on a muggy March night, took the bus to the off-airport location, and then realized everybody else knew about the sale. We stood in line for about an hour to get the darned car.

Maybe it's time for me to stop looking for the $18.95 specials.

LIH Prem

Yep. Or use priceline. You actually have a bit of protection with them. Priceline won't let you change dates, etc, but on the other hand, they are also vigilant about making sure you get what you paid for.

-David


[This message has been edited by LIH Prem (edited Jan 01, 2004).]

DoubleJ

One common thread that I seem to be picking from the posts on this topic is that you get what you pay for, at least when it comes to rentacars.

I've got nothing to top most of the stories posted here. Could be because I learned my lesson long ago (it took quite a few lessons as I can be pretty stubborn) and now only rent from Hertz or Avis. Pay a little more, but no major problems. That being said, I weakened this last summer and rented from Dollar. They had a popular special going on, too popular as I found to my dismay at LAX. A full hour's wait in a line of close to what seemed, if not in reality, a hundred people. And everyone was just as amazed and dismayed as I was. To Dollar's credit, the car I eventually got was fine and ran fine. It was my error to leave my own keys attached to the car keys when I returned it. (In my defense I did have a car full of family and luggage to deal with at the time.) I quickly realized my error, but they had in a matter of minutes already taken the car away. Immediately asked for and talked to the manager, and he sent someone to retrieve the keys. It took half an hour before someone came back to tell us that the next renter had just now left in the car, keys and all. The manager promised to send them back to me when the car was returned. To make a long story short, I never saw the keys again. Fortunately, I always carry a second set when traveling.

Podcat

I completely disagree.

The common threads I see are:

1) All rental companies are capable of offering low rates
2) There are fewer problems with the majors
3) Document EVERYTHING

To this last, based on tales told here, I'm thinking of using a digital camera to take pictures of the car before leaving the lot.

DoubleJ

Bidkat, I understand what you say and probably should have clarified when I said that one gets what one pays for, I meant that, speaking generally, one will usually pay more, but will have less problems and hassles renting from a first-tier company than from a second or third-tier company (your second point?).

The majors, on average, cost more. Source of data: Price survey, Consumer Reports Travel Letter, April 2002 (before they ceased publication) states that of the eight companies surveyed, Hertz and Avis have the highest overall rental cost averages. Another survey, also by CR, states that at the top of the satisfaction ratings are Hertz, Avis, and National. Among those on the bottom? Dollar and Alamo (Payless was not included in the survey). No surprise given the postings above. Tallying up the scores from the postings for "worst" rentacar experiences, Dollar, Payless, and Alamo come out on top, or should I say "bottom."

While I agree with your first point that "all rental companies are capable of offering low rates", and have on occasion taken advantage of low rates from the majors myself, I don't think this was one of the threads. The posters mention taking advantage of a "great price" or a "bargain rate" from Payless and Alamo and such, and not from a Hertz or Avis.

That the posters now appear to regret: renting from those second- and third-tier companies; the so-called "bargain" or "great" price; and/or not renting from one of the majors, is why I thought that the thread was "You get what you pay for."

LloydStamps

I had one questionable experience, which doesn't hold a candle to the horror stories here, but I figure I'll tell it and ask about it anyway.

It was about 3 years ago, and I no longer remember the company, but it wasn't one of the majors, just a low-price company I found on Travelocity. I needed a car to drive from Phoenix to Tucson for a stamp show, then back again several days later.

I don't rent very often, but as has been the case every time, the desk agent tried to coerce me into taking the collision damage waiver, was something like $15 a day, or enough to push the rental price above some of the majors'. I turned it down, figuring my own auto insurance would cover any problems.

Then he hit me with this: If the car needed even the most minor of repairs, I'd have to pay the rental for the 2-3 days the car was in the shop!

I still didn't take the CDW, but the next day, Tucson had below-freezing temperatures (January), and ice was making it difficult to get the small SUV down the parking garage ramp, and I bagged a sightseeing trip rather than risk it.

christianj

I had a problem with Alamo at the LAX airport where I had to wait in the line to get a reserved car for over 1 hour. When I finally got to the front of the line, the guy apoligized and asked what he could do for me. I was just wanting to get out of the airport so I said "Just don't give my a Hyundai"....Ahole gave me a Daewoo! Will never rent from them again! Delay made me get stuck in more traffic on my way to PSP from LAX. Avis is definitely my choice from now on as an Avis Preferred Customer! Saving a couple of bucks by using Alamo just got me upset.

elhumano

Ah -hahahaha. That was funny.

I rented from enterprise in flushing, ny to drive to a conference. Never have I gotten such AWFUL service. The salesperson was harranguing me and lying. He said I needed to get the CDW if I didn't have my own insurance. In NY state this is illegal, which is even stated on their rental contract I printed from the internet reservation on their website, I pointed this out to him. I kept their car garaged at my destination and in my building's garage before I returned it. When going back, I had a driver waiting for me. Well, the same sales guy went outside, and my driver told me that the sales guy only looked under the front bumper, he came back in and reported that the car was damaged. He asked if I had hit a curb or anything. Since the vehicle was garaged the whole time I had it, this was IMPOSSIBLE. The fact that he knew exactly where he was going to look was very suspicious.

I will never rent from enterprise again. After writing to corporate and getting no response, this issue is still hanging in the air with enterprise asking me for 300$ for a scratch underneath the bumper.

If anytyhing more happens, this is going to small claims, but that will take a lot of time and I don't relish the idea.

New York city rental car outfits tend to be pretty seedy relative to the others I have used. Sixt and Europecar have always been excellent, and as of yet, I have never had troubles with Avis. Whoever said car rentals are all scams hit a note that really resonated with me.

pinniped

While I agree with the overall conclusion (Hertz and Avis on average cost more, and also have the highest satisfacation ratings), I am skeptical of every single one of those travel surveys I've ever read.

In the case of rental cars, how was the testing done to obtain rates from each of the companies? Were the testers equally skilled in the use of promo/discount codes at each of the agency websites? Were the comparisons always done at airports where the various agencies offer the same service? (For example, at MCI a Hertz vs. Alamo rate comparison is valid because they offer the same product - a bus ride to an off-site location with #1 Club Gold or Quicksilver service. At DCA, Hertz vs. Alamo rate comparisons are somewhat less meaningful because the two companies don't offer the same service.)

I think a lot of these surveys simply go to Expedia or Orbitz, type in dates and an airport code, and publish their findings on whatever comes back.

Doppy

More horror from Payless:

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum...ML/007886.html

Fredd

Thanks - great to see them get such Priceless Payless PR in the NYT, so richly deserved.

I just rented my first vehicle in Florida since the Payless debacle and never thought I'd be so thrilled by Budget and their FastTrack or whatever they call it.

To update my saga, after several further e-mails with copies to the president, the Payless customer service manager wrote that the president, Mike Harley, had asked them to take another look at my complaint. They said that while their interpretation of their policy was correct (which had nothing to do with the rep. telling me to rent a car and they would pay the difference) they would send me a refund as a goodwill gesture.

Incidentally, by this interpretation, if you show up at a Payless counter one minute after your reservation time without notifying them in advance, they can cancel your reservation.

Eight days later I still haven't seen a check; however, in the interests of fairness I will report back here if and when... I'm sure many of you will be waiting with anticipation and excitement.


Cheers,
Fredd


[This message has been edited by Fredd (edited Jan 17, 2004).]