Avis at MCO....YUCK!

[hmmerr02]

Ok, I'm sure i'll have many posters citing their wonderful experience with Avis, but I bet there will be several of us who have had similiar unpleasant experiences with this rental counter. I've used them twice in the last 2 months and both times have had the most pressure filled encounter I've ever had at a rental counter. First, it took forever to get through the line. Once at the desk I realized why. When you try to sell upgrades, other cars, insurance, gps, prepaid gas, etc it takes a while to hear the spiel on each of those and then get the look of disgust when you say no. After I went through the whole ordeal the clerk was not happy with me. I said no to everything (which is what I do at ALL rental counters) and her dimeanor went from sweet to sour. I was then told that sense I did not elect to take one of the promotionsal upgrades (for a charge, of course) then I would have to wait a little while for a compact car to be found and brought from service. Since we were only there for 72 hours I found this unacceptable. I asked to speak to a supervisor and was told there wasn't one acailable. I asked why I couldn't have one of the many cars that was available and ready to go and she said it was again because I did not want to pay the upgrade fee. I have never had that happen anywhere before. I threw a fit and "miraculously" a compact car appears ready to go. Anybody else out there??? I found the selling environment very over the top and PUSHY. I understand that they have upgrades to sell, etc, but a customer should not be made to feel like an irresponsible cheapskate by keeping the compact car that I rented. Thanks....I feel better now.

 

[Cdn Friends of Pooh]

That's why we use either Alamo or National ... with those we've never had to stop at the counter! Usually by the time hubby has collected the luggage and is on his way to the garage, I've got our car picked out and am waiting for him!!

 

[horselover]

I'm sorry you had to go through that. Totally unacceptable. I agree with the PP. This is why I always use Alamo even if it is a bit more $$. You can't beat the convenience of the kiosks & no upselling!

 

[OKW Lover]

I hate the sell stuff. That's why I use Avis Preferred. Don't even have to stop at a kiosk. Just head right for the garage, look at the board to see what space my car is in and off we go.

 

[hmmerr02]

Yeah, I've used priceline the last 2 times and gotten avis. If you are avis preferred can you use priceline and then still do the preferred thing?

 

[katallo]

We were not happy with Avis. Hard sell at the counter. First car was dirty. On the second day, we had a dead battery and had to wait over 2 hours for Avis Roadside Assistance. We have returned to Alamo.

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

I agree with the PP about Alamo. I love the ease of being off the plane and in my rental car in less than 20 minutes. Love the online check in or using the self serve kiosk never have to deal with the up selling that happens at the counter. Plus we get to pick which car we want.

 

[Detailor]

For those who might use several different car rental companies - or are loyal to just one, for that matter - and don't want to spend a lot of time or frustration due to up-selling at the counter, I can't stress enough to join the companies' frequent renter programs. Most are free but for those that aren't just go out to mousesavers.com to use their links to join for free.

When you join these programs you give the companies your license and credit card numbers along with your preferences for the various extra services/insurances and they generally don't try to up-sell. Most companies with such programs either have separate queues for their frequent renter customers or allow customers to go directly to the garage for pick up and that means that you skip the long lines and the long waits.

Dick Taylor

 

[Alexander]

We belong to them all: National Emerald, Avis Preferred, Budget Fastbreak

We have all of our information stored, never need to go to the counter and our car, keys, and paperwork are all ready when we arrive. No people to deal with so no hard sell. We've had great service with Avis because of this. It honestly takes only minutes to join these free "clubs" and saves soooo many headaches.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

I am sorry that the OP had those problems with them, however each time my family and I rented from Avis at MCO we never had any issues with them, plus now that we have Avis Preferred we can skip going to the check-in counter and etc.

The only car rental company at MCO we had issues with was National and ever since then we have been going back to Avis.

 

[jodifla]

If you have Avis Preferred you don't deal with any of those issues. You just go look at the board for your name and space number, or you go to the outside kiosk, give them your name and they hand you your keys.