Budget car rant

[granmanh603]

Just returned from a week car rental with Budget and was checking my credit card for trip charges and see this 18.33 extra charge from Budget. Call and they tell me it's for fuel. I filled ,even over filled the tank for return (28.00) and the return person even checked the guage at the airportand gave me a receipt for the charges 132.02. I have never had this happen in all the trips and rental to Orlando and we go 2 X a year since 2000. We have used Dollar, Alamo, Avis, and National and have Never have had this happen, nor has it happened to anyone I know. I can't even figure out how they could possibly fit 18.33 in gas in the car or I should say SUV. I wanted to rent a compact but the Ford Escape was cheaper so I went for that but when we picked it up at Doubletree all they had was a Chevy Trailblaizer, probably most people would be thrill but who wanted to fill that with gas. Maybe they are trying to tack on charges because I got such a good price on the rental . Does anyone have any experience with this?? Thank you. Just had to vent.

 

[vickyBaby]

If you have your receipt given to you when you brought the car back, you should be okay. File a dispute with the credit card company. Provide your documentation. You will get that fee refunded to you.

 

[granmanh603]

If you have your receipt given to you when you brought the car back, you should be okay. File a dispute with the credit card company. Provide your documentation. You will get that fee refunded to you.

Yes thank you I will. I do have the receipt they gave me when I returned the car for 132 but they told me on the phone when I called that the 18 was an extra gas charge since I had no idea what the charge was for and the gas receipt is the only one I don't have, it must have slipped out and got left in the car. and I will get the reciept for the gas , I have emailed the Budget site about this and am waiting for a reply. I just wanted to vent and let others know about this and see if anyone else has had this problem. Thanks again. Carol

 

[safetymom]

There should be a department at Budget that can take that charge off. I know Hertz does that every now and then and I just call and tell them and they take it off with no problems.

 

[granmanh603]

I'm hoping that is what they will do. The person on the phone was not very helpful...so will see what answer I get from the on line customer service. I will have to try and get a reciept from the credit card company and seems like I will have to pay for that too. I did put the number for the transaction from the credit card company on the email, so we will see what they do but at least if I get the reciept they hopefully will remove it.

 

[bicker]

Because so many people try to get out of paying for fuel, the rental car companies rely very strongly on the presentation of receipts, now, and so that's likely all you'll need to provide. Without actually seeing the physical receipt, though, there's likely nothing they can do for you, so that's probably why the telephone agent couldn't be more helpful.

 

[granmanh603]

Thanks...I will contact the credit card company today and get a copy of the gas receipt and tell them I am challenging the charge. I guess I am sooooo furious because I can not imagine that could have ever put 18 of gas in that car.....plus I might add the tank was not full when I picked it up at Doubletree and it was a white SUV and it was filthy, not that that has anything to do with the gas charge, just venting on my first experience with Budget.

 

[tlbwriter]

I guess I am sooooo furious because I can not imagine that could have ever put 18 of gas in that car

That's because you're assuming they buy it at retail price. In fact, they probably charge twice what you would pay at the closest gas station.

 

[granmanh603]

That's because you're assuming they buy it at retail price. In fact, they probably charge twice what you would pay at the closest gas station.

Even so, we put in around 10 gal of gas at 2.63, even double, 5 a gal they would have had to put it 3 gal of gas. Impossible!!!! I've just never had this happen before with 10 rentals with various companies. I am just so stunned. Maybe this common, thats why I posted to find others experiences.

 

[tlbwriter]

Even so, we put in around 10 gal of gas at 2.63, even double, 5 a gal they would have had to put it 3 gal of gas. Impossible!!!! I've just never had this happen before with 10 rentals with various companies. I am just so stunned. Maybe this common, thats why I posted to find others experiences.

Oh, they probably round up. "How much did it take, half a gallon? Round that up to five gallons." They probably even have a minimum charge.

 

[granmanh603]

Yeah you are probably right...I just like for everything to go smoothly no hastle. It just really ticked me off that they would try to pull this but like you said they will probably take it off when I get the gas receipt. Thanks for the hand holding.

 

[granmanh603]

/Well I just got a letter from Budget telling me about the 18.33 charge for 3 gallons of gas.......there is no way that car would have taken 3 gallons of gas so this is pure and simple them trying to get more money on this rental that they are not intitled to. I have contacted the credit card company and disputed the charge and requested a copy of the Hess gas charge of 28.
So everyone beware of this scam with Budget. Carol

 

[cranbiz]

Most of the Orlando rental companies are charging $6.00 a gallon for gas if you return it less than full.

I would dispute the charges, hope that it works out for you.

 

[4formickey]

Did the mark off that the car was not full when you picked it up? This you key in getting the charges off.

 

[granmanh603]

Most of the Orlando rental companies are charging $6.00 a gallon for gas if you return it less than full

This car was full , we even put more in after it clicked off at the pump. We put in 28 dollars of gas I think it was over 10 gal. There no doubt in my mind it was full and there is no way they could have gotten 3 gallons of gas in it.

 

[granmanh603]

Did the mark off that the car was not full when you picked it up? This you key in getting the charges off.

Congrats on the White Sox
No my husband did not realize that is was not full until he drove away from the Doubletree on Hotel Plaza Blvd and he was tired from being at the parks and he had to walk all the way there almost down to 535 from DTD since they didn't have a shuttle service. But that didn't bother us til this 18 charge thing....then I was furious!!!!!! And they said nothing when we droped it off at MCO and the person even looked in the car.

 

[inkkognito]

This may sound paranoid, but here is what we do:
We've rented a car from Budget at Port Canaveral, where they do not have a gas pump. Thus, most of the cars are below full when you rent them. Even though it is marked on the receipt, we use our digital camera to take a photo of the gauge. Even though it is date-stamped, we make sure the background is visible in at least one of the shots so you can see that we're at the Budget office. We have also taken photos of the gauge when we return the car; the attendants think we're nuts, but your story proves that it's a good idea! So far, we've never had them try to pin a false charge on us.
Barb

 

[4formickey]

I heard also to take pictures of the car before you drive away and after you return it to show no body damage. I guess the car pictures are a need part of the trip nowadays.It shows that you need to be at the top of your ame even on vacation. ug:

 

[vickyBaby]

Okay I need you to clarify:

Why do you need your gas receipt? That doesn't prove anything other than you got gas at some point in time but it does NOT prove that you filled the tank.

You need the receipt that was given to you when you handed in the car. On that receipt it will indicate if the car was deficient on fuel. If the receipt reflects this, and you didn't challenge it at the time of the turn in, you're out the money.

If the receipt does not reflect this, then you should have your money refunded to you.

 

[safetymom]

I agree. At this point a receipt for the gas won't get you anywhere. It will prove you bought gas sometime but not that it went into the car you rented.

I can believe you are having this much trouble. Usually they will take it off when you call in.