Budget - What a joke!

[Barbruka]

Will never go with Budget rental again. Took us over a half hour to get up to the counter. I looked down the row, and Budget was the only rental place with a line!!! Then we get out to the garage and turns out they had given our car to two different couples! We go back to the desk there and they change it for us. Much better car - the first was kinda dirty. Then returning the car - we thought we'd gas up near the airport. WRONG! No place to do it at all that we could find. Ended up paying $6.50 a gallon of gas to them. So our $117 car rental ended up costing us just under $200!! Never again for Budget

 

[jcanary]

why didn't you sign up for their fastbreak? you go straight out to the garage? The gas isn't something that should be blamed on Budget, no matter what car you had you would have had to pay that price for gas since you didn't put gas in it before returning. It's our first time renting from budget but I am sure it won't be that bad since we have rented before and know to get gas before we head to the airport. Sorry you had such a bad experience, just not fair to blame Budget. Sorry

 

[bumbershoot]

Then returning the car - we thought we'd gas up near the airport. WRONG! No place to do it at all that we could find.

Approaching MCO? Where were you looking? Racetrak, Wawa, and 7-11s abound along 417 and 528. Even suncoast.

 

[Barbruka]

why didn't you sign up for their fastbreak? you go straight out to the garage? The gas isn't something that should be blamed on Budget, no matter what car you had you would have had to pay that price for gas since you didn't put gas in it before returning. It's our first time renting from budget but I am sure it won't be that bad since we have rented before and know to get gas before we head to the airport. Sorry you had such a bad experience, just not fair to blame Budget. Sorry

I did sign up for Fastbreak but accidently threw my card away. Wasn't sure where to go, so I went to the main desk. That doesn't excuse the half hour wait when no other rental places had any wait at all. They were just way understaffed. I know about getting gas ahead of before going back to airport. We haven't been to WDW in 8 years and didn't remember there was no gas stations by airport. They never even mentioned that. I suggested we get gas near WDW, but of course hubby said no, we can't fill up till we are almost there. Also totally Budget's fault they assigned same car to two different couples. Yes, our fault about gas. But is fair to blame Budget for most of the problems!

 

[Denise W]

We have rented fom Budget many times at MCO and other airports and have never had issues getting our vehicle. You could have gone to the desk in the garage and said you were a Fastbreak member and they should have been able to look up your account. We did our research to find a gas station within 10 miles of the airport where we could fill up on gas at a reasonable price.
Denise

 

[bumbershoot]

I imagine the other desks didn't have lines because others were using the "go to the garage" pickup options.

Though I've used the kiosk at Alamo when there was a huge line for Alamo.

I've gone to get my rental and walked past a gigantic line for dme. (I mean never before never again line. Got its own thread here sort of line)

Sometimes lines happen. Sometimes they don't.


There are many people who fill up just outside of wdw and have no problems with it registering as a full tank. I stop a couple miles out and fill up. Orlando airport isn't like an airport inside a city where there will be city streets with gas stations. Picturing San Diego and LAX right now. Or even SeaTac. MCO is like a town to itself. Even if they'd seen that it was a fraction off full they'd have charged you a gallon at 6.50 not a whole tank.

Now your hubby knows. (to listen to YOU!)

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

How is it Budget's fault that you couldn't find a gas station? Ever think of using your cell phone to find on eBay in the area? Or plan ahead?

 

[Woodview]

Why blame Budget ?

Why a Q ... ? Maybe there were lots of other families , who have arrived on various parts of the World ,

who had booked cars from Budget .

The worst type of " Holder uppers " at Q's are usually USA persons who do not know what they require

And which Credit Card to use.

Most International renters Have Pre Paid Vouchers , which states which car type has been ordered & Decline extra Insurance .

As for Gas ....... That is your problem .....


The same situation will happen with every car rental co. in every country in the world

I rent cars in Amsterdam ( Next week ) Orlando in May , Munich in June , Edinburgh in August, France in November

Last year in Vancouver

I have been renting cars for vacation time for over 25 years .

 

[sam_gordon]

Will never go with Budget rental again. Took us over a half hour to get up to the counter. I looked down the row, and Budget was the only rental place with a line!!! Then we get out to the garage and turns out they had given our car to two different couples! We go back to the desk there and they change it for us. Much better car - the first was kinda dirty. Then returning the car - we thought we'd gas up near the airport. WRONG! No place to do it at all that we could find. Ended up paying $6.50 a gallon of gas to them. So our $117 car rental ended up costing us just under $200!! Never again for Budget

The rule. Now, let's take each complaint in order...
1) Long line at the counter. Bad timing. Or someone at the front of the line was taking longer than "normal". If this was me, unless there was only one person working the counter, I'd blame myself for not making sure I can head straight to the garage.
2) Car is given to two different couples. I'm not sure how you know that since you knew the car was dirty. While this is a Budget fault, why go all the way back to the desk? Did the guy in the kiosk tell you you had to go back inside?
3) Charged for gas. There's usually a sign at the counter that tells you what you'll pay if you don't prepay for gas or bring the car back full.

Sorry OP, I agree #2 would be Budget's fault, but #1 and #3 are on you.

 

[adisneyaunt]

Ugh, why we didnt rent often, if ever.
Rentals in general are simply not like the all immersive Disney experience ...DME!

 

[JohnneeO]

There are many people who fill up just outside of wdw and have no problems with it registering as a full tank. I stop a couple miles out and fill up. Orlando airport isn't like an airport inside a city where there will be city streets with gas stations. Picturing San Diego and LAX right now. Or even SeaTac. MCO is like a town to itself. Even if they'd seen that it was a fraction off full they'd have charged you a gallon at 6.50 not a whole tank.

Now your hubby knows. (to listen to YOU!)

I usually fill up at one of the gas stations at WDW. Another time, we were going to the airport from NASA, and I filled up there before driving back to the airport. Never had a problem.

 

[kj2mom]

Sorry you had a rough go with your rental. It was my first time ever renting at Disney and it was just me, the only adult, with my two children and it was a huge cause of anxiety for me. I ended up with Dollar and did register early for the go straight to the garage program (Dollar Express). When I got to the garage and looked at the board it said see attendant next to our name. Ughh not what I wanted. Luckily, it was fine. The girl handed me our packet and whispered I could take anything from the next class too if we didn't see anything we wanted. We were fine with what we had booked and headed on our way.

I was nervous about filling up as well. I had read about the gas stations near the airport that can legally charge a huge amount but I also didn't want to fill it up too far away. Our last day was at DS so I filled up at the Speedway but then pulled off the exit before the airport at a 711 (I just watched the signs to see I was getting close to the airport then watched for gas signs). I needed less than a gallon so I probably would have been fine with just the fill up at DS but again, I was a nervous nelly about the entire process and didn't want anything to go wrong. The 711 was very easy on and off and the exact same price as the Speedway so that was great for me.

All in all, our rental experience was perfect and while I love ME for when we are onsite this was perfectly fine for our offsite adventure.

Again, sorry your experience was not a positive one. Just sharing in case this info might help others to not go through what you experienced.

 

[bumbershoot]

I had read about the gas stations near the airport that can legally charge a huge amount

It's not that charging a high amount is illegal, but their lack of visible price-point signage IS; but last I read the daily fines they have to pay for the impossible signage are offset by how much they make with the pricing.

Again, sorry your experience was not a positive one. Just sharing in case this info might help others to not go through what you experienced.

Agreed.

 

[PSUGuy]

A lesson to car renters. Find vendors having a Straight to the Garage option and use it. Have proof of insurance or credit card coverage you may have. Don't take the pre-paid gas option. Know where filling stations are located. Take a receipt when gassing up. Pretty simple. I'm a little confused by the 'turns out they had given our car to two different couples! '. They split the car in half or gave it to one couple, got it back then gave it to another?

Bill From PA

 

[FCDub]

The double booking thing has happened to me. I was told to go to space X only to find no keys in the car. Then I hear the car alarm going off, like someone was pressing the button on the remote. I look up and see someone pressing the button looking for the car. Turns out someone else was given the keys and the rental agency had told both of us to go to the same car. I ended up with a much better car in the end, so it was fine. Just weird that it happens.

 

[PSUGuy]

The double booking thing has happened to me. I was told to go to space X only to find no keys in the car. Then I hear the car alarm going off, like someone was pressing the button on the remote. I look up and see someone pressing the button looking for the car.

OK, cleared that up!

Bill From PA

 

[goofy4tink]

I've had no car, in the category booked, waiting for me, especially when coming in later in the day. I've always just been directed to the next highest category row. That's why I love Alamo....go down and pick out the car I want. I do then to pay for the prepay gas option though. I hate having to remember to put gas in the car, so if it's cheap enough, I just go with that...then pretty much drain the tank!!!

 

[seashoreCM]

My wait record for a rental car was Dollar in Hilo, Hawaii. Over two hours before I was on my way. I neglected to first try to take their shuttle to the off site office where both the waiting line was shorter and additional cars were available when the cars at the airport lot were all gone which they were in short order. And they said I had to bring back the slightly larger car the next day for a car of the assigned size. That last part was not too bad because that extended at no extra cost the overall rental to the later time when my homebound plane departed.

Funny thing one day at the Alamo emerald choose your own car aisle (MCO). I had some time to kill and tried several cars to find one that did not appear to be shortweighted on gas (key already in the ignition, turn it and watch the gauge).

No sign showing the price of gas? I feel free to drive in and look at the pump and then drive out if I did not like what I saw. .

OT: If you buy a tankful up front, then if you aim to come back with fewer than 2 gallons remaining you will be anxious about running out of gas.

On average the number of gallons left behind in the tank upon return is the same no matter how many miles renters drove and how many tankfuls were used during the rental.

No I should not knock buying the tankful up front because of the added convenience to renters who do not micromanage their driving and gas usage.

 

[WannaGoDW]

Does anyone now if I can go straight to the garage if I had booked with Budget through carrentalsavers.com, but I had forgotten to put in my fastbreak number when I made the reservation?
Thanks
We also had experienced our car was also rented to another couple -- worked out well in the end. We found someone in the garage to help us and he ended up assigning us a bigger car.

 

[stitchlovestink]

I've had no car, in the category booked, waiting for me, especially when coming in later in the day. I've always just been directed to the next highest category row. That's why I love Alamo....go down and pick out the car I want. I do then to pay for the prepay gas option though. I hate having to remember to put gas in the car, so if it's cheap enough, I just go with that...then pretty much drain the tank!!!

We did have a problem with Budget at MCO once where we arrived at 1pm and had a ressie for a SUV and they didn't have any!! Grr!!! And they had no upgrades either. They also looked at their sister companies and they didn't have any suitable vehicles!! We had to wait 2 hours for someone to return one. That was seriously annoying!! But unfortunately we had to have the SUV, It just wasn't an option. I was not a happy camper!!!