Ever show up and they didn't have a car for you?

[LaurenT]

I have a mini van booked for April...got a great price.
I am seeing a lot of people who also have a mini van booked, with budget, just like me.
Has anyone ever shown up at the counter to be told that they did not have a car for you? There are 6 of us, so a smaller capacity would not do!

 

[RumpleMom]

I have never booked with Budget.

I have arrived at a car rental company(I don't remember which one) at MCO with my reservation paperwork in hand.

I had reserved a fullsize and was asked if I would like to upgrade to an SUV for $ more. DH thought it sounded like a good idea for not a lot more money, but I said no. We were really watching the budget and I had worked really hard planning our economy trip carefully.

We ended up with the SUV for no additional money because they had no fullsize cars left.

 

[sam_gordon]

Have never had it happen. If it did, I would be willing for them to make amends...

Various options off the top of my head...
1) Provide me a larger vehicle that will seat as many people as I need without an "upcharge"
2) Provide me an additional vehicle so my party can be split up (and not charge for it or the additional driver)
3) Pay for a shuttle service to another rental location that can either support the original reservation or #1 or #2.

 

[ccgirl]

I have a mini van booked for April...got a great price.
I am seeing a lot of people who also have a mini van booked, with budget, just like me.
Has anyone ever shown up at the counter to be told that they did not have a car for you? There are 6 of us, so a smaller capacity would not do!

Yup...it was a few years ago with one of the hurricane's. The locals actually rented all their cars because theirs were ruined with the hurricane. I ended up having to get a last minute rental with another agency and paid a lot of $$$. Otherwise, I have shown up a few times and they did not have the car I wanted but they have always upgraded me free of charge.

 

[jel0511]

I have a mini van booked for April...got a great price.
I am seeing a lot of people who also have a mini van booked, with budget, just like me.
Has anyone ever shown up at the counter to be told that they did not have a car for you? There are 6 of us, so a smaller capacity would not do!

YES and THREE times it was with Budget every time!! The first two times, we listened to them and waited when they told us it would be like 10 min for a car since it had to be washed. More like 1-2 hours!!!! The third time, we actually NEVER check in with Budget but noticed that this was the situation as we saw a VERY long line at Budget AND a lot of people hanging around the Budget counter waiting to find out their car was ready. I immediately jumped in the Avis line after seeing the Budget line not moving for 30 minutes. We ended up paying double what Budget would have charged us, but all I wanted was to get out of the airport. Now, this was the Friday evening before spring break started, so a high usage time, but still after 3 years in a row by being burned by Budget, I'll never use them again!!!!!!!

 

[LaurenT]

So, this is what I was worried about. I don't think there's a thing they can upgrade me to that would accommodate 6 people. I don't want them to give us two cars because we're offsite and I have an AP....but that will only get one car in without paying for parking.
And if I did have to rent from another company and pay through the nose like the pp....I think I'd just see red!

 

[jel0511]

So, this is what I was worried about. I don't think there's a thing they can upgrade me to that would accommodate 6 people. I don't want them to give us two cars because we're offsite and I have an AP....but that will only get one car in without paying for parking.
And if I did have to rent from another company and pay through the nose like the pp....I think I'd just see red!

Budget will NOT upgrade you!!! Trust me, we tried and still told to wait. They are HORRIBLE. I'd start looking for another rental agency and if you find something comparable, book it and cancel Budget and don't look back. Also, with Budget, having their Fastbreak in this situation doesn't even help. All you do is end up waiting in the garage. I have seen TONS of people hanging out by the fast break booth when we've been in these situations......

 

[rockydek]

I have never booked with Budget.

I have arrived at a car rental company(I don't remember which one) at MCO with my reservation paperwork in hand.

I had reserved a fullsize and was asked if I would like to upgrade to an SUV for $ more. DH thought it sounded like a good idea for not a lot more money, but I said no. We were really watching the budget and I had worked really hard planning our economy trip carefully.

We ended up with the SUV for no additional money because they had no fullsize cars left.

This also happened to us. When we tried to book a large SUV...the price was 1500.00...We had two families...So we rented two impalas 225. each car. When we arrived at MCO they asked us if we wanted one vehicle, when we told them" No, thank you" it was less expensive to get two smaller vehicles..They offered us the SUV for 425.00 for the week. We were all so excited.

 

[LaurenT]

Well, I just made a ressie for Alamo at more than twice the price....just so I have back up.... I'll keep the Budget, at $302 for a minivan for a week in April, nothing else comes close....

 

[DVC-Don]

Budget will NOT upgrade you!!! Trust me, we tried and still told to wait. They are HORRIBLE. I'd start looking for another rental agency and if you find something comparable, book it and cancel Budget and don't look back. Also, with Budget, having their Fastbreak in this situation doesn't even help. All you do is end up waiting in the garage. I have seen TONS of people hanging out by the fast break booth when we've been in these situations......

Actually they will. We had a compact reserved a couple of years ago but they ran out. We got a Premium car for no extra charge. It was a Chrysler 300, big sucker.

 

[cmhguy]

I always reserve a midsize- Costco Alamo - and a few years ago we were told they were no more midsize or fullsize cars left, and if we wanted a car, we had to take a compact. There was no use getting mad - what could we do - we needed a car. We were at a very small airport, but I can't recall where.... They offered a small discount, but I was fully aware of what the lowest Costco rate I had seen was......they finally honored it and then some....

 

[Gumbo4x4]

Budget in San Antonio. Showed up with 6 people, luggage & sales bags, supposed to have a full-size van. Budget in San Antonio doesn't HAVE full-size vans, even though that was what we'd reserved. Put us in an Expedition - should have taken a mini-van instead

Also have had trouble with Budget in other locations if showing up late at night. They've always upgraded for same cost if they didn't have what we'd reserved. Was supposed to get a compact in Orlando once, was just the wife & I. They were short on cars, so put us in a Camaro Guy I worked with (who was 6'6") got the F150 so many times in Harlingen he actually started asking for it

 

[Donna M]

Yes, I had just found out I was pregnant that morning. When we got down to Jacksonville I had to call a few places since I couldn't remember which company I booked with Then, when the person who answered said yes they had my reservation but they don't have ANY cars at all. They had gone bankrupt! and the cars were taken! Well, a major tournament was going on down there and the other companies didn't have any last minute rentals either!

We ended up calling my sister who drove 1 and 1/2 hours over to pick us up.


Hope that never happens to anyone else.

 

[DVC California]

I have a mini van booked for April...got a great price.
I am seeing a lot of people who also have a mini van booked, with budget, just like me.
Has anyone ever shown up at the counter to be told that they did not have a car for you? There are 6 of us, so a smaller capacity would not do!

A few years ago, we had reserved a minivan from Avis @ Cape Canaveral post DCL cruise. They were out of minivans when we got there but we were told they were expecting some returns within the next couple of hours.

I told the agent that wouldn't work as we had ADRs planned at WDW. He offered us two full size cars which actually worked out better for our group. Kept the same rate as one minivan and no charge for additional drivers.

 

[IDoDis]

I've been upgraded many times when the smaller car I reserved was not available. Of course they don't tell you that at the rental counter at first because they want to try and sell you an upgrade. After I tell them "no thanks" I (more times than not) get the upgrade -- especially if we are coming in on a late flight where most of the cars are gone for the day.

If I were you, I'd book with a second rental company just in case. Don't pre-pay -- just reserve a van. That way you won't have to pay a premium price somewhere else at the last minute.

 

[seashoreCM]

If I were you, I'd book with a second rental company just in case. Don't pre-pay -- just reserve a van. That way you won't have to pay a premium price somewhere else at the last minute.

This makes the overall situation much worse. More cars are reserved and unclaimed which makes rental agents want to overbook their car fleet more and there are more instances of people arriving to find no cars.

This might not have a solution without more government regulation. (If a hotel is overbooked, is there governmental regulatoin that forces them to find you something else?)

Disneyphile and ex talk show host Bruce Williams had various show segments discussing car rental agencies that "ran out of cars". He mentioned things like cars not being brought back on time.

 

[ccgirl]

Budget will NOT upgrade you!!! Trust me, we tried and still told to wait. They are HORRIBLE. I'd start looking for another rental agency and if you find something comparable, book it and cancel Budget and don't look back. Also, with Budget, having their Fastbreak in this situation doesn't even help. All you do is end up waiting in the garage. I have seen TONS of people hanging out by the fast break booth when we've been in these situations......

Budget upgraded us without charge. I always ask for a manager when they don't have the care I confirmed rental with available.

Well, I just made a ressie for Alamo at more than twice the price....just so I have back up.... I'll keep the Budget, at $302 for a minivan for a week in April, nothing else comes close....

Good idea. Alamo will cancel the ressie if not picked up x amount of time after the rental. I forget the time limit. I always call to cancel the one I have reserved but don't take so they know they can release it.

Honestly, I have had cars not available at a few car rental companies, not just Budget. Avis was one and the rental itself was a lot more money. I figured that because of that, it was less likely to not run out of my car type. Wrong, they still did. But, I did get upgraded.

 

[arthuruscg]

You can sign up online for Budgets rewards program and book in online and completely by pass the inside counter. They let you walk out the the lot attendant, sign the pre filled out papers (from the online check in/ rewards), grab the keys and go.

I will never wait in Budget's insane check in line.

https://www.budget.com/budgetWeb/profile/createRapidRez.ex

 

[ccgirl]

You can sign up online for Budgets rewards program and book in online and completely by pass the inside counter. They let you walk out the the lot attendant, sign the pre filled out papers (from the online check in/ rewards), grab the keys and go.

I will never wait in Budget's insane check in line.

https://www.budget.com/budgetWeb/profile/createRapidRez.ex

Question about this...

I just signed up. Since it is my first rental since signing up I still have to go to the rental counter; right? Not sure if you know the answer or not.

 

[SilverMickey]

We showed up for a compact car in 2008, none on the lot. A very long line of angry customers milling about. Angry nasty customers.

We were renting for 2 weeks. The 1st week was just me and my kids, the 2nd week my husband and mom were flying in to meet us and we were switching over to a minivan.

They (Budget) put us in our choice of anything on the lot. They also pointed out a brand new minivan with 50 miles on it. I told them if we could keep it for our entire rental (the full 2 weeks) with no increase in fees and be able to add my hubby part way through at no added cost I would take it.

We ended up getting the minivan for the cost of 1 week at compact price. No hassle what so ever when my husband showed up with his license to be added at the end of the 1st week AND we received a thank you note with a 25.00 gas card in it.

I have rented many cars since then and have not been treated as nicely from Budget. (Getting a car in need of repair and it taking 24 hours to have the company agree to replace it) Being told the car is fine when it clearly was not...

Since then I have rented with Alamo or National, With this years prices I may have to steer away from them.