Just a heads up about problems with Budget during our trip

[hulabird]

We arrived at MCO on 8/21 at 10:15 a.m., we had reserved our minivan for 10:45 a.m., adter getting our luggage we arrived at the Budget counter at about 10:30 a.m. We had our confirmation from the internet, the price was 400.05 for 10 days. After my DH was brow-beaten at the counter by a salesperson trying to sell all kinds of things, we were told there were no minivans available! We discovered that there were three other families ahead of us waiting for one and that one of them had been waiting for three hours!!!!!! We sat in the airport for nearly two hours waiting while my DH kept pacing back and forth at the counter and pestering the person that was handling (or should I say NOT handling our situation. His excuse was that they were waiting for returns of vehicles because of Hurricane Charley. He said they automatically extended the contracts of several people and that they hadn't returned the vehicles and they had no idea when they would! My DH said "why didn't you call and notify us of the situation beforehand so we could make other plans???" Then he demanded to speak with the manager who they got on the phone. After almost 2 hours and waiting with three hungry kids and my sister (who, along with me, had not even slept because we had to leave at 4 a.m. CST for the airport), my DH came with keys to something. He said he had no idea what we were getting, but was happy to get us out of the airport. We got to the area where the vehicles are and my DH starts getting angry as we see not only one minivan, but a whole parking lot full of them!!!!! They were not the Ford Windstar we were supposed to get, some were a little bigger, and we think they didn't want to give them out because they cost more, so they would rather let their customers sit in the airport wasting vacation time than lose a few bucks even though it was THEIR fault. We ended up with a Chevy Venture which was perfect. Not a great start to a vacation.

Also, there is a new Florida law, you need to bring your proof of insurance with you UNLESS you buy their special policy which was like $12 per day extra. I at first questioned this as a sales scam, but my DH spoke to a FL resident who said it was true, that it is a new law and you must, if stopped for even a traffic violation, show proof of insurance to the police stopping you, and if you don't have it with you or don't have the special insurance, the police will impound the vehicle and you will have to pay Budget or whatever rental company. The person told my DH that since the law is new, if we were to be stopped, to let the police know that we were tourists that knew nothing of the law and they would issue a citation that gives you 10 days to get proof of insurance to them, kind of like a warning. We took the chance and luckily had no problems, but my DH was kind of nervous. Just a heads up for those of you getting ready to go on your trip.

I am writing Budget a complaint on how we were treated. This is the first time we have ever had a problem with a car rental.

 

[CarolA]

I got news for you... I would verfiy that insurance law. Most if not all rental cars have some proof of insurance in them and that works in most if not all states. (I know it works in Tennessee) The cars are insured!

Also, next time tell your DH to demand that Budget or anyone else ask ALL other rental agencies if they have a car in your class. I did this once LOUDLY and guess what a car was suddenly avaialble. (This was with a small National office) Once people saw me get a car they all did the same thing and got one.

 

[CarolA]

I just went to this website. http://www.hsmv.state.fl.us/ddl/frfaqgen.html

Based on what I read the "special" insurance would be a personal injury policy. Rental cars do have a policy and it should be in there someplace. (Try the back of the driver's window visor) Rental car companies are not going to depend solely on your insurance. If you had a horrible accident in thier car they KNOW they will get sued. (They have deeper pockets then you do!)


From there

I am not a resident of Florida but I have business that keeps me in Florida sometimes for several months at a time. Must I comply with Florida's insurance laws?

Yes. Any person who has a vehicle in Florida for more than 90 days during a 365-day period must purchase personal injury protection and property damage liability insurance coverage. The 90 days do not have to be consecutive.

So I don't think that your average vacation would require this. (Now Barb may have an issue LOL!)

I see nothing on that page which indicates that out of state visitors would be required to do this if they have a short visit.


Just because I was curious I sent the Division of Drivers License an email (they appear to control insurance)

 

[cranbiz]

I would be interested in what that law means.

My son will be attending school in Daytona in April and will be there for 8 months. I have liabillity and personal injury protection on my MA policy.

Does that mean that I have to buy Fla insurance too?

 

[inkkognito]

I think they were giving you a line of B.S. We have rented a car several times since Charley, and although I bring my insurance card, they have never once asked to see it (Budget and Avis).
Barb

 

[CarolA]

Cranbiz,
Go to the webpage I referenced. I am pretty sure that your son is going to need Florida insurance, but I am not an expert. I would think the school could help you!

 

[seashoreCM]

"There is a law" for such and such.

Ask to see a copy of that law. I still say that the counter agent is trying to fool y ou into buying insurance you may not need. or waht.

The company may have a "bring proof of insurance or buy ours" in their policies or rules, but if not then the insurance is optional period.

Yes you expose yourself to the danger of having the car impounded, but that is your choice. You can even call back to your insurance agent as soon as possible to have a proof of insurance paper faxed to you, but meanwhile the rental company coverage is still optional.

Rental hints:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/carrent.htm

Do people really change their mind on whom to vote for when a story exposing dirt comes on the news? For example this candidate snorted cocaine as a teenager, that candidate dodged the draft, etc. One anecdote came up about John Kerry's pushing some other family aside at a parade (not at WDW). I was asking myself, should I vote for him?

 

[hulabird]

Budget showed my DH the actual law, because at first we thought it was B.S. too, but it is NEW, just enacted very recently. I am a paralegal student and it looked legit to me, I was the first to question Budget. Also, we tried the other rental company angle and were told that none of the companies had any mini vans for the same reason as Budget. I have no idea if that was true as we were not about to start waiting in other lines to see if it was true.

 

[maciec]

I am sorry to hear about your experience with Budget. I do hope that this is an isolated experience because of the hurricanes.

I don't think that Ford makes the Windstar any longer and that is why you got the Venture. I went to Ford's website to check into the specs of the Windstar and they don't even list it any more of current models.

 

[elgerber]

Originally posted by maciec


I don't think that Ford makes the Windstar any longer and that is why you got the Venture. I went to Ford's website to check into the specs of the Windstar and they don't even list it any more of current models.

Ford has replaced the Windstar with the Freestar, which is virtually identical to the Windstar.

Erika

 

[ckret01]

So is bringing your own insurance card good enough or do you have to purchase theirs?

 

[LSchrow]

we were on the budget line at the same time as you
after waiting on line about 20 minutes, listening to quite a few angry ppl that were waiting, we were told "no minivans" also. the agent then proceeded to do the contract, which came up substantially higher than our quote. he insisted that the "insurance" was mandatory (nuh-uh!! i had my insurance card in hand & ready ~ geez, was he angry after seeing that!! )
he told us the wait would be 20 minutes (i pressed for the "maximium" ~ he said 30 min). tried calling budget customer service (closed on weekends) & budget MCO booking ("can't resolve problems") after 45 minutes.
after about 1 1/2 hours (like OP said, many were waiting over THREE hours), we insisted on talking to a manager.
"steve" asked how many ppl were in our party (four), did some research, and offered us a ford explorer for the same price
(felt bad for the folks with larger parties ~ they were all still waiting when we left ).
note that they tried to charge us for $80+ of gas upon rtning the car (we had opted for pre-paid gas) ~ took about 20 minutes to fix (they also did not take off a $20 coupon accepted when we first picked up the car, but at that point we just wanted to leave).
while we were happy about the upgrade, budget has too many probs for us to consider them again..........

 

[ckret01]

I'm sp sorry you all went through that. I rented with Budget for Oct now I am a little nervous to. I would be fuming if I had to wait over an hour to rent a car...that is just crazy.

LSchrow - why didnt they accept your $20 off coupon? I have one too that I was going to use so I'm curious why they didn't?
Also when y ou showed them your insurance card was that good enough for them to leave you alone about buying their ins??

 

[bridgettesmom]

Sounds like a lovely experience!! I am definately cancelling my reservation with Budget.



Thanks for the warning !!