Pay extra and AVOID Budget!

[Genie+]

Sorry

We also had very bad experience with Budget last fall. Never had issues previously with car rentals using Avis, Alamo and Sixt over a dozen trips.

Budget totally ripped us off.

We fully prepaid a $500 SUV through Undercover Tourist. After over an hour wait to get to the counter, they turned around and charged another $400 saying there are always these extra fees.

No more Budget or UT for us. Shady as an oak tree, both of them.

Oh, and I should also add-
After waiting over 60 minutes to get to the counter, it took 30 minutes just to get into our reservation. We had all the numbers and paperwork, every correspondence we ever got from both Budget and Undercover Tourist. But we kept being told there was no reservation under anything. Not our name, reservation number…. Nothing. Yes, we were sweating bullets. WTH is going on? Lady behind the desk mixed up first and last name.

Then we spent another 30 minutes going back and forth with all these crazy extra charges. At one point it was $600 in ‘normal way we do business’ extra fees at the counter but when that credit card that made the reservation only had room for another $400 somehow that was the new extra cost needed to get to the SUV we already paid in full 6 months prior.

 

[JulieBeeRN]

We’ve had some really bad experiences at MCO’s Budget and will not use them again.

 

[Mikey15]

We’ve had some really bad experiences at MCO’s Budget and will not use them again.

I too have been there & waited in that line one time too many. I’ve had our class of car given away. I’ve had bald tires, ones that kept going flat overnight, etc.. And the kicker is I’ve also rented from Enterprise or Avis at MCO and never had any of those issues.

Budget can save you some money at MCO, but only if you pay for it in other ways.

 

[MIChessGuy]

I always thought highly of Budget and am surprised to hear about these incidents. Maybe they somehow took it on the chin during the pandemic and never got back to their "normal" level of service. In any event, it's helpful to know this since it is usually possible to get a reasonably comparable deal with another rental firm given enough time and planning.

 

[JulieBeeRN]

I too have been there & waited in that line one time too many. I’ve had our class of car given away. I’ve had bald tires, ones that kept going flat overnight, etc.. And the kicker is I’ve also rented from Enterprise or Avis at MCO and never had any of those issues.

Budget can save you some money at MCO, but only if you pay for it in other ways.

Agreed

 

[georgina]

We had a bad experience with Budget at MCO before the pandemic. I did have a successful rental with them last year through UT, but I do always try to avoid them at that airport. Have not had a problem with Budget anywhere else.

 

[gmi3804]

I’ve rented from Budget dozens of times, with never an issue. If I pick up early or late, that’s when the rental period starts, and should end. I always make sure that returning the car full is my responsibility. I’ve never gotten downgraded, but have often been upgraded, with my permission. I don’t want a gas-guzzling huge SUV; if that’s all they have I negotiate a fuel allowance BEFORE signing. This goes for any rental car company, but I only rent from the big companies on-airport.

 

[3kidz4dis]

I too have been there & waited in that line one time too many. I’ve had our class of car given away. I’ve had bald tires, ones that kept going flat overnight, etc.. And the kicker is I’ve also rented from Enterprise or Avis at MCO and never had any of those issues.

Budget can save you some money at MCO, but only if you pay for it in other ways.

1000%%!!!

 

[JulieBeeRN]

Hmm, never tried negotiating a fuel allowance. But twice, we waited in line for over an hour to be told they don’t have any cars left. None. And that we would have to wait an additional, unknown, amount of time for someone to return a car.

 

[gmi3804]

Hmm, never tried negotiating a fuel allowance. But twice, we waited in line for over an hour to be told they don’t have any cars left. None. And that we would have to wait an additional, unknown, amount of time for someone to return a car.

If you join their frequent renter club you never have to stand in line. Even once.

 

[Leigh L]

If you join their frequent renter club you never have to stand in line. Even once.

I think when you book through Costco/Budget you do though. At least it used to be that way.
(When I booked a car through Undercover Tourist, I also couldn't add my membership if purchased through a 3rd party.)

 

[gmi3804]

I think when you book through Costco/Budget you do though. At least it used to be that way.
(When I booked a car through Undercover Tourist, I also couldn't add my membership if purchased through a 3rd party.)

No. You can see your reservation on the rental car company’s site. Any third party booker will give you the company’s confirmation number as well.

 

[Lewisc]

No. You can see your reservation on the rental car company’s site. Any third party booker will give you the company’s confirmation number as well.

Not sure if this is still the case...A rental car only booking can usually use the agency's quick pickup program whatever it's called.

A rental as part of a vacation package, particularly one where the customer doesn't directly pay the agency,.isn't always eligible.

Examples include a COSTCO Hawaiian hotel package. Technically Undercover is offering a ticket rental car package. In those cases your credit card is topically charged to COSTCO or Undercover.

 

[gmi3804]

Not sure if this is still the case...A rental car only booking can usually use the agency's quick pickup program whatever it's called.

A rental as part of a vacation package, particularly one where the customer doesn't directly pay the agency,.isn't always eligible.

Examples include a COSTCO Hawaiian hotel package. Technically Undercover is offering a ticket rental car package. In those cases your credit card is topically charged to COSTCO or Undercover.

You can always call the car rental company and they’ll give you your confirmation number. I’ve don’t this countless times.

 

[Mle8308]

Only because absolutely everybody need to use this site if you ever want to break the shady rental car strangle hold;
www.autoslash.com

I pre-pay for NOTHING when I book the car. Reason being, if there is a 1.5 hour line for the car at one rental car counter and the one next to it has a couple of agents sitting around doing nothing, I have DW hold our place in line at the busy counter where I have the reservation and I walk over and chat up the bored agents. 9 times out of 10 they'll give me as good a deal or better just for coming over. Worst case, I still have my place in line. So many of the rental agencies are owned by the same conglomerate that none of them are really losing business if you do this anyway.

As long as you have a decent credit card or you have good car insurance, there is no need to get ANY of the rental car insurance - you are already covered. It's easy to check before you travel and it will save you a bundle. Pre-paid gas is a scam through and through - don't do it.

Take pictures of the entire out side of the car and take thorough inventory of the condition of the car inside before you leave the lot.

Finally, even if they are shady AF, BE NICE! The agent really can save you money - or cost you a bundle.

Actually, take a video of the car with your phone at the pickup location before you leave and narrate any damage. Then take photos.

 

[Lewisc]

You can always call the car rental company and they’ll give you your confirmation number. I’ve don’t this countless times.

Alamo. Hawaii A few years ago. The issue wasn't with the number. My reservation wasn't eligible for any advanced check in. I was able to use the Kiosk at the airport. A "helpful" agent was making sure I understood all the options I was declining.

This was a package. I don't know when COSTCO paid Alamo or gave them my info

 

[georgina]

If you join their frequent renter club you never have to stand in line. Even once.

Tried that with my last MCO Budget reserved through UT. I have had a Budget fast break number for years. Went to the garage, waited about 30 minutes there only to be told I couldn't do the skip the counter and sent me back inside. Something about a 3rd party rental prevented them from "modifying" the reservation to add my FB #.

I have always been able to skip the counter with Alamo at MCO when reserving through Costco. I temporarily had a Budget reserved through Costco a few months ago, and it did show up in the Budget app, but eventually decided to pay a bit more and go with Alamo.

 

[PalmettoPath]

Prepay or not prepay and so on are all in the contract. Whenever we pick up the car at MCO, no matter if it's Budget or any of the others (we go with lowest price at the time), fuel, insurance etc. and all costs are agreed to or denied and the decision appears in the paperwork we get from the counter. I've never had any issues with any of them (knock on wood). But maybe it's because I always prefer to go to the counter in person and go over the paperwork (basically to avoid situations like this).

 

[JulieBeeRN]

The price difference between Budget and Alamo/Avis is usually negligible for us, through Costco. Just too many bad experiences with Budget at MCO to save $5-10.

 

[sam_gordon]

Prepay or not prepay and so on are all in the contract. Whenever we pick up the car at MCO, no matter if it's Budget or any of the others (we go with lowest price at the time), fuel, insurance etc. and all costs are agreed to or denied and the decision appears in the paperwork we get from the counter. I've never had any issues with any of them (knock on wood). But maybe it's because I always prefer to go to the counter in person and go over the paperwork (basically to avoid situations like this).

But the OP went to the counter, which actually caused one of the issues (90 minute delay in picking up the car but the clock started ticking based on reservation time). Also, according to the OP, they were LIED to saying the prepay fuel charge would drop off.

I agree the contract has everything on it, but going to the counter doesn't always solve everything, and in this case, caused more problems.