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Payless Car Rental

Napoleon of Oakland, CA June 15, 2009

Rented a vehicle at 10:30pm, I was given an inspection sheet and told to inspect the vehicle. Please note that the all vehicles are located in a lower level parking garage with energy (dim) lighting. I inspected the vehicle and found nothing out of the ordinary. When I returned the vehicle in the daylight the employee found very small nick on the windsheild, lower drivers side next to the corner of the wiper blade. He tells me that you did not note this damage on the inspection report. I asked him "how was I suppose to see that in a covered garage with poor lighting at 10:30pm".

The lighting is the garage is not adequate to spot minor damage on vehicles. He says "you need to complain to the airport, they installed these energy saving lights". I was asked to complete an accident report, even though I didn't have an accident. The manager then informed me that an investigation would be completed to see if I was at fault.

Marci of McKinney, TX June 1, 2009

I booked my reservation on Expedia and it went down hill from there. When I arrived at the desk I was never treated as a customer, I was talked down to and treated as if I was a criminal trying to get a car for free. First, it started with a bait and switch (fraud) scheme. When I booked the car on Expedia the website stated a full size car was a Chrysler 300 or equivalent. I ended up with a Mitsibushi Galant.

The counter people and manager told me that a Chrysler 300 is a "Premium" car and that they don't measure rental cars in the same manner as car companies (i.e. a mid size car for a car manufacturer is a full size car for a car rental company). They said they would have to charge me more and... they don't have a Chrysler 300 on their lot and they have never owned one at that location. I tried to explain that I don't care if it's a Chrysler 300, just need a car of that size as I have 3 adults and two kids, on of which needs a car seat. The counter people actually called Expedia and when Expedia said that for a full size car it was advertised as a Chrysler 300 or equivalent, they then said, "Well, you will need to take it up with Expedia." What was the point of wasting my time and aggravating me with calling Expedia then?

They told me I could call another car rental company and handed me the phone and a list of phone number. I had two children and my husband waiting to get our Disney vacation started at 11:30pm on a Saturday, so I just took the car. I have NEVER had such unprofessionalism is my life. But, it didn't stop, then I was told that I had a 500 deposit taken from my credit card after it was taken and is still pending- 3 days after I returned and paid for the car (so a total of 560 deposit, and 215 car rental fee is on my card).

In addition, the car was absolutely filthy, there was spilled liquid all over the console, the car hadn't been vacuumed, and the outside of the car was covered in ashes from cigarettes. When I returned the car and asked if the deposit would be given back to me, the guy just said "we only charge you what is on the receipt (215)" . Again I asked is my deposit lifted. The answer was again, "You are only being charged what was on the receipt." Question never answered.

After I got home, I then proceeded to call the Orlando office where I rented the car and asked if they can call American Express to take the hold off (560) and they said it was American Expresses fault. NO it's not. I called American Express, they gave me the solution and payless car company employee put me on hold while I was trying to explain to them what needed to be done. It's like being hung up on. I just want my 560 credited back to my card. They nearly ruined the vacation.

Bill of Fort Worth, TX May 23, 2009

When making online Expedia reservations for a business trip with a car rental from Kansas City International airport, I selected Payless Car Rental because it is the only company advertised as being inside the terminal with cars at the terminal. When I arrived I discovered that both are actually a shuttle bus away along with all the other companies. I ordered a full-size car.

When they led me to it (the only car in their lot at the time) I find a beat-up Grand Marquis land yacht that had been wrecked (entire front end repainted, and paint was already coming back off, plus big dent on trunk lid) and that had almost 48, 000 miles it. On the road it was also clear that the transmission was on its last legs. THEN when I returned the car after 27 hours, my 56 daily rental cost over 200. What a rip-off fly-by-night outfit!

Avoid Payless Car Rental, at least at KCI. Unsafe equipment, overcharged rates, and THEY ARE NOT INSIDE THE KCI TERMINAL despite misleading advertising to the contrary.

Nadine of Clinton, MD May 5, 2009

I was charged for two different insurance coverage that I did not agree to and I was charged 80.00 for extra day that I did not agree to. Custommer service was very poor and unacceptable. I was yelled at and treated without an ounce of respect. The manager/superviser refused to speak to me when asked.

I was lied to and initially told that the manager was not there then in a meeting on site and then in an offsite meeting then told that the manager will not be in the office for the remainder of the day. The next day I was called by an agent to let me know that there was an approval of an extra day for the vehicle with an inflated rate inwhich I did not agree to.

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