I just want to share a recent bad experience that I had from Payless Rental in Orlando, Florida. I flew in from Chicago; I had rented an economy car through orbitz.com. All was pretty standard fare. I arrived in Orlando, took the Payless shuttle to their off-site parking lot, went into their office to get my car. Once there, I was asked, as expected, for my driver's license and credit card. But then I was asked for my drivers' insurance card. I answered, that I don't carry that with me. The service rep answered in a very cool way that I was not possible to rent a car if you don't have the driver's insurance card. I was very furious the way she said, bring my anger back to normal I explained her that it makes no sense to me that I should carry with me for my own protection. And also told her that I was renting cars from 20 years and I was never asked for the insurance card, and besides, nothing on my Orbits confirmation receipt which I showed her tells me that I need to have this with me. She answered, that she doesn't care what the Orbitz receipt says, and that I have to have an insurance card with me, or else I she can't rent you a car. She proceeded to show me photocopies of scroll screens that appeared to be from Payless' own web site in the terms and conditions section. I asked her that I need to rent car and now that I am helpless please help me. She was so rude that she mocked me and simply ignored me. I think if it's their policy then they should inform their customers prior. I will never ever trust this foolish and lousy and of course pathetic place ever in my life.

Payless Car Rental Montreal – hidden geographic restrictions on ‘unlimited miles’

A few months ago I booked a car on Travelocity to go from Montreal to a location 600 km away and back again. Naturally like a fool I gravitated to the cheapest option – Payless car rental based in the Montreal airport hotel, an independent franchise. What a delight when on the screen I saw unlimited miles; however little did I realize there was a hidden clause on the next tab of the page under geographical restrictions saying unlimited miles is only for the province of Quebec.

Anyway I went ahead and booked the car and also 2 hotel rooms in my destinations for the 3 day vacation. The day before our journey I went over to the location and was straight off asked where I was going, and like an honest bloke I said such and such place. I was immediately nailed with the ‘then sir, unlimited miles does not apply.’ I was reeling. Should I cancel and get another car? Should I try to negotiate? It was too late to cancel my vacation. This was the classic bait and switch.

I left the place and sat in the lobby to think for a bit; it’s interesting that when I dropped of the car later I saw 2 fellows cancel their reservation on the spot. Anyway it was too late so I went ahead and got the car, and begged them to lower my over distance fees. I hate getting surprised like this. I hate losing control over my destiny, and being at the mercy of others. Anyway through their infinite magnificent grace and mercy they decided to extend by daily km allowance out of province and to reduce my charge per over km. Nonetheless when I brought the car back I was hit with a huge excess charge. Of course the smart fellow behind the counter blamed it on me, saying it was my fault I did not read the fine print. How convenient. I wonder how the credit card companies like it now, in North America, that the governments are forcing them to vomit the sneaky fine print out into bold letters in boxes above the sign here line.

I wanted to be a bit of a smartass so I asked the guy, what if I lied and said I would drive around aimlessly inside Quebec. He said, well sir we will check this on the audit of the contract, with the satellite location finder records showing you left Quebec, and we will then hold you in infraction of the contract. So don’t try that – honesty is the best policy always. By honesty I mean the complete truth, not part of it.

By the way this geographic limitation is quite bizarre. I only see this in Quebec only with Payless of course. I used to live in Boston for 10 years and regularly rented cars there for unlimited mileage and I never saw any geographic restrictions. I looked around other rental agencies and I think unlimited only applies to Canada, and entering the USA is altogether another aspect. These is in general a cautionary tale – call ahead and confirm that the unlimited miles means what it says; calls the agent you used [online or otherwise] and the rental firm. Finally get it in writing that it is indeed unlimited.

Conclusion – ‘Payless’ means ‘Getless’, and you end up paying the same as others, through tricks and games and deception.


Located in the Lobby of the Hilton Hotel
12505 Cote de Liesse
Dorval, Quebec H9P 1B7
Canada
514-828-9494
Montreal at paylesscarrental.net
http://www.paylesscarrental.com/

I rented a car on 9/07/08 and returned it 9/08/08. I did not make a phone revervation. I rented as a walk up. I was told that I could rent on a daily basis, and if I reserved it for three days then I would have to pay for all three days. Consequently, I told the service person I wanted to go on a day by day basis, so as not to pay for days not used. He said it was OK. HOWEVER, I was charged for three days, even though I only used it one day. For two weeks now, I have been trying to get a refund. I have also been trying to get them to send a copy of the contract they claim I signed. The paperwork I have does not have my signature on it.
These people refuse to address the issue and postpone it every time I call. They charged me $127.75 for one day of car rental. Their address is 3346 Kettner Blvd. San Diego, Calif.

Ms D.S., Vice President, Air Travel Rental Corporation d/b/a Payless Car Rental,
500 Route 1 South, Wyndham Garden Hotel, Newark, NJ 07114, Tel: 973-824-5800, Fax: 973-824-1575

This letter is to report a complaint about the horrible experience I had on July 3, 2008, about 5:30 pm at the above facility of Payless Car Rental. The entire experience was bizarre and very humiliating. The behavior of Ms. D.S. was extremely unprofessional, rash, rude, and intimidating.

I booked my car rental through Priceline.com. This was for “unlimited mileage” as clearly mentioned on reservation confirmation . By the way, this was deceptive in my opinion not to mention the geographical restriction on the Priceline reservation confirmation and rather mentioning this in the fine prints of rental policies on a separate web link. Even in the fine prints of the rental policy there is no mention that I need to declare names of all the specific cities I may visit.

The staff at the Payless Car rental asked for my driver license and my credit card and charged my credit card (American Express) for $368.43 (which was later voided). Then they asked me to specify which cities I will be going to. I told them I may go anywhere in the areas that is covered in your plan as "free" and colored green in your map. However, they kept insisting that I HAVE to tell them which cities I will be going to. I said I may also go to Philadelphia in addition to New England. I told them to please just mention in the rental car agreement that we may go anywhere in the "free" covered area. I found it strange and odd that they have to know and they have to specify in the rental agreement all the places I may visit in the next 10 days.

I am still mystified as to the reason for the way she (Ms. D.S.) behaved. She was full of attitude. She told me that she will not give me a car and cancelled my reservation. In my hand, I had a copy of the rental car agreement I had just signed and a customer copy of my credit card receipt. She came and PHYSICALLY snatched these documents from me and called the security. A few minutes later, one of her staff gave me the yellow copy of the rental car agreement/invoice and voided Amex receipt (photocopies of which are enclosed herewith). The entire episode happened in front of my wife and my son who were horrified and disgusted, and could not believe if this was really happening. Two security guards came and talked to me and my wife. He told us that this lady is "full of attitude and in the past she has had several incidents with other tourists including a female German tourist recently". We asked them why no one takes action against her. He said she "owns" this Payless car rental franchise.

I have rented cars on numerous agents over last several decades. Needless to say, I have never had any experience anything like this. I was totally shocked with what had happened today. I along with my wife and son then went back to Newark International airport (several miles distance) and rented a vehicle at National Car rental. The experience at National was pleasant, friendly and smooth. My 12 year son told me that why did not we come to this facility first. He is absolutely correct.

I would appreciate if a thorough investigation is done in to this matter and appropriate actions are taken. In my view, at the minimum Ms. D.S. and her company should be stripped of her Payless Car rental Franchise and people like these should be debarred from any participation in customer service. I would not be surprised at all if there are past complaints by other tourists against Ms. S and her Payless car rental franchise.

This was the first day of our long planned 10 day vacation and this experience at Payless ruined our vacation experience, and caused immense emotional and mental harm.

I plan to leave no stone unturned including a possible legal action unless and until appropriate action(s) is taken against Ms. D.S. and her Payless Car rental Franchise.

Payless Car rental at SFO has tried to charge my insurance company the full cost of replacement of a windshield for a small rock chip. The insurance company says they can fix that for 50 bucks and will not replace the whole windshield. As such payless says I am responsible for the full cost minus the 50 bucks the insurance co pays.
Seems like a scam to me to charge for a whole windshield when it could be fixed for less but I guess thats the rental car business.