Budget Car Rental Reviews

Budget's policies were very unclear and deceptive. On their website, my reservation showed free cancelation but when I went to cancel it because of a change in travel plans, Budget charged me $50 only because I prepaid. Budget customer service (haha....) told me that if I had not prepaid, I would not have been charged $50 and when I asked to speak to someone who had the authority to waive the fee, I was told there was no one in the entire organization who could waive the fraudulent cancelation fee.

I got my rental (12-person cargo van) and went home to pack. I realized when I was cleaning the dirty rental vehicle out, the registration was past due. The sticker on the plate and the proof of registration was past due. I called Budget right away. With their pass-the-buck policies, I got no help. They told me that I need to call the location of pickup. They were close already. Day one of my trip put off till the next day. The next morning, when they opened at 9 am, I called the pickup location and they said that all they could do was have me drive to the airport, which is 45 minutes away, to exchange it for a different vehicle. If not then I had to wait till Monday to get the proper registration information.

It is a shame I can't give zero stars. I had rented a car under the impression it was free cancellation. It said it all over while I was booking. I called to cancel the reservation a day after booking it as my plans had changed. I was charged a 50 dollar fee because they put it in the fine print at the bottom of the website as you are booking. Terrible customer service and experience and I will go out of my way to not rent cars from them in the future and I travel quite frequently. I will also go out of my way to make sure friends and family know about this experience as well.

Horrible experience. Kids are running the entire set up. Jayson the manager was completely disrespectful, and the desk at the airport was rude and very impolite. No professionalism whatsoever. They say and do anything they like, as if they were speaking to someone on the streets. I had booked my reservation weeks ago and went to get my car after I picked up my luggage.

Most terrible experience. They gave me an electric car which gave wrong station addresses and ran out of charge on the way to the second station. After 3 full hours of waiting, it got a tow to another wrong station!!! Then another 2 hours of waiting, and this time it stopped charging!!!!

God forbid you leave your phone, glasses, computer in the vehicle at Return. They will end up in the garage in short order. You will then receive emails weekly telling you how they haven’t found your item- Even though it would have been easily recoverable in the first 15 minutes of the loss had they not put it in the garbage, to avoid loss of efficiency.

The only reason why I didn't give the rating a zero is because a 1 was as low as I could go. After waiting in line get to the counter and for some reason the clerk couldn't figure out how to order my car. He had my license. Another guy helped him and after 45 minutes I was given a ticket to go get the car. I get outside, get to the gate and the gate guard was asking me several questions and told me to meet him inside.

This is once again the worst service, this is the first time in over 8 years I thought I would try again, YOU SREWED IT UP AGAIN!!! It’s 10:20 I’m standing in a line with 15 people ahead of me and 2 people working the counter. I promise I will never use Budget again, I’ll walk instead!!!!

Rented a car in Chicago airport for 4 days. Get into the car. It does smell musty, though open the window will be fine so didn't report to them (Don't want to be picky and looks minor thing but NO). After few days of returning got an email letter that I got charge of $450 for smoke cleaning fee. I kept calling to negotiated for unfair charge, end up discounted me but still I do not agreed. 1st I didn't notice it was smoke smell and 2nd when I returned the staff checked everything fine and didn't mention. I tried read most review, seems like Budget try to charge a lot people with excuses of "cleaning fee" (to add on some more charges).

I have been a satisfied customer of Budget Car Rental for over 6 years. I have rented multiple cars per year from Budget at the Santa Maria Airport location. There are several reasons why Budget is my top choice for Car Rentals. One being, Budget usually has the best rates. The other car rental companies usually have higher rates for the same cars.. Also, Budget's fleet of cars are in good condition. As a female, one of the most important factors to me is reliability. I want to feel safe and assured I will reach my destination without my car breaking down. I love driving worry free when I rent from Budget. I have never had any issue regarding missing a flight due to a mechanical issue using Budget.

We were charged $130 to refuel the car. We used less than a half tank of gas in a small SUV. So by Budget's math to fill the SUV it would have cost over $300. I know the gas price is inflated but a tank of gas for that vehicle would have cost $60 at best. Absolutely ridiculous! I feel like this was done because I had discount codes and they wanted to recoup their cost. My friend used Hertz for their rental and had their SUV for 2 days longer, didn't fill the car all the way up and it was cheaper than my rental.

I thought I booked an economy car for 3 days for $165. Flight lands late, I check in, and head out to get the car. In the designated spot was a Jeep Grand Cherokee. I looked and looked again, my paper work says Jeep grand Cherokee, so I take the jeep from my designated spot. This thing is HUGE. The tires were out of balance. I fill it up before I return it. $60.06. Not exactly a Corolla… my card was charged double the amount. First customer service call, I was told I was charged for an upgrade.

Booked a car online and thoroughly read the terms regarding use of a debit card. When we arrived at the counter, the lady said she wouldn't take the debit card despite my meeting the terms required. So we're stranded at the airport with my husband in a wheelchair needing to get to his med appt. Probably just as well with Budget's insanely high "taxes and fees", as well as what other h.e. double sticks other customers have gone through. My takeaway is that tourist season is time for Budget to inflate their prices and cater to wealthy folks. They deserve to be regulated.

Budget car rental May 31, 2024 JFK airport. Waited in line for customer rep for one hour thirty minutes. While waiting in line Budget employee actually walked his daughter to the front of the extensive line for expedited service. When I finally reached Representative my reserved car was unavailable and for to take minivan. Rep told me that waits for this long are typical in the summer. Horrible service. Avoid at all costs.

On 5/30/2024 I reserved a minivan from the Budget location at 110 Vanderbilt Motor Pkwy in Hauppauge NY, I woke to a text saying that the minivan that I paid to reserve was not available. I asked if there were any SUVs available and at first there were none but then one was found supposedly. I agreed to accept it and when I arrived to pick it up I was using my debit card for the rental and I was then told that a credit check was needed since I was using debit card.

I rented a car to drive an hour to the airport. It smelled awful (musty, smoky smell) but I was assured it was clean and there would be no issues. I returned it to the airport drop off location with more gas than what I started with in it. I then checked my credit card charges the next day and was charged a gas fee and a smoke cleaning of fee of $250. I have never smoked a cigarette in my life, and never will. Customer service has been no help except delaying the refund process. I am paying for the incompetence of the workers at one Budget location. Be careful when you rent from budget.

It took us over two hours to get out of the Baltimore Airport because of Budget. We got to the counter around 8:00 pm and did not get onto the road until around 9:40 (and had a two hour drive after that). There was only person working (he was great) even though Budget clearly had taken reservations and knew how many people were coming in. Then we had to wait again to exit the garage since there was only one (also great) person working there. By the time we left, there were over 30 people in line and waiting. Some of them had to be there until after midnight. I will NEVER reserve with Budget again!

I pre checked in at home and opted out from all optional services. I READ EVERYTHING VERY CAREFULLY before making my decision of opting out. When I arrived to San Diego rental office, an arrogant representative asked me "So, will proceed with full service?" I replied "I already made my choices and marked them down". He said "So will go with basic option?" I replied "I prechecked everything I wanted." he said "Ok", filled out something in the computer and gave me to sign. I signed and returned to him. After returning the car, I received the e-receipt with 3 optional services I did not asked for for $150!!!! I called the customer service right away and told them what happened. They said: "You should have read the agreement that you signed at the counter!"

My first experience with Budget Rentals cars was awesome and I was happy about it. Right now it's a second time when they are leaving me along with a problems. The first what I wanna say they took a deposit which one never been refunded ($300), then when we returned the cars with 1/2 tank they charge us $300 again!!!! Okey, let's calculate. We paid for the rent and + $600.... Okey we leave it like this, because the customer service said: "We are working on it. We need some more time."

My rental was actually out of Budget @ Denver Airport. We arrived in Denver around 7:05 PM expecting to pickup a rental car from a reservation previously made (weeks ago) and then be on our way. We arrived at the rental car counter about 7:30ish & waited inline for over an Hour all to be told once we made it up to the counter that they had overbooked and that they were fresh out of cars, we had reserved a Camry. All we had as far as options were an E-car or a minivan. We settled for the minivan as we were already very late to meet the rest of our party and we still had a couple of hours drive to get to our destination. We get to the parking lot where this minivan was supposed to be waiting and the spot was empty, no minivan in sight...but lots of other cars sitting around...We go back in at this point very frustrated and the young man was very stressed as well as they were clearly understaffed...

I rented Budget car at MCO - Orlando airport in May 2024. IN spite of having confirmed booking, I had to wait 90 min in the line to get a car. After I used the car and returned in a week, I forgot my personal item in the car. I immediately reached Budget desk for help, they said, "Your item is found and is in the office, but you need to file lost-and-found request." I did that, but never got the item. I reached the Budget CS, but still no help. I think their service is bad and not helping customer.

I wish I could give zero stars. I used the Pay-Now thinking I would get the best deal. When I found a better deal through Budget for the same vehicle Budget would not give me the better price without charging a cancellation fee for my first reservation. When leaving the airport I reported to the attendant that I only had a 1/2 tank of gas. He updated my receipt but never put it in the system so when I returned the vehicle with only 1/2 a tank they charged me to fill the tank.

I rented Budget from the Denton presidio location. My pick-up time was 6 pm, I received a call at 4:30 to come pick up my car as they were closing. But I told them I pick up time was 6 PM. They argued and wanted me there ASAP. Unacceptable! Upon returning the car, I left my sunglasses case in the car by mistake. I called him repeatedly for three days and when they finally answered all they said was, "Not our problem, we are not responsible for it." Horrible, horrible customer service, very disappointed with this transaction. Will never be using Budget again.

Bad experience in their customer service. I have reserved a car with a prepayment and it says there will be a refund after I changed my pickup location. But the fact is I didn’t receive any of refund after a month. Calling their 24hr customer service is useless! Their operator don’t care what you are talking about or maybe they don’t speak English in Canada hotline, their just tell you to call them again on the next day and hung my phone without other words. That’s so rude! I have to call again in the next day. Then after many times of trying, I can finally explain my situation to the other operator. And she told me there should be a refund after she check with my order which will be transferred to my account in a one day. But it’s already a week and I still haven’t get my money back! It’s unacceptable!

On 5/19/24 This was a prepaid rental for a minivan for 5/24/24 pickup time 0930. Received PC from agent, no minivans at agency yet. Expect to arrive at 12N. Went to agency at 12N. Still no minivans. All vans across river at airport do not know when ETA? I requested refund or transfer the reservation to airport. Another customer ordered van 3 mos. prior, no van. She had backup plan she offered me a ride to airport. The Budget/Avis all one counter requested my reservation fulfillment, they could not because no transfer was down. Told I had to contact Avis number, they would not transfer reservation, all they could do was refund, and assist with an Avis rental which was 250.00 more money. They would not honor the Budget price(even though this is all one corporation). They created refund, and told me there were no minivans available. I reentered line again another 45 min. They could rent me a van for $300 more than my original contract!!!

HOW CAN WE GIVE 0 stars? Nothing like being stuck on the side of the road (41) in the desert of California with your mom and 6 month old- because AFTER FIXING THE FLAT TIRE ON OUR OWN AFTER I ASKED IF THE CAR WAS OKAY to drive when I picked up the rental. At first they said yes and put air into the tire just to spend a day of vacation at the tire shop. THEN to have the car's oil pump go out. TO THEN have to find my own ride off of the highway for Uber. Requested a tow truck and they said find an Uber or call highway patrol (BOTH COULDN'T GIVE US A RIDE).

Budget rental is a horrible car rental company to rent from, they are a rip off. They do not give you clarity on vehicle charges as far as insurance. The wait to pick up the vehicle was an hour long. I returned the vehicle a day early due to family illness and they still charged me for the extra day. 100% do not recommend!!!

I bought the fuel option for my rental. My Tucson has a fuel capacity of 14.3 gallons, I was supposed to be charged $3.4x per gallon for Budget to refuel the car. I was charged $101.35 to refuel my car. That means that I was charged $7.09 per gallon to refuel. I talked to customer service and they said they refilled 22 gallons which is absolutely impossible as the fuel tank capacity is only 14.3 gallons assuming I drained the tank dry. That means I am being defrauded by Budget and they are filling other cars up with my money.

How do you give ZERO STARS for this company. They are the WORST! Zero customer service! You cannot speak to anyone. You leave message, no one returns your calls. The only way to communicate is via email and they respond days later after the issue has happened. No call just a message. HIDDEN COSTS EVERYWHERE!!! You ask for the quote, which you have a right to see, and they charge you without letting you know. There are better car rental companies to deal with. STAY AWAY FROM BUDGET / AVIS!!!!!!

I am just reaching out to express my shock at a significant and unexpected cleaning charge described in a recent memo after the conclusion of my recent Budget car rental. Perhaps we should all be a little more attentive to the fine print of the rental agreement contract, but my family and I were not aware of your standards of cleanliness nor the subsequent penalty for an accumulation of dirt. If this had been impressed upon us, we certainly would’ve been more diligent and attentive to your expectations upon return of the car... Surely open, clear communication is the hallmark of any successful, sustainable and ethical business. While we understand the need for a lengthy and detailed contract, certainly a bit more transparency and clear communication with customers regarding such matters would go a long way towards generating customer loyalty and repeat business!

I rented a car from Budget last Tuesday til Thursday however I returned it on Wednesday morning. I was expecting my 250 deposit to be returned to me at least in 2 days. Especially when you return car back early you don't get any money back so they are getting free money from you then even get to turn around and rent it to someone else. I called the 4th call abt my return. I called 5/21/24 Tuesday the 5th day I called. He told me it would be next Monday the 9th day. So basically they are in no hurry to return your money that is only post to be just a hold til you return car. They don't even deserve a 1. These are the ones whoever we all talk to on phone. Because the budget on w Washington Indianapolis has great people working there but they can't help the people that take our money. I feel sorry for them because they take a lot of heat from customers because the way whoever or wherever budget is ran.

Overcharged and RIPPED off. We rented a car from 3/13/24 to 3/27/24 (2 weeks) from Budget at LaGuardia Airport in New York and returned the car to the same airport. We stayed in a house in Brookhaven for the entire visit. We only drove 201 miles during the entire 2 week period. The round trip to Brookhaven to see the grandkids and back to the airport accounted for 80+ miles of the 201 total miles driven.

If there was a 0 option on rating I would of definitely done 0. Their scams and charged my card $160 extra for their own wrong advice on dropping the rental truck at the wrong location, I even dropped the car one day earlier but at the wrong location which they told me themselves. The customer service is bad and they didn’t even care of my charges when I called and mentioned it to them. Do not get your rental car from Budget. Try different brands with good reviews.

We arrived in Durango, Colorado (May 16th-May 19th), just to find out that "National/Enterprise car rental gave our car away and had no other cars available to rent to us. Next available car could be a day later, without a guarantee. We were told that we did not have a reservation but my husband called the Executive office and they confirmed that we DID have a reservation. The lady clearly lied to us since they did not have any cars available. Went to Budget and Sidney ** was most helpful. We couldn't be happier with his service. Smooth check-in, quick and efficient. Car was clean. Thank you, Sidney, for a wonderful customer experience.

I wish I could give zero stars. I have rented cars from other rental companies and never had this problem. I rented a car from Budget weeks in advance. I called to double check everything was ready and what the deposit would be. I have a 620 credit score which is not high but not terrible either. When I went to pick up the car they told me they didn't take my credit card. (Chime) I said ok and transferred all the money I needed to my of Debit card (a different bank). They then ran the deposit as a debit which is fine. But then told me I could not rent the car anymore because I didn't pass the credit check for debit. How can they run a credit check on my debit card? I asked how high the credit score needed to be and the woman working said she had no idea.

Renting a full size car or luxury after the covid is unbelievable. Full size downgraded to a Nissan Altima and a Luxury car. Now a Chrysler 300? What a joke on the renters. Also I've rented several vehicles this past year. Each one of them was filthy dirty... Bird droppings on them, dusty and dirty inside and out. I had to stop at a wash, wipe down and clean them after pick up. So sad it's about money and not the customer nowadays.

Booked our Budget rental car through the Sun Country Airlines site for MSP to PHX round trip. Paid the airfare AND the $600+ car rental fee at that time. Arrived at the rental area at our stated time, waited 45 minutes to get to the checkin counter where we were told we needed to pay another $600+ in rental and fees charge!!! Then got in a second line and waited another 2 hours to get a car. After the trip we contacted Sun Country and were told we should have been charged only the initial $600 and probably some taxes when we got to PHX. Budget conversations have not rectified this situation, so we won’t be using them again.

Don't trust them. I've used for years, but no more. Rented out of Columbus, Ohio airport. Returned it to their ridiculously fast express drop-off. A month later, reviewing expenses, I realized they charged $350 over because there was a bottle of Febreze left in the car, due to fast drop-off, and someone decided that meant smoking in the car (?). The reality was that the luggage area had a smell like bad milk when the car warmed up after pickup. At a month later and 2000 miles away, they got me. The previous rental from Columbus, Ohio Budget gave us a car with expired tags. We were there for a funeral and got stopped by the police. They did exchange the car, but we lost two days of use. Fun times!

Flew from KC to St. Petersburg, FL. in mid-March. Rented a car at the St. Pete airport. We were given a sizable SUV, but we needed a van to assist to complete a move. Still, it was a nice car, and we took it. We came back the next day mid-day to try and switch the car out to get a van or a larger truck. We ran into Rafael after he had left the terminal en route back to the dispatch yard. He asked right away if anything was wrong. We explained what we needed and why, that we wanted to switch the car out for a van. He brought us over to the dispatch yard, and switched cars with us. He made it that easy for us. Rafael - Thank you. Great customer service! - J.

The worst! Do not rent from them. Go read the reviews. Here’s our story: I’m grandma and was taking my young grandchildren to other grandma's memorial. May 3rd went to pick up car (had scheduled my pick up time for 6am). They apparently don’t open until 8 even though the offered pick up times are 0000-2400. When we able to get our car I was offered an upgrade to a hybrid for $15 a day. I took it thinking of the gas savings.

Can you give a 0 because Budget Car Rental SUCKS!!!! They don't even deserve a 1* ... The customer service is absolutely horrible. The service itself was freakin' terrible!!!! I would never EVER use them again!!!! I called multiple times about the car they gave me that has a super low # for tire pressure... That was days ago. No one ever came. No one ever called back.... They are horrible!!!! It wasn't even the car I signed up to rent!!!!

We had about the worst experience you can have with a rental car company using Budget at JFK airport. I had recently signed up for Fast Break, so I could bypass the extremely long lines I experienced at LaGuardia a month before. We received emails and texts stating that we were Fast Break customers. So we show up at Budget at JFK, and there are the usual 10+ customers in line and two agents. But we get in the Fast Break line where there is only one person ahead of us. That still takes a half hour.

I booked a Mid-Size SUV — Toyota Rav4 or similar. When picking up the car at the Orlando airport (MCO) on 5/10/2024, I was told only electric cars were available after waiting for 3 hours in line at 2am. I was told the car could be switched anytime at any Budget rental store. The next day on 5/11, I stopped at Budget Deland store and was told nothing but was available; they sent me to the Sanford Airport store, claiming the airport store has plenty of inventory. After driving for 40 minutes to the Sanford Airport Budget store, I was told only electric cars were available.

It was a very poor experience overall with Budget. I picked up in Fort Lauderdale and waited at least 45 minutes to get the car. I dropped off early in the morning and there is no one there so you just leave the car. I left a few pieces of paper and a water bottle in the car and they leveled a 250.00 cleaning charge. It would have taken them about 10 seconds to put that stuff in the trash.

I had a family member pass away suddenly and booked a flight for the next morning one way to be with family as soon as I could. I was flying from North Carolina to Ohio. I had called the Budget car rental and got everything figured out and made sure they knew I wasn't 25. I know many car places want you to be 25 to rent a car but the individual I spoke with assured all I had to do was pay a larger deposit. I flew out at 6 am and had everything in line, so I thought. Once I showed up during my "appointment time" and handed the lady all my IDs and card I was using to rent the car she told me I could not receive a car since I am not 25 nor did I have a major credit card.

I go through Budget Rental in Frederick Maryland to rent my vehicle. I truly is so amazed about the great customer service they provide whenever I rent a vehicle from them. Both the associate Tulo and his manager are both outstanding in providing great customer service whenever I need a vehicle. I have been renting at Budget for some time and never experienced anything negative about the service they provide.

Do not rent from Budget. The incompetence and inanity are astounding. 1] I rented a car for 2 days from the small office in Ridgecrest for noon. The office closes at noon. This is not indicated on the confirmation email and the office could not be bothered to text me that I needed to get there before noon. I got there at 12:10. Result: no car. I'm stuck in Ridgecrest for the day because no other cars are available. Budget wanted to charge a $150 cancellation fee for a car that I wanted but couldn't get?!? So 2} I try to make a reservation online for the next day for 1 day. I am unable to do this because their site kept erasing my DL # and the telling me the # was not "present." 3 phone calls and 1 and a half hours later I finally get somebody at the Budget 800 # to reserve a car at the same rate as the online rate. But wait, there's more It turns out 3} that the 2 online reservations I had tried to make did go through even though there was no indication that this had happened.

We planned a trip for our daughter's 16th birthday. Our car isn't fuel efficient and needed tires. After a few quick online searches and running numbers through the calculator, we found what seemed like an affordable option through Budget Car Rental. I used their website and created an account for the extra discount. Booking was fairly easy and confirmation came right away. Yay! Not so fast... Get to my local Budget office where I designated the car to be picked up, at the scheduled time, only to have the person working there tell me they have no cars available. I had to ask again... wait the site took my money and I have the confirmation to be here, but no car! They explained it happens a lot. They are an independent business so have no control of Budget. They told me to use my confirmation number at the airport in our area, which is 30 miles away.

Horrible customer service with people that can barely speak English and I have to be 'bilingual', just to converse with them. The counter agents at the US locations don't let you read the rental agreement disclosure and just want you to initial the contract and move along as quickly as possible. I will NEVER rent from Budget ever again nor would I ever recommend them to others!

Awful experience. Really, really long line at check-in and only a few people working and they were all REALLY slow! They need to staff a lot more people and train them better!!! I will never use Budget again!! Avoid at all costs!

Why isn’t there no zero star option. This company is absolutely asinine. I got charged for a window chip during my rental, I request proof it was during my rental period, they can’t provide anything, so they refunded the charge. 10 days later I get charged again!

I recently rented a car from Budget for my trip. After the returning the vehicle, I was charged $710 based on the E-receipt they send but my card card was charged over $1000 with no explanation. Then 45 days later Budget charge me $250 for damage to the vehicle. The vehicle was check in by their staff during the return process. I'm just frustrated with all the delay in notification and lack clarity. You can't just over charge and add charge for damage 45 days later. Budget is the worst car rental I have ever experience. I do not recommend renting a car at Budget.

Retuned a car to Dayton Ohio that I picked up in Illinois. Picking the car up at 9:48 CST and dropped it off at 10:18 EST. Would have dropped it off sooner but the Dayton location didn’t open until 10. I actually got there at 10 but I guess since I didn’t get there at 9:48 I was charged for an extra hour @$120 per hour. They put a $200 hold on my credit card which I never understood, didn’t worry because I just wanted to get home and I knew that I’d get it back. Not!!! Up yours Budget. Be aware because you too can get screwed by Budget rental car.

To start I did. Not want to give a star at all 1. The car was dirty inside and out. Thank God it rained two days later to wash off the dirt. The car smelled really bad like someone lived in the car. Bugs flew out the air vent. The car smelled like ** and to end it all the tire light came on while I was on the freeway saying tire pressure low. I will never rent with Budget again and I did it with JetBlue app. I will give JetBlue an email letting them know how bad the experience was and hopefully they don’t use them again. The lines where long at LAX airport. 2 hour wait outside in the heat and only one person at the counter at a time. My wife and child waited outside like animals. If I could get my money back and go elsewhere I would have but I wasted half a day getting this rental so if you have some place to go go. Don’t use budget rental. You will be late.

I am a Budget FastBreak member and when I arrived Thursday night in PIE the line was quite long. I went in the separate line for the fast break members where a few people were waiting. The man at the counter, Budget employee CHRIS, pointed at me and said “you need to come here.” So I stepped over, surprised, and he said “if you just signed up for the fast break today you can’t be in that line.” He was EXTREMELY rude and said this in front of about 20 other customers, implying I cut in front of all of them. He DID NOT question any of the other fast break members.

I was wrongly charged a no show fee for a reservation when in fact I did pick up the rental car when I was supposed to. I tried to get them to remove the charge from my card and sent them all of the documentation they asked for and they never took care of their mistake. This is now in dispute through my credit card company. I will never rent from Budget again.

I promise you don’t want to miss this review. It could save you a lot of stress and money. I'll preface this with the fact that I’m an airline pilot and rent cars regularly, utilizing my benefits for this specific booking as well. I was in Fort Lauderdale, FL for a week and decided to rent Budget's “sporty” car, noting that with my benefits I was eligible for a free upgrade. I was not given a free upgrade when picking up the car. Secondly, after a long wait, I was given the vehicle with an 80% full tank of gas and very low rear left tire pressure. Image attached. I had to wait even longer for budget to take the vehicle back and correct the issues.

While Budget's pricing was more affordable than the other rental car options, I deeply regret going with Budget. Several days into our travel, the key stopped working, and we were completely unable to operate the car (we couldn't unlock the doors and certainly couldn't crank or drive the car). Hours after contacting Budget, we were assisted by a towing company who came to us and fixed our key fob. Several days after returning the car, I received an invoice from Budget for the towing company expense (nearly $300). I called Budget to explain our circumstances, hoping the towing company invoice would not be my expense since they were only called because the car wasn't functioning.

My husband and I rented on April 24-25th, in Houston, TX. We are not smokers. We have never been smokers. 4 days later my husband received an email about Budget finding smoke residue and odor in the rental car and will be charging us 450$!! How is this possible?! My husband demanded to speak to the manager. Apparently wasn't available. We are extremely angry. We didn't even eat in this car!!! We will NEVER use Budget. We have filed a formal complaint with Budget and will go further if we have to.

Budget Rental in Essex MD rented us 2020 Nissan Murano that had 65,000 miles and the rotars were so warped it made the ride from Baltimore, MD to Sarasota, Florida awful. Every braking, the car pulled right and you could feel the rotors just pulsating because they were so warped. I didn't think rental companies kept vehicles after 25-30K miles. Their only customer service at this location when we called on our journey was if we felt unsafe, take it to a rental location near us, like we were going to unpack our entire vehicle and repack on our journey.

Worst customer service EVER. I have been a Budget customer for years, and have rented many times. On April 5, I went to the counter at Denver airport to pick up a car I had reserved and already paid for. The agent told me they were unable to use my bank debit card, with a chip, for the deposit for the rental. I have used this exact card several times in the past year for a Budget car rental. The agent, his manager, and THREE different people on the phone at Budget all gave me the same answer "nothing we can do". I walked to the nearest competitor, who were happy to rent me a car. Well, there is something I can do. I will never rent from Budget again and am cancelling my account.

I have been a Budget customer for years. I attempted to reserve a same day rental. It went through the website but when I showed up to get the car, I was informed that I had to have another photo ID beyond my driver's license to rent the car. I was informed I could come back tomorrow, and it MIGHT go through. I can understand if I didn't have a history with the company, but Budget has now lost my business, both for today and in the future. In the digital age, you should be able to do better. Shame on you, Budget.

Budget is efferent and they do a good job in getting you a car but IF they overcharge you, for whatever reason, you will be waiting for 10 to 15 days for a refund. I prepaid for a rental and I did not realize they charged me again when I picked up the rental, I was in a hurry. They required screenshots of both charges. I sent them email them the charges. After 2 weeks of waiting, I called to follow-up on my refund and was told by the rep that she had to escalate the case. I told her the case had already been escalated. She proceeded to tell me that I did not know how it worked, I asked to escalate the call, she said there are no managers available and the supervisor was busy... UNACCEPTABLE...

We rented a car for a weekend in Chicago. We flew into O'Hara and went to Budget to get our car. The agent quickly went through the additional services we could get from Budget. Several additions were put on without our consent and added $137 to our bill. The next day I called and asked for a refund I was told no! Now I know my business is worth less than $137. In the future, I'll pay more for a rental somewhere else if it means never using Budget again. because I am worth more than $137.

0 Stars! We were given an extremely damaged vehicle at the Honolulu Airport in March 2024. Not one person came over when we called to them to point out the damage. After a 17 hour travel day we decided to take pictures and leave. 3 weeks after returning I receive a cryptic text that we have a claim against us. I found out I was charged almost $5300 for the damages that came with my rental. They did not even wait for my proof to be sent in. The charge has since been reversed but not one person from Budget has apologized for what happened. If we did not have those pictures we would have been out $5300. The customer service representatives have been rude and combative. All I asked for was an apology. The only thing I got was "I empathize with you." Stay away from Budget and Avis. And ALWAYS take pictures!

My experience in Louisville KY was terrible. The rental made an odd noise and when I got to my destination, a piece of the tire was missing! It was about 6 inches long and 3 inches wide. How they did not catch that before re-renting is beyond me. And then, Budget Road Side Assistance was the worst. I could not drive the car, no spare was in the vehicle, a tow truck took away my rental and left me. Budget sent me a credit for Uber, which I have never used an Uber. They wanted $600 to send a replacement car to my location that was less than 10 miles from the location I rented. And I have not received a refund since 4 days out. So, other than the tire not blowing out and me getting killed, what else could have gone wrong, did go wrong. So, never again with Budget.

I rented a car from Budget to be picked up at Phoenix Airport. I prepaid $87.12 which was supposed to be all the cost for that rent. When I went to pick it up it turned out the cost was $159.00 and they did not want to even listen to me that I prepaid. They charged me again and were very rude at the counter. I will never rent a car from Budget again! They overcharge you and don't even give you an explanation why.

I made a reservation for a SUV for a trip. The process was smooth. On the day return the vehicle, Budget found the windshield was crack. I was completely stunned because I didn’t encounter any collide or hit anything. I strongly believe the windshield already damaged when I pick it up. I was part of my fault that I didn’t check the vehicle thoroughly when I pick it up. I was assumed the car is in perfect condition. Furthermore, the car was ran out the windshield washer. It is also due for maint but was not done. I just want to let others know my incident when they rent from Budget.

I was charged $125 for "Excessive Interior Dirt- Sand" after a 16-day rental driving down the California coast. The car certainly looked like it had been sed for two weeks, but we never did so at the beach and the sand was not excessive. This charge is arbitrary and pure corporate greed.

Had a family emergency come up and I rented a pick-up truck from Budget through their website. Paid up front 6 days before we had to pick up the truck and an hour and a half before the pickup time they called and told me that corporate had never sent them any trucks, let alone the truck we had rented. The offered me a few small SUVs, but they wouldn't work for what we needed. Then they said that there was a truck at the airport and they wouldn't charge me any extra to get that one. The airport is 30+ miles from my house. They told me to take an Uber and they would reimburse me up to $50 for the ride. Uber to the airport from my house is ~$80. When I told them the cost difference they told me that is all they can offer me. I told them that I didn't have the time to go to the airport before work and that I had rearranged my work schedule as much as I could.

Picked up a convertible Mustang at the Tampa Airport yesterday. Went for dinner last night and noticed the front tires both had the cords showing! So slick, so dangerous! Tried for hours to get help and just got terrible English speaking people who couldn't help. Told us we'd We have to drive the car to a Budget store. Finally got a nice girl at the store on Dal Mabry who said unfortunately we have to take it back to the airport to exchange it. Here goes our entire morning of our vacation. We were already unhappy with the car... It was so dirty... The windshield was so bad that when we drive in to the sun we could barely see. No more Budget for me! Budget....crap car!

The check in process was fine. The agent was helpful and kind. When I arrived at my car, it was the only one with the windows all the way down. I got in the car and it smelled like pot. I had flown into town for an event that day and I had no time to waste. I had to drive away with the windows down and get to my event. An employee approached and asked if there was a problem. I said that it smells like pot but I had no time for an exchange. He told me to tell the woman in the booth as I left the garage. I did that. I went to my event, windows open, and came back a few hours later and reported it to the person who I gave the keys to.

If I could to put 0 star I would. I was trying to rent a car from website and it say that my total price will be $260.99 without ANY comments that this is price without additional fees and taxes. I agree with this and enter my CC number. Wen I click 'pay' I got receipt for $450.57. And this is at 189.58 more than it say originally. I cancelled it in 2 minutes and still was charged $50 cancellation fee. When I called customer service they told me that this is not their fault that website does not say about additional fee and they can not help me. Do not use their website for reservation as this is misleading.

I rented a car and my total with car plus some extras with insurance and tolls came around $201. When I arrived to the location at 3255 W Fullerton to pick up the car I came 1 hour earlier to make sure I can pick up the car on time and drive as I had a long drive to NJ. When I arrived I told the representatives that I know I came earlier, but if it's possible I'd like pick up the car if it's ready again because I had a very long drive ahead and I wanted to make sure I arrive in NJ on time. When I arrived they said the car I rented wasn't even there so they offered me to upgrade to a larger car for free which I took. The representatives seemed very nice to me, little did I know they were lying in my face.

I rented a car in Budget Oviedo, Spain. Service was awful from first minute. One mile away from Budget’s office I turned my head back and discovered that someone had throwed up in the back seat and they didn't even care to clean it. They didn't provide a contact number for emergencies. I wrote several emails and they didn't ever respond. When I returned the car the office was closed, so I had to park the car, but there was no available place in the parking lot, I had to throw the keys in a box, but the box was nowhere to be seen. It was one of the worst experiences renting a car in my life.

Budget has horrible customer service; you can never understand the customer service representatives and they transfer you from person to person without any resolution or real answers. I paid $1400.00 to rent a vehicle for a week, two weeks later they charged my credit card for using a TOLL ROAD in a different state than Michigan. When I contacted them and inquired why they charged me, I was told for the convenience of using the TOLL Road. Why am I paying a car rental company for a road fee that doesn't belong to them? I would think you'd be grateful we didn't drive on pot-holed filled roads. Then when you receive your credit card statement it won't say what it is actually for, it states it is a gas charge, even though I filled the car to the brim upon return.

Agent Tara informed me that the car to be rented had damage and asked if I'd rent the car. She would note the damages in the contract. I accepted. She did not make a note in the contract and now, 3-4 weeks later she knows nothing about this. Budget's claim agency is charging me for those prior damages, $1800. I am at fault for trusting the agent, not checking the contract, and not taking photos of the car at rental time. I will not be renting from Budget again and I am warning all potential customers.

I recently rented an SUV from Budget Rental Car at the Norfolk, VA airport from 03/26- 04/02, and I couldn’t be happier with the service. Here are the highlights of my experience: Smooth Check-In: The rental process was quick and efficient. The staff at the counter were friendly and helpful, making sure I had all the necessary information. Clean and Reliable Vehicle: The SUV I received was clean, well-maintained, and ready to hit the road. It had ample space for my luggage and passengers. Great Customer Service: Throughout my rental period, the Budget team was responsive and accommodating. When I had a minor issue with the tire pressure, they promptly addressed it, ensuring my safety.

I prepaid for rental 20 days before my trip in Brandon, FL only to come to the location and find out they had no vehicles. Mind you there were vehicles parked in the designated Avis/budget spots. This ruined my entire plans. It may be just this location, but customer service told me to go to airport location, but I had no one on the spot to drop me there. I had to go with Enterprise who was initially $30 more in total but less heartache. Ty enterprise, this budget location is something that rhymes with class. 800 number said I should get a refund. We will see.

Waited 2 hours in line to get a car after having the fast break crap. They have one person at the counter and no help coming. This has to be worst service in the history of car rental. This service was at the Baltimore airport.

We reserved a minivan on 3/20/24 at Boston airport. The rental of the van was from 3/20-3/25/24. Van to be returned by 12:00 on 3/25/24. We returned the rental van 3/25/24 at about 02:30 am. Pulled into the ramp where the sign showed Budget and Avis cars rentals are to be returned to. Pulled in and an older man was standing there. He was crabby and told us to stay in the van until he went around the van to check it. Once he checked the van he then went to the left side (driver-side) back of the van and scanned something. He came back and said ok. My husband asked him if we were good to go. His response was “yes.” My husband left the keys on the front dashboard and said, "Is this an ok place to leave the key?" He responded “Yeah.” All 6 of us got out of the van and grabbed our luggage and went to wait for the shuttle to go to the flight check-in area.

I don’t recently relocated to California and needed a long term rental. I chose budget initially because they had the cheapest price. After the first month, they wouldn’t let me extend it so I had to close and open a new contract, after which they raised the price an extra 200 from what I was paying. Same thing the third month, and they again raised the price another 100. No discount or anything for the long term rental like Hertz gives, they just charged me more. The brakes on the car were bad and when I called they told me it was because of the rain. They continued to get worse. I also had no wiper fluid. They would have had a long term customer but I am switching companies. Do not recommend.

I reserved a car in December of 2023 for March 2024. When we arrived it took over 3 hours to get the reservation that was supposed to ready to go when we landed. Not a single apology. Rather a raised price from $567 (agreed to on 12/3/2024) to $875 (charged on 3/23/24). When we got to the car the side of it was damaged, there was left over garbage and dog toys in the bed, it had clearly been smoked in, and the car seat that was supposed to be ready was in a pile of broken car seats for us to have to pick through in hopes to find one that worked for our infant. Still no apology or offer of help. We returned the car the day we were supposed to on 3/30/24 with a full tank of gas.

We took a trip to Washington, DC to visit my son and his new baby. We used Budget as our car rental service and when we arrived at the airport we found out that the Budge rental pick up was off site. We took the shuttle which was efficient and picked up our car. We were short of time and when we got into the car we noticed heavy smoke odor, but we had no time to exchange it as we had an appointment. We did not use the car except to and from the airport since we did not feel safe transporting the new baby in the vehicle. I have contacted Budget 5-6 times with no response either by phone or email, even though they say a manager will call me back. I have dates/ times/ names who I have emailed noted to take further action.

I rented a car through Expedia on March 28 at the FLL airport. The agent added insurance fees and additional fees to my total cost though I did not request these additions. After returning the vehicle, I was charged a refueling charge even though I filled the car up and I am now trying to dispute additional charges (totaling $350). Please look at your electronic receipts and pay attention to the return receipt.

I hate Budget. It's a bad company and it doesn't respect the customer. I am really disappointed with Budget. I rented a basic gas car and when I went to pick it up at the West Palm Beach airport they told me that there was no basic car and only an electric car. I was with my 17-year-old daughter celebrating her birthday and I didn't want to create a problem by taking the electric Mustang. When I had been driving for 15 minutes, one of the tires said it was low. It was 11 o'clock at night and I kept going. When I arrived at my destination on the beach in Fort Pierce, Florida, I used the car for a walk and the battery was running low. When it came time to fill up, there was no place to do so. After a lot of trying, I went to Ford and they gave me a charge. I went to two Budget stores to try to recharge the car, change the car or get a charger.

Didn’t have a reservation and the agent at Tampa Airport tried to charge $900 for 3 1/2 days. He stated that I should be ready because rates are way up. He told me that Budget requires mandatory insurance coverage for all walk up renters. Total lie. Might be illegal. He is obviously paid to force insurance on people. Stay away from Budget/Avis. Felt like I was on a used car lot.

Avis and Budget are combined so this review goes here too. I reserved a 12-passenger van on November 13, 2023 for a trip March 7, 2024 from Tampa International Airport. There were 8 of us going to New Orleans with luggage. I rented this vehicle far in advance to make sure I was able to reserve it. On March 7th I drove over 60 miles from my house to Tampa International. It then took me another 45 minutes to even find the Budget rental desk. Once I got to an agent, I waited another 15 minutes while he walked away to whisper in his walkie-talkie, to have him come back and say he didn't have one available. He then proceeded to tell me and I quote, "It's peak season and Budget will and does overbooked, but I can give you two small passenger vans".

It's hard for me to give them even one star! This is the complaint I logged with Budget Rental Car: I was part of an upselling scam at Harry Reid Airport Budget counter on March 14th, 2024. Even though I declined "Protections and Coverages" on my reservation, I was told by Lucas, the counter rep, that it was MANDATORY that I select an option for coverage from the plastic sheet. Lucas assured me TWICE verbally at my questioning that I would only be charged if there was damage to the car upon return and that it was just a HOLD on my credit card. Apparently, that was not the case as I have been charged the full amount of $186.98 ($170+16.98) on my card.

I reserved a 12 passenger van on November 13, 2023 for a trip March 7, 2024 from Tampa International Airport. There were 8 of us going to New Orleans with luggage. I rented this vehicle far in advance to make sure I was able to reserve it. On March 7th I drove over 60 miles from my house to Tampa International. It then took me another 45 minutes to even find the Budget rental desk. Once I got to an agent, I waited another 15 minutes while he walked away to whisper in his walkie talkie, to have him come back and say he didn't have one available. He then proceeded to tell me and I quote, "It's peak season and Budget will and does overbooked, but I can give you two small passenger vans". What?? I have had this van reserved for 4 months!! Two of us are 100% disabled veterans and the point of renting ONE car was so the driving would be easier on us.

Returned a rental car full of gas and when I looked at the invoice Budget charged me $103.13 for a refueling fee saying it was only 7/8th full. I have a picture on my phone showing mileage, a full gas tank, time and date stamped on the picture from my iPhone. The sales lady was in a hurry and must of read the tank level wrong. Now I have to wait for my credit card invoice to show I put gas in the car and email back to them. Such a major inconvenience!

This was my first and last time renting from Budget. When we got there they didn't have a car for us, we had to get a small SUV. The truck was dirty, it had food crumbs in the front seat, passenger seat and something sticky in the cup holder (Which is not at the bottom on my phone case). When we took the SUV back, we uploaded our bags and she asked for the keys. She started the SUV up and said I will be charged $17 because the needle was not directly on Full, it was one notch from the F. So since we still had time I asked if I could get the keys back and put a few more dollars in the tank to put it directly on the F. She said she closed out the ticket already and I would have to go to the window to start a new rental altogether in order to do that. That was very underhanded, she could have said something when she started the SUV up and noticed it. I will be taking my business to any other rental place. This happened on March 19, 2024, DO NOT RENT FROM THIS PLACE!

I've, thankfully, not been required to rent a car more than three times. However, following an experience I had today while assisting a family member in getting a rental I can say, with certainty, that I will NEVER rent from this company. She was having issues getting the car because of her credit. I was willing to rent the car for her and add her as an additional driver. While I was filling out an online reservation form, because the clerk REFUSED to make the reservation in house even though her car was there and waiting, she was looking at another company to see if we could get it through them and I wouldn't have to foot the bill. At that point, the clerk clapped his hands and stated "we no longer have any cars available for reservation". We didn't argue and walked out. At that point, the clerk locked the door behind us.

Budget car rental is the worst. They put me on a do not rent list because they double charged me for a rental car that I contested on my credit card. The credit card company sided with me and Budget had to eat it. As a result Budget will not ever rent me a car because I am on their do not rent list.

I prepaid for a vehicle for June 2024. No longer need the vehicle. I called to get a refund? And they told me that I did not prepay it. I have sent them every documentation that I have showing that I did prepay it and they are still telling me that I didn't prepay it. Looks like I'm going to have to contact an attorney in order to get anything done. I would not recommend this company. I would not recommend prepaying anything Especially with them. This company tries to rip you off for your money. It's the worst experience I've ever had with any company. I would have gave them a zero but it doesn't go lower than a one.

I rented a vehicle from Budget while my vehicle was in the shop being repaired after an accident. I had the rental for 10 days. I explained that I didn't know how long I would need the vehicle. I was told no problem. The rate was 32.14/day on my receipt. I no longer needed the vehicle and returned it at 7 days. The base rate for the 7 days on my receipt was 289.27 which equates to 41.32/day. I called Customer Service and explained my issue and was transferred to a manager. I was transferred to Tiffany. I started to explain the issue to Tiffany and was disconnected. I called back and spoke with Mikayla. I told her I was just speaking with a manager and wanted to be transferred to a manager - Tiffany or another manager. She told me she was unable to transfer me. I told her that the previous agent was able to transfer me and asked her to check with her co-workers.

Made reservations for a rental 3/7/24 - 3/11/24 in Baltimore. Arrived 3/7 to be told they didn't have any cars! I had confirmed reservation! Enterprise was nearby, had plenty of rentals and didn't cost much more. Thanks Enterprise!!

I rented a car from 3/1/24 to 3/3/24. (This was booked on 1/25/24). I did the pre check in process before arrival and still had to wait in line over an hour to do the same process. This was a waste of time considering I already uploaded all of my info including my credit card. This did not speed up the process of our wait time. We waited another hour to get our vehicle that was damaged so then we had to wait for a replacement. Replacement was dirty. We missed our ski lessons and had to eat the cost. We had a short visit and didn’t get to enjoy what was planned months in advance. So disappointed. This rental was from Denver international airport.

They charged my credit card $1995 for renting a minivan in Orlando for 6 days. I was initially quoted $780. Hidden fees and supplemental charges. When I spoke to the manager dropping the car off she could not explain that charge, apologized and said they will charge me $780. Later I get the bill they charged me $1569. Called customer support explaining the situation and he eventually just hung up on me. Currently disputing charges with Credit Card. The car was in terrible condition as well. Covered in dents and scratches all over.

I rented a car coming back home. From Pennsylvania to Tampa, Fl. Around 1300 miles, 19 hours. Started raining on the way, I felt the car hydroplaning, since I'm experienced driver, just lowered the speed and carefully went through the storm. When I arrived home and parked the car, I saw the tires. Completely bad, pretty much showing the wires! Really, really bad inspection on those cars, and it was my bad that I didn't checked it, you feel you're safe just because you're renting a car from a company. Never trust!

Updated on 03/08/2025: Yet AGAIN, this company has overcharged us for fuel. Lady at the desk even marked on the paper that the gas was 1/4 full and told us to return it the same, which we did. When overcharged, we wrote a complaint letter with photos showing the fuel level. They won't fix the charge. This is the third time this has happened from Sarasota to Tampa. We are done with you criminals.

Well when you call customer service and they explain if you drop at a different location you may get a small drop off fee but must likely not. Well I did drop and I don’t consider $300.00 a small charge on a $450.00 rental agreement, so I call customer service and as per usual the first person says I need a manager, rudest female agent I have ever spoken with, won’t get into the details of her rudeness but bottom line is she said her employee I spoke with mislead my son and myself as we had 2 rentals. I had called when I booked and asked again at pick up and was told it wasn’t going to be a problem.

When I arrived at the Budget garage parking area at Norfolk International Airport ORF to drop off my vehicle, the two staff members in that area told me I needed to go down to the desk in the airport to close out my account because they didn’t know how to do it. I thought that was odd but I went with it. When I got to the counter I stood in the Avis line because they were the ones that gave me the vehicle when I arrived in Norfolk a couple of weeks ago and there was no line. The Avis representative told me she could not help me because it was a Budget vehicle.

I returned my Budget rental car to the Tampa airport on February 18th. My ear buds fell through a hole inside the console and could not be reached so Ilona told me they needed to get a mechanic to get them out and that she would send them to me. She told me to go to the budget lost and found website and file a report to confirm everything so I did that and it showed that they found them. According to the website I have to pay $38.71 to have them shipped to my home even though I didn't forget them and leave them there. They're there because it is Budget's fault my ear buds are still in Tampa!

I rented a car in LA and the service was HORRIBLE. I will never rent with them again. The cost when booking online appeared lower, but all the extra charge once there made it the same as their competition, if not more. I had requested a car by 1pm and didn't get it until 7pm ... The 1st thing was getting off the terminal: shuttles for all other rental companies were coming about every 5-10 min. We waited over 1h to see the 1st Budget shuttle, and it finally arrived. It was full. The line was too big to fit in the 2nd one so we had to wait for the 3rd one (about 2 hrs waiting). When we finally arrived on the rental site, there was a crazy line at the counter (hundreds of people). It was raining that day and the line was so long that most of the wait was outside, with no roof to protect us from the rain (for info, I was travelling with a toddler and a 8 month pregnant woman, yet no one came to offer them a sit or shelter inside... Actually, they were denying access to the office because it was too crowded).

The full size car we reserved wasn’t available in MIA then they found one after us waiting for an hour. The car we got had high mileage and in need of service. The tires were making noise, the horn did not work at all and the key fob was working occasionally probably due to low battery. After calling customer Budget customer service they told us, "Bring the car back if you not happy." So for us to drive to MIA and exchange would be a waste of a day of our planned vacation. So terrible and old car with poor service and zero accommodation from Budget gets it **at most.

You will never get a recommendation from me! You need to train your staff correctly!! I booked a reservation with your company almost 2 weeks in advance! I called 3 times over a week and a half to ask about using a Chime debit card or Chime secured credit card! I was told I could use the debit card but would be charged a deposit of $250. Not a problem!

I should be refunded the amount I was charged for the toll pass less the one toll I went through. To charge $130 for something that was NEVER explained to me is wrong. As I stated in an earlier email, yes, I initialed the contract, It was NEVER explained that we would be charged $130+. We were waiting in line behind 20 plus people, so no, I did not review the contract as I trusted what I was signing. Clearly, I was ripped off, had the nasty agent at the desk mentioned it would be $130+ I would NEVER have approved it. This is clearly taking advantage, it's the poorest of business practices, something that in my 38 years of being in business would never fathom doing to a customer.

Worst service 3 employees. Line out door. I wish I could add a photo. Service is disgusting. Worst rental company. Signage to drive in when not on an airport shuttle non existent. HIRE MORE EMPLOYEES. NEVER AGAIN

While traveling to Saint Petersburg, FL, we booked a rental car directly on the Budget site. When we landed and went to the counter to pick up the car, the line was about 3 hours long. Once we finally reached the counter, we were told they did not have any cars to rent, except for electric cars which we did not want. He said it would be another hour to get another car. We got the electric car, which was only charged at about 150% During the course of our stay, we spent several hours searching for a charging station that worked and did a fast charge. Terrible service at the counter and did not receive the car we paid to rent.

My husband and I arrived at New Orleans airport with a late night flight from New York after midnight. We picked up a car at Budget Rent A Car based on our reservation. The SUV (Ford Edge) they gave us was a complete piece of junk. Within 5 minutes of driving on a highway after exiting the airport, it started to make loud metal scraping noice from underneath the car. It got worse within another 5 minutes which forced us to stop by the side of the road because it was unsafe to drive.

My recent experience with Budget Car Rental was profoundly disappointing, marked by a series of egregious lapses in service and ethics. Despite my expectations of a smooth and reliable rental process, I encountered a myriad of issues that left me deeply dissatisfied. First and foremost, the service provided by Budget Car Rental was nothing short of abysmal. From the onset, it was apparent that customer care was not a priority. Communication was lacking, and any attempts to address concerns were met with dismissiveness and deflection. One of the most egregious aspects of my experience was the false charging under the guise of toll fees. Despite the vehicle never leaving the state during the rental period, I inexplicably received a toll bill. This unauthorized charge not only inconvenienced me but also resulted in my account being overdrawn, leading to additional fees and the need to dispute the transaction with my bank.

Brought my rental car back to ATL and asked one of the employees if he was going to check me in with the rover and he yelled at me and my coworker to leave the key in the car. I responded the key is in the car and I asked him if was going to check us in. He responded, "I said leave the key in the car!" He was so rude. I went to his manager and nothing. I wrote letters to Budget and the Avis group, nothing. I sent an email to Howard Steinburg VP Budget Atlanta, nothing! I don’t care if Budget is free, I will never in my life rent from them.

Made my rental purchase online through Priceline with Budget for 6 day rental picking up at Tallahasee airport and returning at Orlando airport and prepaid my rental. Upon arrival they had no cars available in Tallahassee airport and sent me to their other location 15 miles away at my expense of $55 for a cab. Upon arriving at next location, they gave me a rental with over 50,000 miles on it with illegal bald tires, and with tire pressure warning light on dash flashing. Was told this was the only available rental for dropping off at another location which was going to be Orlando airport, and that they kept their premium quality vehicles for local rentals only. I had to stop 3 times to fill tires with air because of leaks. Will never use Budget rental again! STAY AWAY FROM BUDGET/AVIS CAR RENTALS!!!

We were given a vehicle with worn tires with inadequate tread as we later discovered when we noticed slippage going uphill on wet roads in the mountains. We had a blowout on the way down in a precarious area with no cell reception. Some passersby took us to the nearest town where we called Budget. They said they would send a tow truck which never came that evening. They offered a replacement vehicle at the airport 2 hours away and the only mode they offered to get us there was a Uber. But Uber does not service that town.

December 13, 2023 I rented a car thru Delta for Feb 10-17. I landed in Aruba on Feb 10 and went to the counter. I was told I was 2 hrs late and my reservation was cancelled and they had no other cars. Delta changed my flight that’s the reason I was late. I had to go to Hertz and rent a car for $1000.00 for the week. My quoted price from you was $343.94. Then when I called the first number she told me nothing she could do as it was booked thru delta.

I rented a car because of the extreme low price on the advertisement of internet marketing. When we picked up the car they tried to talk us into using extra insurance for their company saying that if we had any problems they would deduct it right away. I used Allianz Insurance company before I left as my extra insurance to ensure the budget rental car.

I rented a Dodge Ram on Budget, it came dirty, with some garbage inside, also a cockroach which we discovered 2 days later. During high-speed driving, around 60 mph, the car began shaking a lot. The higher the speed was, the higher also was the shaking. I tried to change the car, however they didn't care at all! STAY AWAY OF BUDGET.

WARNING: Do not rent Budget cars. I flew to Idaho Falls to take care of my father in intensive care. On the first day the key fob's battery for my car died. I went to the airport to get some assistance, but the representatives were "parking cars". One hour and two representatives later I had a battery. Then the car alarm started going off at random times--in the middle of the night, early in the morning, at the hospital, at stores, at restaurants--multiple times each day for two weeks. On top of that when I requested extensions on my car, the rates doubled each time. Idaho Falls customer service said nothing could be done. When I contacted the company, the remediation was to reimburse $50.00 of the $1200 dollar rental fee--4% for the "inconvenience" of the faulty key fob. I travel a lot--this is the ABSOLUTELY WORST experience I have ever had with a car rental. If I could give this zero stars, I would.

When I got to the rental office at Miami International Airport, the line was extremely long. When it was my turn to see one of the agent, he and another agent was busy on FaceTime with their friend. He was not friendly. Since I was a member, I was told to go downstairs and go through the FastBreak line. When I got there, I had to wait in another line. Finally, it was my turn to see one of the agent. As I approached her, there was no greeting and I gave her my ID. She pulled up my reservation and place a call for my car.

Logan airport Budget Rental complete rip off. I booked car in advance. Received email verifying price at 269 dollars. Agent said cost would be over 500 dollars when I went to pay. I showed her the email and she didn’t care, told her to keep the car and took an Uber. Agent was rude the entire time, I will never use Budget again. I have a rental in June and will be canceling that today.

Upon our return from vacation, we were surprised to discover a letter notifying us of an additional charge of $450 due to perceived heavy wear on the rental car. In response, I requested photographic evidence and received the inspection report, which included four images highlighting sand on the floorboards. Our journey took us from Eugene, Oregon to San Francisco, tracing the scenic route along the West Coast Highway and visiting beaches en route. The pictures accurately depict traces of sand from our explorations, particularly on the floorboards. While the inspection report deemed the sand severity as heavy, the visuals suggest a reasonable residue, especially considering the sandy environments we encountered. I propose that Budget clearly communicates the expectation for customers to return rental cars in a condition surpassing the initial state, if indeed that is the standard.

Rip off! I rented a car October 28-October 30. I received an email January 3 that upon my car return, I had a cracked rim. I inspected the vehicle thoroughly and there were no damages. I feel like it’s a scam and they need attendants the day of drop-off to inspect your vehicle upon return. Others could have rented that vehicle after me and they probably charged everyone for the same damage that never happened. This was my first and last time renting from them!!

I travel every week, and half my trips i rent a car. Budget has gone downhill! Good luck with Fastbreak! Two rentals in a row, in two weeks and no car waiting and long lines… Reminds me of American Airlines service before they fired their CEO. Budget CEO - it’s time to go!

Booked through Priceline, quoted little over $300. Paper signed showed $560. My bank account reflected over $800 charge. Office staff “were a franchise” and unsympathetic apologies. Don’t fall for it.

When we arrived in Burlington, after waiting in line for over an hour, we were told that the car that we had rented was not available and that we could have either an electric car, or a minivan. We opted for a Chrysler minivan, drove 12 miles to our hotel and spent the night. When we drove the car to our relative’s house, 5 miles from the hotel, the tire light came on and the display said that it had 9 lbs. of pressure in the tire. We parked at our relative’s house and called the Budget office at the pickup location. We were asked to bring the car in the effect and exchange. I said that I was unwilling to risk damage to the tire or the rim by driving on it and asked to have a car delivered to exchange it, since we were not given the correct car in the first place. They refused and gave me the number of the roadside assistance, which I called.

My husband and I rented a car from Budget in Orlando to get us and our two small children to and from the parks on our Disney vacation. We returned the car, had a Budget employee look it over, tell us we were good to go, and hand us our receipt. A month later, we received a letter from Budget in the mail stating we would be charged an additional $450 cleaning fee for a smoke odor in the car upon return.

Horrible service. 6 people in line and took over 1 hour to get to the counter. Never again, pay extra and go elsewhere, Terrible, and the car booked and paid 4 months early, was not available. Could not be worse.

Rented a car back in November 2023, drove it one day. A month later I get a bill for $638 for a cracked windshield. Budget bills my credit card, they didn’t even see that someone had rented it the next day. It’s been a really stressful months trying to get my money back. They are fixing it but WTH. I used to rent from them twice a year, but not anymore.

So I reserve a Suburban rental for my family out of Chicago with Budget, a subsidiary of Avis, for a week at the cost of almost $1300.00 during Christmas 2023. Reserved well over a month in advance. They don't have a Suburban and put us into something smaller that had nothing but issues. We had to drive with luggage on our lap cause it was smaller, the mirrors would not adjust which is dangerous, the drivers window went down and I had to drive in the snow for a total of three hours like that. Went to put gas and it would fill up. Had to borrow a family member's Suburban when we got to our location. Budgets response is: "Although we cannot makeup for a disappointing experience we do appreciate your contacting us. Your feedback is extremely important because it helps us maintain our high service levels." LOL. The company I work for spends about 60k a month in rental bills. I'll make sure Budeget/Avis isn't one of them.

We prepaid for an SUV, two months prior to our vacation at Christmas time in Orlando Florida. When we arrived to pick up our vehicle they said they only had electric vehicles. Our hotel did not have a charging station. Or an uncomfortable 2 seater. Disappointed- lesson learned, never pre-pay and I won’t go with this company.

I have rent a car with pick up location in Italy - Milan Malpensa. The reservation made in US was of course in $. When I returned the car in Italy the charge in Euro was ok but then I saw an overcharge of almost $100 from Euro to $. The currency change Euro to $ was almost the same. Italy told me responsible was from US since the charge in Euro has been corrected. After months of excuse Budged US told they apply a fee of 4% and a second fee of 7%, no one of these fees were reported on the contract signed in Italy! Budget US has never provided to me an explanation of the overcharge. Well, apply fees not reported on the contract signed is illegal… Just you know! They refused to refund me… Be careful!

I rented a one way car from Burlington, Iowa to Denver, Colorado, put in about 800 miles and returned the car 2 hours early, I was then sent a receipt adding $85 as late drop off charges, I immediately went back to the car store and the lady corrected her mistake, after a month of this I am charged $82 stating that there was a nail in one of the tires and they deducted this new charge, how fraudulent is could be, so after 40 days they tell me they found a nail, so nobody else used that car in 40 days, While dropping off my car I clearly showed them the car and returned it as it was given to me, I would never use Budget again, This is an unethical practice from Budget.

Made a reservation for a family vacation months ago. I specifically asked them the questions, “Do you accept Debit Cards at your location without an airline itinerary?” I was told, “Yes absolutely, no problems!” I asked again, “Are you sure?” This wasn’t my first experience renting a vehicle so I knew to ask. It still didn’t sound right so I asked for a third time and they said, “Yes absolutely!” Still didn’t sound right so I request another customer service rep and even they told me several times “Yes” Long story short THEY LIED. I went to pick up my vehicle the DAY BEFORE WE WERE SCHEDULED TO LEAVE only to be told we don’t accept debit cards. Here I am with 3 kids expecting to go on this vacation because it was all part of their CHRISTMAS presents and I don’t have the rental that I booked months in advance.

My rental for one day was $60.97. To refill the gas tank I was charged $149.00. The gas price in GA today is 2.97. That is highway robbery!! I rented a Ford Explorer. I’m sure I paid Three times the cost of a tank of gas.

I wish I could give a 0 star rating. I booked a car rental for Jacksonville Airport through Costco Travel. I thought I received a good price until I realized they overcharged me. Unfortunately, I didn't realize it until after I got home from our vacation. Budget Rental Car refused to refund us the money even though I showed them the receipts proving we paid for gas.

Reserved a Camry with a prepaid contract (or equivalent) for a week in October. When we arrived at the location after midnight the agent had nothing available. Didn't want a van, a truck, or electric vehicle, but finally accepted a Dodge with the promise of an exchange if we return. We returned and they offered an equivalent vehicle, a Malibu, but when we found it in the lot, it looked like it had been in a rollover accident. There was too much damage to drive off the lot without risking a claim against us. We got back in line to be told that the lot agent outside will help us. No other equivalent vehicles were available, so we got in line for a replacement, which is when we were offered a Corolla. We took it and when we returned it we got taken.

We pre-paid for a week's rental through Budget's web site. Rented a car in Salt Lake City. Days after turning in the car we see an extra $624 charge on our card. It took weeks before we could get an answer for the charge. The car was turned in before the office was open, so we never saw the extra charge. Plus, they never sent us an email with the final bill. It wasn't until we disputed the extra charge, and then weeks later, we actually saw the final bill. The Salt Lake "local" office added an upgrade charge to the car, which we did not ask for, and charged hundreds of dollars for a "young adult" driver. We were not told there would be these charges.

Rented a car from Budget in Newington, CT. Once I walked in I knew I should have turned around and left. The place was very unprofessional and ghetto as all hell. I paid for a full size and they gave me a compact which they did not adjust the price and which the battery in the key needed to be replaced. I had to bang the key to get it to work so I can get home from work. I called and they said go to any budget and swap. I went back to Newington which was a waste of time so I had to go to a different budget at Bradley International Airport. They were professional, friendly and it actually looked like a rental company. I should have went there from the beginning to be honest.

Kayla at the Budget on Bryant Irvin in Fort Worth TX called to inform me that the call center booked my reservation with them but they j have no cars available, mind you they did this because I have reservations & the place don't have cars either so this had me so frustrated but the way she stayed calm and listened to me with a resolution was worth it, it is hard to find customer service reps as professional & all about coming up with resolutions instead of excuses & leave you with it ain't nothing they can do, I just want her to know I was a little sad today and after speaking with her that seem caring and showed that I mattered is a fresh of breath air, thank you so much, I will come back & recommend everybody to Budget on Bryant Irvin.

I just received a charge on my credit card for ETOLL BGT for my rental in Pensacola Florida. I only know of one toll for 1 dollar and I was charged $13.90. I also asked what the charge was for renting when you pay for the gas in advance. The answer was no answer, but my credit card indicates the charge was made at the moment I handed over my card. Beware of hidden charges!!!

I rented a vehicle in Washington DC. The vehicle was returned with two boxes of fast food (closed) and a box of tissues in the front floorboard. The tissues had been pulled out of the box in a rush to pack a few (box would not fit in luggage). However, it was the only things left in the vehicle at all. Nothing spilled. Car in perfect condition. I was charged $450.00 for soiled vehicle charge. THIS IS THEFT, plain and simple!!!! DO NOT DO BUSINESS WITH THIS COMPANY. I asked for photos and was sent two photos of the same thing. Tissue box and 2 fast food boxes in passenger side floorboard. AGAIN, they are taking just enough where it makes no sense to pay for an attorney but a huge amount to an individual with a normal income. This company should be taken to court by several consumers!!!! Happy to organize if there are others!!!! Which with a rating of 1.4 out of 2600 reviews, there are others.

I had a car rental in Santa Ana, CA from Oct 17th to the 21st. I received a statement on Oct 20th that the car had been returned in Florida and I was charged an additional $3400. Keep in mind I still had the car. Upon checking the car in at Santa Ana on the 21st, I immediately disputed the charge with Budget. It is now the 24th of November with no resolution or credit all while I am paying interest on my credit card. I have called once a week for 3 weeks and nothing. Disappointed in Budget and will not be using them again.

Even though I paid for a car in advance, I was left stranded at the airport without a car. I had to rent an Uber to get where I was going. The reservationist was extremely rude. It was a frightening experience to be left at night in Newark New Jersey. And again the receptionist was heartless. His name was Efren.

We had a 13 day car rental in Lisbon. The signed rental agreement and charges within were completely disregarded, and we were charged double upon returning the car. When trying to contact Budget, you reach a customer service department in North America that sends a request to Budget International who is supposed to be contacting the rental location. There is no follow up at all. They advise they need up to 30 days, not for a full investigation, but just to receive a response. Every individual response begins the 30 day clock again. There is no process for escalation if the location does not provide a response. After weeks of nothing, we called the Lisbon location ourselves and finally got agreement that there was a billing error.

I am writing this while standing on the line for more than 3 hours, with 30 people in line. No explanation or courtesy, the woman behind the desk was I don’t care, make fun of me and my frustration. Clients are the least care of this company. They were not even sorry to make us wait this long. Because there is only one worker in the back. They knew all these people had reservation. They kept us in line for hours waiting. This is experience was a nightmare.

This company can't be trusted! Never do business with Budget or Avis, for that matter. They overcharged me 700 Euros for the damage I never had. I mistakenly dropped the keys in the dropbox after returning the car without requesting inspection. They used it and charged me for the damage I never had. That is the way these people make money. I will never do business with them again.

My wife reserved a rental car for a recent trip with my son and his family. When we got to the rental counter he attempted to rent the car but they wouldn't let him since the reservation was in my wife's name. Their suggestion was to just add him as a driver, what they failed to mention was there was an added cost for doing it that way. I called after I received the final bill and explained that we were not informed we could just simply cancel the res and have him do a new one to avoid the charges, they wouldn't refund me any money. Terrible customer service.

Made an online reservation- went to pick up car and was RUDELY told “I don’t have any cars available for your reservation.“ I am still waiting for my money to be refunded…. Took my money instantly but apparently you have to wait 10-14 days to get refunded. :(