Thrifty Car Rental Reviews

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About Thrifty Car Rental

Pros
  • Quick rental process
  • Clean and well-maintained vehicles
  • Affordable pricing options
Cons
  • Unexpected additional charges
  • Poor communication from staff
  • Long wait times at rental counter

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Thrifty Car Rental Reviews

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    How do I know I can trust these reviews about Thrifty Car Rental?
    • 4,648,778 reviews on ConsumerAffairs are verified.
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    • Our moderators read all reviews to verify quality and helpfulness.
    Page 1 Reviews 0 - 5
    Customer ServicePriceStaff

    Reviewed Oct. 10, 2024

    On October 3, 2024 I went to pick up a rental car at Mercedita airport. Melanie told me the only reservation under my name was canceled. I told her I cancel that reservation but I have a new reservation that I did over the phone with Thrifty customer service. She told me was no other reservation she offers to give me a car but the total was way too much compare with the original price. She was able to offer me and affordable price. Melanie went above and beyond to help me. Thank you Melanie for a great experience. They need more people like you.

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    PricePunctuality & SpeedStaffProcess

    Reviewed Oct. 6, 2024

    I took a recent trip to Las Vegas. I usually use SIXT and rent a 5 series BMW. The price was staggering. I booked a Ace Car Rental and then read the reviews (off airport property) and bailed. I booked a Premium car from Thrifty at the last minute... Paid upfront at one fourth the price of SIXT. Got to Las Vegas and took a bus to the Rental Car Center. It was 22:00 and I was tired after a 5 hour flight. Got to the counter and waited less than 5 minutes. I was greeted by a delightful lady at the counter. The process was fast and direct and she directed me out the door to a outdoor pick up counter. There I met Rowena and Terry...the night shift.

    What a pleasure to deal with. Terry explained they had no premium car but she would get me one from Hertz. She handed me the contract and told me where to find the car. I was expecting a Maxima and actually got a 2024 Mercedes C300 with 1700 miles on it. I love you Terry! What a pleasant way to start my 5 days in Vegas...Baby! It only used $15.00 in gas for 5 days! I will most def see you again Thrifty! Goodbye SIXT!

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      Staff

      Reviewed Sept. 21, 2024

      I have rented from Thrifty several times. I usually only rent from them as a last resort. Typically you are treated disrespectfully and frankly very rudely. This time though was such a breath of fresh air!! Marquisha was the representative at the window. She was absolutely wonderful!! This was the first time in several years that I left there not feeling angry. I hope they have more people as kind and caring working there in the future!! People like her will improve their ratings. Way to go Thrifty for hiring her. Don't lose her, she's amazing!

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      Punctuality & SpeedStaff

      Reviewed July 23, 2024

      Rented an electric vehicle recently. The attendant was impatient and off-putting. The $500 deposit was steep, but it was promptly returned when I returned the car. The shuttle service to the airport offered by Thrifty was a great help and the driver was friendly. The car ran fine, but charging stations weren’t readily available, and it took a long time to charge the vehicle. I will not rent an electric vehicle ever again. Overall, the rental was satisfactory, though the charging issues were a significant inconvenience.

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      Customer Service

      Reviewed May 20, 2024

      Worst car rental experience of my life. Booked a rental car weeks ago, got off the plane today to find out they had no cars available. We were told, "Oh well try another company" as the attendant went back to playing on their phone. Expedia May market them as the “cheapest” but you will be extra in the end.

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      CoverageStaffProcess

      Reviewed April 22, 2025

      Thrifty car rental in April 2025 from San Diego Airport rental car conglomerate. The reservation we had made online was lost. We decided to rent on site. Big mistake. We were kind of stuck. Thrifty employee was very "nice"and offered to give us his employee discount. We were told that our costs w/o that would be $700 plus for 5 days but with his discount, he could get it down to a little over $500. We went through the option of gas prepay, and rejected that option. Nothing was mentioned about extra insurance and we were not asked to accept or deny that. We were then told to initial a section that was just "a formality" that I could not even read.

      We were both so exhausted with the process at this point, I just initialed it. We got our printout after using our credit card and were directed to were to pick up the car. We got into the car, took a deep breath, and took a glance at the receipt. It was for $725+. More than the $200 over amount we had been quoted by the agent but at the bottom were told it could go up to as much as $925, depending on the condition of the car upon return. So, my husband walked back over to the rental office and was told that because we are walk-up customers, we are required to purchase the insurance and the extra $200 at the bottom of the receipt will only be charged if the car is damaged.

      The extra charge for insurance was $189.75 and the additional concession fee, tourism assessment charge, vehicle license fee, and two more taxes were $125.98. For the total of $725.37 for a 5-day rental. We had more than enough coverage of insurance without any additional being needed if we had just been asked. However, when we questioned these amounts, the staff member made it sound as if it was a requirement because we were walk-up customers. Since then we have researched this and found that this is a common tactic amongst Thrifty and other rental car services. I think everyone should be very very aware of these tactics and don't let your frustration and exhaustion allow these people to put this over on you! You do not have to take their additional insurance!

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      Customer ServiceContract & TermsPriceStaff

      Reviewed April 18, 2025

      I really don't know what led me to Thrifty but it was certainly not price. I used this service at Myrtle Beach. Customer service at pickup desk was horrible. I was the only customer so I wouldn't say there was any obvious work pressure. There was no welcoming vibe and every single question asked was met with a brick wall. This seems to be a culture at this location because I also had questions on the return leg and was just met with hostility, blowing my questions off when I queried the way their contract was worded. They assume every customer should know that "overdue" refers to 3 days (which is not an industry standard) and no grace period is given for return. Entrepreneurs invest so much effort to stage and keep a business running while some employees do nothing but sabotage those efforts.

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      Customer ServicePrice

      Reviewed April 17, 2025

      Reserved via Cheapoair and had a fixed rate. Thrifty then charged me 400$. They are IMPOSSIBLE to reach. They are a fraudulent company. Stay away and if you go ahead and rent and have an issue good luck as they don't answer the phone and don't want to serve their customers.

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      PricePunctuality & SpeedStaff

      Reviewed April 13, 2025

      Waited 45 minutes to even speak to a representative to check in and pick up our car, was told we were going to have to wait another hour for our car after our scheduled pickup time. In addition the representatives at the counter try to push their crappy overpriced insurance on you after you've already paid. You'll end up saving money and time just going with a more reputable company.

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      Customer ServiceContract & TermsCoverage

      Reviewed April 6, 2025

      Thrifty was our fourth car rental on vacation. We thought we were denying additional insurance coverage, like the other rental companies. However, we denied ANY coverage & didn't realize it for 4 hours when we finally received the digital agreement. Within the first hour we experienced a rock chip. We wanted to make it right after realizing we didn't have coverage. However, they charged us $707.15 total for the damage.

      I have reached out via phone call twice & over a dozen emails. The receipt I received 1.5 months later showed we paid for a rock chip repair AND a windshield replacement. Everyone I talk to from Thrifty "sends my information" to the next step up the ladder, but it's been over 2 months with no response. We travel a lot & we will never use or recommend Thrifty or affiliated companies again. If they can't take the time to communicate & explain an inquiry they do not have my business. Especially when they're charging my account without any type of explanation what the charges are for.

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      Thrifty Car Rental author review by Lauren Fix

      Part of Hertz Global Holdings, Thrifty Rental Car has more than 1,000 locations in 77 countries. It focuses on serving cost-conscious consumers and business travelers.

      • Best-rate guarantee: Renters may book on one travel site, only to find the same terms on another site at a lower price. When booking on the Thrifty website, the absolute lowest price on all rentals is guaranteed.

      • Airline loyalty program: Thrifty Rental Car partners with airline rewards programs to offer miles or points for every rental.

      • First-time rental guide: The first-time rental guide on the Thrifty Car Rental website walks customers through how to make a reservation and what to expect.

      • Contact: Call or email Thrifty Rental Car during normal business hours for fast service, or use its urgent contact line in the event of an emergency.

      • Loyalty program: Blue Chip Rewards loyalty program comes with benefits like shorter lines, faster reservations, faster drop-off services and members-only discount offers.

      • Get more for less: Pay for a compact car rental and get something larger with the Wild Card rental. Any reservation with a Wild Card is guaranteed at least a compact car, but it may be upgraded at no additional charge.

      by Lauren Fix Auto & Finance Advisor

      Lauren Fix, The Car Coach®, is a nationally recognized automotive expert, sector analyst, journalist, author, keynote speaker and television host. A trusted car expert, Lauren provides an insider’s perspective on a wide range of automotive topics and aspects, energy, industry, consumer news and safety issues. Her analysis is honest and straightforward. Lauren is the CEO of Automotive Aspects and the Editor-in-Chief of Car Coach Reports, a global automotive news outlet. She is an automotive contributor to national and local television news shows including Fox News, Fox Business, CNN International, The Weather Channel, Inside Edition, Local Now News, NewsMax, The Daily Flash show and more.

      Thrifty Car Rental Company Information

      Company Name:
      Thrifty Car Rental
      City:
      Estero
      State/Province:
      FL
      Country:
      United States
      Website:
      www.thrifty.com