Thrifty Consumer Reviews - Page 6

KAHULUI, HAWAII -- We rented a Jeep for our week in Maui. The rental agent ran my husband's debit card and told him that he didn't qualify for the rental. She then ran my card, on the same account, and said I did qualify. Didn't think much of it until that night and I checked our online banking, they charged BOTH of our cards for the rental! $431 each!!!!

I called Thrifty the next morning. The manager said she would look into it and call me back. I have YET to hear from her. I called Thrifty EVERY day of my vacation trying to get answers but NEVER got to speak with anyone. I did receive a voice mail from the manager asking me to call her back but she was never there when I called. The charges did get taken care of but management never let me know. My bank was actually the one to notify me the double charge was taken care of. But it wasn't fixed until after we got back.

We had to cancel some reservations for some things because we "lost" the $431 at the start of our trip. Very disappointed with management. Seems like a nice scam they have going on. Be very careful if you rent with Thrifty. WATCH the CHARGES on you cards!!!

DAYTON, OHIO -- When we rented a car from Thrifty for a 2-week trip. We asked at the counter for detailed information on toll charges. We expected to travel on E-470 around Denver, which we knew allowed ONLY electronic payment of tolls. The explanation at the rental desk was that we could pay either a flat $71.98 for 2 weeks of tolls, or pay the actual tolls plus a $15 administrative fee. Since we planned only 1 trip around E-470, the $15 charge seemed like a much better deal and that was what we elected. Unfortunately, when the bill came over 2 months later, Thrifty charged us $15 FOR EACH TOLL PLAZA WE PASSED during the 47 mile trip, adding an extra $60 to the actual toll of $15.95.

N CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA -- I scheduled a reservation for a vehicle with the intention that they were located in the airport I was arriving at. When I arrived I discovered that they in fact were NOT located in the airport as advertised. I contact them and they sent a shuttle to come pick me up. When I got there I was informed that there was a charge for the shuttle even though they failed to mention this prior.

After being hounded by the customer service lady, I was talked into buying their insurance even though I said no 3 times. Then they charged my debit card an additional $150.00 for deposit instead of having it show as a pending charge. I had to contact my bank to dispute the charge that they wanted to wait 2+ weeks to refund back to me. Someone needs to investigate this company. They are holding people's money and refunding it when they are good and ready. THEY ARE CROOKS!!!

TULSA, OKLAHOMA -- Be wary of renting from Thrifty in Seattle. If you do not pay for their electronic toll payment option at over $10 per day and travel over the Evergreen bridge you will certainly receive a $15 charge, plus the cost of the toll for each transit. You cannot pay cash at the bridge. You cannot contact the toll authority web site or toll free number and pay with a credit card for a car registered to the rental company. That's the way the process works. Once you go over the bridge without the electronic toll box, you are on the hook to Thrifty!

Thrifty, for their part, will not accept responsibility for informing consumers of this situation. Their position is that they offer you the box and if you decline, that's your problem. We did not know that there was no cash option at the bridge when we reserved the car or when we picked it up. We did inform Thrifty at the rental counter upon return that we owed a toll and wanted to pay. The agent gave us a piece of paper with a website and a toll-free number to call, with process instructions. We called that number and attempted to make payment.

We told the agent the license plate for the car and the time of the bridge transit. We were told that the payment would be processed. 4 months later, Thrifty billed my credit card for the tolls plus a $15 administrative fee. I offered to pay the toll. They will not waive the administrative fees. They do not make exceptions. Neither do I. Goodbye Thrifty. I simply do not do business with a company that insists on profiting from its customer's failure.

PORTLAND, OREGON -- Once arriving at Thrifty had to deal with desk personnel that car I wanted they did not have. Told him I had e-mail confirmation that vehicle would be available when I arrived. They then discovered the vehicle was on site. Next wanted to know if I wanted daily insurance. Told him no. When trying to hurry to get out of the place which had already delayed my departure for our Oregon vacation I made the mistake of signing the receipt without reading all the way down. Upon returning vehicle was hit with a $259 bill for insurance. Called Thrifty customer service after I returned home from vacation and was told there is nothing they can do.

WINDSOR LOCKS, CONNECTICUT -- My friend and I rented a car from Thrifty in Windor Locks, Connecticut near the Bradley International airport. When we went to return the car, with 2 hours left before our flight departed, we got hopelessly lost -- because the map that Thrifty provided to us with the car was totally wrong, showing the car rental place in the opposite direction up Route 75 to where it actually was. We called Thrifty, and they connected us to their "directions department", where we were then given more wrong directions, also in the opposite direction to where the Thrifty that we were looking for was, and were told that our Thrifty was on South St. -- the Thrifty is actually on Spring St.!!!

I have an awfully hard time believing that this was all innocent, considering how much it costs if you bring the car back late. We only found the agency by driving around an industrial park area for 30-40 minutes, and very nearly missed our flight. Absolutely terrible -- these people are nothing but thieves!!!!

ORLANDO, FLORIDA -- I have rented with several companies in Orlando, FL. Thrifty is BY FAR the worst. You are quoted one thing and when you actually rent the car the charges are at least $150 more than what you were quoted. This company nickels and dimes you for everything. If you miss a $.50 too they charge you $25.50 because of a $25 Administrative fee, which can never be justified where the fee actually comes from.

After much research, it seems SEVERAL people have had the same issues with being overcharged with these hidden fees until you actually sign the contract. This rental car company preys on tourists!! Leave the counter, you are better off trying to rent from another company!!

COLUMBUS, OHIO -- Do not rent a car from this company! It seems that they can manipulative the electronic check in process and you end up paying for things you declined at check in. If you cannot avoid renting from this company then check the papers they hand you very carefully before leaving the counter. I did not and it cost me several hundreds of dollars, four + hours of my time and a 200 mile drive. The local manager nor the Thrifty super desk via their 800 number would do nothing to correct the situation.

I will protest the charges with my credit card company but I do not have a good feeling that I will be satisfied. Take your rental car business elsewhere. Deal with a company that cares and does not cheat non-suspecting customers. DO NOT RENT A CAR FROM THIS COMPANY. You will end up paying more than you bargained for.

I rented a weekly rental of which online allows you to make a reservation of less than $20 bucks a day only to get hit with all these outlandish taxes you never even heard of plus when you return the car you get nothing back in return because you use a debit card. In the beginning of this whole BS contract they run your credit for a debit card! What's the importance of running your credit with a debit card that does not return the deposit? Forget about less than $20 a day when you pay a deposit of %15 or whatever is greater! Then to top it off you have to without a doubt get their insurance that does not cover your property, but it says in the contract it does.

WTF, so I leave a brand new phone that no one does not find, then calling every day after the rental was returned to no surprise no one finds it & the MANAGER GEORGE at the Lauderdale lakes Fl location on 441(ST. RD7) says to me if no one seen it I'm out of a phone, with no kind of empathy or support of what we can do other than RIP YOU OFF FOR SPENDING $337.00 with no return of any deposit!!

I hired a car recently from the Thrifty agent at Munich Airport and the car was excellent but the rate on the net was €60 for eight days which also seemed very good. When I arrived they said I would have to take out German insurance and that would have brought it up to €380 but all I could do was opt for €345 and take a €600 hit in the event of an accident. Thus should be made clear on their site as the other co's rates were higher but included the insurance, it seems. This is really very sharp practice to lure in unsuspecting customers.