Please do NOT rent a car from Avis Car Rental / Budget Car Rental located at 3716 West WT Harris Blvd. ( Store number CL2 ) This is the worst customer service experience I have ever witnessed at a car rental company.
My wife and I decided to rent a car for a 4 day trip we were taking on March 26, 2021 and since the rates online were a little cheaper at the local Avis/Budget than the airport we chose to rent for the location closer to home. We Reserved a mid size car online a week before our trip. When we arrived to pick up the car we were helped by Nicholas Wade.
Nicholas informed us that they did not have the car that we reserved and he would have to upgrade us to a larger car, This upgrade was going to cost us an additional $15 per day. We told Nicholas that we have not requested an upgrade and should not be charged because they couldn't honor our reservation. Nicholas told us that this is what he has been authorized to do, I ask who authorized it, he said this is what he has been trained to do. We asked to speak to a supervisor and Nicholas informed us that he was the manager on duty and he was the only one there. I asked who was his boss he said Tonia Moore and she wasn't not available, he also said he didn't know when she would return. I asked for her number he gave me the store number 704-599-6432, This is the same number that was ringing off the hook the whole time we were there. I asked him to have her call me as of 11:15pm on March 30, 2021 she still has not called. My Wife asked if you were authorized to sell us an upgrade, this means you knew prior to our scheduled pick up time you didn't have the car we reserved, why didn't you call us? No response to this question! I asked what was the purpose of the reservation if you were not going to hold the car we asked for, Nicholas said with a straight face " you reserved the rate not the car" I said well honor the rate! Nicholas said he can not and asked us how we wanted to proceed. Because we were pressed for time we bit the bullet and paid for the upgrade, I told Nicholas this feels like a bait and switch.
We paid and signed all of the paperwork, Nicholas told us to wait while he went to get the car. Nicholas then jumps into a small suv and drives around back of the shopping center. 25 minuets later Nicholas pulls up in the same car he just drove around back in but it is soaking wet, YES Nicholas made us wait while he washed the car! We walked around the car to do a inspection with Nicholas at this point we are running very behind schedule and this has taken nearly an hour so we are ready to go. During the inspection my wife notices that the cars registration sticker has expired! The sticker is dated JAN21 it is now MAR21. Nicholas tells us it is up to date in the system. We leave probably spending double the amount in gas for the larger vehicle.
Fast forward to approx 8:13am March 30, 2021 we arrive at the AVIS BUDGET at 3716 West WT Harris to return the suv after leaving the gas station in front of the shopping center. We enter the AVIS BUDGET and their is a couple waiting to rent a car, a man standing in front of the AVIS BUDGET and the phone is ringing off the hook. We asked the couple if they had been helped and the wife said " No one is here " We waited 25 min, another lady came in and we waited an additional 5 min when Nicholas drove to the front door in a wet car and delivered it to the man who had been standing in front of the AVIS BUDGET.
Not only were we the victim of a bait and switch we also experienced terrible customer service and were give a car with expired tags. DO NOT SPEND YOUR MONEY AT AVIS BUDGET in Charlotte at 3716 West WT Harris Blvd. read more
