Rip off artist! The man I dealt with sat across from me with paperwork which he filled in as he asked me questions; if I'd like insurance (NO), theft protection (NO), all additional coverage (NO) and car brought back empty (NO). Meanwhile he had checked that I DID want all of that - turned the paper around and I signed it - TRUSTING he had coded my answers. Now I'm fighting and losing with my credit card and owe hundreds more than he told me I would. Plus the car was scratched and large and old. I'm angry at myself for failing to look the contract over myself and disgusted by this unkempt con man. I am 75 years old and thought I was a better judge of character. He gives BUDGET a very bad reputation. I'll never rent from them again. I now see multiple complaints. Close that office and make things right with clients who have been deceived and scammed. read more

Avoid at all costs athe Budget rental car office in Galway, Ireland. From the start, the customer service was horrendous and the entire interaction felt like a bait-and-switch scheme. The only reason they even have 1 is because there is not an option for negative stars. They tried to inform us that we had prepaid our reservation and we were unable to make any changes to the drop-off. We knew we did not pre-pay the reservation because we never do. A quick call to our credit card company confirmed that no such pre-payment had been made. This blatant lie was infuriating and extremely unprofessional. Additionally, the staff attempted to pressure us into purchasing extra insurance, claiming that our credit card only provided basic rental car coverage. They wanted to either put a £3000.00 hold on our card for entire rental period or make us pay £60/day for rental coverage. Once again, our credit card company confirmed that we had full coverage, not basic. When we confronted them with all of this information, with the credit card company still on the phone, Budget suddenly changed their story about our reservation being prepaid, but still claimed they couldn't make any changes to our rental. Ultimately, we went to our reservation online, while standing in the office as they were telling us they could not cancel or make any changes from their computers in the office. We canceled the entire reservation online, more proof we did not pre-pay the reservation. We then asked them to book a one day rental to Dublin. The guy at the counter told us it would be £700+ for the one day rental. We checked booking it online and it came to £200, including all taxes and fees. So yet they lied again. In the end, we just took the train to Dublin. We refuse to do business with crooks. As I said before, avoid this rental company at all costs. We will never use Budget for any rental car future needs. I hope this review helps others avoid a similar ordeal. read more

As many other reviewers note, the Galway location is absolutely terrible and way overpriced. I rented from Enterprise (a short taxi ride away) last year, and my experience was exponentially better and waayyy cheaper. Budget rental in Galway was FOUR TIMES the cost due to: 1) higher daily cost (Enterprise €31 - Budget €43) 2) forced collision damage insurance (€441) 3) forced theft protection (€181) 4) forced charge for 3rd party rental (€102) They were bullying me to accept all the other extra insurance options as well, and threatened that if I returned the car "with even a little extra scratch, we will take the entire €2000 deposit." Also, you will have to tote all your luggage several blocks to the garage to pick up your car. I called for assistance during my rental and was told to email customer service. I emailed 2 separate email addresses, and no one replied for an ENTIRE WEEK. This location has the worst customer service I have ever encountered with a car rental, and I have rented cars in numerous other countries and all over the USA. Do yourself and your wallet a favor and find any other car rental option in Galway. read more

Please spare yourself and your cash. Do not rent a car from these sketchy guys. Awful service with extraordinarily high fees that will never be discussed when you rent the vehicle. Do yourself a favor and higher a private driver or use the bus system. We were charged over 300 euros per day, most of which were the hidden fees. Don't expect Budget as a corporation to make things right, because they won't. Vicki read more

They don't tell you the requirements if you are 21 or over 75. Do not waste your time or money

You won't win many arguments here at this location. Had picked up a car in Dublin and dropped it off in Galway. No signage at Haynes Car Park. Was not given very good instructions when stopped by to ask. "They're mind readers". I understand. You guys really suck... just to be sure you know and you don't need to read my mind. Eurocar is another option. read more

I'd rather chew off my right arm then do business with budget. I had the misfortune of renting a car from them back in November. I understand with any rental car business their whole business structure is to try and up charge for extras. However, budget is exceptionally vague in their terms and conditions and use scare tactics to try and avail of even more money. As soon as me and my travel companion entered the office we felt we were treated with a cold hostile nature. I don't need an employee to treat me like they're my best friend but when you feel like your patronage to their business is an inconvenience that's an issue. Also this branch houses their cars in a public parking garage about a block from the office. Meaning that you are left to get the car and you return it to this public deck. This made me exceptionally uncomfortable as their was no one to look at the car when we returned it and give us the 'ok' that we had not caused any damage. The reason I'm writing this review now is that unfortunately when family members came to visit they somehow missed the messages I had sent urging them not to book with budget. They also experienced appalling customer service in the office causing them to consider walking out. Not wanting to jeopardize the reservations they had made around the country due to lack of car they followed through with the reservation. The icing on the cake is that they had paid for an upgraded bigger car since my brother is 6'7 when we received the car that came with a gps integrated into the dash it wouldn't work. Budget has removed the memory card that allows for the navigation system to function. When we called them to make sure the previous customer hadnt removed it the employee on the phone was quite curt and asked if we had paied for a navigation system. Again, any way they can squeeze any money out of you they will. And to be frank since we had payed for the upgraded car I think it's criminal to lessen the feautures of the upgraded car we paid for. For comparison I reserved a car with Europcar in may. They gave us a diesel BMV for no extra cost with a working navigation system. DO NOT RENT FROM THEM! read more

Avoid this place at all costs! They will scam you and if you leave something in the car, they will take it and say you never left it. They force you to pay for insurance even though your credit card covers you. They say the only way they will waive it is if you call your credit card company and have them email you or fax a letter confirming you're covered. They know damn well tourists will not have access to a phone to get this done, thus, forcing you to purchase their insurance. Additionally, the location is on the corner of Eyre Square in Galway. One of the busiest corners. We drove around the block 10 times waiting for an opening to park in a taxi line only to run in and be told we must drive to a random car park down the road and leave the car there, walk all the way back and drop off the keys... seems completely reasonable, probably something you think they would mention in the original online bookings??? We left something in the trunk, they said we didn't and assured they would call us once the car was returned by the next person. They didn't! We went back in to inquire and they told us a completely different story. They don't communicate with one another and frankly are like a bunch of used car sales men trying to make a quick buck. Lastly, the price your quoted online is completely different from what you walk out paying. We were quoted under $100 USD and left paying $285 USD. What a joke! Avoid! read more

Renters BEWARE!!!! I only wish I had seen the YELP reviews prior to booking!!! Extremely unprofessional experience. I booked a rental for 5 days on-line for $87 USD. I had read the terms and conditions for insurance by both the credit card company and my own auto insurance and felt I was reasonably covered before leaving the US. It all started friendly enough, with a small charge to upgrade to a nice Audi rental car. However then we hit the insurance question. By the time I walked out with the agent using extreme pressures sales including scare tactics it was $700 USD for the rental. Examples: "We may not accept your insurance." Hands me a phone a says, "call them right now and have them tell me your covered, then I'll rent you the car (it was 5am in the US)". Later on I start to wonder if the low upgrade fee was also a tactic to get me into a higher insurance rate as the car was more expensive. Horrible experience!!! read more

This story may start in Dublin but ends in Galway. Avis and Budget are also a linked company. Avis is by far the worst company I've ever had to deal with in my entire life. Firstly, they gave us a faulty manual car and implied that it felt different to drive as Americans because it was a European make (even though the driver had been driving standard vehicles her entire life). The first two gears were faulty but we were able to get to Galway in fifth as it's a major highway direct from Dublin. However, the car died at 5:30 on a Sunday; terrible timing. From that point on, things just got worse and worse. The breakdown service for Avis did not work, although we called seven times. We had to call AA ourselves and then the AA operator was able to get ahold of someone in Budget in Galway to come pick us up from the side of the road. AA then called Avis in Dublin - although the main office was closed apparently. That Avis operator gave us a number for the Avis Shannon Airport but that was also a faulty number (both the one she gave us and the online one did not work - even though we were using an Irish phone). We didn't have the car for the first night but still had to pay for it. The following morning we went to Budget in Galway when they opened. We were not only forced to wait for a car for two and a half hours but were made to feel small and degraded. Adrian Flynn is a patronizing man with no concept of customer service. After the horrible experience we had in Galway on the side of the road, with a faulty car, we wanted a new vehicle that worked properly. He was not able to give us one; but said they had one in Knock - a 40-60 minute drive from Galway. There were three of us however and he said the driver could only fit two of us three girls in the vehicle. He told us that one of us should take the bus up to Knock and meet the driver. Not only did he want to put two young women in a car with a strange girl but he wanted to send one by herself on a bus in a strange country. Absolutely ridiculous. Once Adrian Flynn left the office; his colleague was able to step in and get us a car immediately - having us avoid the terrible act that was about to occur. I cannot believe how poor customer service was for my trip. It was absolutely ridiculous. I will never recommend this company for anything and cannot believe it is still active. This company is terrible and doesn't deserve even one star - I am absolutely disgusted. read more

TOURISTS BEWARE! I have never,ever,ever experienced poor customer service such as I did at this location. The main objective of this office is to rob people and put them into uncomfortable situations. I booked online for around 200$ for 3 days and when all was said and done I was looking at a 600$ bill. I have an international credit card that provides insurance for rentals, but according to this locations I needed a signed written letter from my credit card company to apply their insurance. This man from Ballinsloe working in this location treated me differently due to my American accent. While I was contemplating the upcharge of 400$ to my bill he decided to go help other customers while his fellow associate was shuffling papers behind him not helping anyone. Once 2 more groups of car renters came in, the guy shuffling papers started helping them. I had a meeting in Dublin in 3.5 hours and felt trapped so I paid out the 600$. Upon arriving at the car park 5 blocks away from the budget office, I met my 13' Skoda. I'm paying 600$ to drive a 5 year old car for 3 days?? I planned on swallowing my pride and living with my poor decision until I sat into the car. The car absolutely reeked of vomit or spilled milk(or possibly a baby that vomited its milk). I was so disgusted, under pressure, and now feeling light headed/sick. I refused to return to eyre square to deal with sickly thieves that occupy that location so I headed off to Dublin. I drove with the windows down the whole trip and only felt sicker and sicker as the drive went on. Upon arriving at Dublin airport car return the budget associates here were sympathetic and understood my situation.(they wouldn't put their head in the car to take a whiff, but your man told me he could smell it from where he was standing). After some discussion the Dublin airport budget were able to take care of the situation and provide me a refund. All in all I ended up using another car hire service as my experience cost me a day of work and a sick feeling in my stomach. I will never use budget car hire again until the Galway office learns a thing or two about customer service. BEWARE!! read more

Had a reservation at one price, but at pick up, Budget in Galway insisted they had to upgrade our insurance, and our car to more than double the quoted rate. Bye bye Budget. Happy to go out of city center to deal with someone else. read more