I prepaid for a premium SUV, a Ford Expedition Max, more than two weeks ago, but Budget failed to fulfill its promise. The night before my trip, they called to say my car would be delayed until 11:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. instead of 10:30 a.m., and I agreed to wait.
At 11:00 a.m., an agent called and said the company had sent him a 12-passenger Chevy Express van instead, and that I had to accept it or my reservation would be cancelled. I felt I had no choice but to at least look at the van and try to request a discounted price.
The van was old and dirty, and it looked like it had been used in the commission of a crime. It had a strange odor, as if something had decomposed inside, and there were stains on the upholstery that looked like dried blood. It had clearly not been cleaned or vacuumed, and it seemed as if potential evidence from a serious incident could still be present.
When I checked the back to see if the seats could be adjusted, a section fell apart, making it look as though a struggle had taken place there. I immediately asked for a refund because there was no way I was going to leave my fingerprints or DNA in that van.
It is unbelievable that a rental company can effectively cancel a prepaid reservation, offer such an unacceptable replacement, and derail a trip with nothing more than a simple "sorry." read more
