Avis was very hit or miss, but came up trumps.
Written: Jun 04 '04 (Updated Oct 26 '05)
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Pros: Car ran well. Employee on the phone very good. Returning staff efficient.
Cons: Dirty car. Uncaring employees, who didn't listen, when picking up vehicle. No manual.
The Bottom Line: For pick up at Gatwick airport, the price was right. Employees were very hit or miss. Car ran well and was new. Great head of Customer Relations department.
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| Susie-34668's Full Review: Avis |
Update of October 26th, 2005.
I wanted to put this at the top of the review because ciao.com and the Head of Customer Relations for Avis, U.K. have just made my day.
I get very little time to go on Ciao.com, and didn't even know there were 2 guest books. I had never looked in the private one. This week there was a message in my guest book saying to look in the other one. Surprise, I found it.
It was a message from the Head of Customer Relations asking if, after a year, I still had the paperwork for the rental. I keep everything for 10 years. I emailed her with all the details and this is the reply I got today:
"I am pleased to confirm that we've re-activated your rental record and refunded the £600 to the account we claimed it from.
I am sorry this caused you so much distress and we have highlighted the matter to all our airport managers to emphasise the importance of explaining the implications of all decisions relating to insurances properly".
So after all this time, and being blown away by everyone we spoke to at Avis, Ciao did a fantastic job, just by letting me publish my review. It really does pay to write on sites like Epinions and Ciao.
One very happy Susie. I am leaving my original review as it stands so this never happens to anyone else.
As I have just completed my review on Avis.com, I may as well continue with the Avis rental review.
We left our house at 1.30 pm on the Thursday afternoon to head for the airport. After a seven and a half hour flight, and having put our watches five hours ahead, we arrived at Gatwick just after 7.00 a.m. the following morning. With very little sleep we went through immigration and customs.
We headed out for Avis and our hire car around 8.20 a.m. At the customer service desk was a lady taking details and issuing vehicles. The gentleman to the right of her was checking vehicles back in. We waited around 10 minutes before our turn. I noticed the other hire car desks were really quiet. The only one with one customer was Hertz.
We had printed out the 6 pages of information from the internet. We handed her the page with the reservation on it. She keyed in our reservation number from the papers, and asked for my husband's driving license, and the credit card we had secured the car on.
She then went to the printer and produced the rental agreement. We had to initial the daily/weekly rate. That we had refused the extra insurance (CDW waver) of £10.95 a day ($20.04 a day). Refused theft protection and personal accident insurance. Then finally signed the bottom of the agreement. The price, car size, automatic, and everything we had checked off from the site, were correct.
She gave us a copy of this, together with a blue copy of the rental vehicle condition report, which she made us sign before checking the vehicle. Told us if there was a problem to come back to the office, and what we assumed was a key.
We checked where the car was, and in slot 43 was this dirty gray car. No we didn't get the Ford, but ended up with a Renault Megane 1.6, which is a similar size vehicle. We both looked to see if any employees were in the parking lot. Yes, so we called a guy over, and asked if the car should have been clean. He informed us that is was clean. Well Len won't drive a vehicle with dirty windows and mirrors. He got a tissue out and was about to spit on it, so I said that I would go back to the desk, and ask for water and paper towels.
Well, the lady was dealing with someone else. I finally got her attention and told her how unhappy we were with the cleanliness of the car. She said to give her a minute and she would sort it out. She came back with a cup of cold water and some toilet tissue. No she didn't have any cleaning materials. I went back to Len and we did the best we could.
Luggage in the car, and we are ready to go, but where was the key. Len had a key ring and a piece of black plastic. We looked around and he found a slot to put it in. I checked for a manual, but of course, there wasn't one. Out Len gets and heads to the desk again. This time the gentleman comes with him. No, they don't give a manual with any vehicle. He tells Len to put the plastic back in the slot, press the brake, and push the start button. Yippee, it started.
By the time we left the parking lot it was after 9.00 a.m.
Over the next week we did mainly motorway driving. The M23, M25, M40, M4, M20, and M26. However, Len did get to drive through the picturesque villages around Stratford-upon-Avon. The car handled extremely well, and we were pleased with it's performance.
Down in Kent, visiting with my father, we stopped off at a Sainsbury's supermarket. As the parking spaces in England are so small, we parked right away from other vehicles. Around 30 minutes later, we came out with the cart, and someone had side swiped the car. Of course they left without leaving any details, name, telephone number, insurance, etc. The scratches were really deep and the passenger door was dented too. We were really annoyed, to say the least.
When we got back to Dad's house, we telephoned Avis, and informed them of the accident. Although they took details, we would have to leave earlier, on the day we returned it.
We were up at 5.00 a.m. English time (midnight here) on the day of departure. Drove to the airport and got to Avis in plenty of time. We also topped up with gas at £0.86 a liter at a local garage, which is over $7 a gallon. So we are not complaining now.
We waited around 15 minutes for the desk clerk to be available. Then Len filled in an Incident Report form. The damage was assessed at £638 and we would be liable for the first £600 of this. How convenient it went over the excess amount. This converted to $1104, and was added to the charge on our credit card.
Luckily we have a British Airways Signature credit card, with a high annual fee, but this card covers the excess for any accident. It states that it would pay up to the value of the car is necessary. Fingers crossed we will get the money back.
After the high security in Gatwick, England. Being bodily searched. Then the very tiring 9 hour plane ride home, we were so glad to arrive in Tampa, only to find that our ride was not waiting......
What a shock, when I telephoned the house to see where the gentleman was. I found out he had died in his sleep, the Saturday before. He had just turned 65. So you see, the problems with Avis, really didn't matter. Life is too precious.
Susie, who will do it all again next year.
Update June 26th, 2004.
My credit card company have refused to pay the $1,104. The reason being, the Avis representative circled the accept the insurance box. Being tired, my husband initialed the circled boxes. We now know we should have held the line up for 30 minutes, while we read all the fine print. Because she did not listen to Len, and I heard him clearly, we now have to pay this amount, as well as the cost of the hire car. With gas it cost us over $2,300. I think you know why my rating has gone down to 1*.
One very upset Susie.
October 265th, 2005.
With the new proceedures that will be going into place, I will be happy to use Avis again. They have gone beyond the call of duty.
Thank you.
Recommended:
Yes
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