Avis is Unremarkable in Practically All Respects.
Written: Mar 15 '09 (Updated Mar 15 '09)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Cheap rates available via Hotwire, cars tend to be newish and clean.
Cons: So-so customer service, high rack rates.
The Bottom Line: I'm surprised to say that I prefer Budget by a narrow margin.
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| chelledun's Full Review: Avis |
When it comes to car rental, I believe that cheaper is almost always better. After all, it's only a weeklong (or less) commitment. Mr_chelledun and I have recently discovered that the cheapest possible option for car rental is to book through Hotwire.com, which guarantees buyers a car from a major rental company. For whatever reason, we've ended up with Avis cars the last two times we've done this. We also rented directly through Avis once previously.
Know Before You Rent
Avis is part of the "Avis Budget Group", which operates both Avis and Budget rental car companies. I typically consider Avis an upscale cousin to low-cost Budget, given that rack rates are usually at least 30% higher than budgets (although, in my experience, lower than Hertz or Enterprise). This issue was moot for us, as we've paid $15.00 and $21.00 per night, respectively, for our two long-weekend rentals. Even with taxes and fees added on, each of our four night rentals came to just over $100.00. If you don't want to take the risk of using Hotwire, decent prices for Avis vehicles can be found on Southwest.com and you get frequent flier segments for booking this way.
At Avis, or pretty much any other rental car company, they will try to talk you into all sorts of fancy things at check-in from extra insurance to GPS. We always just say a firm and polite "no thank you" and manage to get out of there paying our expected price.
Service
Given the slightly higher price point, I expected that Avis would better service than low-cost car companies such as Budget and Dollar. Based on my experience, this is simply not the case. While employees are certainly friendlier than those at cheaper rental car companies, they are certainly no more competent. Sometimes, in fact, the friendliness actually result in longer lines, as employees stop to chit-chat multiple times during the transaction. I don't mean to sound like a grump, but after a long flight I usually just want my car. If the car rental counters did not seem so chronically understaffed my position on this might be different.
We have rented through Avis at Orlando International Airport, Orlando Sanford International Airport, and Dallas Love Field. The former two were within the last year, the latter several years ago. The car rental procedures were handled differently at all three locations, with Orlando International's being the worst. We arrived late in the evening and were forced to wait in long lines both to receive our car rental paperwork and again to obtain keys to our designated car upon reaching the parking garage. Orlando Sanford has a much better system, in that you only have to wait in a long line once before being given the key to your vehicle.
Cars
Avis's vehicles are fairly standard, with a strong affinity (that I do not share) toward Dodge vehicles. Most recently, we received an ugly silver Dodge Caliber. I believe we had a white Durango several years ago. Each time we're rented from Avis we've received a free "upgrade" to something larger than a compact car, so I would not recommend paying for a larger than compact vehicle until it becomes apparent you need to do so. Paid upgrades are pretty much always available at the rental counter.
The cars have all been on the newer side and clean, like those from most major rental companies. We haven't had any mechanical issues with any Avis vehicle, although some have had scratches/dents. I always make sure to take a digital photograph of these upon receiving the car.
Overall . . .
Avis is just okay. This company seems to be somewhat without a niche in that service is mainly mediocre, and rack rates are no bargain. In short, there is nothing about Avis that inspires me to have any sort of loyalty whatsoever to the brand, although I'll inevitably end up with them again via Hotwire in the near future.
Recommended:
No
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