Payless Car Rental

Pros: Easy to reserve, good service, great price.
Cons: Older car, had some dings and rattles, site off the main drag.

Going on a business trip to Orlando, I realized the price of a cab ride or car fare to the hotel was over $60 per trip. As such, I went searching for a lower rate car rental which would be a little more or less than cab fares. First place I checked was ...

Pros: Nice, flexible staff. Clean, new car. And you can't beat the price.
Cons: Experiences with Payless affiliates in other cities might be less pleasant.

I rented a car through Payless for a two-week stretch recently, and had an excellent experience. The price, which I found through Orbitz, was unbeatable, and was significantly lower than every competitor other than Thrifty (which charged about $5 ...

Pros: very low rates
Cons: older cars; franchisees may surprise you with massive surcharges

On a recent trip to Oakland, California, I rented a car from Payless Auto Rental. It was quite an experience!! Unlike the big nationals like Avis, Hertz, and Alamo, Payless (and most notably Enterprise) is a franchise, and the SFO and OAK franchises ...

Pros: cost, upgraded without asking, and,uh, cost.
Cons: At Orlando location they seemed more paranoid than most others about damage to their cars.

Today I completed a five day rental at Payless in Orlando.  I had been holding my breath given all the negatives I read here.  This rental location does not have a desk at the airport and you must use a courtesy phone to find out where ...

Pros: Finally got a car after 2 hours, Never have to go back to Payless
Cons: Horrible Customer Service, Unsatisfied Employees, Only two airport shuttles- both broken down, Slow Service

My fiance and I traveled to Atlanta last weekend 11/10/06- 11/12/06. We rented a car from Payless Car Rental through Expedia.com. I definitely learned my lesson that you get (or don't get) what you pay for! I arrived in Atlanta at 9:30 and had ...

Pros: One of least expensive rentals in Orlando. Very near airport. Quick shuttle service.
Cons: Rude rental agents; cars not maintained properly; watch out for hidden charges!

Update to Payless Car Rental Review (4/7/2007):-( I am now "duking it out" with the Payless rental agency over the exorbitant additional charges to my Visa card. I happened to be pulling up my recent Visa data online and saw that Payless had charged my ...

Pros: None
Cons: Car rental firm used fine print to renege on car rental reservation. Beware!

Your readers may wish to be aware of a problem that I, and many others, encountered when renting a car at the airport at Tampa FL late last Friday night. This was a holiday weekend (Passover), so flights were full, and rental counters were jammed. ...

Pros: Good minivan, nice people, great savings
Cons: VERY aggressive about selling extra insurance, off-airport location

I organized a conference in Tampa on February 29 and March 1 and needed to rent a minivan to help transport attendees around town. I rented a minivan from Payless Car Rental and had a relatively positive experience with them. I arrived a few days ...

Pros: Clean, well running vehicle. Quoted rate was lower than any other rental company.
Cons: Horrible customer service, massive delays and indifference. rude employees.

I decided to rent from Payless on a recent trip to Atlanta. On Expedia, they were offering a full-size SUV for a very reasonable price. I normally rent from Budget, and I am used to using their FastBreak service to go straight to my car. I knew that ...

Pros: Last minute, the only compact out of the rental companies in that building. Clean interior.
Cons: Poor tire maintenance, lack of concern for safety. Bad radios in Ford Focus.

Feb.2005 San Jose, CA airport. It has rained basically all day long. Did not make reservations. This was a last minute, unplanned rental. Rented a Ford Focus for a week. The license plate didn't match the number on envelope nor did the keys activate the ...

Pros: It was a car in good working order
Cons: slow service, more expensive than advertised, small inventory

I travel a lot and cutting costs by $50 sounded fantastic for my business trip to Tampa Florida, so I used Orbitz online to make my reservation with Payless rental for a premium car.Once I landed I had to walk a half mile outside to a pick up area ...

Pros: Courtesy by employees
Cheap prices.
Fast return service and the 2 payless shuttles back to airport.
Cons: more clerks
Pre-printed Maps of orlando:  time is consumed by clerks giving directions during checkout.

BLUF: I arrived to the airport at 2:40 PM  I was on the Payless rental bus with my bags by 3:05 PM. My compact car that i requested on line was available at the site. It took me a total of 15-20 minutes (waiting in line, processing my ...

Pros: Cheap up-front price to lure customers.
Cons: They get you later for false claims of damages.

In December of 2004, I rented a car from Payless at the Denver airport. The car was dirty when I received it but I was going to snow country so I didn't think much about it, and it had been snowing in Denver recently as well. The gatekeeper at the ...

Pros: you save a negligible amount initially, which you will end up paying for tenfold later
Cons: too many to list in 15 words. worst car rental company ever

I rented a car from Payless in Oakland, CA during a recent trip to San Francisco and Palo Alto. When I arrived late at night, they told me that they hadn't had time to clean the car or fill up the gas tank, so it was dirty. I got the form to write down ...

Pros: Inexpensive, pleanty of cars to rent. They did upgrade once I complained
Cons: Shaddy, tried to con me, overcharged for a flat, bad customer service.

My boyfreind and I reserved a rental car with Payless/Advantage Rental through Orbitz. We traveled to Orlando (from Chicago) for a 6 day trip. Once I arrived at the airport, I could not call for a shuttle from the kiosk at the airport. After a ...

Pros: Super cheap rates
Cons: Horrible service and vehicle in bad condition. No full Disclosure.

The first time we rented with Payless they tried to upgrade every step of the way. This was very aggravating and stressfull. The second time we rented with them, we didn't realize it was the same agency until we walked up so I knew what they would try ...

Pros: - Lower prices than some other car companies
Cons: - Poor customer service - Questionable and possibly illegal business tactics. - No professionalism.

This will be a quick review but the basic lesson - Avoid Payless. Rented car a Newark Airport. Shuttle took 20 minutes to show up. We were brought to a cluttered office, in a run down Ramada Inn. They gave me the contract and claimed the car was ...

Pros: Friendly service, free upgrade from Compact to SUV (!!!), one-way transfer fee waived
Cons: No cons in my case

On a recent trip to Alaska, we found out that rental car prices there were horrendous. We decided to try Payless, but after reading the reviews here and elsewhere, I got apprehensive. We nevertheless tried Payless, but came with a backup-plan in form of ...

Pros: Quick car return process and efficient shuttle service to and from airport.
Cons: Car was dirty and poorly maintained. The tires were worn and squealed with turns.

I recently took my family for a vacation in Orlando, FL and rented a minivan through Payless. Upon arrival, we were shown a Dodge Caravan with no rear AC and limited trunk space. However, a Dodge Grand Caravan was available for an upgrade price of $60 ...

Pros: None
Cons: Bait & Switch, . . .

This was the worst rental car experience of my life. We had a $15.50/day, unlimited mileage, full size car rate reserved direct from the Payless website. When our flight was delayed into Vegas and we showed up 3 hrs late, . . . we were told our ...

Pros: None - everyone was rude and the surcharges were massive!!
Cons: Very deceiving rate quotes hook you, and on pick-up you're surprised with massive surcharges.

As a party of 10 arriving in Florida for a week of fun in the sun, so far the flights were fine, everyone was pleasant at the airport and the shuttle to Payless (or Paymore, a more suitable name) was uneventful. 2 of the 10 of us had reserved a pair ...

Pros: The car was new and nice.
Cons: Intimidation and hassle at no extra charge

It's the bad experience that will not die. I have to say up front that the car I rented was clean, nice, a newer Camry. However, I should have been suspicious enough to turn around and walk away when the office staff very vigorously tried to sell me ...

Pros: Apart from the brakes, the car was OK.
Cons: Rude staff; ridiculous rental procedure; unexplained CC charges; rip-off comprehensive insurance

Rented the car in Vegas. First of all, they amazed me with a massive amount of questions they asked: which hotel I'm going to stay in Vegas, what company I work for, what my current insurance underwriter is etc. I asked why they would be curious about my ...

Pros: Trouble free experience.
Cons: I missed the driveway to the return place.

These reviews of Payless posted here scared the hell out of me. I'd already made my reservations, and THEN read these Epinions. I was petrified how renting from Payless would ruin my trip to Atlanta. So I did a thorough review of the rental agreement ...

Pros: Cheap Price
Cons: Customer Service and Condition of Cars

Payless Car Rental was the worst car renting experience I have ever had. My husband and I took a vacation to get a little R&R before our baby was born(I was 7 months pregnant). Believe me, this experience was anything but relaxing. After getting off ...

Pros: CHEAP CHEAP CHEAP
Cons: Bad location off airport, ramshackle office in hotel

I recently rented a economy car from the Payless Car Rental location at Newark Airport. They had the lowest rate by far of all car companies, and since I was looking to have a CHEAP weekend in New York, I booked with them. Upon landing at Newark ...

Pros: NONE
Cons: POOR RUDE SERVICE..Lots of scams

This was definitively the WORST car rental experience we ever had and we will positively never use Payless again. We were required to pay additional $160 cash as security for rental, which cash deposit was represented at the time of rental going to ...

Pros: Nothing
Cons: Looked cheap but wasn't, car in bad condition, bad service, sketchy dealings

I should have known when I walked in to rent my car. There were 3 people a head of me in line and each person was LIVID at the customer service for some reason or another. One guy had been charged for gas and he had filled it up - but "ONLY a ...

Pros: 1) low quote price.

Cons: Aggresive upselling
Poor customer service
Charged credit card before contract signed.

I picked this rental company to save a few bucks over Enterprise and other nationally established chains. That was a big mistake.Some of my family was traveling to Nevada to get some cancer treatment and just needed to get a car to go to the ...

Pros: none
Cons: Bait-and-switch con artists, bald-faced liars.

I just got back from San Francisco where I had the terrible misfortune of renting a car from Payless. I thought I would be saving a few dollars, but it was definitely NOT worth it. To get to the rental office from SFO you have to take the shuttle ...

Pros: Inexpensive, comparable to other agencies, good quality and service.
Cons: None

I first made a car rental reservation with Payless in Kansas City then read the reviews. So many bad reviews led to some trepidation but since each franchise is individually owned I decided to go ahead and give it a try. I was very pleased. First, I ...

Pros: Nothing
Cons: Everything

At first I was excited because I thought I would save about $100..not worth it. We arrived at the Orlando Airport and waited at least 45 minutes for the damn shuttle to come. In the mean time me and my girlfriend saw at least 5 Hertz buses, 4 Enterprise ...

Pros: Available - cheap - service was fine too.
Cons: Cant think of any.

As the title suggests, my experience was contrary to many of the other horrible experiences that people had with Payless. I rented through Expedia for a business trip to Orlando. Orlando airport is huge and it was a bit tricky for me to find the ...

Pros: The car was a nice standard car.
Cons: Charged for five additional days after I turned car in.

I rented a car through Expedia on the internet and picked it up at the Phoenix airport on February 9th, 2008. I did not have my insurance card with me. They charged an additional $14 each day for insurance which I not advised about before renting the ...

Pros: I didn't act on my anger and choke the "customer service" agent at the counter.
Cons: DON'T DO IT! Try a more reputable rental company - worth the extra money.

The shuttle was sooooo late. I watched other rental companies send up to 5 shuttles each while I was waiting. The appearance of the economy car was fine, but the steering was EXTREMELY out of alignment. However, the steering was nothing compared to ...

Pros: Car was clean
Cons: Car broke down; rude, incompetent employees; lousy customer service

I do a lot of traveling for the Department of Defense and generally have to go with the least expensive rental car when conducting official travel in the U.S. Of all the car rental companies that I have gone through in the last few years, Payless was by ...

Pros: None
Cons: Take pictures before you drive off the lot!!!

I rented a Ford Focus from Payless at San Francisco Airport in January, 2008. Without comment the agent presented a form to sign indicating that the car was in good condition. She seemed put out that we would actually want to look at the car before ...

Pros: the low price (if you can get it)
Cons: bait and switch, dishonest employee

Got a great price from Payless for a rental at the Phoenix airport. There were no mini vans available, but they would upgrade to a SUV for $150 more. No way. Finally after some arguing, he agreed to a free upgrade, but we needed added insurance. ...

Pros: Returns guy was nice.
Cons: Everything else.

Last summer we traveled to Orlando for a trip to Disneyworld. We had a nice flight, then walked down to where the rental companies picked up. We waited 45 minutes in the hot Florida sun for the Payless van to show up, while watching vans from other ...

Pros: Based on our recent experience and subsequent headaches, there are no pros.
Cons: Bad business practices; beware of being scammed.

We recently rented a car from Payless in Fort Lauderdale, Fl. We could deal with the long wait of over an hour at the airport to finally get the vehicle. We paid for their insurance, which we were told covered the car bumper to bumper. The car we were ...

Pros: Nil
Cons: horrible service, deposit, prices are not clear, confusing rates, horrible location

I rented from the Toronto location of Pearson airport on June 28, 2008 for a wedding. First of all, they make you put a deposit down for a car saying because it's a "NEW CAR". Second...their forms do not fully and clearly state what exactly they will ...

Pros: Cheap up-front price quotes to lure customers.
Cons: Deceiving price quotes and Rude people.

On a recent trip to Orlando, Florida, I rented a car from Payless Car Rental. It was quite an experience!! It was the cheapest company on the internet. I know it looked like a great deal. But what is the old saying “you pay for what you ...

Pros: Any other experience will seem better in the future!
Cons: Bait and switch, no customer service.

This was, without a doubt, the worst car rental experience of my life. After my flight was delayed, I arrived at the airport at 11:40. They told me to leave my family and come get the car as they were closing so I had them claim the bags and went to ...

Pros: Can not think of any, rent from a national at the airport.
Cons: Bait and switch car rental. Just say no to payless.

Same experience in Tampa, we booked a midsize for a week at $244., when we got to Tampa we were shown a compact and told insurance was manditory as well as additional charges for extra driver, shuttle, debit card ect, ect. Ended up $400.+ for a week in a ...

Pros: it's usually sunny in Florida (except at Payless)
Cons: rude, arrogant, poorly maintained, banged-up cars

I can't speak for any other Payless location, except to say that a friend in the rental business says Payless might not be around much longer. However, the people at the Payless counter near Orlando's airport are some of the worst, most arrogant, ...

Pros: None.
Cons: Horrible wait time, unfriendly staff, unfamiliar with English, non-trustworthy managers and shady people.

I arrived at the Phoenix airport anxious to get inside my rental car and get to my hotel room to relax. Well, things didn't start out on a good note. I had to wait in line for 25 minutes while the attendant, who hardly spoke English, tried to help out ...

Pros: They are good at luring you in with their price - be aware.
Cons: Too many to listl

PAYLESS IS NOT THE CHEAPEST IT JUST APPEARS LIKE THAT.  GO TO A WELL KNOWN CAR RENTAL PLACE!!!  My daughter booked a car reservation on line for 5 days and confirmation was received for $127.00.  We knew there would be an extra charge ...

Pros: The cars work
Cons: Poor service, car was not prepared, poorly maintained facilities, source of many headaches

This was the worst rental experience I have ever had. I rented a car with Payless for my honeymoon in Key West. From the moment I arrived in Miami...Payless demonstrated a severe lack of professionalism and integrity. My wife and I waited for ...

Pros: No Pro comments
Cons: Very Poor Service Attitude

Two weeks prior to 3/31/08 I made reservations for a SUV at Pay Less via Travel-o-city. Upon arrival on 3/31/08 Pay Less "lost my confirmation" even though I provided them with their confirmation number and my travel-o-city trip ID number in printed ...

Pros: Save a few pennies
Cons: Waste of time, and added frustration dealing with this company.

Let me preface this by saying I have rented hundreds of vehicles in my travels.  This experience was BY FAR the WORST car rental experience I had ever had.1) I was in line to get my vehicle.  The lady in front of me was in tears ...

Pros: Shuttle was quick and fast.
Cons: Unprofessional, no managers available when needed. Ignored problems.

I had to pick my niece up in Fresno, so I found Payless Car Rental for a lot cheaper since it was around the holidays. It was $20/day compared to other rental companies such as Avis, Budget, etc. which were running $50/day or higher. I arrived at ...

Pros: Prices....but for what you get I wouldn't consider it a pro.
Cons: customer service, quality of car, rental office, pretty much everything!

My wife and I rented from Oakland. Office was based out of a run down motel. We were already 3 hours behind schedule so we didn't fully take the time to review the car in full detail but it was a 2008 Camry so I wasn't too concerned at the time. We left ...

Pros: No pros I can think of.  
Cons: We ended paying more in the long run.

Worst experience ever renting a car from Payless Car Rental. The company may say that you will save $30 or $40 and that they are cheaper but they will get more money from you in the long run and drum up more drama than you would ever want when it comes ...

Pros: None
Cons: Still have not received my refund.

I recently was on vacation in San Diego and had issues with this rental car company. In addition to the problems I had below there were angry customers that were walking out the door, and customers calling in with other problems with the cars not ...

Pros: Absolutely NOTHING
Cons: Unsafe cars, filthy, rude staff.

First, upon arrival, we were waiting under the sign that said “Payless” for the shuttle for quite some time. I saw a couple of shuttles go by, and I tried to wave one down as he drove by. He motioned to go further down the parking area. He pulled into ...

Pros: absolutely nothing.
Cons: absolutely everything.

we rented from payless, and we also shared the same frustrations as other reviewers of long, confusing waits for the shuttle bus, long lines at check-in and only one attendant etc...BUT we had the added bonus of our car breaking down 1.5 hours outside of ...

Pros: Nothing was great about them.
Cons: EVERYTHING was terrible about their products, salesmans, and service. They will take advantage of people.

My fiance and I decided to rent from the Payless Rental in San Diego, CA. We're both under 25, so it being $10 on the internet was the reason we choose this place. We made a reservation for 4 days with an intermediate car (Nissan Sentra or something ...

Pros: Non
Cons: Worst car renting company you can find

On 10 03 08 at about 7pm we came to the Orlando airport and went outside to wait for the Payless bus. We had Payless reservation for the economy car for $152 from 10 3 till 10 14. After 30 minutes and three calls to the Payless bus came and brought me ...

Pros: ZERO
Cons: Crooks, Liars, Cheats, Criminal enterprise!

This rental company is a criminal enterprise. They are the worst I have ever encountered. The will out right lie to you. I rented a car in Vegas. Only to be told it was too small, was "upgraded" at my cost to a Camry.  Went to get the car. Had ...

Pros: I do not have anything positive to say about this company.
Cons: Bait and Switch, Poor Management (do they have managers???), Liars, Changed Deals, Sneaky Tactics, Cheaters

I was in Florida for my Mom's funeral.  They promised a great price and so I decided to use them instead of Enterprise (my usual company).  This was a BIG mistake.  The economy (similar to a Ford Focus) that they offered after a 2 hour ...

Pros: The car didn't break down
Cons: old worn dented scratched car horribly high unannounced surcharges rude staff scam-like methods

Reserved a car on-line, spent too much time at the airport looking for the rental site (hidden away in the corner of the lobby of a hotel somewhere off the beaten track), and got the car. The car was old, scratched and dented, and I had to sign for ...

Pros: Did not have to wait in long lines.
Cons: Smelly cars
Dirty cars
Extra hidden charges for using your Visa debit card

I rented this car at the San Bruno, CA location (near the San Francisco Airport). I was quoted one price when I booked and secured my rental online; however, this location charges an EXTRA  $5/day  if you pay with your Visa debit card. They ...

Pros: NON
Cons: All

This is the worst company I have ever tried to rent a car from. NEVER rent a car from them. They have a lousy service, the counter personnel are rude, we thought we had a deal when we made the reservation, we check a car that suppose to be for 5 people ...

Pros: NOT ONE I CAN THINK OF.............STAY AWAY
Cons: IF YOU GO THERE, THEY WILL SCREW YOU TOO!

Do NOT rent from these crooks........They are the worst car rental company I have ever dealt with and I have dealt with a lot. I wish I had checked the reviews on Payless Car Rental in Orlando.  Booked my flight on line and also ...

Pros: Cheap,  unnecessary markups. Quick service, but too quick   Fast talkers, double talkers.
Cons: asking you if you want a car without a CD player. It's 2009.

Do yourself the biggest favor you can on your vacation. DO NOT RENT FROM PAYLESS CAR RENTAL IN TAMPA!!!  These people are basically like a bad version of car salesmen (if you can imagine worse).  We needed a car for the weekend.  We ...

Pros: Made some limited attempt to address the situation
Cons: The basic premise that I was duped

Payless Car Rental Montreal – hidden geographic restrictions on ‘unlimited miles’A few months ago I booked a car on Travelocity to go from Montreal to a location 600 km away and back again.  Naturally like a fool I ...

Pros: None.
Cons: High pressure, poor communication, long wait, poor selection

Had a reservation in Orlando for Jan. 31 for a subcompact. Got there and was told they would not let me drive a subcompact on the interstate highway! They offered a minivan for the same price, but I didn't feel comfortable driving something that big. I'm not sure I clearly understood this next part, but I think what the clerk said was that since I had refused the insurance, they wouldn't give me a car that had less than 50,000 miles on it, and they didn't have such a car except the minivan. Fortunate to have some time, and having encountered various kinds of upselling schemes before, I said OK, then, I'll go back to the airport and rent from someone else. And that was it--they canceled the transaction. I rode their shuttle back to the airport, went to the Alamo desk, and that company quickly and courteously gave me a great small car for not all that much more money. I suggest you go straight there and save yourself a trip.

Pros: NONE
Cons: Expensive (PAY MORE), aggravations, become prey of fraudulous schemes

We had a very bad experience- On return of my car @ San Francisco , CA. PAY- LESS Inspectors created "a make believe damage" claim to bill Insurance/Credit Card Cos/ to me. But the guy did NOT realise yet, I already took pictures of the areas through a Cell Tel.
After reading through all the comments over here, I note that this is NOT an Unique incident this NOTORIOUS LOCATION & COMPANY.
They pray on hurried passengers to catch planes/appointments, Women, International/ also National tourists.

I am writing to the California Governor, Attorney General, Tourist Bureau. Please you do the same @ yours' experiences. In addition to writing in this forum.- A "First time & Last time" Customer of PAY LESS RENTAL.

Pros: Exactly as expected
Cons: None

We rented a Ford Taurus from Payless in Las Vegas. Prompt pick up from the airport (one of the few pickup areas with a rain shelter), no line, reservation in computer was identical to my printed copy, no pressure to buy CDW ( it was offered but not pushed). Car was fine, no problems. Return was smooth, with two attendants waiting. Return took less than 2 minutes with no requirement to go inside. I believe Payless is a franchise operation, so I would imagine your results will depend on your location.

Pros: They don't steal your luggage and they rent cars at the PHX airport.
Cons: They take advantage of your distress by renting little junk cars for $199.00 a day!

Phoenix Airport, our rental reservation at Hertz (remember the Seinfeld episode?) means nothing. They have reservations for probably 100 of us but they have no cars.  We go to other rental companies and Payless sticks us for $199.00 (plus taxes making it $272.00!) for the crappiest little car, called a Chevy Aveo. (No wonder GM is going out of business).  This company is simply a rip-off taking advantage of consumers!

Pros: The car was clean.
Cons: My rental car's cost was over 1000 dollars more than it should have been.

While in San Jose, Costa Rica, I rented a compact car from Elegante / Payless Car Rental. They seemed very nice and the car was fine. Unfortunately, they overcharged my credit card by one thousand dollars ($1000). They refused to refund the money and I have been working on getting the money back for over a year. I had such a nice trip to Costa Rica, I would still go back there. I would just never use PAYLESS CAR RENTAL again, since they ripped me off. Whats funny is that their corporate office seems to approve the rip off. No appologies. They are protected since I guess the Foriegn Offices are separate companies. That make the fraud legal. Or at leat it makes U.S. law unenforcable. I wanted to sue them in civil court, but I would have to fly back to Costa Rica and do it there.

Pros: nothing good to say about these clowns
Cons: Bait and switch, rude to the point of nasty.

I rented a car at the Tampa Airport location. What a nightmare. These people were probably the rudest I have ever dealt with. Bait and switch. Wouldn't honor the reservation we made through travelocity. I'm used to dealing with the pro's at National, Avis, Enterprise. I have never had an experience like this renting a car. Travelocity didn't answer their service line after 1/2 hour on hold. Midnight in Tampa and I was just trying to get my family to my mother in laws funeral. My wife finally just said pay them, I can't deal with this. My $290 car rental ended up costing over $400. Plus they put a big hold on my credit card because I wouldn't buy their insurance. Stay away from these people. Payless is just the biggest ripoff out there. God knows what they ended up charging my credit card. We just got home and I will have to talk to them. Stick to somebody you can trust.

Pros: Absolutely none
Cons: The Entire Experience with this company!

My family recently took a vacation to Florida (5/21/04-5/29/04) and booked everything through a very reputable travel agent. In attempt to save money, we decided to use Payless Car Rental while in Orlando & to visit family in Daytona. Needless to say, when we arrived at the rental place, our reservation was not there (I had a the reservation # in hand, but they claimed it was no good), and the $203 deal we were supposed to receive, VERY QUICKLY became $400 for the same exact car we had reserved! Sadly, we had already taken their shuttle from the airport to their car lot, so we were forced to take the car at $400 because that was all they could offer us. As everyone knows, Disney is not cheap, but you try to explain to a 7 yr old why she cannot get Mickey Mouse ears because $200 additional dollars were spent on a car, when the money was supposed to be our spending money for our 4 days in Disney. When we returned the car, the people behind the counter were just as unconcerned as they were when we picked up the car.

Pros: cheap, but you get what you pay for.
Cons: horrible service, the wait in lines, rude people.

I chose Payless since it was the cheapest, what a mistake. In the end it was more expensive.

This is the most horrible service I have ever had to deal with. The shuttle does not pick up under the sign that clearly says "Payless", they said it's my fault for not calling them to be told where to stand.

When I finally get there, I had to wait in line for over an hour. When I try to complain, they tell me it's my fault and you get what you pay for.

The car was fine and served it's purpose.

I had to return the car a little late. They charged me for a whole another day. Most other places give me a grace period for the return since they know about traffic and other problems, especially if the facility is off airport. This caused the price of the car to be more expensive then if I had rented from the more "expensive" places like Hertz or Enterprise.

Pros: Cheap
Cons: The small print made "cheap become expensive"!

While renting from Payless in Las Vegas, the valet at the hotel, where we were staying, had an accident in the rental and broke the side mirror holder. The hotel said they would take full responsibility for all damages. Well, the car was repaired and our insurance carrier assured us we were not liable for the charges. Then, the stuff hit the fan. Payless charged us for their possible loses ($48) while the car was in the shop and $50 for administrative charges for phone calls, reports, pick-up and delivery fees for repair, etc. (whether you or responsible or not for the accident). All of this was of course in very small print. My husband and I are livid because we were not even in the car when the accident occurred nor did we know of the accident when it happened. And, the hotel agreed to pay the charges! They are simply greedy pigs! They are ripping off their customers! Never again will we rent from them nor will we recommend them to our friends. As the old saying goes, cheap becomes expensive.

Pros: Car was fine, and the rates were way below other providers.
Cons: Location sucks.

We recently took a trip to Newark Airport where we rented a Ford Focus from Payless. I have no complaint about the car or the cost, which was far less than any competitors! But the Newark location, off-airport, was awful…in a Ramada Inn that's very hard to find one's way to and from.
We're somewhat familiar with the area, and we got lost. For people not familiar, it could be a nightmare.

Pros: Are You Kidding?
Cons: Terrible Location, Terrible Systems, Terrible Customer Service - RUDE!

I saved a few bucks by renting from Payless at Newark airport. However, I wish I hadn't. The experience was horrible. The Ramada location took forever to get to by train and shuttle, and was almost impossible to find when I returned the car (you have no idea the places I drove through), and they made no attempt to warn me of this when I rented the car. The Payless office at the Ramada was cramped and sleazy. Worst of all, the manager on shift (Saturday AM, June 2, 2007) was abrupt and rude. And, when I asked him for his name, he refused to give it to me! Also, their systems are backward and it takes them forever to process a customer. I will NEVER rent from Payless again - and would advise you strongly to stay away from their Newark Airport location at all costs!! Spend a few extra dollars and rent from someone who understands customer service... Don't let this happen to you!!!!!

Addendum: After writing this review, I went to their website and submitted a complaint. Their web site promises they would respond to me in three days. They didn't.

Pros: I got a map
Cons: Threaten to sue, if I don't pay them $2,500 for a ding

I had the same experience with this company as a lot of people. They hurriedly inspected the car, which was still wet from the car wash and checked in a shady enclosure for damage. I barely drove it. Returned the next day and employee checked for damage in the sun and he found one tiny ding in the top of the trunk. He said I would have to fill out an accident report. He said the owner makes him do this all the time, but "don't worry, they'll research it". They sure did, two weeks later I got a bill for over $2,500 for damage all over the car; the hood, front bumper, doors, etc. I thought it strange that their rates were half the cost of everyone else, now I know why. Please rent elsewhere!!!
These guys should be reported to the Better Business Bureau.

Pros: Cheap, like new cars, free shuttle, great location
Cons: None

Travel to Tampa 'bout twice a year and these guys are great.
Highly recommended.
Good cars, good service, great location.
Last time there was the best,
First car was not ready so FREE upgrade to almost new, 2500 miles, show room condition model, still had the new car smell.

Pros: Customer service was friendly.
Cons: Added extra charges for no reason, did not notify me there would be extra charges.

They tried to pull one over on me by giving the car to me with the tank only 3/4 full. The interior smelled like cigarette smoke. I also received a $20 and a $18 charge on my card a week later with no notification that they would be charging me extra.

Pros: None.
Cons: Horrible location off EWR, dangerous neighborhood, surly employees, bait-and-switch prices, lousy car.

I have rented cars all over the world, in all types of conditions – this was the worst car rental experience anywhere and anytime.

This rat hole is not worth trying to get a “deal” on a cheap car. Taking an hour to get to the HOTEL (train then bus), off in a trashy neighborhood, the sleazy personnel that work in the stinking little Payless dump (who barely speak English and can’t read a US map) will jack you around like a huckster in a back alley at an Afghanistan bazaar, then immediately run up the rental price by 25 % per day because you want to drive the car past their BS limit on how far you can go from the airport.

I state in the strongest possible terms: DO NOT RENT FROM NEWARK, NJ PAYLESS CAR RENTAL – IT IS THE WORST!

Pros: Car was in good condition, reasonable service at pick up and drop off counter.
Cons: Deceitful rates considering their insurance requirements

I reserved a car from Payless over the internet based on them having the lowest rates I could find. Our flight was delayed and we arrived about 2-1/2 hours late. I was told that they only hold cars for 2 hours unless they are notified of a flight delay. I didn't know, didn't call, and had to rent an upgrade at $12.00 day more than my reservation. OK, My Fault, but I suspect they had a car available.

When asked if I wanted extra insurance I declined since my own insurance and my credit card would cover any damage. At that point they told me that if I had an accident I would be charged their full rental fee for as long as the car was out of service, and that wasn't covered by my insurance. Additional $25.00 per day for their insurance.

Pros: in the city i visited
Cons: billed for unnoticeable damage

I will repeat after reading multiple reviews on this sneaky company. I, like others, rented a car (Phoenix). Upon returning was being charged for an unnoticeable ding in the windshield. I only had the car 24 hours and was confident the minor ding wasn't my issue. I asked to see the prior renters return contract but was offered no help. As you can see from the reviews here, Payless offers low rates but then makes up with charges to renters for damage, and my guess is I'm not the first renter that has been charged for that same windshield blemish. I wish I had the time and attorney smarts to ask the questions to prove my suspicions. Anyhow, I was sent the bill for $240 of windshield repair and loss of use of the car for one day. I paid it, but vowed to make my unpleasant experience known.

M in St. Louis

Pros: They always have Low rates , good cars and great service
Cons: Locations are off airport so need to wait for shuttle

I have bussiness in Toronto, Montreal and Quebec city. Since I fly a lot I always need to rent a car and now I always rent from payless. I used to rent from inside the airport car rental companies . I wanted to give the lowest advertised car rental company payless a try and I was quite surprised.Payless Montreal and toronto rates are always lowest and the cars are new. I have been renting from them in Montreal and Toronto from past 1 year and staff is very helpful. New cars ,low rates, good service right off airport. Do not have to pay double at the airport any more.
For people like me who do not mind taking short shuttle ride and save up to 45% on car rental should give Payless a try.

Pros: clean car
Cons: RIP-OFF - $15/day hidden fee

BEWARE. Payless charges a VERY well hidden $15/day fee for taking the car out of state. This is not mentioned on any price quote. The "fee" applies to the ENTIRE rental, not just to the time the car was actually driven out of state. On a 14 day rental, I was charged $195 extra. This is outrageous!

Pros: Fast and smooth transaction
Cons: None

Reserved the car online and once got to the Denver airport we confirmed our arrival at the Payless counter. Took the free shuttle to their Payless stop to get the car. They didn't have the compact we reserved so upgraded to either a jeep or PT Cruiser. We opted for the PT and everything went like a breeze. I was a little afraid to book the rental with them because some of the bad reviews, but the whole experience was pleasant. Their rate was the lowest and I'll definitely rent from them again!

Pros: Upon return we were at the airport in 15 minutes.
Cons: Long wait seems to be the norm. High pressure to buy damage waiver insurance.

Booked this rental online, as it was the best deal. Selected a "full-size", which their website describes as a Ford Taurus or similar. Upon arrival, after a short shuttle ride, I found myself in a very long and slow-moving line inside. It was so crowded, my family sat outside in the Orlando heat and humidity while I waited, and waited, and waited. After 90 minutes, I was finally talking to an agent. He informed me the "full-size" vehicle he had was a Honda Accord. There was no way the five of us and all our luggage were going to fit in this thing, so he up-sold me to a Dodge Caravan. At this point, their inexpensive rental, is not! Additionally, the van was very well used and not particularly clean inside or out. The key-fob didn't always work, and I actually installed a new battery in it, because it wouldn't start the car when we were at Daytona Beach! I won't use these guys again.

Pros: absolutely nothing. maybe a good story to tell your friends.
Cons: everything. service, quality, cars, tactics.

Ever see that Seinfeld episode where Jerry has a reservation but they don't have the car--and they try the bait and switch? It was just like that, but worse. We were early for our reservation, and they didn't have the car we wanted. They lied and said they didn't have the car we reserved so they could get us to pay more for what they called "a pretend jag." We finally got a car after waiting an hour, but it was smaller than the one we reserved. By that point we didn't have a choice, we just wanted to get out of there. Worst of all, they were extremely rude, unhelpful, and didn't understand simple questions or statements. In fact, every single person waiting on line had a problem with them! One woman had returned twice because her car wasn't working right and left shouting at them. She said they ruined her vacation.
Don't use them, but if you do, make sure to count every dent or scratch on the car--otherwise they'll charge you for whatever was already there!!!!

Horrible, awful, terrible, technologically backward, inefficient, shady and laughably obnoxious. DON'T RENT FROM THEM EVER!!!! STAY AWAY.

Pros: NONE AT ALL
Cons: OFFENSIVE RUDE STAFF, CAR NOT PROVIDED, RUINED A GOOD DAY

Payless in Orlando was the WORST service experience of any in my life. I contacted the national phoneline to notify them of my flight delay as required by my reservation. Upon arrival to pick up my reserved car, not only was my car not available but the staff member told me I was a LIAR about having called the 800-number (among many other rude comments he made). The manager finally (one hour wait) arrived and after demanding that he call the 800-number, they confirmed I had made the call. This information was not distributed to the local branch. No apology or offer of assistance was made to us.

NO cars were available to us...we had to return to the airport and make other arrangements at more than twice the cost of our reserved rate with Payless.

HORRIBLE PEOPLE and service.

Pros: None.
Cons: Rude and offensive over the phone.

My "guaranteed" reservation was cancelled because my flight was delayed by 1 hour due to bad weather at JFK. Since this Payless is pretty much located at a major airport, Pearson Airport (Toronto), they know that occasionally customers are delayed (and also most of their customers are travellers from Pearson).

I had arrived on the Saturday of Thanks Giving weekend and no other cars were available from any company - they were jam booked and me left stranded.

I would hate to see this happen to someone else. Especially when you have no control over the weather and flight delays.

This is what I was told at the end of the phone conversation with Payless at Pearson Airport: "Your reservation has been cancelled! It would have been cancelled even if you were TEN minutes late!..." (Spoken in broken English)

Pros: 1 mile from airport
Cons: EVERYTHING!! Don't DO IT!!!!

Rented from Payless Orlando Fl 7/5/08 Contract was for a intermediate at the counter they told us they only had 2 door intermediate car available & if we wanted a 4 door we would have to upgrade to a full size for $5.00 more a day ..RIP off... If they don't have an acceptable car... they shouldn't charge you for an upgrade?? Who wants a 2 door car with 4 adults?? This makes no sense!!! So Payless was the cheapest BUT after the charges now they were 30.00 more then there competitor!!!! BE AWARE of extra charges & say NO & ask to go look at the car they want to give you!! Because I think they were lying!!!!! Terrible customer service! We learned from our mistakes & hopefully this will help others!!!

Pros: None
Cons: Attitude and deception.

We arrived in Vegas a little less than two hours behind schedule due to a flight delay. We were told our reservation had been canceled and our car had been given to someone else. But, get this, they had the exact same type of car available but the rate would be three times what our reservation rate had been. Needless to say we went elsewhere with our business. Rented from Thrifty at a higher rate than our reservation with Payless had been but still half as much as Payless wanted to charge us to book another car with them. On the way out I made sure to tell the Payless employee what a miserable little troll she was and that all things come back to you.

Pros: Low cost rental cars.
Cons: Shyster business practices.

After an exhaustive on-line search for the lowest price economy rental car in Orlando, I reserved a car with Payless Car Rental. A long day of travel from San Diego on 2/1, delivered me to the busy Payless rental office in Orlando to stand in line and wait for a clerk. Tired and eager to get my car and go to my motel, I finally reached a clerk and went through the usual rental car check-in procedure. The clerk began fumbling around looking for my car keys and then said he had a special on a better car - $75. This amount was comparable to the amount I originally found on-line so I said, "sure, whatever," thinking, "I'm tired - just give me a car and let me get out of here." The clerk slid the usual form with all the places to initial for rejecting various insurances under my nose and gave me instructions to provide those initials.
I shopped for the least expensive rental I could find, however, Payless Car Rental hoodwinked me into a costly upgrade that I did not request and did not desire.

Pros: None
Cons: Didn't have the car reserved. Pushy about adding extra and expensive extras.

I reserved a van at Payless in Phoenix. First, they didn't have a van when I arrived and tried to tell me I had to pay more to rent a 15-person passenger van. They also wouldn't take 'no' for an answer when I declined insurance and other add-ons. Finally, after bickering with the agent for about an hour, I went to another counter and got a van from a different agency. If I can feel confident that I'm going to have a van when I reserve a van, then I'll go elsewhere. There's enough other agencies wanting my business that I'll go to the ones that don't use bait-and-switch techniques.

Pros: None
Cons: Be careful of their fine print. Bad consumer service. Bad car.

The rental experience with Payless was the worst ever in my life. I booked a compact car by Orbitz.com at their Kansas City International Airport location, MO. The car was a junk. and, when I returned the car, they suddenly told me their unlimited mileage policy only apply to Missouri. If I drove out of state, I had to pay for that. Unlike other companies, such as Avis, enterprise, etc., they elaborate such fine print when you sign your rental paperworks.

I am a frequent traveler, tell you what, I never rent a car from payless.

Pros: none
Cons: all of the above..

Recently rented from WEB site as advertised a compact car (such as a ford focus) which is what I wanted.When I got there I was given a Hyunda elantra (unwashed) . I told the desk man that I wanted a Focus , he said they were now classified as midsize . So I got the 'drum roll' Hyunda , not the best car to drive by the way .
When I returned the car it was pointed out to me that there was a small ding on the left rear door . I didn't notice
this ding when I rented the car (remember-unwashed).
They said the adjuster would reach me after I returned to Florida. The notice I received in the mail yesterday was for a $1,000 (yes 1 thousand !) repair bill. I noticed on the repair details things like repairs to the left front door, mirror etc. (I think they did a complete repaint).
Also $150 for admin charges. $250 for car out of service
charges. They dont know (yet) that my movie camera was going over the car after the car was returned.

Pros: They are close to the SFO airport
Cons: They change the agreement increasing the rate of pay.

My experience with Payless Car Rental
734 San Bruno Ave
San Francisco, CA
650) 737-6134
Was a nightmare.
When I called to tell them I needed the car one more day they said they would charge me $99.00 for that extra day. I told them my contract said it would cost little more then $40 but since they had my credit card they can steal what they want. DON'T USE PAYLESS CAR RENTAL!

Pros: lowest price
Cons: service was horrible

I reserved a full-size car from Payless at the Atlanta airport for the weekend, with the understanding that I would have unlimited mileage. When I got to the office, I was told I did not qualify for the unlimited mileage because I lived in Atlanta. When I told them that my address was not in Atlanta, suddenly the whole state of Georgia became local. I would only get 150 miles free, then it would jump to 25 cents/mile.
Long story short, Alamo ended up with my money. Alamo rocks!

Pros: I can't think of any
Cons: They charge about $25 a day extra for full coverage insurance for no coverage.

I rented a car in Mexico took the full coverage insurance and while on the trip Hit a rock in the road, I was charged for the repair because they said it was negligence. I should not have hit the rock. I always get the full coverage insurance for peace of mind I guess there is no peace of mind when you rent from Payless.

Pros: Service counter agents were apologetic and I sensed it's out of their control.
Cons: See the review!

Two recent rentals from Payless. Denver was great in late February. Great price on an SUV and counter service went well. Phoenix (March 18th) was a disaster. The wait was about 1 hour (in line) and what made it even worse was the two companies sharing a counter with them (Fox & Eazy) breezed through their customers. No other rental firm had anything like what went on at Payless. They're all in the same building in Phoenix so it's easy to compare. They had a long line again when I returned the car and viewed the line in the main building on March 22nd. My advice--in Phoenix avoid Payless!

Pros: New car in great condition, cheapest rates, no problems for under 25 driver
Cons: none

I recently used Payless in Denver and got a great car, great service, and a great price. I was a little nervous heading into their office because of some bad reviews I read, but I ended up having a great experience. When you're reading reviews for this company, try to keep in mind that they are a network of privately owned franchises... each location can be very different from the last. Don't let a few bad apples spoil the whole bunch!! I'd recommend calling the particular branch you're interested in to get a better feel for them...

The Denver Payless office gets an A+ in my book!!

Pros: None
Cons: They don't care about their customer

I had made reservations with Payless about one month in advance of my trip. I arrived at the Ft. Myers, FL, airport exactly on time, at 11pm (thank you USA 3000!). Unfortunately, the Payless shuttle was no where to be found. I made numerous phone calls to the local office, but there was no answer (not even an answering service or even an answering machine!). With some help from a family member back home using the internet to find a corporate number, they called and reached an agent. The agent called the Ft. Myers office and also received no answer; the agent then called their on-call emergency manager, and again received no answer. The agent told us to go with another rental company and that Payless MIGHT pick up the difference in cost. Fortunately, we chose Dollar Rental Car, who was very understanding and honored the Payless price. Note that four other families were also left stranded. I've never in my life seen such poor management and performance.

Pros: Price, staff
Cons: ???

The Payless staff in Denver, CO was wonderful - from the shuttle driver that picked us up at the airport, to the person that we met at 3:00 a.m. returning our car - everyone was super friendly and helpful. Rented a Jeep Liberty that only had 12,000 miles on it, at the lowest price I could find on the net. I would definitely rent from Payless (in Denver) again.

Pros: Inexpensive compared to other car rentals.
Cons: There is nothing good about this company.

Service was horrible! I booked a car at the Orlando Florida location and when i arrived they were sold out and they forced me to rent a higher class vehicle and i had to pay the difference. I also called for directions back to the airport and they just to me "I DON'T KNOW." I would never rent from them EVER again. I would rather walk then to have to deal with this company.

Pros: My colleague & I got a low-mileage PT Cruiser that presented no mechanical problems.
Cons: Airport pick-up van service slow & unresponsive. Calls to local and nat'l office unresponsive.

I rented a car at the Atlanta Payless Car Rental through Priceline because I thought I was going to get the best deal of all the rental companies listed -- $188.49 for four days. However, after telling my colleague and I that an additional driver was free, when we returned the car we were charged an additional $34.85 because the additional driver was my colleague and not my spouse.

Pros: nothing was positive
Cons: never rent from payless, regardless the cost

an absolute nightmare-never rent a car from them-we have
been going to puerto rico for over 30 years & never had a
bad car rental experience until we went to them-I am still
waiting to hear from corporate-probably they are so bad is
they are franchised (individual owners buying the name)

Pros: clean car, fast service, very friendly
Cons: can't think of any

Iread all the negative and got really nervous. I imagined some nasty dirty old van after reading these reviews. I was picked up by a very clean and new shuttle, had a Grand Caravan with less than 3,000 miles, had immediate attention on arrival and departure, and paid $275 total cost. A savings of $130 from nearest priced competitor. I will definetely use them again. The people in front of me said that the rate doubled because they took out insurance. I had full coverage on my personal car so I was covered with my current insurance company.

Pros: Good car.
Cons: Service and deceptive pricing

I recently rented a car at LAX. At the shuttle gate, I waited nearly 45 minutes for a payless van, while the other companies' shuttles whizzed past. When I finally got to the counter, another customer was having an argument with the clerk while I waited. Finally another clerk came to help.

The biggest rip off is the "loss-of-use" clause. I couldn't find out if my insurance covered that (the clerk said, "probably not"). They told me that if the car was damaged I would be charged the rental rate while it was being repaired. Can you imagine how long they would take to repair the car?

I didn't have time to argue and there were NO other rental companies near the off-airport site, so I bit. The insurance was more than the rental price.

The final insult was the $2.75 gas at the local Texaco station near the rental site and the shuttle bus driver who came speeding in and splashed me by running through a puddle.

One day I'll learn that cheapest has a price to pay

Pros: Cheap
Cons: Scams you into a RSP fee.

Payless runs a scam in Las Vegas called the RSP fee.  When you decline all the insurance, there is one item in which you actually approve a fee.  So when they tell you to initial that you are declining their insurance, you are also approving a $3 a day fee.  They make it in the receipt like it is a governmental fee, but it actually an extra charge that you would never know.

Pros: FREE XM Satellite radio in cars, cheap prices
Cons: Pressured into upgrades and their insurance, but I declined.

Once you get through the pressured selling, they are fine. I got the car I reserved at the price I was quoted, and no problem. From all I have read here, just make sure you bring proof in insurance with you to be safe, and check the vehicle throughly in the garage. Other than that, you can save a lot by checking their rates directly, and signing up for their "perks" club.

Pros: NONE
Cons: Bad service. Bad attitude. Idiot employees. Bas business practices. Shady.

We reserved a 15 passenger van for a very important stake holder tour for our company. I was told on the phone that the van would be ready at 9 am and the person who picked it up could park their car at the Payless lot. When my coworker arrived, they kept him waiting for half an hour, then finally told him there was no van for us. He got, instead, a minivan on empty--he had to FILL IT UP HIMSELF-- at regular charge and we had to rent another one from a different company, plus drive some of the stakeholders around in one of our own cars. Additionally, he was told that there was no where he could park his car so he had to park in an abandoned lot near the Oakland Airport. Absolutely the worst service I have ever seen.

Pros: Easy to get to, easy return, No waiting at the airport for the shuttle.
Cons: Bare bones service at the counter,That is the only negative I can think of.

We got a good deal from Pay Less in Denver. Good service. Nice vehicle - met our needs. We did choose an optional insurance, but that was our choice - no pressure from the company. Would rent from them again.

Pros: None!
Cons: Horrible service

I just rented a car for my wife at the Orlando, Fl location. When she went in to pick up the car, they told her that she would have to get the 13.99$ per day additional insurance because she was paying with a visa check/debt card. This was RIDICULOUS! While she was at the facility, I called their Customer Service (which is a clever name since they provided me with absolutely NO customer service), the customer service department was extremely rude and completely unhelpful. I told my wife to walk out the door… called another rental car company, had her a better car (Full size compared to small at Payless) and it wound up only costing us an additional 30$ AND they accepted payment with her Visa Check card without any questions or concerns!

Pros: none
Cons: scam

Awful experience from start to finish.

Had to wait for a long time at SFO while a single van had to go back and forth several times to drop off all the passengers at the offsite location.

The car that I got was a joke. 60,000 miles, poor brakes, old and stained interior.

To top it all off, the final bill was 50% over the quoted price because of all the hidden charges.. and guess what?! it's IMPOSSIBLE to get in touch with anyone at that company. Emails bounce, their phone contains a recorded message to use their website and their website crashes.

It's been 2 months and I am yet to get back the money that I was overcharged.

All in all, an appalling experience, never to be repeated again.

Pros: Play by the rules and save big.
Cons: Far from airport

After reading all the reviews from here, I was on guard when I arrived to pick up my rental car from their Newark Airport location. They quoted me $205 for a compact car for a 8 day rental. The next lowest price is $340. They are off airport ground in a Ramada Inc. Took 30min to get to from Airport. The clerk was efficient; no smile. They ran out of compact and gave me a Taurus; no charge. When I told them that I plan to drive the car into NY, they added another $16 charge. Given the already low price, I didn't put up with much of a fight. They did ask for my insurance card. I agreed to a $500 hold on my AE card in case of damage. After inspected the car, I pointed out scratches on the front scrach and dirty trunk. He noted it on the contract. Took the car for cleaning and came back with extra air fresher in the car. There was no problem when I returned the car.

Pros: None
Cons: Bait and switch pricing practices. Rude employees.

In brief, a trip to Florida was wonderful except for Payless. We waited over an hour at the Orlando airport for a shuttle. When we arrived at the car pick up, they would not honor the web price, because we were past their anticipated pick up time. Although I was not given an option on line to put my actual pick up time, only a time they assigned me. The people who were working the counter were rude. They didn't have the car we requested available "because we were too late" so we were upgraded, with costs. The rental was 3 times the rate we had a contract for. We were two hours between waiting for the shuttle and working out the rental agreement. They gave us the wrong directions to our resort making us miss a dinner engagement. The ride back on the shuttle was the scariest ride I've had. The bus doors were flapping open when the driver took a corner and loud warning bells kept going off.
Don't be enticed by low price...they'll get a higher price from you and be really nasty about it in the process.
Stay far away!

Pros: Nothing
Cons: Long wait times for shuttles Lack of any customer service Very unprofessional

Rented a car in San Francisco ... a terrible experience. We had to wait about 30 min to get a shuttle from their off site lot. Then we were told our reservation was for an old car with power nothing. Got fed up and walked out the door. In the end, you get what you pay for.

Pros: The people were pleasant about not honoring my quoted rate.
Cons: Long waits - coming and going - did not honor price quote.

I booked my rental online through Travelocity and got a great price in Phoenix. When I arrived (on time) I was told that, even though the computers at Payless and Travelocity showed the same price that I had been quoted on my printed reservation form, it would not be honored. The Travelocity elf did not come to my rescue. The best they would do is promise to reimburse me after I got home and sent in all of the required paperwork. The process of renting the car took 2 1/2 hours of my time, required me to lay out extra money up front (and hope that someday I'll be reimbursed) and then it took another hour to return the car. They don't have people with little printers that meet you when you return the car - you have to stand in line at the counter AGAIN. Definitely not worth the risk.

Pros: Nothing
Cons: Absolutely no customer service, cancelled after waiting over 45 minutes for a shuttle.

Absolutely horrible service. We were not told we had to call to have a shuttle come for us, in fact when we did call the message only said to proceed to the ground transportation area. After watching every other company's shuttle go by at least five times we called and were told they would be there in 10 mins. We finally had enough after an additional 20 minutes and called and cancelled our reservation. We walked straight into Budget where there was no line and walked right back out to a waiting shuttle and was at our rental within 5 mins. We paid a little more but I guess you get what you pay for and I know we will never use payless again.

Pros: none, really.
Cons: Poor car conditions, rude employees, inconvenient location from Oakland airport, poor customer service.

I rented a car here and after noticing handling problems with the car, I brought it to a mechanic and realized the two front tires were bald and unsafe for driving. The manager of Payless car rental, a man by the name of Rashid, made no attempt to help me in any way. He said that he didn't believe that the tires were in bad shape, and told me to just drive the car back. There was no attempt to figure out if indeed the tires were bad by the company, and I was even hung up on by one of the employees there. Don't plan on relying on this company if you're in a hurry, either. You have to take two seperate shuttles to finally get to the company from Oakland airport, and when I asked for directions to the freeway from the company, no one knew how to get there or even really seemed to care. Overall I had a terrible experience renting here, and I would'nt recommend Payless car rental to anyone.

Pros: Low price
Cons: A paper rag isn't an appropriate replacement for a gas cap.

Drove to the gas station to fill up after checking out the car. The gas cap was missing and they replaced it with a paper rag. In case you don't know, a soiled rag can spontaneously burst into flames.

Soiled rag in place of a gas cap + Hot July day in Orlando FL + Half full tank of gas = Risk to Life and Limb.

Their response? The guy behind the counter stated that I checked out the car and failed to notice the gas cap was missing before I took out the car from the lot.

Heck, I figured a gas cap, engine, brakes, and stuff like was standard. I looked over the cosmetic attributes of the car and made notes. Who would ever think of checking for the gas cap?

Employees not concerned. I ended up driving around town until I found a store and bought one that kind of fit.

Horrible customer service almost killed me.

Pros: none
Cons: Bait and Switch tactics at its finest - beware.

I forgive once, but not twice. I have rented my last rental car from Payless and I advise you pay the extra couple of dollars to go elsewhere. Are the rates cheap, yes, however, it is too good to be true? Each time I have rented (mind you, I spaced the rental by 4+ years thinking things may have gotten better) I have been disappointed by the lack of customer service. I rented a compact, not economy car each time because the price is appealing. The car is BARE bones and dented. The first time I rented I was told "this car won't get you around - you need to upgrade". This time, I was given a car with dents and looked like it was driven through a war zone and was told "we don't car about the cars or the dents, why don't you upgrade if you want something better" and, for each SIMPLE upgrade, the price went up substantially.

Pros: None so far...
Cons: Terrible service...absolutely not worth your time/effort...

Feb15/08 11:00am (PST): Just got off the phone with a Payless rep at the LAX location. I called to confirm the reservation. She was rude and unaccomodating, as if I wasn't allowed to confirm the reservation. As this was supposed to be my first time renting from a non-major car rental company, I am convinced I should go to a more reputable company. If my phone call experience is indicative of the service I should be expecting, I'll take my money somewhere else.

Pros: airport pickup
Cons: Bait and Switch

At the Payless Car Rental counter in Orlando, FL we introduced ourselfs and our reservation was found, but the agent asks what rate did they give you. He said that is to low, after I produced a copy of the reservation print out, then he tried the bait and switch offering two cars one for $10 more per day the other for $19 more per day. We said no, than tries to sell insurance and we declined. Since we declined insurance he wants us to sign a $250 deposit on the car, we are renting the car with a AMEX credit card. And to add to insult he wants us to sign a blank amount credit slip for loss of service. At this point we requested they take us back to the airport and we rented from another car rental company.
Never seen any legit car rental company treat customers in such a flagrant and obvious bait and switch tactics. We payed 3 times more at the other rental company but got satisfaction of an good honest price.

Pros: Great price. Very fast return.
Cons: Took awhile to get car. It was CES week in Vegas.

My flight to Las Vegas was at 9:45 am. Booked on there website at 2:00 am. Got a mid-sized car for cheaper then the smallest car through a special at there website.

Pros: Price was half what majors were charging - before all the add ons anyway.
Cons: Bad condition for 50K miles outside and inside, including a check engine light.    

Payless San Diego has many of the same awful characteristics reported from their other branches.  The title lost much of its meaning once you get through the door - following your drop-off at shabby and understaffed location.  From what I experienced and overheard at pick-up and drop-off (had plenty of time to eavesdrop regardless of the day of the week and time of day), they are putting the squeeze on everyone to upgrade since your internet reservation model isn't available anyway, to buy additional insurance (to protect yourself against their fraudulent damage claims) and to make your car rental experience as close to what you'd experience buying something on the streets of Tijuana.  

Pros: Nobody inline at counter.
Cons: Had to pay extra for upgrade to a bigger vehicle.

I reserved a full size car and received a PT Cruiser. There website defines a full size car as a Ford Taurus or similar. I confronted the clerk but he said that is there full size cars.

Pros: The company was very efficient and helpful. The whole process was a breeze.
Cons: They did not have the car i wanted originally, but the upgrade was pretty insignificant

I recently took a trip down to Disney this past week and decided to rent from payless. I was very very weary at first seeing all the negative reviews, but all in all I was actually very satisfied. They gave you an option of returning the car empty, charging you for a full tank when you returned the car. The rate was about 1.40ish which is about the going rate so it made things convinient not having to worry about one more thing.

Pros: Price...maybe?  Although paying less in the beginning now means paying more for "charges".
Cons: bait and switch, long lines, sales tactics, false damage claims

The Orlando location of Payless Car Rental is the WORST place to rent a vehicle.  It is a very long story but I should have taken heed of all the other negative reviews prior to booking thru Expedia.

This has been an absolute ordeal since returning home.  Terrible sales tactics, false damage claim, etc. 

It is just NOT worth trying to save a buck or two on this company.  Do your research and book a car rental ANYWHERE else. 

Pros: car was ok/
Cons: rep ripped us

reserved a car at a fair price/ but when the rep ripped me
there was nothing fair about it. would not rent or refer anybody to this company, ripped in las vegas

Pros: Never have to use them again.
Cons: Given damaged vehicle, blamed for damages, charged $1000 for a 5 day rental

They gave us a small SUV with a broken transmission, which ruined 2 days of our 5 day vacation, terrible service waiting for a new car, rude and would not give refund, AND THEN a month later charge us $1000 for damages and claim we broke the car. We are responsible drivers with a perfect record here in the states. We are not party people who trash rentals and drive crazy on dirt roads. It was broken when we got it and now we are still fighting! All customer service people have been extremely rude.

Pros: Price.
Cons: "Customer Service"

One of the associates told me I was stupid and hung up on me.  Branch Manager could not have been worried with the situation and District Manager seemed even more annoyed by me.

These people SUCK!  Don't waste your time.  Customer DIS-service at it's best.

Pros: None.
Cons: Rude/Pushy staff

TERRIBLE experience from my recent rental in Florida.  You think you're getting a bargain until all sorts of extra charges appear in your bill that were not included in your on-line quote and that you never agreed to.  Rental agent was pushy and rude.  Car smelled strongly of smoke.  Car did not have an owner's manual included so good luck if there is anything you can't figure out with the car.  I would NEVER rent from them again and my experience renting with them was certainly the black mark on an otherwise wonderful weekend in the area.  Also don't forget about their inconvenient location, this will add an extra 30-45 minutes on each end of your trip waiting for the shuttle and then dealing with their inefficient check-out/check-in procedure.  Certainly not the bargain you think you're getting

Pros: Cheap
Cons: Rent here if yoiu want to rent a wreck.

There is no reason I'd ever rent from this company again!  It took 1 hour to get the airport shuttle and another hour to get the first car that had no gas.  The second car was a PT Cruiser and it hat the engine light on.  They tried to convince me it was OK to drive.  I had just spent $500 to fix our PT at home for the same problem which will lead to the A/C and or engine failing.  The thirde car was a wreck and the door seals fell out every time somebody used thhe rear seat.

They then added a $25+ un explained charge to my credit card statement on a car that was returned FULL!

I'll stick to Alamo and the other major companies from now on.

Pros: Good rate on the Internet
Cons: Doesn't deliver as promised
Tries to sell unneeded extras. 

We reserved a midsize car at the Las Vegas airport.  Checked in and had the usual drill, they wanted us to upgrade, insurance, loss of use, etc, we declined all.  After 20 minutes of haggling we settled on the PT Cruiser the agent offered us when we got to the counter..  We go out to get our car and the person hands us keys to a Suzuki Firenza.   The PT Cruiser was sitting right there.  We inquired about the PT and the lady says it isn't in the system, someone must have reserved it.  The Suzuki was old, dirty, lots of scratches everywhere.  It was late at night so we didn't press the issue.  We made sure to go over it with a fine tooth comb and listed all scratches, dents, etc. It was 114 in the shade, the air conditioner took 20 minutes to cool the car down. I wouldn't recommend this place to anyone.    I am still waiting to get some extra bill in the mail.

Pros: It was a car and it ran.
Cons: Cheap rate that was bait and switch.

When I let them know that I may need the car for an extra day I was told they didn't have enough mid-size cars to cover that extra day but they would honor my rate with a full-size...since it gets great mileage, and call in if you do need the extra day.
When I called I was told of a $15 extension fee.
Upon returning the car my original cost of two days for $88 had shot to three days for $181.
My protests just got me a phone number for one of two guys that I should talk to. Calling the number provided was useless, a woman who didn't understand English and finally put me through to a number that just rang. No phone mail or answer machine.
Posting on their site got me an e-mail saying that I was mistaken - too bad, but I should rent from them again.

Pros: Cheap internet price
Cons: Limited hours, dirty office, cancel reservations, unfriendly employees, can not be trusted

I reserved a vehicle at payless at San Diego for 23$ per day. As my flight was delayed (Payless closes at 10PM) I was not able to pick up the car in the evening and stoped by next morning. A clerk told me that my reservation is already not valid and offered me a vehicle for "an inexpensive price of 80$ per day". Of course, I refused and rented a car for 30$ at Alamos one block away. I will never rent a car from Payless again.

Pros: NONE
Cons: Tried for 30 minutes to increase my contracted price. Never again!

NEVER AGAIN! They left me with the feeling that at some point in the next 12 months my credit card would be charged some bogus fee.

Pros: Nothing
Cons: Employees steal , overcharging , dishonest

I had the misfortune of renting a car from Payless Car Rental in San Juan , Puerto Rico .  Everything was going smooth until I saw the bill charged way more than what was quoted online and they refused to take my insurance.  Instead I had to pay extra for their insurance and the week rental came out to more than $700.  To top it all off a chubby employee stole my cellular phone while inspecting the car which cost $650 and I had to replace it with a new one.  This individual did not even wait for me to leave the lot I went inside to sign some papers and then go to the car to get my things he stole my phone.  Since I had to get on a flight in an hour I couldn't stay to call the police or dispute anything.  BEWARE !!! Dont rent from dishonest theives.  Go with major rental companies.

Pros: Easy to reserve on-line.
Cons: hidden charges and poor business practices.

additional charges for coll waiver, that i didn't want or need, and a duplicate reservation charge. payless refused to accept proof of insurance coverage, declaration from my own car insurance company and coverage offered by the major credit card company. their policy is to charge an additional $350.00 more than the rental cost. my card limit was less than this amount so i was charged a coll waiver fee. I don't understand what the addition charge was for. this is definately a hidden charge which is unnessary and very poor business practice towards the consumer. i was also charged $11.50 for a duplicate reservation. i had modified the original reservation with-in 36 hours and it was stated on-line there would not be a charge for modifications. i have disputed the extra charges with the credit card company after contacting the payless rental location in orlando fl. they will not discuss this situation

Pros: Nothing good to say
Cons: Do not use this company

 We rented thru Payless Tranportation in Orlando. Let me say what a let down for my daughters prom nite. The driver was late. The limo was dirty with open containers of alcohol in the back. The radio did not work. The A.C. did not work. The driver said he would come back and look at the A.C. But never did. They had to roll down the windows to get any air and let me tell you, that does not go well In Florida with prom dresses,tuxedos and hair. When they got to the destination, the driver did not even open the doors. Plus he gets a 20% tip already in the total price. I will always tip for good service.  The manager says all of these things cannot be true. It is impossible.  VERY TRUE AND POSSIBLE. So the manager said he could refund me 100.00 dollars ( it should have been about a 80% refund ) Anyway three months later and I'm still trying to get a credit. Maybe they think that I will forget about it. NOT A CHANCE.

Pros: low price, but not worth the hassle
Cons: lousy service

I was very disappointed with the Payless car rental in Newark NJ in autumn 07.  When I got to the office DURING OPEN HOURS no one was there, it was closed and locked, got no response from pounding on the door. Fortunately I had the phone number on me and located the sole employee in the back room having his dinner.  He reluctantly opened up for me.  Returning the car was just as bad, had to wait in line quite a while. I will NOT be going back to Payless. I will be going back to Enterprise, which I liked very much 11/08.

Pros: NONE
Cons: All mentioned above.

Major complaint...the extremely long wait in line.  2nd time we rented here....big mistake.  The first time I figured it was a fluke, the 2nd time same problems.  Very long wait in line.  Ended up paying much more than expected.  Vehicle dirty and dinged.  Many people coming back in after viewing their vehicle and having problems...so made the rental experience that much longer and not pleasant.
Some people were trying to turn in their car,and having problems.
When we returned the vehicle we came back 3 hours before our flight, worried it would take extra long.  Fortunately it went ok.

Pros:
- None
Cons: Unprofessional, cheated me twice. Beware of fine-print in their policies, you will pay much more

EXTREMELY Unprofessional company and bunch of cheaters. They over-charged me for a couple of hundred dollars and when after a month I noticed it in my bank statement, they said it was just a normal mistake!!!
I made the mistake of being lured by their cheap cars, but their policies, fine prints, service and professionalism is the worst. Eventually I paid much more than I would have paid to Hertz or budget car rental.
Save yourself the trouble and avoid getting cheated. Pay a little more upfront to avoid hidden costs later, and get treated well.

Pros: none
Cons: Beat up smelly loud car.
Non human staff.
No flexibility
far from airport

I was directed to Payless by expedia when I was traveling to my baby brother's deathbed. I had asked for a flexable schedule because we did not know when he would pass. When I picked up the car, and mentioned that I would call if I needed to extend the use. The woman at the counter said that the car had to be back on Sunday- that there would be a 200 dollar a day fee for being late. 
There was no consideration for our situation- even though I explained this to Expedia before booking. My brother did die, and the rental car situation was cold and heartless.

The car itself was one that I would normally be embarrassed to drive in. It was loud, dirty and had numerous dings and dents. The ricketty bus that I was forced to take from the airport to the Payless shop added to the low rating from me.

I will never use Expedia again or PAYLESS