Pickup was great, but the rest of my experience was a nightmare. I had a one-way rental, and during my trip, the check engine light came on, and the vehicle shut off multiple times. I contacted roadside assistance, and they asked if the vehicle was drivable. I told them it was acting funny, and they directed me to drive 30 minutes backwards to New Haven, Connecticut, to exchange it. I specifically asked if a similar vehicle would be available, and they assured me it would be. I called again to see if there was another location on my route, but the second person insisted I had to exchange it in New Haven. So, I went there, only to find that the new vehicle wouldn’t work with my cargo. The team member suggested I drive even further out of my way to Hartford, Connecticut, because the vehicle I needed was only available at international airports. I refused, as it would put me further behind schedule. He told me to contact roadside assistance again. I called roadside assistance once more, and they said there was availability in Newark, New Jersey, which was along my route. I verified that the vehicle would accommodate my cargo, and they assured me it would. Upon arriving in Newark, I discovered the rental was “closed out” in the system, causing further delays. I had to go to the counter, reopen the rental, reverse the charges, and finally get the vehicle I needed. I am utterly dissatisfied with the initial service from roadside assistance. Manchester was great, but the gentleman in New Haven was unhelpful. Roadside assistance caused major delays, and the vehicle issue, while not their fault, severely impacted my experience. The person in Newark who resolved my issues was amazing, but the overall experience was a disaster. Washington Dulles was fine, but I didn’t receive a receipt and had to call to get one. This ordeal cost me over 5 hours of travel time and extra gas money. It was a massive headache, and I expected much better. When I expressed my frustrations to Avis, they credited me $20, which felt like an insult.
We left a medical device in the rental car when we dropped it off at the airport in New Haven, CT. We realized when we were on the plane, and there was no way to get it. The employees at the branch went above and beyond to get it to us. We were so relieved with the help they gave, and how kind they were with the situation. We will absolutely rent with them again!
Despite being on time for our reservation, the rental counter was closed and the personnel had left for the night. My family was stranded in the airport, and I had to wander the rental car garage at 11PM to find an employee of a different company who eventually helped us get a car so we could get home. I will never rent with Avis again and will strongly recommend to anyone who asks that they avoid them if at all possible.
