Being Canadian, we sometimes use AirMiles for car rentals, and usually the cheapest deal is Budget. You get what you pay for.
Had issues both times using Budget at MCO. Both were Saturday nights, so if you have to use the counter in-terminal, the line is 45m-1h long. Most of the slowness of the line was caused by their system of very slowly looking up available cars to assign to people in the order they walk up, rather than things being assigned based on the reservation. Then also slowed down a bit by guests who hadn't thought things through ("what do you mean I can't use my prepaid Visa for the credit card security hold!?" -Actual person holding up line).
First time was fine, got assigned the fullsize I had booked. A couple days later, merging on I-4 to head to Tampa and TPMS light comes on. Pull over next exit and sure enough there was a slow-moderate air leak on one tire, and a bulge in the sidewall as well. Tires weren't in the best shape in general to be honest, despite only about 9000 miles on the car. Had to keep topping it up every two days for the rest of the trip. To Budget's credit, when we returned the car and explained the issues (and the coins spent on non-free Florida tire air... seriously how is free air not the law everywhere? It's a safety thing) we had a $40 credit issued to our card for our trouble.
Second time, Saturday night again, same long line. This time they were out of our fullsize. Four out of five counters were waiting for agents to pick cars in the computer that worked for them. No, I'm not taking a Kia Soul when I paid for a fullsize. No, I'm not paying $8/day more on a 7 day rental for a Dodge Journey. No, a Mazda CX-3 is even smaller than a Soul. Finally she offered a Jeep Grand Cherokee and we stood firm on no $8/day upgrade charge. It's not our fault they were out of our car. We get the Grand Cherokee and I do my walkaround. The car is good, but the rear tires were pretty bald. On the way out of the garage, I tell the attendant that it was fine for me but they'd need to order two new tires before it went back out to the next guest. In a Florida rainstorm, someone could easily hydroplane and flip the damn thing. Pretty sure they didn't even note that on the file though as when I returned it, I mentioned the tires again and was just blown off. Guy even argued with me when I suggested someone before me could have been doing burnouts with it because it's rear-wheel-drive; he insisted it was 4x4. The base rental spec ones aren't, no 4x4 badging or interior control.
So I'm not going to tell anyone not to rent from Budget if it's the best deal and makes sense for them. Just go in eyes-open. Check the tires and put your safety first, because they won't.
)was to the rental house a good hour and a half before us.
