Avis Car Rental in Albany
Site: https://www.avis.com/en/location...
- Monday:8AM–12AM
- Tuesday:8AM–12AM
- Wednesday:8AM–12AM
- Thursday:8AM–12AM
- Friday:8AM–12AM
- Saturday:8AM–12AM
- Sunday:8AM–12AM
Avis Car Rental in other cities:
Highly disappointed. There is no benefit to having brand allegiance with Avis. As a preferred member, getting the car should be an effortless process, but instead we waited in line for over 40 minutes. We were unable to take a vehicle from the preferred line of cars as the app was glitching and there were no keys in any of the vehicles.
Be careful not to expect the size car you selected. I rented a mid size but was given a Jeep SUV because that is all they had left. I heard others in line get the same car and not happy with this. It looks like they have too many of these larger cars and few are renting them.
I picked up a car on Monday by Wednesday the AC stopped working. I went back to return the car and the Asian guy at the counter made it seem like I was bothering him and didn’t apologize and questioned if I was telling the truth. Also gave me a car that wasn’t clean and said he was going to charge me for gas. Don’t go to this location if you don’t have to. I am going to look for another location to rerun the dirty car to.
The worst experience I have ever had with a rental car company. I prepaid for my rental and was never told I needed to go inside the airport to get paperwork after I stood in line outside for 45 minutes only to be told I had to go into the airport I waited another hour inside which made me extremely late for my rehearsal dinner. Then I am charged all kinds of fees that I thought was included in my prepaid price. I was robbed without a gun. I will never deal with Avis again. I am calling my credit card company to freeze my transaction with Avis first thing in the morning.
Took way too long to get checked in also person seemed upset when I asked him if he could see the hit that was made before I got the car. The car smelled good for the first few hours, as the hours went by, my car smelled of body odor, my God, dont these people shower before renting these cars?! I rented a ecosport from avis.
The overall customer service was great. However, the vehicle I rented had substantial mechanical issues. Unfortunately, I was incredibly busy during my trip and did not have time to reach out to customer service. Instead, I ended up using ridesare at my destination. The vehicle had really bad shakes. In addition, when I returned the vehicle and expressed the safety concerns the girl in the boot said ok and noted it. In all honesty, I should of been given a refund.
Just for a reality check, we picked up our car here and it was... fine. No wait; the guy at the counter was friendly; the car had a cursory wash but was a little grungy around the edges. Not exceptional, but the reviews give the idea that one cant do a straightforward rental here without issues, and that wasnt our experience.
Dropped off a rental car at this location 2 hours under the 24 hours I had originally rented the car for. No attendant there so dropped the keys in the box. A week later I was charged for an extra day + fees. I had taken a time stamped and geotagged picture of the car returned early just incase. Avis customer service wouldn’t accept this so I had to get the fee refunded through my credit card. If you have to rent from here I would advise 1. Don’t bother. 2. Keep any fuel receipt from before the drop time as evidence. 3. Take a picture of yourself putting the keys back in the box. The car was also dirty and smelled of smoke but we didn’t pick it up from here.
It was poorly organized for pick up and I have tried to get in touch with lost and found, because I think we left a coat in the car, and it has proven impossible. Also, the employee told me that I would be charged $10 a gallon for any difference in the amount of gas in the car on return, so it would be good to pay the $70+ for a tank of gas, on returning the car, I found that they really charged $3.40 for the difference - was also shocked to find out that we were charged 31% tax for the airport and NY state, not your fault, but it should have shown in the estimate -
The car we picked up died in ur driveway. It took four hours on the phone to get someone from Avis that could arrange a new car, and they informed us that we would be charged $250 for this (we were not charged this, as best as I can tell, but the mere suggestion that you would charge us for exchanging broken car was infuriating). The new car didnt show up until two days after the car stopped working, though we were given no credit for these two days - you should fix that!). When we were contacted to be ready for a delivery at 6:30 pm, we changed our plans to accommodate the vehicles delivery, which did not occur until after 11:00 pm. During the delivery, the car was dragged across our gravel driveway creating deep ruts that resulted in significant erosion during a rainstorm that night. In addition to all of the above, it is worth noting the both vehicles were old and had high mileage on them. They were also unclean. The second car had a crack in the windshield that was not noted on the rental contract and it took us another four hours on the telephone to get an agent who could make a note of that in our record. This is our second Avis rental in New York State in the last few months that has been an extremely poor experience. I have been a good customer with Avis for decades but I am running out of patience. I understand that the pandemic has been difficult but this level of horrendous service and poor treatment of Aviss loyal customers has taken a serious toll on my faith in Avis to proved a good car at a reasonable price.
Your agents and facilties at Albany are the worst Preferred desk Ive encountered in 20 years of renting from Avis. This is my 3rd experience at Albany...all disatrous. The preferred agents NEVER prepare a contract and assign a car before i turn up. They are slow, disorganized, and have a bad attitude. Last week, the agent had to make a phone call to get a contract number assigned. Even then, I waited another 20 minutes before they brought the vehicle around. Avis needs a complete revamp at Albany. This is the NY state capital for heavens sake!
UPDATE: I reached out, per the suggestion below and I was refunded some of my money. Im changing my 1 star review to a 3 star review. I feel thats fair for the time, effort and headache this has all been. I honestly thought this would be a waste of my time, so Im grateful that something came of it.ORIGINAL POST:They price gouged us in an emergency - flights were canceled and wouldn’t have been able to get out of Albany for multiple days. But that’s to be expected from rental car companies these days unfortunately. The cherry on top of the cake is that they billed me for optional products and services without asking me first. I see that others have complained about this exact issue here already. Shame on you AVIS. I will go out of my way to not rent from you again.
Loved the vehicle, and I enjoy Avis in general, though my first time renting with them.. I normally use Hertz. The customer service was awesome and quickly handled...however, I did not like the surprise fees that were on the receipt and not on the initial prepay amount when I reserved and prepaid the rental online. A Concession fee AND 20%??? Absolutely ridiculous. Had I known I would be charged more than what I prepaid at the time of reservation I would NOT have gone with Avis. All in all though, the customer service was satisfactory and the drop off was quick and painless, however my points of concern are the fees that were not disclosed when I prepaid. Way too expensive and I dont like sneaky charges. 😒If everything including all fees and prices were disclosed at first, this wouldnt even be an issue Id be bringing up now. This is my ONLY issue with Avis. Everything else was quite satisfactory and I would rebt again.I stand corrected. I left this review about a week ago, since then I did receive an email from someone from Avis who took the time to read my review and reach out to me to address my concerns. After a heavy scrub of my prepaid disclosure I was able to see one of the fees were disclosed at the time of the initial reservation, however the 20% was not. Either way, the Concession fee was overlooked and thats oversight on my part. I would still rent with Avis in the future, especially since my concerns were acknowledged and addressed. That much, I appreciate.
They did do a good job of having an SUV ready for me, but it smelled like smoke and I was told to bring it back later to exchange or upgrade my vehicle. When I came back, there was a different rep and I was told that I could only get a smaller SUV and refused to upgrade me. I explained that the car smelled like smoke and an upgrade would be appreciated, but he refused.
Rental for was 4 days. Turned out I only needed it for 2 days. When I returned the car I was told they could not process a refund for the unused days since I had pre-paid. I was also charged $15.99 for gas even though I had filled up the tank myself. The attendant I returned the car to looked inside and could see that the tank was full. After multiple unsuccessful attempts to reach Aviss 800 number and well over a combined total of 1 hour + on hold I gave up and initiated a dispute with my credit card.
Avis promised me a smoke free rental car. The car reeked like smoke the second I opened the door. I couldnt drive it, so I returned it and asked for a new car. The second car they gave me smelled like smoke too. I complained and they said they didnt have any other options. When I returned the car they charged me for adding a second driver, after telling me they werent going to charge me for an additional driver when I picked the car up. I am displeased and disappointed with this company.
AVOID AT ALL COSTS. There are other competitors on either side of this rental that Im sure would treat you better than AVIS will. I returned my rental the morning of April 6th. A woman was at the counter when I arrived in the Terminal at 7:45am after parking the car in the garage. As anyone would, I approached the counter. She rudely yelled at me that they dont open till 8am. OK, fine. Im in no rush. People do not know the hours of operation at each and every car rental. How about a sign saying youre not open yet? Or better yet, politely tell the customer youll be with them in a few minutes when they open at 8. How hard is that? Her attitude was How dare you bother me before the start of my day. The Assistant Manager was not much better. She did complete the return, but had an attitude throughout. Didnt even take the keys - I had to ask her if AVIS even wanted the keys and the car back. Oh just leave them somewhere on the counter she said. Yes, that sounds like a great idea so anyone could just just walk by and pick them up. And then I get billed and become responsible for the car not being returned. This woman, and your staff, need some training on how to speak to people and treat others with respect. Maybe some training on how to speak to people who dont look exactly like they do. You can thank her for losing a loyal customer. I will be taking my business elsewhere. I suggest anyone who reads this do the same.
I have been giving Avis consistent and loyal business since I’ve been in town for work. I’ve been here for about 1 month. Here for 2 more. Most recently, the vehicle I rented failed to start when the temperature dipped. That’s a failure related to cold cranking amps. Something they should have caught in inspection. I tried to get someone at the actual counter here in Albany on the phone for 2 days. Totally unsuccessfully. I kept being routed to the national call center. They were entirely useless. To put it mildly. I eventually got ahold of their roadside assistance people. They came late at night and jumped the car which I took back the next day. The young man at the counter waived the two days and that was that.This morning I noticed a $218 charge on my card for the roadside assistance. I called to have them waive it , given the fact that the reason that I had to call on the first place was due to them failing to perform adequate inspections on their vehicles.Bottom line, they totally refused to waive it. This , of course, prompted me to cancel the upcoming reservation I had which would have netted them around 1K. So, yes, they traded $1000 for $200. Great thinking , guys. That is a brilliant business model.Stay away from them at all costs. They have multiple competitors on either side of them. I would recommend any of those over the con artists at Avis.
You are too busy and understaffed. I am a preferred customer. The attendant gave me the wrong car. She fixed it but it took time. When I returned my car it was over F. I filled it extra and drove 4.5 miles. They charged me for fuel. I couldnt leave the terminal to speak with them when I got my e-receipt, couldnt reach them by phone, couldnt reach customer service by phone and no one picked up the chat. More than an hour trying to reach someone. Seriously, you owe me a refund.
I need a receipt for 7 days of rental plus one more returning to a different location, very important to give to my dealership to get compensated for my loss of time for my vehicle. As of now I have no records or hard copies of any records from yo, totalling more than 1300 hundred dollars. How about some help on this?
Because I dont have a credit card and irregardless of the fact that my debit card was accepted to pay for the vehicle, I was unable to rent the vehicle . The pickup/dropoff staff available were apologetic, but unable to rectify the situation. Ill NEVER rent another vehicle again in my life ! Ive been going to the Airport to rent cars from various rental agencies for the 24 years that Ive lived in the capital district and this was my least favorite experience with car rental ! I dont want a credit card, I dont want those companies to make money from my spending my money. I can pay for everything I need with it, gas, food ,etc., what do I need with a credit card ? As long as I can pay for everything, thats all that matters ! I will not rent another car from anybody, Ill buy one instead, thats what Ill spend my money on....and with my trusty debit card too !!Ill even pay for the insurance with it , with no interest rate, no annual fee and the like. In my mind, its better than a credit card and owning a vehicle beats renting, you dont have to return it !! FOOD FOR THOUGHT, imagine if a good many people felt that way, less rentals and more private ownership and a great many locations forced to be sold, which will cause a loss of income for all concerned except the new owners of new/used cars , think about it ?!??!
Went to the kiosk where you pick up your car. Turns out, you have to go inside the airport first, to the kiosk in there. Then you can go get your car. Kind of inconvenient not being able to just do everything in one place. But the staff was very friendly and helpful. And the process was fairly simple and easy. Once you are in the correct place.
The vehicle was not cleaned when I received it. There was powder and other fluids. The customer service representative “Happy” was incredible and the best part of my experience. However, I delivered the vehicle at 10pm the same night and was charged a late fee $15. Should have not because I had until 11:59 pm. Would love to obtain the airports camera showing this, unfortunately there were no representative at that time I arrived roughly 10:30pm.
To extend a vehicle that I already have for another 5 days it cost more then making a new reservation for the same vehicle. So had to travel back to car rental location to turn in vehicle. I asked if something could be done and was told no that rate is not available anymore. Fine, you just lost my business
I bring my rental back. There was a problem with the amount they put on my paper. I showed the manager at the airport of albany ny international and she told me theres nothing she can do but for me to call. Then the other lady at the counter that was saying the high price now is what it is. At that moment she went back into my account and frozen more money which was double the amount I owed. I then showed the manager that now they were now charging me more then double of what I was told when I had did the extension. She said of well she has other people now. And she cant undo the other amount that the other counter person just charged. I explained how is this fair when the rite amount of $382 was already frozen and the $176.02 was already token off my card. There was no reason for the other counter person that wasnt even helping me cause my rental was returned on the outside to go into my account and charge more money off my card. When I call the Avis main number and spoke to a guy about the extra changes that I didnt agree to. He said there is no supervisor for me to talk to and some could call me back. I gave him my phone number and still no call for anyone to fix the charges to the rite amount of $382. Please do the rite thing. I always rent for Avis and this is my 1 problem and I pray my last.
Front desk staff is very rude, sarcastic and dismissive when trying to ask them questions about if I can exchange the car. When receiving the car it didn’t look like they cleaned the interior. I wiped it down and vacuumed it myself. I usually go with enterprise when renting from Albany airport but unfortunately I had to go with Avis this trip.
Car smelled like weed when we picked it up. The guy who was working there at first said we could swap to a new car, but then said that they had none available and we were stuck with it. I asked them to make a note of the smell so I wouldnt get charged and they said it was all covered. When I later called corporate about this they said no note of the smell was made. All around terrible
I had sent a note through the feedback page on your website yesterday. On my recent Albany New York Trip, I was given a 25000 mile Chevy Equinox. The car was loud, and was hard to keep on the road. Once I arrived at my destination (100+ miles), I checked the tires... Both front tires were completely worn out. Steel belts showing through! Car also smelled like an ashtray and was full of dog hair. Not a good experience and very unsafe. I left a note in the car for the Avis office. I can provide photos of the tire condition if needed. Chris
I was severely inconvenienced on my trip with Avis this past 10 days. I had to exchange my car twice due to vehicle maintenance issues that should have been checked before I received the vehicles. I was charged for gas even though I returned the cars on full tanks of gas each time, my daily rate was also changed during my rental without me being notified. I have been an Avis preferred member for 5 years and this past rental is making me reconsider using Avis ever again. I waited online for customer service for over 20-30 minutes to be told after almost an hour that I would have to wait 24-48 hours for a supervisor to call me back to make the correct adjustments to my account . Avis customer service has become significantly horrible.
Had a reservation for 8 am had to wait until 8:45 for them to get keys to open. This is the second time I reserved a suv weeks a head of time to have them tell me there were none available. They gave me a car instead of an suv. This company gets worse every time. Definitely the last time I get a rental from here
I rented a car for over a week and got told I had to make a new reservation in order to switch vehicles. Mind you Im dealing with a domestic violence situation and my ex found out what I was driving. I did everything that was asked of me and found a sitter for my children just to be abandoned at Albany international airport at 8pm on Columbus Day because I was told that the deposit was not $250 and that it was $100 by the man who I met with originally who was also there this evening. Also Ive been staying an hour away to avoid detection and just had to walk through Albany with barely enough warmth. To make matters worse the woman who was working tonight was extremely rude and disrespectful. She processed my first rental and gave me a pickup truck with an expired registration AND inspection. Therefore I was forced to go out of my way to the Avis at Colonie Center Mall in the hope that I would be able to get a vehicle similar to what I was supposed to get. NEVER EXPERIENCED SUCH INCONSIDERATE PEOPLE AND INCONSISTENCY IN POLICY.
Renting from Avis at this location couldnt have been easier. There was no line at pickup and we were offered a free upgrade. The car was a fully loaded Ford focus with leather interior and was very clean. Returning the car was even easier, we pulled up to the booth and an employee was waiting to scan our car and give us a receipt. So easy!
UPDATE: Avis immediately responded to my complaint and adjusted the bill the appropriate amount. I was appreciative of their desire to quickly make the situation right.ORIGINAL POST: My bill was originally set for $238.54. I was charged $381.52 when I returned my car. There were several fees/taxes that should not have been included and then the fuel service charge was well beyond the amount of gallons remaining in the vehicle. This is absolutely outrageous. I am a frequent traveler and renter of vehicles for work and for personal reasons and I will no longer we renting with Avis or Budget for the foreseeable future unless this issue is remedied.
The price was great. Check in and check out was great. We did inform upon returning the car and the morning after renting the car when we called avis to see if we could add gps that the car was dirty with mud and had stains throughout it on the seats which we did not see the night we picked it up because it was dark out. Ty.
The woman who rented us the car was extremely rude. We had a reservation through Costco which included a free second driver. She charged us for the second driver. We questioned the difference in pricing, she told us it was the same as our reservation, which it was not. We questioned the second driver fee, showed her our email, then she wanted a coupon, which wasnt given to us, it was part of the deal and clearly stated on our reservation. She then took off our second driver and told us we could explain to the police if we were pulled over. Of course, we were not driving unless we were listed, so she then took it off. She then apologized to the people in line behind us, said we were taking longer than expected. We were there for a funeral, so this rudeness did not help at all, especially at 11:30pm. In addition she strongly recommended we pay extra to get a 4 wheel drive vehicle due to all the snow and ice in the area we were going, which there was no ice or snow.
I rented a 12 seater Van, the reservation was made over 2 weeks. the van was not ready for my 3:30 pick up, We had to wait for 2 hours before we received the van. The vehicle was not clean inside nor outside. Upon returning the vehicle there was no note that my pick up time was at 5:30pm instead of 3:30pm. I had to dispute the additional charge it with the representative.
Had bad customer service from the representative when I picked up the vehicle. After leaving the facility the noticed the vehicle had an oil light. After repeated call and a no answer I drove several miles back and walked to the desk notice the rep was in the back with no customers in line. I explained to him that I called 10+ times and he said he was busy with paperwork. I then explained that the oil light was on and did not want any issues when I took the vehicle out of town. He stated without looking that it was a oil change light turns out it was the oil pressure light. Luckily had no issues and the rental went fine after that however I was disappointed by the customer service.
Without going into a long horrible story, every aspect of dealing with Avis was mediocre at best. I feel 1 star is to generous it is probably more like a -5. The car was clean and new so that part was nice. Were still fighting billing issues and a non-working phone # for the local branch....
NIGHTMARE FROM HELL - I picked up from Boston Logan. Car smelled like an ashtray when we got in but we were so tired from flight, we figured wed drive with windows down and it would air out. I asked attendant to note that we were not the ones who made it smell like smoke as we were just picking it up then (she did). Unfortunately not only did rolling the windows down for 4 hours not fix the smell, it also hid the fact that the air conditioning didnt work. Then the engine light went on. Did I mention the car was also not clean? Not totally dirt-gross but not clean either. So I go to return the car at Albany Airport in advance of scheduled time. No one bothered to tell me that the Albany location decided to have reduced hours so no one is there. I call the AVIS number and the guy tells me to put the key with the rental agreement and put in lockbox on Budget counter next to AVIS counter inside airport. So I do. Had left car in garage by AVIS outpost directly in front of AVIS RETURN sign. Figured at least the nightmare is over. BUT NO. Now am getting automated calls that I need to return the car - 5 days after returning it. I call the Albany location number, but it just rings and goes to general customer service/national number. They say they will escalate this. Said it will take a few days. Great, thanks for nothing. AVIS, burn my membership card, youre welcome for the thousands Ive spent with you over the last 15 years, I WILL NEVER, EVER, EVER RENT FROM YOU AGAIN. AVOID AT ALL COSTS. Seriously there is enough to worry about without this. Shame on you.
I had a bad experience with Avis before, but this time they really made me feel like a valued customer. Not only did they compensate me for my last rental but this time around I had NO issues and it was an easy pick up and drop off. Great customer service. Thank you so much for the improvement. It is GREATLY appreciated!!!
I didn’t check the car upon receiving, it looked clean and in a well manner. However on the drive the car smelled a little funky. It was a 25 min drive. Upon returning home I checked the car it had animal hair and vomit that was dried up and horrible. I was very disappointed, I would’ve took the car back there if I wasn’t running on time to start a 3 hr drive. With my kids in the car it took 5 hrs to drive having to pull over due to the smell.
I reserved a vehicle for 12AM pickup after my flight got in. When I got to the counter the only person on staff was a trainee, who was forced to go back and forth for help from her associate in the Budget Rental Car counter, which extended my wait time in line. Further, my reservation was for an economy-sized car and I received a 12 passenger van because there were no other vehicles available. AKA, Avis did not have someone on staff to inspect and turn over the many vehicles that had been returned that evening. I was offered the option to exchange my vehicle for a different one the next day, which required me to drive back to the airport, which would not have been possible had I not still been in the area. Avis offered no recompense for my inconvenience that night or when I returned the next day. The drop-off at the end of the trip was easy and the car I exchanged for was very new and clean, so no complaints there. But when I make a reservation I expect the car I reserve to be available and (if not) for the company to make amends for my inconvenience. Thus I cant recommend Avis based on this experience.
I was ripped off. Avis try to play games when you try to extend your rental over the phone and bill you for all sorts of penalty, and fees when you return the car even though they have evidence that you called and extended the rental. Avoid them like a plague. A rental that was suppose to be less than $400 ended up being over a $1000. The avis lady at the Albany, NY airport where I picked the car was super rude when I went to pickup the car. Honestly I dont even know why they are still in business. They are scammers! Please avoid using them.
Great friendly staff and helpful service. Everything was ready for my reservation and a couple options for car were offered. Got my receipt and headed to get the keys for the car as directed without trouble. Car looked relatively new and very clean, though there was a strong smell of tobacco smoke which was a bit off putting. In the car it even mentions the fines for smoking in their cars. Please don’t smoke, especially in a car that isn’t yours.
The car I got was clean, new, and low mileage. Keys were waiting for me. Staff was friendly. Cars are right outside the baggage claim. Everything about this rental was easy until the drop off. I followed the signs all the way inside the garage and then nothing......no cones, no flags, no people. Once they saw me they flagged me down. They also forgot to tell me to look in my car for my belongings and sure enough I left my umbrella in the back seat. Silly me, but its the small things when you travel, right? Still, Id rent from them again as Avis continues to deliver the cleanest cars. They are hit and miss with the Preferred Service based on the airport.
Got there mid-afternoon on a weekday, they had one employee at the booth and three people in line to pick up their cars. I didnt think it would be too bad, but I ended up waiting about 50 minutes to get to the counter; the employee seemed really slow to use the computer / figure out what cars were in the lot / get people on their way, and was starting up personal conversations with the customers. When I finally got to the counter the employee informed me that their shift had ended and since the replacement hadnt showed up yet, me and the other customers were on our own to wait there and hope someone showed up to help us (maybe a Budget employee would help eventually, but they had their own line of customers). Waited another 10 minutes for the replacement to finally show up, spent another 15 minutes waiting for him to click through the computer screens / call people in the garage to figure out what vehicles were available, and then I was refused to take my prepaid reservation because of some Avis corporate policies I wasnt aware of ahead of time and arent related to this specific location, so I wont go into them here. I was forced to forfeit my entire prepaid rental costs (Avis policy, no refunds if theres any reason you dont pick the car up) and had to go to another rental companys booth to get a vehicle (they were much quicker and had no problem setting me up, though they only had more expensive vehicles on hand). Setting aside my issues with Avis corporate policies, my impression of this location is that its poorly managed and has employee quality / procedure issues (understaffed / unprofessional / slow / didnt want to work with a paying customer and turned me around to go rent from other companies instead). This experience really put a drag on my vacation and at the very least I certainly wont be using this Avis location, if I ever rent from Avis again.
UPDATE ON 1.30.18They’re now a month and a half later trying to charge me for “glass damage” $180!! I told them that the chip was there before I took the car. The car was picked up after 5pm. If you know anything about NY in the winter, it’s dark after 5pm. HOW THE HELL DO YOU SEE A CHIP THE SIZE OF A GRAIN OF RICE IN THE DARK! Almost makes me think that they looked for ANYTHING to charge me for since I gave them a bad review. This place is corrupt. They will try very hard to steal any money they can... Granted I paid $300 for a 3 day rental.Don’t book with them, you will very much so regret it.Well, I can say this was the worst service I ever had at a car rental location. Diane the day manager was an absolute monster to myself on the phone. I had called approximately 15 times before someone actually answered the phone. I called to confirm my reservation for a standard SUV and wanted to let them know I’m 22. This is not my first time traveling... I read all the small print. Diane tried telling me that they don’t allow anyone under 25 to rent SUVs. Though I had stated that it seemed odd as Avis website states different. She told me I had to bring print outs of what the website stated to receive the car reserved. I asked what would happen if I arrived and she decided she wouldn’t give me the rental. She replied with “what did I just say?” I felt like a child being scolded by their mother. She honestly ruined my experience for the rental I had with Avis. The man who checked me in when I arrived at the airport was super nice and attentive! Was so thankful I didn’t have to deal with her poor attitude.
This was such an awful experience. Coleen lacked any customer service skills whatsoever and was just rude. We had a late arrival, we were traveling in somewhat of an emergency status for the death of a close family member and it was late, but our vehicle was not even on site. She told us it was a flasher. What she meant was, but failed to explain was the car was supposed to be out in front of the booth with the lights flashing. It was not. We walked the entire parking garage and went back inside to asked where the car was where we were greeted with hostility. I asked to see the manager, who I could see sitting behind the glass. I demanded to see him, he refused to face me and discuss the issue. Part of the argument was my wife ordered an SUV. I cant ride in a car due to a back surgery and even an SUV is rough, but the trip was needed to support my family. They were trying to upcharge us for a car we had clearly reserved then didnt have it. Then she, Coleen demanded we fill the car up at a certain gas station. No, I dont think you or Avis can tell me where to fill a vehicle, what kind of scam is this. Now get this. We got the car, it had damage to the front end, stains on the inside, the toll box was open to the charge tolls position and there was 1/8 of a tank a gas. All the issues we had and not one apology. The manager was a coward, Coleen was so rude and obnoxious. They both need remedial customer service training. I will say this, Tyler saved the day though. He stepped in and was extremely helpful. Learn from Tyler Coleen. AVIS, MAKE TYLER THE FACE OF YOUR STORE FRONT. Anyway, my wife and I took pictures of and documented everything. Ive read a ton of reviews about this Avis in particular and the horror stories about cars not being ready, over charges, double charges and chargebacks for erroneous things. Im prepared. I documented everything through time stamped pictures and my phone call with Tyler. Tyler, thank you for your help, I trust the customers best interest is yours. I dont trust your counterparts have anyones best interest in mind. Coleen, I know you said your new. Not a good way to start a new job. You appear in a lot of posts. Unnamed manager, why are you a manager if you refuse to resolve customer issues. Public, go rent from Enterprise! I travel 50 percent of my time for work and about 15 percent of my time for relaxation. Enterprise has never let me down. I will keep the public updated on how Avis handles this.
The car was filthy during a COVID19 pandemic. I rented from Avis because they advertised all these measures they are taking to clean and sanitize their Vehicles during the pandemic. This is an unacceptable practice during such a dangerous time. Lastly the car had barely any wiper fluid and driving felt like the vichele could use a wheel alignment. Could not change the car because they were closed Already.
I had a very good experience with the Avis at the Albany NY airport location. After researching the various rentals available at this location, Avis offered the best rate. The staff was informative and very helpful on selecting a vehicle that I could afford being on a limited budget. The car was ready when I arrived and return was just as smooth. Thank you.
I have been renting from this location for years, and the service has greatly improved. If you are an Avis Preferred member, the process has gotten much more efficient for the rental and returns. Kathy (Manager) really listens to customers concerns and addresses service issues quickly. Two recommendations: 1. That the agents smile a little more, relax, and that they not look so stressed out all the time, and 2. Automate the rental process like at the larger airports where you do not need to stop at the counter for Preferred members.
Having traveled to many airports and rented from Avis countless times, I can confidently say that the Albany rental facility is one of the most disappointing. Being a preferred member seems to mean nothing - you still have to visit the rental counter (in Albany being preferred means you get to wait in line outside in the cold!) and they never have the rental agreement ready. You basically have to be ready for a 10-15 minute wait unless youre first in line at the counter, even then its a 5 minute process. I usually get a decent car here, so thats the only saving grace for this place - last trip I got a Mustang in place of Intermediate, but they guy looked over 5 different sets of keys before settling on the pony.
A Budget rep assisted me upon my arrival. Id reserved a smaller, compact vehicle, I was told they only had a Volkswagon beetle. I was told they only had an small electric car. This vehicle was more costly by 200.00. I feel I was conned into spending more money. I will not use Avis/Budget again.
Easy, friendly, affordable.Quick pick up. Have never not gotten the car specifics I want (EZ-Pass & Bluetooth hook up) when requested.My friend left her wallet in one of the rentals I returned and they were incredibly helpful in getting it back to us.Every car seems to be clean, great shape and mileage under 15k. No complaints here.
Worst experience I’ve ever had with a rental car company. The customer service was rude, disrespectful and extremely unprofessional. In addition the car smelled like smoke and it was the best option they had available. I would never recommend using Avis especially out of Albany airport. There are so many other rental car options this should be the last!
Our rental checkout in Albany was excellent. But at Logan, in Boston, returning the car at 8 a.m. on Sept 5 was a nightmare. The signage was abysmal and we spent 15 minutes driving around trying to figure out where to go, with many mistakes. Staff was minimally courteous, though acceptable, when we finally found the right return lane. If I remember correctly, the shuttle to the terminal was very crowded.
I got to ALB airport. Counter was poorly manned. Finally got to agent after 15 minutes. After checking in she tells me they have a flasher program and that a car would be coming from offsite location and would take another 20 minutes. I went to garage where Avis stand was and waited another 70-90 minutes. Many people were there and we were all unhappy. This was so bad. It was cold outside and miserable. I need a refund.
When a issue occurred had a really hard time with customer service and roadside assistance, I had a really difficult time locating the Avis store in Vista California kept getting transferred, spoke to several people to get the situation rectified, I missed a interview down in San Diego this all lasted 1-1/2 hours I was so frustrated.
Vehicle not in designated spot per rental agent upon arrival. Searched for vehicle for 10 minutes. I finally flag down a rep who found the vehicle at the other end of parkING garage. The vehicle was filthy on the outside and inside. Also smelled of bad odor. Terrible...
Avis puts an EZ Pass RFID thing in the car. Supposedly, if you keep the contraption closed it will not register and you will not incur the daily fee - in addition to the toll - for using the EZ Pass. Based on my experience, this does not work. Even closed the EZ Pass registered and I incurred the daily fee. Keep in mind that once used you will incur the daily fee from that point until your rental ends, regardless of whether you go through any more tolls the remainder of your rental. Now I have to deal with some third party company to resolve this. My opinion, have them remove it from the car if you dont want the hassle or find another rental agency. Hertz, Budget, Enterprise, etc are all there as well.
Horrible experience, one star is too generous. We knew we were going to land 1.5hrs after close and told the agents as we were booking over the phone but we were told a week before that we could request a mid-lay pickup in which they would have someone wait until we landed. We called the actual Albany office twice before travelling to make sure someone would be there and they confirmed after rushing us off of the phone. We did everything we were told and now its 2am and noone is here like they said there would be and we are stuck waiting until they open at 6am... 4 hours wasted because of someones oversight, no sleep in 24 hours and a 1.5 commute to our destination is awaiting us. Customer service is non-existant because they arent open on sundays...never againContinued...the guy finally arrived at the desk at 6:01am and said they ALWAYS stay until the last flight...not true. FINALLY we were given a car and find out after we get to our destination that it has expired tags, wheels with tire pressure at 50 on one side and 26 on the other, and check oil lights galore...I had call customer service wanting to talk to a supervisor. They guaranteed in 72 hrs we would get a call back...its been 120 hrs...
I called Avis to ask questions about renting a car. The representative that first answered Andy was rude and talking very fast. I asked her several times to slow down and she just kept on talking. She finally stopped and said to me, if you stop talking I can give you information. I said to her, you are speaking way to fast and am asking you to slow down. She went silent and then hung up on me. I called again, she again answered the phone and asked to speak to a manager or supervisor, she asked my name and told her you dont need my name for me to speak to a manager/supervisor to make a complaint. She said hold on, and then put me back in the automated loop. This person was very rude and has no customer service skills.
Just returned a vehicle me and my girlfriend rented for the weekend. Turns out they charged us for the prepaid fuel option even though she opted out online and they never asked us if we wanted to add it. I called customers service for her because she works long hours and I often have weekdays off. The first time I called they let me talk about the agreement after verifying additional information and was informed she had pre-opted in for the option. I told her and she double checked, she was not opted in. I called back and they told me they could only speak to a spouse. This kind of thing never happens at national where she always rents, but we wanted to try a cheaper alternative. Apparently they will find a way to charge you as much as the other companies so might as well get a service that matches what you are paying. Rent from National instead.
I cannot say enough about how helpful Lloyd at the Albany Intl Airport was. He made everything so easy, suggested a different vehicle that turned out to be perfect for the trip, and explained everything concisely. Im not sure how often these are read, but I sure hope Lloyd is commended on the fantastic job he did handling our rental.
My only complaint is that we were mislead into believing that by accepting their gas option, we would only be charged for the gas we used when actually we were charged for a full tank even though we only used 1/4 tank. The issue was resolved after a phone call and handled quite professionally.
Total reviews rating 3.2
194 Reviews for Avis Car Rental 2023:
Review №1
2022-06-02Its what youd expect from a cheap rental car place. I requested a full size car. The Camry I was given was not only visibly damaged but also had been smoked in. I asked for a different vehicle and was told there wouldnt be one for a few hours. I asked about other options and was told there was a small SUV but it would cost an extra $10 a day. Shocked they actually charged me extra considering the situation.Moral of the story, you get what you pay for.
Review №2
2021-11-01I would leave negative stars if possible. I picked up a vehicle for rental 10/28. It was a disgrace from the beginning. The had my reservation but my name was confused with someone else extending the time I waited to be serviced. I landed at 4:00pm and was still waiting for the car at 4:45. By the time I made my way to the parking garage, it was dusk. The man inside the kiosk was too busy chatting on his cell phone to service me and gave me the “one second” motion with his hand while he carried on his conversation. Mid phone call, he handed me the keys and said ok- you’re in C10. I found the vehicle, placed my things inside and pulled out of the space which had been backed in. The car was dirty inside, clearly had not been vacuumed and was an older model but I was eager to get on the road due to a 2 hour drive ahead of me. This morning- in daylight when I went to the vehicle again was able to see that not only was I given a damaged vehicle- but there is zero recognition of this in any of my documentation forms. The bumper has visible damage as it also is ajar from the frame. I have spent the entire first day of my vacation trying to get ahold of anyone at this location, at budget customer service and even the budget nearest to where I am staying. I am now over 2 hours from the Albany airport and cannot drive back there to try and have any of this rectified in person to ensure I’m not charged for damage I was not responsible for creating. I tried returning the vehicle to the closest location so I could be done with this but in doing so, it increases the rental an additional $250. I have been a longtime customer but never again. I hope to have this situation rectified ASAP so I can enjoy the rest of my family visit.Update: I did what I was informed in reaching out to the email provided. What a joke. Apparently it isn’t up to the budget employees to actually service or inspect the vehicles they give to customers. I was told the employees do not do a walk around of the vehicle or notate any issues. It is up to the customer. I’d be very aware of this: the car was picked up in the dark, I got to my destination- in the dark, nothing was visible until morning the following day. This was once the only company I used. I will never utilize this rental company again.
Review №3
2022-03-07What can I say there’s a love hate relationship with this location.They manage to mess things up on an epic scale if you allow them the opportunity yet again they can somehow amaze me. The amazing part is a stroke of luck.I’ve received great customer service and also not so great service where one attendant showed up to work in their pajamas and running around the parking garage trying to find the car I’m getting.For Avis Preferred, selecting your vehicle on the App is useless for this location. They will have another ready for you at the counter with a printed receipt and keys when you get there so dont bother wasting your time making a selection on the app. Its counter productive to use technology as this location is in the stone age all the way back to dot matrix printers which are not eco friendly.I have also spent hours on the phone with Avis Corporate trying to straighten out billing issues which originated from this location where i was assigned another car after i returned my rental and then charged 2.5x the amount of my rental. Wasted 3+ hours on the phone chasing down a proper receipt. Been given cars which are dirty than belief, no windshield washer fluid, expired registration/inspection. Maintenance due lights on the dashboard. You name it and ive probably picked it up from this location.It’s hit or miss but mostly miss.
Review №4
2022-06-24Avis preferred for many years. Waited a while to get car upon arrival to airport the past few times renting from Avis and I understand that (Covid etc.). But dropped car off in Albany after filling up a full tank of gas less than a mile away from the airport and guy who checked me in said I was still being charged for gas despite having a full tank due to “a sensor in this car” that added an additional $88 to my prepaid rental fee. He said in order to remove it I need to wait in the rental car pickup booth line and tell the person there. All while trying to catch a flight with my family. Waited in the line for awhile and when the person asked for my paperwork and I told him it was in the car I just returned he said he couldn’t help me. I asked if he could look me up by name and he said no he needs the paperwork or a number for the agreement. Luckily I was able to lookup my number on my email at the moment, and he said the charge will be reversed. Seems like this location likes to scam it’s customers by charging them for a full tank of gas despite returning the car full even verified by its own employees. I use Avis when traveling often for work and have for 10+ years, but will start looking elsewhere moving forward. It used to be great for quick pick up and drop off, and now it just seems to have fallen off a cliff. And if you rent from this location make sure you are not being scammed. I am sure many business travelers who are running late for a flight would not have time to wait in line and dispute the charge (especially if a company is paying for it) and I am guessing that’s what the location is banking on.
Review №5
2021-10-24Picked up my SUV in the evening and the lot was dark so could not easily inspect. The next day after driving many miles, I noticed the tires are extremely balding and one has chunks of rubber missing. This should have never left the lot.
Review №6
2022-06-08No ability to return car properly on 6/1/22 at 11:15am. Had to drive through Enterprise and then return car in space B8 and took a picture. Then 48 hours after drop-off the invoice came in with a gas charge when I filled up just before drop-off. Got hung up on once trying to resolve it by phone and it took a half an hour and multiple calls to get the gas charge, which I could substantiate with the printed gas receipt, removed. I have been a Wizard member # SQ226P for decades and have spent over $2,400. on rentals this year with Avis but I dont know how they got this messed up.
Review №7
2022-03-14Terrible experience. I dropped my car off at ALB on Friday and then on Monday received an e-mail from the loss department saying the car was never returned. Obviously this was very concerning since I DID return the car on Friday and boarded my flight home. I did receive a receipt saying the car was checked-in on Monday morning, and overcharging me for the weekend. So basically it was sitting there all weekend or did someone take it for a joy ride? I had to call the national number (no-one in Albany ever answers the phone). They said the e-mail from the loss department was an error!!! Thats quite a concerning error that nearly caused a panic attack. I had to e-mail Avis a copy of my boarding pass so that I can be refunded for the extra days. This was a terrible experience and I will not be renting from Avis in the future.
Review №8
2022-02-17I had to book a rental a few days before my arrival in Albany and from the beginning it was a mess. The agent I spoke with messed up my dates and times, and I had to go fix it myself on the Avis website after the agent had put everything in. My arrival time is after midnight and I was told by one agent that someone would wait at the counter until everyone left my plane but then another told them that they would not wait and strictly closed at midnight. Then I also had a fun run around on the phone with avis support for 30 minutes before I finally gave up due to their incompetence.
Review №9
2022-03-30Rented a car that had a ding in the windshield. We were then hit with an severe temper changes and it spread and left a large crack in the windshield, the car also started making a terrible mechanical noise. We called avis they exchanged the rental for a new one. They said it was no issue and we sent them pictures to document, one month later they fraudulently charged our credit card on file for the windshield and never informing us. Besides the fact it wasnt our fault we have insurance, and decided to saddle us with the defected window of a car they were not maintaining. We called and the company took the charges and we cancelled our credit card, I would not rent a car for someone who would charge your credit a month after your rental in this manner. That’s an insane practice, and someone in Mangement should be reprimanded.
Review №10
2022-03-22Car had warning for low air in tires the whole trip. Probably from the missing stem covers. Car also had a strong odor of cologne but that went away after awhile. Was a comfortable ride and price was good.