I would post NO stars if the option existed. I rented a vehicle to attend my niece’s defense of her thesis to receive her doctorate. Her mom, my sister, passed away unexpectedly in December making my attendance even more crucial. Having started a new job several months ago I was unable to get more than one day off so I rented a car to insure no issues getting there and I left at 3am to make the 4 hour drive assuring I’d be there with time to spare. Instead, in torrential downpour, doing 10 miles less than the speed limit on I-95, the screen in the car suddenly showed the vehicle with the psi information. A note came on saying Tire Pressure Low Add Air Now and at the same time the psi on the front right tire dropped on the screen from 28 to 20 to 14 to 6 to 1 as I fought to control the vehicle and maneuver through tractor trailers to get to the shoulder of the thruway.
I contacted Avis at once and was told they could send someone to pick me up in 4-6 hours to drive me to an airport 45 minutes south while I was heading north to get me a new rental. I explained that I would miss the event and there had to be another solution. They advised that they did not know if the vehicle had a spare but if I could get out and check, they could send someone to change the tire within 99 minutes. In the rain on a thruway at 4:40am I got out to tell Avis if THEIR vehicle had spare. They had a donut but no Jack - which eliminated my option to change the tire at the risk of being run over. They told me they’d dispatch help
Immediately and it should take 90 minutes. At 8:35am, after exhausting all my own possibilities, Avis sent someone to put on the 1/2 full donut which I then drove to Mavis to have filled with air and have the other tires - which registered 26, 32, 38 psi - balanced.
I missed my niece receiving her doctorate and doing her defense. I spent 4+ hours trapped on a thruway. It cost me a $20 tip for the guy who eventually changed the tire and $25 for Mavis to correct the tire issues.
I am appalled that Avis does not check their vehicles for safety before renting them out. The windshield wipers were tattered and not working properly as well but we’re the least of my issues that day. Had the weather not been as bad, I may have realized the poor performance of the vehicle was not related to the rain. I also may have been going faster and been killed when the tire blew. I reached out and advised that I did not expect to be charged anything for this rental. The charge was supposed to be $110 and points that were to be returned. Instead, they returned the points and charged my card $294! I have written to Joe Ferraro - the CEO -but have not heard back. ~Jeanne
car rental agency