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November 2025 by Jonathan Merari
I am disappointed with my recent experience with Payless Car Rental in San Diego California. The car we were given during our trip had a non-functioning air conditioning system for the entire duration, which made the trip uncomfortable as it was a 90 degree weather. Despite our efforts to contact the company daily to resolve the issue, we were unable to get any response. We called multiple times and left voicemails, but no one ever returned our calls or answered the phone.
We were referred to Mr. John Cervantes, the San Diego California Manager, for resolution, but we have not received any response from him either. Additionally, we submitted multiple tickets to their customer service department but have yet to receive any resolution or explanation.
Furthermore, we were only offered a $15 discount for the inconvenience on a bill that apparently totaled $430, which feels quite inadequate considering the discomfort we experienced.
To make matters worse, we have not been able to obtain a clear explanation or resolution regarding the final charge. When we reserved the vehicle, we were quoted an estimated cost of $230 for four days. However, the final charge on our account was $430 — nearly double the initial estimate. We understand that final amounts can vary slightly, but this increase is excessive and unacceptable.
Overall, this experience has been very frustrating, and I hope Payless Car Rental addresses these issues promptly.
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October 2025 by Dr. Joe Schaefer
BEWARE - Total Scam!!! With the most minor amount of trash on the back floor board some minor dust on the front floor carpet, they charged a $450 cleaning fee. This was no more than 10 minutes of cleaning work and that cost was $100 more than the rental fee for 4 days on that vehicle. When they expect the gas tank to be filled on return they explain this in detail. If there is a cleaning fee possibility then they should be made to explain before the rental that the car should be returned cleaned or risk a $450 fee. I guarantee that if they had said that when i rented it, then we would have spent the 2 or 3 minutes at the gas station before returning it to clean it out. I have attached the images they sent me that they claimed were the proof excessive and heavy damage.
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October 2025 by Andrea Peraza
Quick checkout, friendly staff . & gave me a free upgrade. I had originally booked a small sedan thank you . 😋😋
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October 2025 by Tj's Construction Repair and service
Made quick work of picking up car. Attendant's in the vehicle area were very nice, very helpful directing where your vehicle is located. I appreciate that, as never being at this airport, it is fast paced, trying to read every sign is tricky. Drop off was a breeze with in car navigation allowing us to park car, leave keys in car, grab luggage,walk through courtyard(140ish yards) to terminal and right into screening. I have been at other airport car rentals and saw others milling around trying to find the section their vehicle is in, while I myself was trying to figure out the pattern. Excellent service. I usually rent with enterprise, I may be making a switch.
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October 2025 by Jason
The worst…waited 45 mins and they had three people in front of us.
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October 2025 by Dave Gravely
Car worked well. Beware that a $40/day rental for 2 days can actually cost nearly $250 (no additional insurance purchased). I would not recommend accepting their gas fill-on option (offered as 40 cents cheaper than market rate of gas), this will lead to much greater charges applied. Dissatisfying experience overall (especially price-transparency wise).
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October 2025 by Anna Sucic
Trying to reach the local desk at Austin airport and call continues to route me to the national center. Awful that you don't enable a way to speak to the local office.
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October 2025 by R S
Picked up a car with 20% charge wtttttff
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September 2025 by Liz D
If it seems too good to be true… I reserved a car rental with Payless at the Austin airport through American Airlines. When I got to their counter, the sign said to go to Budget or Avis to be helped. The Avis agent was very kind but informed me that they could only honor Payless rentals with Electric vehicles. That absolutely was not going to work for me as I needed to drive to Corpus Christi for a family event. He stated the only way I could get a non electric vehicle was if I made a new reservation through them (Avis or Budget) or someone else. Because my rental was now last minute thanks to bait and switch (as it turns out, Payless, Budget, and Avis are all owned by the same company) I had to pay almost double what I would have paid if it was booked in advance, and double what I reserved for originally. Their prices were unbelievably low compared to the competitors, but I assumed since I was reserving through American that it must be legitimate. Apparently, I was very wrong. Do yourself a favor and avoid Payless car rentals.
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September 2025 by Armando Franco
Reserved a vehicle 2 weeks ago from them, when I booked our flight. Then to arrive this morning, and be told they do not have a vehicle available that I could return in 4 hours. Wth was the point of my reservation then. Very unprofessional and a inconvenience for me to show up late to my appointment due to there lack of incompetence
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April 2025 by Jonelle Schuler
Rented a car in Austin. While driving on the freeway the tire came off leaving us in a very dangerous area. We contacted them. It took over 45 minutes to even reach someone. They said they were sending a tow truck and it would be there working 30 minutes to an hour. Almost three hours later we are still stranded on the freeway waiting. No spare tire. These vehicles should undergo inspection. Insanely unsafe. Horrible service. Complete disregard and lack of communication. Absolutely disgraceful.
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April 2025 by Green Bull
There was absolutely no reason the line had to be so long, there incredible understaffed and extremely slow worst rental experience ever. Do better
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December 2024 by Al Barrero
Car was upgraded to an economy to Dodge Charger, smokin’ …..
for no reason at all. Cart was clean, dependable and did the job perfectly. Worth the savings
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November 2024 by Nathan Oulman
Terrible
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July 2024 by Lauren Elise Lipker
Truly, if I could give 0 stars I would! What a joke! We rented a car from Payless - first of all, no attendant at the desk. We then went down to Budget, which sent us to Avis for the Payless reservation. I repeatedly had to decline options, due to the fact that the desk agent would not take no for an answer. To my surprise when I reviewed the receipt (not really surprising, honestly) - I was charged for the toll pass for an extra $12.95 a day. I will come back to that in a second.
We went out to the car - first off, it was FILTHY on the outside...and it had dents all over it, and look like it had been sideswiped in a couple areas. Took a video, got everything packed up --- and headed out. Upon exiting the parking garage, also noticed the tank was only 75% full of gas. Again, not shocking.
I called Payless customer service two hours later when I got to my hotel to notify that the tank wasn't full and to take the toll pass off my bill.
1st call -- for 11 minutes to notify of 3/4 gas tank full & non-approval of toll pass. Sent me to “ TX toll number”
2nd call -- for 2 minutes - called toll number and they explained I’d have to call back customer service, they are not affiliated with the rental service
3rd call -- for 14 minutes to notify of 3/4 gas tank full & non-approval of toll pass. Put a note on my file and stated I would need to call after returning vehicle.
Seriously spent 45 minutes of my time trying to right my issues - got sent on a wild goose chase for nothing.
Returned vehicle, with a full tank, on the expected day and the individual checked our car and said we were good to go. This car DEFINITELY had issues - as we went through 2.5 tanks of gas (25 gallons per tank) in five days and drove 300 miles --- the car also sounded like it was about to fall apart.
The next day, called to dispute toll. This was the easiest part of the experience, but still a pain to have to do it when I refused it to begin with. I made no mention of the gas tank not being full. Let it go. Got reimbursed for the toll.
To my surprise, I got an email a week later saying that the car had been returned with “excessive soilage” with bill for $125. ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! I'm sorry - I have never had an issue with cleanliness of anything, let alone property that wasn't mine.
I called the customer service number on the email and had a 15 minutes conversation to dispute excessive soilage. Individual sent me pictures and it is LIGHT pebbles on the floor mat of the drive side and passenger side floor mats. Literally about 10 pieces of sand. NOT KIDDING. There was no trash, no debris, nothing...other than 10 pebbles. There was nothing the agent would do for me; I asked to speak with a supervisor. She explained she would call me the following day. I never received a call - shocker. I have disputed it with my credit card.
Mind you, the car was FILTHY when we received it. So apparently they’ll charge me and clean it for the next person, but it was totally fine to give it to me dirty and missing 1/4 tank of gas. But my light pebbles were an issue. Even in their report, the severity said minimal.
DO NOT RENT FROM AVIS, BUDGET or PAYLESS - you will indeed pay more. I should have known. My brother-in-law actually made that comment when he asked where I rented; I should have listened.
