Thrifty Review Summary
Looking for ways to save money on car rentals? Try Thrifty Rental Cars, a company that seems to satisfy reviewers more often than not. Reviewers like the helpful customer service reps at Thrifty and they like the ease of booking their car rental online. The car return process with Thrifty is also fast and efficient. “They Made Renting as Painless as Possible”, is how one reviewer describes the Thrifty experience. But others have had issues with Thrifty, like one reviewer who says Thrifty is “Not as Good as They Once Were”. Some problems cited are maintenance of the vehicles- they sometimes have problems or are not as clean as they should be. These opinions make Thrifty Car Rental a fairly good but inconsistent Rental Car operation.
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Thrifty Comparison
Most HelpfulFavorable Review
We had arrived, courtesy of Southwest Airlines, at the first leg of our three week trip and now needed transportation on the ground. Thrifty Car Rental had an internet special on a weekly rental for a mini-van. Since there would be four and sometimes more of us on this trip with lots of luggage, a...
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Most HelpfulCritical Review
I'm not brand-loyal when it comes to renting a vehicle; I rent based on price and location. However, since I have rented from Thrifty several times, I am a Blue Chip member and utilize that service when renting a car from them.
My last Thrifty rental was out of the Albuquerque, New Mexico airport. ...
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Thrifty Ratings and Reviews
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I arrived early to the airport and the Thrifty counter person was perplexed what to do ... "we have you down for 8pm and we will have to charge you an extra day if you rent it now" It was 7pm. So I suggested that they change the return time back an hour so it would be only one day not two. "Oh, I guess we can do that" DUH.
Then, the next evening I brought back the car at 6:45pm...and waited 20 minutes for the person who checks in the car to get to me... thus 7:05... I noted that the bill...
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I'm to any car rental company, I was in a pinch and had to fly out to the funeral of my neice.When I punched in my flight number at thrifty unbeknownst to me it gave me the wrong time of landing. I landed at 2pm instead of 10am they said they had no car that i should have called even thought I just got off a 5+ hour trip o a plane fron Virginia to Washington state. When I finally told the lady give me back my ID and credit card that I still had 3hours to drive for a funeral the next day she found a car.Also this was at the end of October I"m sure it was at the peak of rental car season thats...
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I rented a van from thrifty in Durham NC, at 2804 Durham Chapel Hill Blvd., for one day. I spoke with the reps. there to let them know when I would return it and what the process was for dropping off the keys. They explained that they closed early on Saturday but to drop off the keys, sign the back of the form with mileage in, and place it in the drop box. We did exactly as we were instructed. However, they charged me for Friday to Saturday and From Saturday to Sunday. When I called the office on May 13, 2009, after discovering I was billed for two days, and spoke with the office manager there,...
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I travel frequently on business, and I have never seen a more slipshod operation as I did yesterday at RDU in Raleigh, NC. Forget the long wait for only two salesmen! The elderly man ahead of me was told he would have to take a 12-passenger van or PT Cruiser. He explained that he could not stoop low enough to get into the PT, nor did he wish to pay the gas for a 12-passenger van. They told him, as they told me when I asked why I was not getting the vehicle I had confirmed online, that "we guarantee the price, not the vehicle". Their terminal could not read my credit card (it was not declined,...
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So, the next day, when I needed to be working on client work in preparation for a meeting in Albuquerque, I called Thrifty. The person on the phone would give me a number that said to call on Monday... review »
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Thrifty Car Rental, Austin Bergstrom Airport.
Thrifty Car Rental agents cannot be trusted. DO NOT rely on them to tell you what is in the contract. READ IT carefully no matter how long it takes, and don't skip the fine print. Otherwise you risk being charged MUCH more than you thought you agreed to when you return the car. If that happens, you are SOL. The best they can offer is an apology because YOU misunderstood. WTH??? I does not matter that they mislead you or just outright lied at the time of rental. They added a "surcharge" and a "fuel fee" that I was specifically told would...
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NEVER RENT FROM THRIFTY CAR RENTAL!!!!!
I had reserved a Dodge Charger. I wanted to drive one because I was thinking of buying one. I was renting it for a week, so I could really see if I liked it.
When I got to Denver airport they didn't have a Charger. Agent was going to upgrade at no charge. When I got to the car it REAKED of cigarette smoke. Yard agent found a Dodge Charger ??? but it also smelled of cigarette smoke...just no so bad I thought there entire fleet was NON-SMOKING. TERRIBLE I was wrong. My 12-year old daughter coild not stand the stench. An entire...
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Thrifty is consistent
I've used Thrifty Car Rental in countless locations across the U.S. I have yet to have a "nightmare" experience, and have usually been more than happy.
Prices are good, Cars are clean
Thrifty generally has lower prices than many of the other rental companies (except Alamo, and sometimes National). The cars are clean and relatively ding-free.
Libby's Hot Tip: Always walk around your car and get the rental agent to note any damage before you depart the airport. That way, YOU won't be held responsible!
Frequent Flier Miles
Thrifty is tied in to at least one Frequent...
Should be called Shifty Car Rental not Thrifty!!
On a recent trip to San Fransisco in October of 2009 we rented a car from Thrifty Car Rental at the SFO Airport. The man who rented us the car told us that if we prepaid for the gas that if it was not empty when we brought it back that we would be refunded the difference for what gas was left in the car. As we had done the same with other car companies and it had worked out well and was honored, we went ahead and took his advice and prepaid for the gas.
When we received the car it had a bad odor. As if it had been sprayed with something to cover up...
