A question about Budget Rental Car on STT

[DiverDrew]

Thanks to help from people on this board I've decided to rent a Durango from Budget in STT to make it easier to get 4 adults/2 infants/luggage over to STJ next May vs. doing the taxi/ferry thing and renting on STJ.

Has anyone rented from Budget in STT? If so, did you go through the St. Thomas office Budget on-line site or the Budget on-line site for rentals everywhere?

I submitted a rental request through the St. Thomas site and it's been two weeks and I haven't had a reply.

I can get a rate on the main Budget site, but am concerned that there's no where that says I can take the vehicle to STJ.

Any perspective from folks who've rented from Budget.

Thanks!

[bobcside]

Used the regular Budget rental on line site and STT for location. Instant response and no problem. Pick up location rules apply and last I used Budget no problem going to STJ. I always book the car on line and have never had a problem with Budget or Avis, as far as taking the car over goes.

[LandLockedBeachLover]

Ditto about ordering on-line through the Budget corporate website. However, I will say I had a confirmation for a Jeep and re-confirmed this twice with corporate. When we arrived last month at STT, low and behold, there was no Jeep available. Not sure what can be done about this....perhaps calling STT directly beforehand to confirm?

[AnyTing]

I always use the www.budgetstt.com website. You don't get a confirmation. I generally call their STT number the week before arrival to double check. They have always had my reservation, no problems.

[USVISuzyQ]

I always use the budgetstt site. Confirmation number is hour phone number. If you go directly to their counter at the airport you may luck out and be first in line. Pick up/drop off at airport, very convenient and no problem. I shop at Cost-U-Less and the Food Center to provision. IMHO, Budget is more convenient for shopping in STT and more important, no luggage schlepping!

Sue

[Robin in NC]

Just out of curiosity, have you checked out Dependable Car Rental on STT? I've reserved through them for my next trip, the prices were lower than either Budget or Thrifty, and Budget's service reputation is notoriously uneven. Worth a look, anyway.

Robin

[RD]

Drew - I've used Budget each of the last two years by reserving through the main Budget web site, picked up at the airport and everything has gone perfectly. I used Budget BECAUSE their regulations allow the vehicle be taken via ferry to STJ (but no other islands).

I had a discount coupon for Avis which was pushing me toward using them last year until I saw the fine print that said "taking the vehicle off the island subjected the renter to a $1000 penalty."

Hope that helps.

[hawksnestbay]

Dependable does not offer Durango.

Keep in mind that there are things that you will put up with in the Islands that you would never put up with at home. Budget STT is no exception.

February 2005 and Xmas 2005 I had confirmed resv. thru Budget.com. In fact they even offered a place to confirm the rental on line. And then 2 weeks before the Xmas visit I called STT and confirmed the reservation.
In spite of the facts above, plus my flights were on time, I was told there were no Durangos.
In February I was able to wait out the unhelpful counter staff and get a durango, but at Xmas, in spite of my best "Good afternoons" and "please" and "thank yous", I ended up with a Jeep Liberty which seats 5, instead of the 7 people in my party.
From then on, I have rented the Durango on STT without incident, but I hold my breath every time I get to the counter.

[DiverDrew]

I talked to Dependable. They were going to be buying their cars for 2008 in August and weren't sure what models they were going to get.

All I can say is that if I show up at the Budget counter and they don't have my reserved Durango, they'll have to do better than a Jeep Liberty because there's no way it will fit the 6 of us plus luggage.

I'm an optomist so I won't worry about it until I have to.

Thanks for all the input. I think I inadvertantly reserved 2 Durangos, one through the budget STT site (I didn't know that was a reservation as it did not provide a price or email confirm) and once through the national budget site (got a price and email confirm).

[Bob & Anita]

Just out of curiosity, have you checked out Dependable Car Rental on STT? I've reserved through them for my next trip, the prices were lower than either Budget or Thrifty, and Budget's service reputation is notoriously uneven. Worth a look, anyway.

Robin

As a side note, I've heard that since Dependable is not located in the airport you don't pay the airport tax, but you do with Budget and the others that are located there. We alway rent from Dependable, but never needed a FWD for any more then 4 people.