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Our experience with Budget Car Rental, St. Thomas (LONG)
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Tracy in WI
- Posts: 1624
- Joined: Tue Aug 08, 2006 8:39 am
- Location: Wisconsin
Our experience with Budget Car Rental, St. Thomas (LONG)
We just got back and my trip report is coming shortly but here is a quick (long) note about our Budget experience.....
We have rented with Dependable on St. Thomas in the past and have taken the vehicles to St. John on the car ferry without any problems. This trip, we thought we would try something different. The online rates at Budget seemed lower and the fact that Budget is at the airport vs. a short drive away swayed us into trying them. Lets just say, this will be our last time renting with Budget on St. Thomas.
We booked online with a rate of $389.99 not including taxes and fees. We indicated a 2:00 arrival time and actually landed on St. Thomas at about that time. We went to the baggage claim area and saw a line about 5- 6 deep at the Budget counter and got in at the end. We heard some rumblings from the people in front of us and were then told that there weren’t any cars available at that time and that we would all need to wait until previously rented vehicles were returned. How long would this take? They had no idea. We looked to the car rental counters on either side of us and both had signs indicating that no cars were available. We called Dependable to see what their situation was and they also were totally booked. So, we had to sit and wait.
We ended up with about 20 people behind us, all with reservations in hand listing arrival times. When we finally reached the front of the line (about an hour later) we could hear the rental agents talking amongst themselves and saying that there was no way they would have enough vehicles for everyone in the line. They did not, however, tell the customers that.
We were finally able to secure our vehicle but we were very surprised at the rental rate which ended up being $556 for a 2 door Jeep Wrangler. This is $167 higher than the published rate (which did not include taxes/fees). It did include gas for the week at $2.55 per gallon – we did not have an option to decline this. Gas on both islands was closer to $2.65, but we only used ¾ of a tank and no refunds on unused gas were given.
When we finally got to the parking lot, we were very surprised to learn that our 2 door Jeep Wrangler had no back or side windows beside the front two. All the unzippable windows had been removed. So, even as unsecure as they may be, we were totally left with an open Jeep and no option to close it. This was never disclosed online or at the counter. At this point, we were just grateful to have a vehicle and to start our vacation.
We know that many people have had positive experiences with Budget and we can appreciate that. We, however, have rented our last vehicle from them. Needless to say, we had a great week on St. John despite any lingering irritation about our Jeep!
<table><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/Gw ... site"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_Xg75HwDwOEU/SasGr ... r><td>From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/gofishtlp/U ... ">Untitled Album</a></td></tr></table>
(Largest Fleet in the US Virgin Islands.....)
<table><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/mg ... site"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_Xg75HwDwOEU/SasGt ... r><td>From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/gofishtlp/U ... ">Untitled Album</a></td></tr></table>
(Thank Goodness for the Bar!!)
We have rented with Dependable on St. Thomas in the past and have taken the vehicles to St. John on the car ferry without any problems. This trip, we thought we would try something different. The online rates at Budget seemed lower and the fact that Budget is at the airport vs. a short drive away swayed us into trying them. Lets just say, this will be our last time renting with Budget on St. Thomas.
We booked online with a rate of $389.99 not including taxes and fees. We indicated a 2:00 arrival time and actually landed on St. Thomas at about that time. We went to the baggage claim area and saw a line about 5- 6 deep at the Budget counter and got in at the end. We heard some rumblings from the people in front of us and were then told that there weren’t any cars available at that time and that we would all need to wait until previously rented vehicles were returned. How long would this take? They had no idea. We looked to the car rental counters on either side of us and both had signs indicating that no cars were available. We called Dependable to see what their situation was and they also were totally booked. So, we had to sit and wait.
We ended up with about 20 people behind us, all with reservations in hand listing arrival times. When we finally reached the front of the line (about an hour later) we could hear the rental agents talking amongst themselves and saying that there was no way they would have enough vehicles for everyone in the line. They did not, however, tell the customers that.
We were finally able to secure our vehicle but we were very surprised at the rental rate which ended up being $556 for a 2 door Jeep Wrangler. This is $167 higher than the published rate (which did not include taxes/fees). It did include gas for the week at $2.55 per gallon – we did not have an option to decline this. Gas on both islands was closer to $2.65, but we only used ¾ of a tank and no refunds on unused gas were given.
When we finally got to the parking lot, we were very surprised to learn that our 2 door Jeep Wrangler had no back or side windows beside the front two. All the unzippable windows had been removed. So, even as unsecure as they may be, we were totally left with an open Jeep and no option to close it. This was never disclosed online or at the counter. At this point, we were just grateful to have a vehicle and to start our vacation.
We know that many people have had positive experiences with Budget and we can appreciate that. We, however, have rented our last vehicle from them. Needless to say, we had a great week on St. John despite any lingering irritation about our Jeep!
<table><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/Gw ... site"><img src="http://lh6.ggpht.com/_Xg75HwDwOEU/SasGr ... r><td>From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/gofishtlp/U ... ">Untitled Album</a></td></tr></table>
(Largest Fleet in the US Virgin Islands.....)
<table><tr><td><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/mg ... site"><img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_Xg75HwDwOEU/SasGt ... r><td>From <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/gofishtlp/U ... ">Untitled Album</a></td></tr></table>
(Thank Goodness for the Bar!!)
Tracy, Seaside Properties at Grande Bay
I don't think it should matter if she rented a liberty or a hard top. She said the unzippable windows in the Wrangler they gave her were removed, resulting in an open jeep. Forget thieves--anyone stupid enough to leave valuables in their car is...well...but what if it was raining? I would be unhappy with rain coming in the sides of my uncloseable jeep!
Plus, the rate she ended up paying is basically the St. John rate for a hard top wrangler, so she had no real savings to compensate for her inconvenience, especially when you factor in the car barge fees.
Plus, the rate she ended up paying is basically the St. John rate for a hard top wrangler, so she had no real savings to compensate for her inconvenience, especially when you factor in the car barge fees.
It's like looking in your soup and finding a whole different alphabet.
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Marcia (Mrs. Pete)
- Posts: 1576
- Joined: Mon Aug 07, 2006 9:40 pm
- Location: Madison Area, Wisconsin
Ugh, Tracy! Not a fun experience. As much more as it might be to rent on STJ, it seems so worth it. We used Dependable when we stayed on STT and they were great (and the next year when we went to STJ) so I can sing their praises along with your previous experiences. Budget, we've never used.
No matter...you are home now and we want a full trip report.
Welcome home.
No matter...you are home now and we want a full trip report.
Welcome home.
Marcia (Mrs. Pete)
Missing St. John. As always.
Missing St. John. As always.
I stopped renting from Budget too. Their service sucks.
There use to be an agent at the desk there that was the rudest person that I have ever met in my life. Daughter actually left crying she was so upset.
This is a franchise Budget operation and Budget Corporation could care less about the service that you get.
I will never rent from them again.
There use to be an agent at the desk there that was the rudest person that I have ever met in my life. Daughter actually left crying she was so upset.
This is a franchise Budget operation and Budget Corporation could care less about the service that you get.
I will never rent from them again.
"Paradise...it's a state of mine"
For the first time ever this time we rented from Dependable instead of Budget; their quote for a van was higher than Budget, but I liked the conversation when I called; call it a hunch or whatever.
We've rented from Budget about 8 times, only one issue (van promised but no such vehicle, ended up with two cars - maybe it was a premonition, not a hunch!)
While Budget is more convenient, Dependable pickup was prompt and friendly.
We'll use them again.
And BTW it was great to meet Tracy from WI at Waterlemon...(!)
We've rented from Budget about 8 times, only one issue (van promised but no such vehicle, ended up with two cars - maybe it was a premonition, not a hunch!)
While Budget is more convenient, Dependable pickup was prompt and friendly.
We'll use them again.
And BTW it was great to meet Tracy from WI at Waterlemon...(!)
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Robin in NC
- Posts: 332
- Joined: Mon Aug 07, 2006 7:19 pm
- Location: Kernersville, NC
Robbin, you can take Dependable, Thrifty, and Budget cars from STT to STJ. I think Avis also allows it, but I'm not positive. (They're usually significantly more expensive, anyway.) We rented from Thrifty in 2006, and had a good experience, but switched to Dependable last year and liked them a lot. We're using them again this year.
By the way, how'd you get saddled with that extra "B"?
Robin
By the way, how'd you get saddled with that extra "B"?
Robin
Tracy, I'm sorry to hear about your bad experience with Budget, not a good way to start a fabulous vacation. We on the other hand have never had a bad experience with budget and we have rented from them 5 times. Last time they gave us a jeep commander instead of a jeep liberty at the liberty price. When we left the island, I was very late, so I just tossed the keys to the woman behind the counter and said to just send the bill and lo and behold, not one cent over...(here is where I start knocking on wood..lol) Not defending them, but, luckily have not had a bad experience with them. I guess timing is everything when it is island time.
