1. Welcome to VegasMessageBoard
    It appears you are visiting our community as a guest.
    In order to view full-size images, participate in discussions, vote in polls, etc, you will need to Log in or Register.

Latest On Payless Car Rental

Discussion in 'Getting There & Getting Around' started by Jimbucc, Jan 25, 2014.

Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
  1. Jimbucc

    Jimbucc VIP Whale

    Joined:
    Apr 1, 2003
    Messages:
    2,712
    Location:
    Cleveland, Ohio
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    62
    Just got back from Vegas and I used Payless. I am not a stranger to Payless and know all of their tricks. I paid $68 total from Sunday to Thursday. Nobody else could come close to that rate. The hard sell on the insurance is mainly that you have to pay for every day the car is out of service being repaired. Your private insurance won't pay for that. I tell them that my credit card pays for anything my insurance won't cover. They say it won't be covered.

    The bottom line is they try to scare the shit out of you. You are on vacation and don't want this hanging over your head. I have heard that if no other cars are available for rent in their fleet, then you have to pay for loss of time if the car is being repaired. We really don't know how it would play out until we get into an accident. Is the $25 a day for insurance worth the peace of mind? It would cost me more for the insurance than to rent the car. Do I want the hassle of filing claims with my insurance company and credit card company? If I rent a car 4 or 5 times a year it will cost me 4 or 5 hundred bucks. I have a $250 deductible. Are you going to have a few drinks and drive? All of this has to come into play.

    This time around I didn't get the insurance, and turned the car in accident free. Occasionally I do get the coverage because driving in Vegas can be brutal.

    The other thing you have to watch for is they now like to tack on a Road Assistance fee of $5 a day. It covers if you lock keys in the car or lose the keys and flat tires. They have a $75 charge for a flat tire. They say it's mandatory, but I told them it's an option and I don't want it. They redo the contract and take it off. By the time the smoke clears and I get the contract for the correct price, I walk away feeling naked. I have no coverage and I have to drive like a Saint. You get the idea.

    The good news is they now have a preferred customer program. This is not the same as the Perks Club. I qualified for this and should receive something in the mail or e-mail which will let me bypass the counter. The sign was posted at the entrance which stated preferred customers go right down stairs for your car. This will be a good thing.
     
  2. makikiboy

    makikiboy VIP Whale

    Joined:
    Oct 5, 2007
    Messages:
    6,752
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    35
    Be aware that this out of service thing is a possibility at some of the other rental agencies. Many of the national chains will not charge you if you are in an accident but a dollar clerk once mentioned (to get me to purchase the additional insurance) that dollar can also charge you for the loss of revenue if a car is out of service.


    As I mentioned before, before you sign the contract and pay the bill, if the bill doesn't come out to what you were quoted when you made your reservation then go over every charge with a fine tooth comb, they usually will try to tack on unneeded charges that should be removed when you tell them. They will try to give you the mandatory charge BS but you can either ask for a manager (they will probably say that no manager is present or they are the manager) or have your cc company remove the bogus charge later.

    Unfortunately while they have some of the lowest rates in vegas you may have to put up with some of their tactics to get your rental.
     
  3. bubbakitty

    bubbakitty Doing retirement again and happily so....

    Joined:
    Feb 17, 2003
    Messages:
    14,899
    Location:
    Texas
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    65
    I have found if you relax and play "the game" with car rental agencies, it is much more fun; at least for your side. One of the things I used to do is take a selfie with me and the counterperson....."I just like to document whom I am being serviced by for later reference......someone might ask me for a recommendation."

    You can do audio recording with your phone (for a limited amount of time) and it is helpful to say things like "Well certainly if you show me the documentation reflecting all cars are rented out and I am costing the company money by having the automobile out of service, I would be obligated to make resititution." They say absolutely sir, and then you hit stop; it goes "bing" and you replay it.

    This all started and grew from taking photos of "damage" to vehicles rented when the person (and subsequent counter persons gave the hard sell) going over the car with you kept saying, "we know about that already, don't worry" and I didn't believe it. They quickly circled the area of the vehicle on the check-sheet.

    However, when in a hurry / not looking to go through the document hassle; and able to rent over the weekend--Friday - Monday I use Enterprise as it is 40$ and change for a compact and we don't use it for touring, just numerous short trips here and there as a convenience. And they are fairly mellow about it all.
     
  4. tvon

    tvon VIP Whale

    Joined:
    Jan 14, 2004
    Messages:
    1,756
    Location:
    Boston, Ma
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    15
    For me that isnt worth it, but more mainstream rental Co's are getting into the "Scaring the shit out of you" game.
     
  5. smartone

    smartone VIP Whale

    Joined:
    Jul 17, 2011
    Messages:
    9,889
    Location:
    Northern Nevada
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    248
    Classic... I love it!!! :nworthy:
     
  6. zamboni

    zamboni VIP Whale

    Joined:
    Mar 31, 2012
    Messages:
    2,078
    Location:
    Minnesota
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    8
    Time out of fleet is used by pretty much every company, basically you are renting the car while it is in the shop. Ask your credit card and insurance companies before you go.

    I am appalled that they charge a roadside assistance fee. That is ridiculous. Shit happens. How is a flat tire your fault? I will never use Payless because of that right there.
     
  7. paperposter

    paperposter MIA

    Joined:
    Jul 23, 2011
    Messages:
    6,600
    Location:
    everywhere
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    999
    i warned about that in another posted ,they will waive it but you must tell them to. i have aaa .
     
  8. Iu25

    Iu25 High-Roller

    Joined:
    Jan 18, 2012
    Messages:
    820
    Location:
    Indiana
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    10
    And that right there is why I dont use Payless! I will pay the extra $12-$15 a day with Dollar or similar so I dont have to start my trip off being pissed off! It seems its almost impossible to get to your hotel from the airport without arguing with a rental clerk or cab driver these days!
     
  9. Piggylane

    Piggylane Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Nov 26, 2013
    Messages:
    679
    Location:
    Quabbin Reservoir, MA
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    159
    I rented a car 37 weeks last year, all from Avis as I am on expenses and on business travel. Seven of those weeks were in Las Vegas. As soon as I get to my car, if I like it, I put my bags inside, turn on the iPhone and walk around it, taking a video, documenting every scratch and ding. Only the tools at the Avis counter in Fairbanks tried to whack me with a cracked windshield $200 charge once. I offered to send them the video. They shut up.

    Decline all coverage. More than likely your credit card, car insurance and homeowners insurance will cover everything. If you fret about this, don't rent from the discount places, they make more money up selling you on insurance than they do on renting you the car.

    Never had a car accident in Vegas! Nor anywhere else for that matter! Been driving 42 years now. No speeding tickets or moving violations either! Pretty sure I got nailed by photo radar in the Netherlands but the rental car company never came after me!
     
  10. VegasGroove

    VegasGroove VIP Whale

    Joined:
    Jul 27, 2009
    Messages:
    3,311
    Location:
    3h 45m Away
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    60
    I wrote about this in my July 2013 trip report: I rent from Dollar exclusively. Came out of the hotel one morning, the driver sideview mirror of my rental was shattered - pure vandalism job. I immediately returned it to Dollar to swap for another vehicle. The Dollar guy looked at it like it wasn't a big deal, but said I should hear something from them about cost.

    Never heard a word.

    This is one reason I always deal with reputable companies. I imagine if that had happened with Payless or somesuch company, it would have been a much different outcome.
     
Tags:
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.