CAR RENTAL REVIEWS ON AVIS IN SAN FRANCISCO

Excellent

We rented cars from this company for three separate legs of our self-driving trip in the USA. We chose this big company for its reputation, and everything went smoothly.

I was initially greeted by an Asian guy who seemed to be in a bad mood that day and was very rude, so I complained and got someone else who was okay. Everything else was great - the process was simple, no upselling, the car was in good condition, and both picking up and dropping off the car were very convenient.

Very convenient.

Spent a long time finding the car; the handwriting was really difficult to read. Will make sure to ask clearly next time.

No Chinese service. They told us there were no cars available and asked us to upgrade for an additional fee. We had originally booked a Ford Edge for four people but were told there were no cars available upon arrival. They didn't even let us check the garage and demanded $530 more to upgrade to a Ford Explorer. Being unfamiliar with the area, we had no choice but to pay. Please, help us get this fee refunded.

Very simple process

No Chinese service encountered. Pick-up time was one day earlier than scheduled (damn time difference), so an extra day's fee was added. The rental car had no power the next day and required a call for assistance.

Although it’s the most expensive, it’s worth it!

The service attitude of the sales staff and manager when picking up the car was extremely poor! They probably saw my Chinese face and assumed I wouldn't upgrade my insurance. They deliberately suggested my reserved model was unavailable and offered a downgrade instead of an upgrade. In fact, they had my reserved EDGE ready. After expressing my strong dissatisfaction, they still had an arrogant attitude, saying their store handles thousands of cars daily and can't meet all order requests. If I didn't agree to the downgrade, I would have to wait for a returned vehicle. Another sales representative found an excuse to get the car after seeing my anger. When I picked up the car, I noticed many different models in the parking lot. It felt very much like customer discrimination. It was an infuriating experience, especially since the flight was delayed, making it past 11 PM, and I had to argue at the counter. Although it's rare to see such outbursts abroad, not fighting for your due benefits means you'll get nothing. On a positive note, the vehicle itself was very satisfying, with great power and handling.

Although people abroad might not care about car brands as much as Chinese do, we were joyful to book a Ford Edge, only to be informed upon arrival that we were given a Mitsubishi instead. After some negotiation, we finally got a Dodge, which somewhat impacted the overall experience. I think if we can select a Ford Edge during booking, why can't they reserve it in advance? If it's already booked, we should be notified ahead so we can choose something else. We booked in advance, but due to the car rental company's fault, we didn't get the planned vehicle. They didn't provide us with a car of equal value, but one that was much cheaper, which was really unsatisfactory.

Large company, no mandatory charges, easy pick-up and drop-off procedures.

Renting a car is easy, the vehicle was as specified, in good condition, and the service was excellent. They offered roadside assistance. Returning the car was smooth.

Convenient and fast, good quality cars that are relatively new, and the car use instructions were explained patiently. However, it is still advised to adapt to the car a bit before hitting the road.

AVIS is the worst car rental company I have ever used, without exception. When we arrived at the store, we were told there were no cars of the same model available in the entire San Francisco area, only worse models. If we wanted the same model, we had to go to Auckland Airport to pick it up. Once we got to Auckland Airport, we were told the car was broken and needed repairs. The rental company staff were very unhelpful. In the end, we got the car over 4 hours late.

Service attitude, waiting time, and vehicle condition need to be addressed separately: Our flight arrived at 10 PM local time, and we got to the rental office around 11 PM. Many rental companies are located on the same floor, and some had no staff at their counters. AVIS had the longest line, which we didn’t expect. After waiting for half an hour, it was our turn. The procedure was normal. The clerk asked if we needed an SUV and how many people and luggage we had, then gave us a Jeep Cherokee. I asked if it was the Grand Cherokee, and he said yes. When we went to pick up the car, we realized the model was much smaller than what we booked. We called the rental company several times but they needed time to process it. Eventually, we went back to the counter, by then the male clerk had gone off duty and we were helped by a female clerk. She admitted we were given a downgraded car and offered a full tank of gas as compensation, which didn't matter much as gas is cheap in the US. We asked for the price difference, and she printed out the receipt showing a difference of $220. It was clear we were downgraded without any notice. After confirming the downgraded price, we took the car since they didn't have the same class available. This whole process took us a long time and we got to our hotel very late, making this experience very unpleasant.

I didn't have a good experience with AVIS. The staff seemed to take advantage of customers whose English wasn’t very good. After waiting in line for over an hour, the attendant said he needed to find the car. About 15 to 20 minutes later, he returned and asked how many people and how much luggage I had. I told him the truth and he said he would get me a bigger car. I asked if the upgrade was free, and he nodded. When handling the paperwork, I had some questions about toll fees, so I asked for a Chinese-speaking representative. I also asked her about the upgrade, and she said it wasn’t free; it would cost $17 more per day. I immediately requested no upgrade. The initial male attendant pretended to confirm this and then told me that my reserved car was unavailable and that he had to give me an upgrade, which would cost a total of $14 for 11 days. Since we had already waited a long time and my elderly companions were very tired, I agreed. Later, I found out the Ford Flex they gave me was actually less spacious than the Chrysler Town and Country MPV I originally booked. In summary, it felt like a scam.

You need to wait in a long queue to pick up the car

Reputable company.

Convenient pick-up and drop-off