DeBee1015's World: 09/06/09

9/11/09

Things that rock

Posted by Unknown at 9/11/2009 12:44:00 PM Labels: 9/11, AVIS, Billy Joel, Jon Bon Jovi, Portland OR, Richie Sambora, Southwest Airlines

In late July I went on vacation, and I rented a car through AVIS as I received this awesome deal through Southwest Airlines (like 50% off the rental price my weeks rental estimate was only $250). When I got to my destination of Portland, OR and went to the AVIS counter they didn't have anything in the car class that I ordered (intermediate which was a Pontiac G6), I was offered instead a Toyota Corolla or a Toyota Camry.

I am tall and I do not comfortably fit in the Camry (I almost bought one in January, but when the door was right next to my shoulder I felt like a sardine, without the juices), and my knees butt up against the dashboard in the Corolla. I didn't feel either of these cars were in the class of the car I rented, but dude behind the counter said they were. He then offered to rent us a Trailblazer for $20 a day extra, since that was the next size up that he had available (Although everyone around us was getting Chevy HHR's for some reason). We were never got offered a free upgrade. It was, you have to pay for anything larger than what we can offer you, but there was not refund for a smaller size car either. I also had the person tack on an extra driver charger and I prepaid for gas (since gas stations are rare in Oregon compared to the urban sprawl of mini marts & convenience stores in Florida). This was going to be an estimate of $650, well more than I had budgeted for the rental.

I took the Trailblazer, and we headed off. We came back to Portland dropped the car off. I never received a receipt from the person I returned the car to. This struck me as strange. Then when I did get home the next day I check my credit card and I have a charge from AVIS for $750 on my card.

WTF?

I called AVIS customer service and the guy asked me, did I have the $650 estimate in front of me. Yes I did, with my signatures. I also told him how they offered me these smaller cars but never once offered me anything larger at the same rate. He said he was going to look into it and call me back.

So I let it go for a few weeks. I called them back on Wednesday since I hadn't heard anything. The girl on the phone reads me the notes, they called the AVIS in Portland and requested a signed copy of the contract. The AVIS said they would get it to them. A week went by, another rep called to follow up, and was hung up on. The girl I spoke to calls them, she's on hold for 5 minutes. She comes back tells me she's going to call me back within 10 minutes, but it will be resolved today. She calls the AVIS counter at PDX requesting a copy of the contract. They hang up on her. She calls the AVIS city manager in Portland requesting the documents, the city manager hangs up on her. She goes to her manager. The manager refunds me the difference between what they charged me and what I reserved (the gas and extra driver charges were included). So I'm getting about $300 back. YEAH! So AVIS customer service is good, but its after the fact so it's a wash.

Speaking of things that rock, Bon Jovi's Richie Sambora: what The Beatles mean to me: "Picking a favorite record? Impossible. If it's a desert island where I can only have one Beatles record, then I refuse to go to that island."

I so want The Beatles Rock Band, but given my current state of unemployment, I'll wait a few months.

Some Links:

List of 9/11/2001 Victims Never forget them

Billy Joel - Miami 2017 (Seen the lights go out on Broadway)

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