Budget Car Rental--Disreputable Business Practices

mkunst

SBH Insider
Heads up to all. I booked two cars (a convertible and a van) last week through the Budget Car Rental website for a reasonable price for this New Years holiday. The local Budget office on the island today cancelled both bookings and will not allow re-bookings because they are "sold out" (which, of course, is complete BS). I am sure they just do not want to honor the rate. I won't do business with them again and I recommend that others steer clear of them also. Clearly, not ethical business people. They did not not even contact me to tell they were cancelled. I received notice via email from Budget HQ that one was cancelled. (Although, at first they tried to claim that I had cancelled it. But after speaking with a supervisor he confirmed that it was the local St Barths affiliate who had cancelled it. I found out at that time the other one was cancelled too, but I had to ask.
 
Sorry to hear about the cancellation, but you should be happy you got notice of this in April rather than December. Now you have time to shop around and get other cars. Expect to pay through the nose for them during that very busy time.
 
We second the Gumbs recommendation. Odile is wonderful and aims to please...not to mention offering excellent rates.
 
I think the real lesson for Newbies is don't book a car through a major rental car chain website as it rarely works out as advertised. We have a number reputable, family-owned business that our seasoned members use all of whom stand behind their quotes and give great service.
 
Heads up to all. I booked two cars (a convertible and a van) last week through the Budget Car Rental website for a reasonable price for this New Years holiday. The local Budget office on the island today cancelled both bookings and will not allow re-bookings because they are "sold out" (which, of course, is complete BS). I am sure they just do not want to honor the rate. I won't do business with them again and I recommend that others steer clear of them also. Clearly, not ethical business people. They did not not even contact me to tell they were cancelled. I received notice via email from Budget HQ that one was cancelled. (Although, at first they tried to claim that I had cancelled it. But after speaking with a supervisor he confirmed that it was the local St Barths affiliate who had cancelled it. I found out at that time the other one was cancelled too, but I had to ask.

exact same thing happened to us...back in February i booked a convertible online for next NYE at a very good rate...last thursday i received an e-mail from Budget "confirming" my reservation was cancelled....i immediately called Budget and was told that the reservation was cancelled that morning using the "self-service" option on their website, implying i had done it myself....i explained to them i had not even been on their website that day, and had no intention of canceling....they said there was nothing they can do

interesting you were able to get them to admit it was done by the SBH office, as i had assumed that's who had actually done it
 
I think the real lesson for Newbies is don't book a car through a major rental car chain website as it rarely works out as advertised. We have a number reputable, family-owned business that our seasoned members use all of whom stand behind their quotes and give great service.

:up::up:
 
The key is not to avoid "international" car rental companies but to avoid their "international" booking websites. It is better to book directly through their local agents and negotiate a local rate. All big brands (Budget, Hertz, Avis, ....) are represented by island locals. Just obtain their email address / phone number ON THE ISLAND and you'll be fine.
 
Odile is not responding.

My problem is I will only be vacationing for 7 days (wife's a schoolteacher and needs to get back to work) and everyone local wants to charge me at least 10 days minimum because of the holiday period. The websites will give me a 7 day rate. I hope it is honored. I'd really to get someone local to break down and give up on the 10 day minimum. I can't even get Kalu (can't recreate his umlatt) at Top-Loc to give me a break on the 10 day minimum for the ancient Jeep Wrangler he rented us last year at Easter for a bargain rate. I suppose everything will work out.

The key is not to avoid "international" car rental companies but to avoid their "international" booking websites. It is better to book directly through their local agents and negotiate a local rate. All big brands (Budget, Hertz, Avis, ....) are represented by island locals. Just obtain their email address / phone number ON THE ISLAND and you'll be fine.
 
I think the real lesson for Newbies is don't book a car through a major rental car chain website as it rarely works out as advertised. We have a number reputable, family-owned business that our seasoned members use all of whom stand behind their quotes and give great service.

If it is true that it "rarely works out as advertised", then SBH is the exception (this is simply does not happen in the vast majority of the "first world"). And it is then the "locals" who do not honor the contracts with their affiliated rental agencies and derivatively their renters. If the locals sign up to be budget, hertz or whatever franchisees, then they should honor the quotes in both busy times and slow or not participate in the websites. Jacking up the price or whatever happens when the guest arrives after a long day of travel is rude by anyone's measure. No better than the highway patrol in Mexico--with whom I have had some experience, but that at some level is almost expected there. If I get heldup at the counter when I arrive at SBH, then I guess I will pay and pay as I do in Mexico. I wouldn't expect that type of stuff at SBH, but you learn something new every day.

That being said, I am still trying Odile again.
 
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The minimum 10 day rental rule during the New Year holiday has been in St Barths for as long as I can remember (that's at least 22 years now). Same rule applies to most hotels and villa rentals (for some it's even 2 weeks).

You might not like it (and I don't particularly like it either) but it's simply based on supply & demand.

Again, I would secure a reservation through a local agent directly, not an international website.
 
As a wrap up to my travails in finding a rental car for the week after Christmas, Odile at Gumbs let me know he was "sold out", but I received a response to my email directly to Thrifty at SBH. (It is apparently Henry's Car Rental--I assume they are ok.) They said they would honor my very favorable quote from the reservation I made months ago on the Thrifty website, but I had to prepay and the prepayment was essentially non-refundable. I am going to go ahead and prepay and hope for the best! Thanks for all of the input and help on this.
 
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