We'll be flying into Tampa in May and will need to rent a car. On Travelocity, we found a quote for Payless that was lower than other companies. Phone calls to the major companies confirmed the price differentials. However, given the negative experiences people have posted about Alamo on this site, we're somewhat reluctant to go with an unknown such as Payless. Has anybody had experiences with Payless that they can share? Experiences with Payless in Tampa all the more helpful.

Hi Lisa,

We flew to Tampa in December and used Payless. We also found a great deal (in comparison to other companies) on Travelocity, and we too had concerns. But - our concerns turned out to be for naught. When we got into Tampa, we called Payless on a courtesy phone, and within 10 minutes or less, there was a shuttle to pick us up. We were upgraded to the next size car without asking (for same price), and best of all, when we returned, we needed a ride the hotel we were staying in near the airport, and the manager offered to give us a ride so we wouldn't have to take a taxi, AND he carried all 6 of our bags upstairs to our room - all this out of sheer friendliness!! We had a great experience with them, but it's only one experience. Perhaps others will reply. I would use them again for sure. It's such a toss up, you can rent a car from a supposed "top notch" company, and still have a horrid experience.... so in some sense it's just chance.

Thank you so much for that info Lisa B. On the phone with Payless, we had the sense that they were a new company trying to make a good impression and your experience certainly supports that notion. I would be interested in any other experiences people have had.

I used Payless in Tampa last year because I couldn't get a car via Hertz, Avis or even Thrifty. They were fine...no problems or complaints. Much better than Dollar or Alamo, in my opinion!

Thanks for the info. Based on Lisa and John's positive experiences (and the lack of negative experiences), we've gone ahead and booked with Payless in Tampa. When we booked, they automatically gave us a free upgrade (again, without us asking). I'll post with our experiences in May.

I rented a car in Phoenix from Payless. It was fine - I wouldn't hesitate to rent from them again.