Have any of you had any recent experience with Payless Car Rental, specifically in Phoenix?

I have been pricing rental cars and Payless is considerably less than Hertz and Avis.
The price is so low that I am concerned that there is something here I don't know about.

I got the price directly from Payless and not from Expedia or Orbitz.

In a couple of other postings here I have read where Payless really leaned on the renter to buy the extra insurance. I have had similar "heavy handed" attempts to up the ante so to speak. I forget which company I used last time (Thrifty maybe?), but I was told all sorts of crap, like the Sonata I was going to get lacked power and I needed a Dodge Charger with a vah voom engine.

Nonsense! (or worse) The Sonata was fine all the way.

bob_brown:
I once rented at payless (Miami) for a co-worker, rate was outrageously low, it went smooth, only problem (not really) they were not at the airport it was close to it in the lobby of a hotel.
Hope this helps.
Gina

I've rented from Payless many times and found their cars to be reliable. I'm just disappointed that they have limited cities & locations. Being thick skinned, I'm not bothered by the clerks who try to tell you that you need this or that just to up the cost. Just do it & put the money you saved towards gas.

bob, would you please post on your experience if you use Payless? I am also considering using them in Phoenix at the airport in April.

When I checked Payless for Phoenix (after reading a recommendation here) I found them higher than Dollar. Maybe that's because I did the reservation almost two months beforehand. As the date approached, Dollar almost doubled to the point that all the others were charging all along.

I also liked Dollar since I joined their Express club for free, and when I got to the car rental "garage" area at Phoenix airport, I bypassed the lines (late at night, but really lined up at all the places) and went right to the garage where a man showed me my car with the keys and contract already in it and away we went.

My parents got screwed over in Phoenix. Apparently it is the biggest car rental rip off city in the world! There is something weird about mandatory insurance. They wouldn't let my parents leave without it.

Talk to your car insurance agent before you go and get the whole scoop about what your insurance covers and even get a copy of that section faxed to you to show the agents.

We used Payless in California and it was fine.

For what it's worth...I just called Payless to see if they had a fasttrack type club to join before I book with them. Unfortunately, they do not. I, too, like to head directly to the garage to bypass the lines and be on my way (especially in Las Vegas). So, I'll just pay a little extra for this sevice.

I think you earn the low price for Payless. We rented for a week last March in Phoenix. It was a mixed experience but in the end was fine. BUT I would never have accepted that experience from Hertz or Avis. Since we were just relaxing at a local resort for the week I didn't think I need much of a car so reserved the cheapest available - sub, sub compact -- don't remember the make and model.

The checkin line was long and slow -- probably 30 to 45 minutes. All of the other rental counters were empty. They do automatically add a lot of extra charges and guy in front of me had a big argument getting all of them removed. When it was my turn, I started by saying I didn't want anything extra rather forcefully or so I thought. They still add some min insurance package that doubled the rate. Continued to say no, no, no NO, NO !!! Had my confirmation sheet with the rate circled and I kept pointing to firmly. Finally got what I wanted BUT had to sign and initial a couple page form which listed every possible problem with the car and that I was totally responsible. If the car had flat tire, I owned it.

Then, there was no car in the class I had reserved. So I was asked to wait a few minutes. I am sure that was my time out punishment. Then, all of a sudden someone showed up with a set of keys and a vehicle that was at least two classes or more above what I had reserved. Everyone was very nice, check out of the car went well. I did go over the car with a fine tooth comb looking and noting every ding and scratch (only a couple). A great car -- nearly new, full size. On the return it was very easy and they did not look at the car very closely.

In the end, I would probably rent from them again under similar circumstances. But it was a good hour or little more and a lot of stress to get the car at that price.

I tried Payless once in Tampa, and I now call it "getless."

Slow. Off-site. Not worth the few dollars savings.

Never again.

This is not Tampa- Payless in Phoenix is where all the other rental places are and it has a shuttle just like the rest of them, so there is no concern about location.

The cost difference is large.

4 days, full size:

Avis: $236 best rate available w/corp. discount ($355 without that discount!)

Fox: $185

Payless: $96.33

For that much, I can wait and haggle about extras. I have nowhere to go but a hotel when I get there, waiting for someone else to arrive much later.

Patrick, I'll check Dollar- thanks very much for the tip.

fmpden, thanks very much for your experience, now I know what to expect if I go w/payless.

Holy toledo, Dollar is only $79.29 for full size 4 days.

Patrick, I owe you a cyberdrink. Thanks!

emd, you'd think I owned Dollar stock by the posts I do here about it. More than once I've double and triple checked because they were so low I thought there was a mistake. Again, I'm not sure they're always the best deal --especially more last minute, but I've found for advance reservations they often just can't be beat -- including all those Priceline, Hotwire, and discount code specials. And the best part is, you can guarantee their price with a reservation without prepaying, and cancel up to the very last minute with no penalty. Most of those "discounters" won't let you do that.

Now if you haven't signed up for Dollar Express, do so and then make sure they have this reservation number to avoid any lines.

We rented a car from Payless in Phoenix in December. The price was far less than all the competitors. We encountered no problem with them pushing add-ons. Their pick-up/drop-off counter is where all the other agencies were. Their line was a bit slower but nothing terrible. The only downside is that they refused to honor the "Payless Perk" which amounted to $1.50. It wasn't worth arguing about. I would rent from them again.

Just remember that all car rentals in Phoenix are located in the new, off-site car rental center. About ten minute ride or so from the airport. It is handy for getting and leaving cars but everyone has to use the shuttle.