Budget Rent A car - Battery died the 2nd day.

Question

Rented car from Budget in Kahului for 7 days.

The battery died, on the 2nd day.

I called the budget road-side assistance and asked them clearly if there will be a charge for a jump start? They clearly said 'no-charge' unless you ask us to toe it. I asked him if you do, I will go with my car insurance company. They guy on the other end assured me - no charge.

They came, jump-started the car, I drove it straight to the airport rental, and got a replacement car.

They sent a $218 bill!

This just does not seem right! We were given a vehicle with a failing battery. The jump-start mechanic told us that this was a failing battery. I also have a picture of him showing me how little charge the battery has.

I contacted budget, but they have already charged my car and saying that since I denied road-side assistance, I need to pay.

This is not right. If I am in an accident, I can understand, i pay, but not for giving me a car with a failing battery.

Anyone else have this situation or thoughts on the matter?

Answer

It sounds like you've had a frustrating experience, and unfortunately, situations like this do sometimes occur when renting cars. From what you've described, it seems like there may have been a misunderstanding or miscommunication between the roadside assistance and the rental agency.

Possible Issues:

Battery Failure: It’s true that if a rental car is given to you with a failing battery, the rental company should take responsibility for ensuring the car is in proper working condition. In your case, the battery issue should have been detected during routine checks before the car was rented out to you.
Roadside Assistance vs. Denial of Service: You were told by Budget's roadside assistance that there would be no charge for the jump start, but the rental company later claimed that you denied the service. This seems to be a contradiction, and it’s worth investigating if there was any documentation or records of that conversation where the no-charge policy was clearly stated.
Replacement Car Process: It's good that you took immediate action to get a replacement car, which is typically what should happen in this type of scenario. However, the additional charge could be a result of how the rental company processes service requests and vehicle replacements.

Steps You Can Take:

Contact Budget Customer Service: If you haven’t done so already, escalate the issue to Budget's customer service or corporate office. Explain the situation and mention that you were assured there would be no charge for the jump start. Provide any documentation or evidence, such as the picture of the battery's low charge and the communication you had with roadside assistance.
Dispute the Charge with Your Credit Card: If Budget is not responsive or unwilling to waive the charge, consider disputing the charge with your credit card company. Most credit card providers offer consumer protection services, and they may be able to help you resolve the issue if you were charged unfairly.
File a Complaint: If the situation is not resolved to your satisfaction, you can file a complaint with the Better Business Bureau (BBB) or the Hawaii Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs. This might help in resolving the dispute, as rental companies generally want to avoid bad reviews or complaints to authorities.
Look for Similar Cases: It can be helpful to search for similar cases or experiences online to see if others have encountered the same issue with Budget in Hawaii. Sometimes, other customers' experiences can provide additional insight or advice on how to handle the situation.

While it's frustrating to face such charges, especially when the issue was with the car’s condition, pursuing the matter through the proper channels might help you get the charge reversed. Hopefully, Budget will acknowledge their responsibility for the faulty battery and refund the charge. Best of luck, and I hope the rest of your trip is smooth!

Budget Rent A car - Battery died the 2nd day.

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