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View Full Version : Just Got Back (Its A Rant..Sorry)


Dude
15 May 05, 08:34 PM
Hi everyone, We're back after three weeks of great Florida Shoping malls....:zzz:

Here are a few answers to questions I posed before I left :confused:

WHAT IS MIAMI AIRPORT AND IMMIGRATION LIKE?

An absolute nightmare, it took 2 Hours to get through immigration and then another hour to check luggage in for the next flight upto MCO Orlando.

We had to run all the way across the airport to our next conection flight. Thanks to some very unhelpfull TSA at the gate check we only had 2 minutes to spare before the gate closed.

HAVE DOLLER RENT A CAR GOT THEIR ACT TOGETHER?

No!

Why?

We still got the Micky Mouse treatment at the MCO Dollar pick up point. With Dollar trying to sting us for all sorts of insurance as top ups on a pre-paid arrangement.

First car offered: Magnum full size 4 door as ordered and paid for.....Wet drivers seat and now a wet bum. Full ash trays. and soda all over the cup holders and dash.
Not acceptable....so back to Pick up desk.

Dollar rep then told us that this was the only full size car they had left on the lot at this time of night (11:30) and if we did not like it then we could pay for an upgrade!!

Not acceptable... Ask to see Supervisor.

After 30 minutes more.....Supervisor reluctantly found us a Pacifica.

As it was now the early hours of the morning we put our bags in the back....Gave the car a quick once over and off down the 417 South. :zzz:

At junction 2 (our turn off for Kissimmee) the cars brakes failed.:mad2:

As luck was on our side I managed to stop with the hand brake.
Now we are so tired its not funny any more.....I drove the rest ot the way at 10mph and used the hand brake to stop.

Phoned Dollar the following morning and was told to bring the car back to the Airport!!!

As no one could make a decision at the Dollar "Help Desk" if anyone from Dollar could or should come to our villia with a replacemet car.

The trip back to the Dollar site at the airport took about 2 hours.

At the Airport I had to demand to see a manager as no one at the Dollar airport site knew anything about our problem.

While we were waiting for the manager I had a close look at the car and discovered that it had been rear ended at some point before we had it... and fixed with a new bumper and filler...(Which explains why our nice dark gray American Airlines matching cases where covered in white filler dust as now in the day light we could see that the boot of the car was full of it.)

When the Manager "Dana" arrived I explained the whole story to her, from our arrival at Dollar to the return of the car.... She had a quick look at car and agreed that it should not have been given to anyone in that condition, she apologised for the way we had been treated and fixed us up with a new 5.7 litre Dodge Durango great SUV.

Three weeks later we return the car with an empty tank, as I had already paid for a full tank of petrol with Dollar and we were told to bring the car back empty......

Guess what???

Yes your right... they had charge us $99.95 for petrol, when we returned the car back empty.:mad2:

Another hour later "With Dollar" and an unhelpfull supervisor and we were told that our money "Which had already been taken off our credit card" would be returned.:angry:

Through out this pantomine I remained cool and calm but my DW was ready to go BANG.

IS BA A GOOD AIR LINE TO FLY TO FLORIDA WITH?

No.

Why?

Very small seats.

Seats are not maintened as going out the seats infront of us had broken recline buttons and so were reclined in our face for 9 hours. And were the same coming back.

Unfortunately on the return trip, just to add insult to injury DW had the window seat I was in the middle and some chap one and a half times the size of his seat was sat next to me in the aisle seat. As the seats in front of us were broken and I had to sit on the edge of my seat at an angle as the chap next to me already had half of my seat.

Although there were empty seats in EP the flight crew (many of whom had french as a first language) could not find the time to help..... Not a great trip with B.A.

DO TSA APPROVED LOCKS WORK ?

Yes.

The TSA can remove the locks but... they can't the bothered to put them back on,so your luggage is picked up at the end of your trip without your TSA approved locks.

IT'S GOOD TO BE BACK HOME WITH A GREAT TAN AND AN EMPTY BANK ACCOUNT

Dude :wave:

Sooty
15 May 05, 08:42 PM
OMG what a time you had with Dollar:eek: :eek: :eek:
your lucky to still be here,
glad your all back safe and sound :wink

Christine

loadsapixiedust
15 May 05, 09:05 PM
Glad you are back safely after your sorry saga with the hire car. Any good points to share?

Dude
15 May 05, 09:08 PM
Thanks Christine.

It was a bit of a pantomine.

Time for bed we have managed to stay awake until now but its realy hard so we are going to bed.

I'll catch up with you all tomorrow.

Dude

Michelle
15 May 05, 09:19 PM
OMG I am lost for words with your car hire fiasco:(. We have had problems with dollar cars in the past. That's why we always try and use Alamo...

Jan
15 May 05, 09:36 PM
Oh dear. Hope you're feeling more @on top of things' tomorrow after a good night's sleep.

What a horrid experience you had with the car.

Hope everything else was good, though?

Walmart-lover
15 May 05, 09:47 PM
We had a problem with Dollar too, got the car and there was a msg that said service engine so had to take it to the office-it was on 192 then. Bit worrying though, you should be able to trust the car hire companies.

Dude, do i feel a written complaint coming on? Got any plans to go back?

nic
16 May 05, 12:52 AM
I can't believe they made you drive the faulty car all the way back to the airport. :nonono:

sparkyt
16 May 05, 12:58 AM
Can't wait! Dollar in August, WOO HOO!!

Jools99
16 May 05, 07:10 AM
Oh what a horrible start to any holiday:( :( :( :( I can't believe they made you drive the faulty car all the way back to the airport.

Did you have a good holiday dispite the bad start.:confused: :confused: :confused:


Jools

Kazzie
16 May 05, 10:13 AM
You must write and complain to Dollar:eek:

On another thread today,a DIBBer had half her rental cost returned as an apology for a 4 hour delay in getting a car.Your situation could have been lethal:angry:

Why wouldn't the BA staff move you from broken seats if there were some others empty?:mad2:

I hope you still had a good holiday?:confused2

terrynewpack
16 May 05, 10:19 AM
Look at the poll on another thread. I think there are very few complaints with Dollar........................except mine.


Terry

NurseHelen
16 May 05, 10:22 AM
:angry: :angry: :angry: :angry:

How DARE they ask you to take the car back :mad2:

I would have called the police and told them that I was being forced to drive a un-roadworthy car :mad2: I would write quite a serious letter to head office!!!!!

Can I warn you not to read the thread on reclining seats...it got a bit heated...lol....well I did warn you !

Now try to focus on the good memories.

Take care

Helen x

Muppet
16 May 05, 10:42 AM
Disgusting treatment from Dollar.

Dude
16 May 05, 03:36 PM
Thanks everyone

We did have a great three week holiday, and a three day trip to St. Augustine which was great and Struck me as a little bit like Cornwel with the sunshine.

And Yes I will be writing to Dollar.

Thanks again

Dude

BEC
17 May 05, 10:57 AM
oh great we have booked dollar .... should i cancel

Dude
17 May 05, 06:49 PM
Hi BEC

My advice to you is check you car, lights,indicators, seats, and body work for bumps and cratchs and a good interior condition, Before you take it, if you are not happy let a supervisor or a manager know.

Stick to your guns and don't be pushed in to any additional insurance cover than that which the booking agent has recomended.

If its a complete package call you booking agent and check.

Don't be pushed into an upgrade if they tell you that they you have rejected is the only one they have avalible for the type you have booked.

Tell them, that they can deliver your car to your hotel the next day when they have one avalible and you will bill them for the taxi ride to you hotel. (Take their name an number.)

It would appear that general Sanford seems to be OK, its just the Dollar at Orlando International airport that have a few issues.

Don't let this spoil you Holiday. Have all the facts, be strong, stick to what you want and don't lose it with them. Keep cool and if your not happy the next day give them a call and ask to speak to a manager and take it from there.

Every thing looks better after a good nights sleep.

Have a great Holiday

Dude

Enright78
18 May 05, 10:09 AM
Originally posted by BEC
oh great we have booked dollar .... should i cancel

Don't panic. We have used Dollar for the last five trips (arriving all hours of the day and night) and never encountered any of the above problems!! We have also never had to queue for more than 15 minutes.:wink

coombsyl
19 May 05, 10:11 PM
To be fair we have never had any probs with Doller at MCO apart from the fact that nobody is ever around to show you how the blinkin controls work!! In the olden days of the nineties there was always a little chap who showed you how the steering lock etc worked and how to get the **!!!!**!! key out of the !!!!*** lock!!!

We had quite a funny experience the first time we went. We had a large party and hubby and I were the only drivers so he had a mini van and I had a car. On coming out of Disney on the first night, I couldn't work out how to dip the headlights so I stopped on the way out of the car park and hubs pulled up behind me and got out to help. Before we knew it two security cars had raced over and the guards got out saying "everything ok with you maam" as I think they thought he was about to attack me!!!! I felt a right twit when I had to explain. :)

Shogun
19 May 05, 11:03 PM
Had a car from dollar last year that ended up with a flat tyre late at night. Having changed the wheel I phoned dollar to get a spare but they said take the car to the local dollar outlet where the car will be exchanged for another one.
Sorry to hear of your problems with them but top marks for dollar from us.