A three-day, two-night adventure. Since I purchased the tickets rather last minute, I went straight to the Southwest Airlines website for booking. There were only a couple of days left before departure, and time was ticking. Renting a car from Costco seemed like a solid deal at around $200 for about three days.
After securing my flight tickets, the airline kindly sent me a link offering discounted car rentals. Curious, I clicked on it and discovered a rental company named Payless—a name I’d never come across before. The estimated price flashed on the screen: a mere $166. It was significantly cheaper than the over-$200 quotes from other companies.
Given my past experiences in the U.S., where renting cars had always been smooth sailing, I assumed they were all cut from the same cloth. In hindsight, this seemingly attractive price was the first sign of trouble lurking ahead.
### 1. **The Airport Tax Trap**
It wasn’t exactly a scam, but upon landing, I hopped onto the airport shuttle bus heading to their counter. As expected, they pitched an “upgrade” option—but then dropped the bombshell: a 40% airport tax. This bumped up the total cost considerably. At the time, though, I shrugged it off, rationalizing that high taxes are par for the course in California.
### 2. **Insurance Shock**
I usually go for full coverage when renting a car, so I wasn’t prepared for the sticker shock when this company quoted $50 per day for insurance. To make matters worse, the car turned out to be a clunky old Kia—hardly worth the premium rate. For comparison, I’d rented a sleek Nissan from Avis previously, with full insurance costing just $39 per day. Adding insult to injury, the final bill included numerous hidden charges beyond the daily $50 insurance fee.
### 3. **The Car’s Condition**
While I may not be a car expert, even I could tell that a Kia is among the most basic models available. Calling it an “upgrade” felt like a stretch. Inside, the car reeked of something unpleasant, and there was noticeable air leakage while driving. It was barely serviceable for navigating within San Diego city limits.
### 4. **An Astronomical Bill**
Initially, the website promised a tempting estimate of $166. Even factoring in insurance, I figured the total wouldn’t exceed $300. Boy, was I wrong! By the end of the three-day rental period, the grand total came to a staggering $497! The base rental fee was a modest $20 per day, but once you added insurance, taxes, and sundry fees, the costs spiraled out of control.
In conclusion, I cannot recommend this car rental company under any circumstances. If you’re dining downtown in San Diego, consider taking a taxi instead. The city has a noticeable homeless population, and parking can be both exorbitantly expensive (starting at $30 for temporary spots) and nearly impossible to find.
On a brighter note, the ocean views in San Diego are absolutely breathtaking!
