San Diego car hire
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Cheap car hire in San Diego
| Mini |
| Economy |
| Compact |
| Intermediate |
| Standard |
| Full-size |
| Luxury |
| People carrier |
| Passenger van |
| SUV |
| Commercial |
| Pick-up truck |
San Diego car rental reviews and directory
Payless
3,8
Mediocre
1252 reviewsCleanliness
4.7
Comfort
4.6
Pick-up/Drop-off
4.7
Value for money
3.9
One location in San Diego
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Reviews
2,0 Mediocre
May 2021
Pros:
Drop off was easy, but no one inquired about my level of satisfaction so I did not have the opportunity to tell them that the car reeked of cigarettes and was overdue for maintenance (according to the maintenance required info on the display).Cons:
Everything was terrible. I was overcharged. My stated rate for two days was about $92. When I picked up the car, I was charged about $105. I requested clarification from the Payless rep, but he just kept repeating the amount he said was owed in a manner clearly intended to beat me into submission. There was a line of customers, so I gave in. When I got to the car, it was a compact even thought I had ordered intermediate. Even more disturbing, it had a strong perfume-ish scent. It’s been so long since I rented a car that wasn’t fresh and clean that it didn’t immediately occur to me that Payless was trying to cover a nasty odor. They were. Within a few minutes of leaving Payless, there was an overwhelming stench of cigarette smoke that permeated the car and even my home garage once I got the car home. And, the car’s display said it was overdue for service by over 40 days. All around awful.2,0 Mediocre
May 2021
Pros:
Nothing.Cons:
Our flight landed 3 hours late. By the time I got to the rental place they had sold my reserved car to someone else. (Personally, I think that if you pay and reserve a car it should be there when you get there. Either way they get the money whether you show up or not.) The guy at the counter told me that they didn't have any more cars to rent. Then he suddenly found one, but it was a small size SUV instead of an economy car. There was an up charge for this. By the time I was out of there it was late and I was exhausted. I signed because I needed a car to get the family to the hotel. During my time there I witnessed this same thing happen to 3 other customers. At the time it didn't occur to me that something wasn't right. I just needed to get the wife and kids to the hotel. When I woke up the next morning I realized that I had paid over $100/ day for a car rental. When I called back to clarify my bill the gentleman told me that everything looked right on their end, but that I could return the car, and they would reimburse me for the un used days. Still waiting for that reimbursement. Totally felt scammed. After I dropped off the car at Payless the next day(11 hours after picking it up) I ended up renting a car from Alamo for $37.75/ day. Missed out on 3 hours of beach time with the family, but worth the savings for me to return the rental and go somewhere else.2,0 Mediocre
May 2021
Pros:
NothingCons:
The prices, the upgrades, and the knowledge of vehicles2,0 Mediocre
May 2021
Pros:
Luis was friendly but felt like he was trying to scam me into “upgrading” my car.Cons:
Lack of clarification on website on what car you are paying for and additional fees that you pay when you pick up the car but not expressed before. I will not use Kayak or Payless again4,0 Okay
May 2021
Pros:
Kind helpful staff, easy pick up and drop offCons:
The car quality for money was not great, the key was broken with a hole drilled to attach the tag for the car, the car had an animal odor, and the windows and all doors had to be locked and unlocked manually, the windows also had to be manually rolled up and down. The car I had selected was a Hyundai Sonata and we ended up with something that was supposedly similar, but it did not feel that way.2,0 Mediocre
May 2021
Pros:
overcharged in the end. need to contact paylessAlamo
8,7
Excellent
554 reviewsCleanliness
8.8
Comfort
8.8
Pick-up/Drop-off
9.1
Value for money
8.3
One location in San Diego
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Reviews
10,0 Excellent
Mar 2021
Pros:
I was able to pick up the car the night before and saved money10,0 Excellent
Nov 2020
Pros:
Great service, fast easy courteous. employees seemed happy. rental car employees not usually that way.10,0 Excellent
Oct 2020
Pros:
The staff were great. They showed us how to work some of the new features on the car. The car was in excellent condition; it was brand new!Cons:
Nothing9,6 Excellent
Oct 2020
Pros:
Alamo was great. But it was my second choice, after my first choice -- some no name rental agency called Mex, selected initially via Kayak, which routed me through Rentcars.com -- was a friggin disaster. I landed at 6 pm, the time of my reservation, only to discover that the rental office was already closed. There was no one to help me, no number to call, no customer service from anyone in that chain, including Kayak. It was a friday evening at 6. I tried 4 other rental agencies; they were either out of cars or were asking insane amounts of $$ for them. I had to get a ride from the airport, and come back the next morning to rent from Alamo. (Which was great.)Cons:
Alamo was great. Avoid Mex Rent a Car and Rentcars.com at all costs. No one picks up the phone at Mex and you can't leave a voicemail. The number for Rentcars doesn't work, and the email responses are all in Portuguese. I'm not kidding. Why Kayak continues to use these vendors is a mystery to me. Makes me reconsider my choice in travel apps.7,6 Good
Oct 2020
Pros:
Staff was helpful in securing a gas discount for me when the car I reserved wasn’t available.Cons:
Don’t oversell cars! If I book a pickup, giving me a dodge caravan minivan because you oversold pickup trucks isn’t providing excellent service.5,6 Okay
Sep 2020
Pros:
Drop off was greatCons:
Have the selected class or better available. I don’t consider an infinity to be the same class as an EscaladeEconomy Rent a Car
6,5
Good
106 reviewsCleanliness
6.7
Comfort
6.7
Pick-up/Drop-off
6.7
Value for money
6.6
2 locations in San Diego
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Reviews
10,0 Excellent
Mar 2021
Cons:
Nothing. Great value and great service!2,0 Mediocre
Mar 2021
Cons:
I never got the car. The car rental place was closed by the time I tried getting the car. I had to rent else where for my trip.8,0 Excellent
Feb 2021
Pros:
Staff was great. ease of return. good dependable car at good price.Cons:
Came at about 7:00 in the evening and took a while to get the shuttle from the car rental center to the Economy car rental location. May need better staffing in the evenings and nights.10,0 Excellent
Feb 2021
Pros:
Staff friendly. Efficient service. Straight to the point.10,0 Excellent
Jan 2021
Pros:
Drop off was fast, got lyft ride back to house took 5 minutes to get there. Great rental price10,0 Excellent
Dec 2020
Pros:
Very nice and professional stuff.Cons:
They should put a sign on their office.Enterprise
6,2
Good
628 reviewsCleanliness
6.5
Comfort
6.6
Pick-up/Drop-off
6.1
Value for money
5.9
14 locations in San Diego
Locations in San Diego
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Reviews
10,0 Excellent
May 2021
Cons:
Everything was super easy, picking up and dropping off.10,0 Excellent
May 2021
Pros:
YesCons:
All fine8,0 Excellent
Apr 2021
Pros:
Nice carCons:
I had to stand in line for 90 minutes (no exaggeration) to get my rental.8,0 Excellent
Apr 2021
Cons:
Not the car i reserved no choice but to get it8,0 Excellent
Apr 2021
Cons:
It should be a full tank not empty gas when i got it2,0 Mediocre
Apr 2021
Pros:
I didn’t like anything, because there was nothing to like. I went to get my rental at the time that you told me to. But you didn’t have any cars available and didn’t allowed me to have one. I had to buy me a ticket on Amtrak. For the money that you took from me, get prepare, I’m going to sue you. An less you put that money back on my card😡 you should not had made the reservation if you didn’t have a car to rent.Cons:
To have an available car to be rented. You charged me knowing that you were sold out😡😡😡😡😡Fox
6,0
Good
484 reviewsCleanliness
6.0
Comfort
4.0
Pick-up/Drop-off
8.0
Value for money
6.0
One location in San Diego
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Reviews
6,0 Good
Aug 2020
Pros:
Staff was friendlyCons:
My vehicle was not ready on time so I had to return later. When I returned I was given the wrong vehicle, much less than I had paid for. The manager was not able to give discount because the rental was purchased thru Kayak. Will most likely never use Kayak or Fox again.5,2 Okay
Jan 2020
Pros:
Drop off and pick up was very easyCons:
We had our rental car broke into and staff that I called laughed at me saying my claim number was wrong. They also told me that if we needed to be picked up they couldn’t do it because we had a family of 5 and they could only take up to 4 people. So stayed that we had to find a ride to the airport ourselves or just drive it back in the condition it was in. They also told me that even though we had a bad situation happen if our car was not back on time we would get charged for it being late and entire extra day. We also we supposed to get a gull size car and we did not get that. Very disappointed and will not rent from them again!!!!6,0 Good
Jan 2020
Pros:
friendly staffCons:
took awhile to get through the line at the counter for pick-up. And, when I needed to change the credit card I initially used, I couldn't do it at drop-off. it took quite a process to get it switched.2,8 Mediocre
Jan 2020
Cons:
Fox refused to honor the price agreed upon through Kayak. They were going to charge me $65 more per day. I will never rent with Fox and may never use Kayak again.4,4 Okay
Jan 2020
Pros:
staff was ok, but far from friendly. pickup guy failed to note the car was smashed in the side and repaired (evidenced by the non factory two tone paint work) and the return guy barely looked up from his device...Cons:
it sure would have been nice to get the car i reserved (Toyota RAV4) or Better instead of the POS Mitsubishi Outlander (Sport(!) no less!!) i got for my family of four. poor comfort, lousy handling, acceleration, fit AND finish. an otherwise outstanding two week trip ended up be a series of non stop jokes over what a lousy vehicle we had.6,4 Good
Dec 2020
Cons:
No children's car seats, had to purchase one myself. The rental agent lied to me about local gas prices to get me to purchase gas through Fox.Hertz
5,5
Okay
909 reviewsCleanliness
6.6
Comfort
6.3
Pick-up/Drop-off
5.4
Value for money
5.7
12 locations in San Diego
Locations in San Diego
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6,0 Good
Jun 2022
10,0 Excellent
Jan 2022
10,0 Excellent
Jan 2022
2,0 Mediocre
Jan 2022
6,0 Good
Jan 2022
2,0 Mediocre
Dec 2022
Avis
5,4
Okay
475 reviewsCleanliness
6.6
Comfort
6.7
Pick-up/Drop-off
5.8
Value for money
5.6
11 locations in San Diego
Locations in San Diego
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2,0 Mediocre
May 2021
Pros:
The staff was friendlyCons:
I’m a US born citizen, living overseas (military), and needed to use my military USAREUR license as well as my international drivers license as my US was stolen (stolen wallet). I called ahead of time to ensure I would be able to make a reservation and was told by customer service that I would. I booked my rental via prepay. When I arrived to the rental office, however, I was told that because I used my international license that I would have to do a second deposit of $250 but it would have to be via credit card. I was not told this beforehand, so I didn’t bring a credit card with me. The agent told me I could call the customer service hotline and get a refund do to the situation. However, I called and was told “well our policy is you need an additional credit card, so you will not be refunded, is there anything else I can do for you”. Now, I’m out $171 because of missing information and being told I could get my money back when apparently I can’t.8,0 Excellent
May 2021
Pros:
Staff was great and everything was super easyCons:
The car smelled of marijuana and smoke and floor mats were ripped, could have been cleaner2,0 Mediocre
Mar 2021
Cons:
I have reserved with Avis three times now and theee times they have no car available when I got there. The third time I had called to confirm they were not out of cars. They said as long g as I arrive by 1pm I would get a car. I was there at 11:30. No cars available. I will never ever use Avis Budget again.2,0 Mediocre
Mar 2021
Pros:
There was NOTHING to like, horrible experience with Avis. Avis (Suzanne, the location manager: San Diego, CA Miramar Rd Location, (858) 271-0018) rented out all of their cars and told me they would not be able accommodate my reservation I made and secured with a credit card days before arriving, ultimately leaving my family of four stuck without a car. I then called Avis' main number, talked to Maggie, they were not able to offer assistance to find a replacement car either and basically told me tough luck. To add to the frustration, a day later they charged my credit card a $50 "No Show" fee for not picking up the car I reserved that they didn't have. From talking to others at the hotel it sounds like they do this often. Live and learn for me, no more Avis car rentals.Cons:
Obviously Avis should have managed the situation better. (1) have a car for the reservation, (2) make arrangements for when Avis over-rents and fails to provide a car for a reservation, (3) not charge a $50 to a family that didn't get a car in the first place.6,0 Good
Mar 2021
Pros:
The pick up and drop off was pretty easy.Cons:
Old food left from previous renter. This shows how they didn't clean the car beforehand. Also, the previous renter left their paperwork with all of their information in the glove compartment. I shouldn't be able to know the details of the previous renter. Again, shows how they didn't clean or look through the car.2,0 Mediocre
Feb 2021
Pros:
Location was convenient!Cons:
Never Never Never Never again will I rent from this place! I was assigned a car that was dirty/had stains and smelled of human stench (after the car was left in the hot sun). the company hid stench with/ 4 pine scented hanging on the mirror to distract the stench). It was so disgusting when i got home i had to disinfected all the items i had in the car. Prior to returning the car I had plastic bag on the driver seat. This location scared me for life by renting me a FILTHTY Car............Budget
5,4
Okay
272 reviewsCleanliness
6.2
Comfort
6.3
Pick-up/Drop-off
5.6
Value for money
5.8
11 locations in San Diego
Locations in San Diego
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1,9 Horrible
Jun 2021
10,0 Excellent
May 2021
Pros:
Both drop off and pick up staff was great!! Definitely booking again in the futureCons:
Nothing everything was excellent i recommend2,0 Mediocre
May 2021
Pros:
Nothing, it was prepaid and they charged me extra on my card without my knowledge. I have confirmed a couple of time while returning the car and they mentioned I don't owe anything since everything is pre paid4,0 Okay
May 2021
Pros:
Gas in the vehicle was not the same as the amount on the receipt. Merchant said he would change up and never did. Bluetooth didn't work. USB port didn't work. Car was extremely dirty and hadn't clearly been clean in a while.Cons:
Basically everything. Way overpriced, dirty car, didn't work, not a great vehicle and gross.2,0 Mediocre
Dec 2020
Cons:
Upon completion of my reservation with kayak, it gave me a complete price w/ taxes and fees included. Upon arrival to puck up rental they charged me an additional $7 sighting only the base price is guaranteed and that additional fees could be charged that kayak was unaware of and i would need to take it up with kayak.com. If this is true, i could not find any disclaimer on kayak website to the fact. If its says s total with taxes and fees then that should be the price with no suprise charges upon arrival.10,0 Excellent
Oct 2020
Pros:
Helpful and very cleanCons:
PerfectDollar
5,4
Okay
496 reviewsCleanliness
7.3
Comfort
6.7
Pick-up/Drop-off
5.4
Value for money
5.8
One location in San Diego
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2,0 Mediocre
Jun 2021
Cons:
I took over 70 minutes waiting in line to pick up the car. Ridiculous. Never again.2,0 Mediocre
May 2021
Pros:
A hertz employee ended up helping us because the line was so longCons:
Horrible experience. Will never rent from dollar again.8,0 Excellent
Apr 2021
Pros:
Car was comfortable, clean and drove easily - lousy mileage, but we got the sense that Californians dont care much, given the number of gas guzzlers we saw on the road at over $4.00/gal in most service stations - mixed in with Tesla's and Prius's. Odd contrast.Cons:
All good with exception of Drop-Off. Unclear directions in the final stretch of the exercise (needed to turn up a lane in the garage that was hidden behind other cars). No staff present and when a fellow eventually showed up, he did not check the car, just told us to leave the keys in the car and all else would be dealt with - whatever that means - if there is any disagreement on gas (we filled up), damage (there was none), etc., how would one verify it after the fact?4,0 Okay
Apr 2021
Pros:
The staff was helpful and friendly.Cons:
I reserved a Nissan Pathfinder only to show up and get a Kia Sorrento. 6 people with luggage will not fit in a Kia. We had to pay a lot extra to get a Ford Expedition because they didn't have a Nissan or any SUV similar. The guy was really nice and gave us a discount for having to upgrade. I don't appreciate paying for one vehicle on this site only to show up having to pay hundreds more for a vehicle that will actually work. I will never book through here again.10,0 Excellent
Mar 2021
Cons:
It was perfect4,0 Okay
Mar 2021
Cons:
Hard to find the car rental. Another family was lost at the airport rental site. The car had been smoked in.Thrifty
5,2
Okay
451 reviewsCleanliness
6.9
Comfort
6.8
Pick-up/Drop-off
5.2
Value for money
5.9
One location in San Diego
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4,0 Okay
May 2021
Pros:
The staff was helpful and courteous, but the process was too long.Cons:
More staff, better communication4,0 Okay
May 2021
Pros:
The vehicle was excellent. Brand new. Returning the car was very fast with not problems.Cons:
Have more notifications to take a CREDIT CARD. Small print on some customer agreement page is worthless. This was even more critical in San Diego, "Sorry, sir, We're so close to the border." If you wanted to use a debit card you need to have a flight... if not ... sorry too bad. I had to drive back and forth to get my credit card (my fault for not having it). When I was standing in line I saw about 12/18 people have an issue with CREDIT CARD / Debit Card. Update your policies modernize to use other payment methods. The people at the counter had no solutions for me and pointed me to curb to get an UBER. I cant imagine being out of town and being told that.4,0 Okay
May 2021
Pros:
Dealt with one Staff member in pick up, she was very helpfulCons:
Car “clean sticker” was broken. Found trash and a hair in the seat when we opened it. LOTS of damage to the car, dents, tears in the seat that Took us about 30 minutes to document, so that was a time constraint I wasn’t expecting. We rented a convertible on the top could not function on our way out and so we had to go back, it took for employees to figure out why it wouldn’t work. We laying our trip another 45 minutes. It took us almost 2 hours to rent a car not because of the checkout people but because of the vehicle itself being poorly maintained.4,0 Okay
May 2021
Cons:
Time to stand in line for pickup was an hour. Unacceptable, care smelled like cigarettes8,0 Excellent
Apr 2021
Pros:
The staff was helpful great customer service. Drop off was easy.Cons:
They could have cleaned the inside of the car, made sure there was no left overs from the previous drivers.4,0 Okay
Apr 2021
Cons:
Car was poorly maintained...too many hidden costsSixt
4,8
Okay
262 reviewsCleanliness
5.6
Comfort
5.5
Pick-up/Drop-off
4.7
Value for money
4.7
One location in San Diego
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6,0 Good
Aug 2022
10,0 Excellent
Jul 2022
10,0 Excellent
May 2021
Pros:
Yes. Very helpful. My walker did not fit in the trunk so they gave us a different carCons:
Nothing10,0 Excellent
May 2021
Pros:
Staff was friendly, helpful, drop off was efficient2,0 Mediocre
May 2021
Pros:
My reservation was canceled due to my flight being delayed two hours. I let them know my flight info but they still canceled it. My $100 reservation went to a $450 to get a small kia. Luckily Budget was able to get me in a full size car for $200. I had heard stories about SIXt being bad but no clue they were that bad.Cons:
A little due diligence could go a long way.2,0 Mediocre
May 2021
Pros:
NothingCons:
Sixt does not hold your reservation.Ace
3,4
Mediocre
165 reviewsCleanliness
4.2
Comfort
3.9
Pick-up/Drop-off
3.3
Value for money
3.6
2 locations in San Diego
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2,0 Mediocre
May 2021
Cons:
Never picked me up4,0 Okay
May 2021
Pros:
It was a fairly simple process.Cons:
I called the day before we picked up our rental and the quoted price was $146. When we arrived, they told us our car rental was going to cost closer to $400. I was displeased but we needed a car as we were on vacation. So if you are considering utilizing ACE, beware that the quoted price is way below what you will actually pay.2,0 Mediocre
Apr 2021
Cons:
Wasn't even able to rent the vehicle due to me living in san diego and wanting to rent it to go to las vegas and back couldn't take it out of state, but if I wasn't from here I was told i could rent the car and take it wherever I wanted. Won't be renting from them! You want a great rental car place go with Enterprise, have nothing but rave reviews for them and was able to rent within ours of being told no from Ace!2,0 Mediocre
Apr 2021
Pros:
Absolutely nothing I’m very unhappy with this rentalCons:
When I arrived to pick up my vehicle there was one employee working the desk, with quite a long line to even talk to a worker. Once I got inside the employee asked for my ID and credit card. I was then told the car I requested had not been available for about a year. He then tried to offer me a SUV priced at $412 compared to the $249 I was quoted. I had to leave the building to consult with my party only to have to wait about another 20 mins outside . Once I get to the counter for the second time the clerk then informed me of the under 25 clause and then it was going to be another $114 on top of the $412. I believe this to be highly unprofessional and requested a refund for the insurance. The employee said he could do that. I then called Priceline who I did my insurance through and was laughed at and hung up on. I called back and was told that I could expect a refund in 3-7 business days for the $88 I paid for for the insurance due to the car not being available. It’s been 7 days however and I still have not received the $88. This rental was felt with extremely unprofessionally. I’m highly disappointed.2,0 Mediocre
Apr 2021
Pros:
Not much. Staff was extremely slow, and they had an extra $17 per day hidden fee.2,0 Mediocre
Apr 2021
Cons:
They actually advertise that their cars must not leave San Diego County. And, the rep could have cared less that she left me hanging with no rental to get my group to Las Vegas.MEXRENTACAR
3,3
Mediocre
285 reviewsCleanliness
4.2
Comfort
3.9
Pick-up/Drop-off
3.2
Value for money
3.5
4 locations in San Diego
Locations in San Diego
1002 West Juniper Street
+1 619 255 9094
2745 Otay Pacific Drive
+1 866 496 2880
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1,9 Horrible
Jun 2021
2,0 Mediocre
Jun 2021
Pros:
New carCons:
This location is not near the airport and you have to take two shuttles which was never mentioned. Also they charged me $80 extra when i went to pick up my car saying I have to pay those fees if not dont get my rental. It felt i was held hostage as had no choice2,0 Mediocre
May 2021
Pros:
Car was clean.Cons:
Office doesn’t answer phone. Ever. Hours on their voicemail aren’t those kept by office. No overnight drop box. Not at airport. They don’t return calls. Waiver for liability is a scam. I will never rent from them again.4,0 Okay
May 2021
Pros:
CheapCons:
Pick was awful.2,0 Mediocre
May 2021
Pros:
Nothing because they said or we scheduled to pick up the car at 6:00 PM and it was confirmed. We received emails for 6:00 PM pickup. When we went for pickup they were closed and there was already a customer waiting who said he had have a really hard time getting a car there. The gates were closed, no car for us. The response was “guy leaves 6:00 pm on the dot” Really? Worst place to book from. Never book your car here unless you want to take the risk of not having a car to drive when you get there.Cons:
Everything - I don’t think this car rental should be permitted to operate if they don’t have the will to serve their customers with right information and service.2,0 Mediocre
May 2021
Pros:
Nothing at allCons:
this rental company should clearly indicate international customer have no option but they have to paid the liability insurance and it cost 16/day so customer don't get frustrate and choose the other rental car that does not mandatory on this. also they should need to mention that they don't care about the customer so they don't answer the phone no matter what and you need to find yourself to get to the rental car company. for customer, i will say look at the review before book this company and if they are lazy or stupid enough like me then they will learn the lesson hard way.Advantage
No score is available
Cleanliness
-
Comfort
-
Pick-up/Drop-off
-
Value for money
-
One location in San Diego
Locations in San Diego
3355 Admiral Borland Way
+1 619 491 3151
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10,0 Excellent
Mar 2020
Pros:
it was great, I used kayak to do the reservation8,0 Excellent
Jul 2017
Pros:
Convenient drop off to airportCons:
Delay in service. Car not available on time.6,8 Good
Jul 2017
Pros:
Car was clean and fine, no issues.Cons:
Long, slow line. Tried to up-sell everyone on a whole bunch of things.To get CDW waiver they made us show our car insurance records, and we had to call our agent to email them on the spot!8,8 Excellent
Jun 2017
Cons:
Rental return in San Francisco is not in the rental return building and I was directed to a non existent location 20 minutes away in Burlingame only to find out that the real drop off was at an almost unfindable location on south canal. When I finally did arrive no one was being helped. 2 employees said they were short staffed. It took me a full hour to drop off my car4,8 Okay
Jun 2017
Pros:
The car was fairly new.Cons:
The car was dirty. Arrived at the rental place and had to wait while they "cleaned the car" even though I had a reservation. They must have just hosed it down even though it took 20 minutes. The dashboard was covered in dust, there was white residue on the seats, a whole slice of pizza in full view stuck down beside the seat, and pepperoni and cheese in multiple places through the car.6,0 Good
May 2017
Pros:
Flight cancelled by Jet Blue. Could not re-schedule. Never picked up car/Airport Van
No score is available
Cleanliness
-
Comfort
-
Pick-up/Drop-off
-
Value for money
-
One location in San Diego
Locations in San Diego
904 W Grape St.
+1 877 826 4680
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2,0 Mediocre
Mar 2020
Cons:
Booked a van pickup 5pm and drop off at same time 2 days later. The day off, 3 hours before pickup, I get a phone call from the location telling me I need to pickup an hour early because they decide to close at 4 “today”. Of fine. “Oh and also you need to drop off before 10am in 2 days because we will be closed at 10am”. “Or you can pay an extra $60 for late drop off”. What?? Late drop off would mean I extend pass my 24h, which I’m not!! If you decide to close early how does that become my problem?? Very disappointing.2,0 Mediocre
Mar 2020
Cons:
Booked a van for 2 days w/ 150 mile per day. Arrived at location to be told that policies “of this specific branch” have changed and are now 150 “per rental” (!!!??) Long story short it’s obvious Non sense. Worker at location didn’t show any compassion and on the phone corporate couldn’t do anything because “we are reservation center and customer center only works week days”. Customer service non existent, bummer for loyal and respectful customers like us but I guess that’s the way it goes now.3,2 Mediocre
Feb 2020
Pros:
Van was nice.Cons:
Shuttle service was terrible/non existent. Rental office is a run down shack to smells of urine.2,0 Mediocre
Feb 2020
Cons:
I can accurately rate this—they never showed up to pick me up. I waited a half hour for the shuttle and finally had to rent another car because I had a meeting in another town. I sincerely hope they didn’t charge my credit card.3,6 Mediocre
Jan 2020
Cons:
Poor attitude. Had to wait for an hr and dealt with screw you attitude from the front desk. The place was dirty and shady. The van was old (60k + miles) and dirty. It was conveniently near the airport so that is a plus. Most of all is the lady at the front desk who was awful.9,6 Excellent
Sep 2019
Pros:
The staff was friendly and helpful. The drop off was super easy. We had a terrific vehicle for the cost.Cons:
Didn't love that we had to go to the transit center for rentals & from there take another van (that we had to call & wait for). Also, we had to return by 2 or be charged extra to return it later to a different location (it was a Sat)- those were the only downsides to an otherwise great experience.Pacific
No score is available
Cleanliness
-
Comfort
-
Pick-up/Drop-off
-
Value for money
-
One location in San Diego
Locations in San Diego
2100 Kettner Blvd
619-233-3366
Filters
Reviews
2,0 Mediocre
May 2016
Cons:
The company advertises unlimited mileage, however the rentals have major mileage restrictions. Rentals can only be driven locally and the rate is $.99/mile after 200 miles.8,8 Excellent
Apr 2016
Pros:
They were very friendly and helpful.2,0 Mediocre
Apr 2016
Pros:
NothingCons:
Going some where else8,4 Excellent
Apr 2016
Pros:
Very good customer service!Cons:
It was off site of the rest of the car rental companies2,0 Mediocre
Apr 2016
Cons:
Pacific charged me twice as much as they estimated on Kayak. If that had been the extent of it, I may have left it alone. The day after I returned my car, however, the manager called to tell me that there is a "new scratch" on the front bumper. The car they rented to me was already scratched up, so I assumed he had gotten something confused and I could simply send the pictures I had snapped of the car before driving away from the lot. He sent me pictures of a car I'm not convinced is the car I rented, with a big scratch in the bumper, and asked that I have my lawyer call him. I have never felt so mistreated by a company. I'm certain that I had nothing to do with a scratch in the car I rented, and after consulting Yelp I noticed that Pacific has pulled this same stunt with at least one other customer. Do yourself a favor and stay far away.6,4 Good
Apr 2016
Pros:
Not busy. Car was there, ready to go.Cons:
Car was old and had a lot of miles. It sounded as if it needed a tune up. Car had lots of scratches and dings. Didn't like that I had to catch a bus from the airport, a rental car center, then take another van to their rental place- added another layer of traveling around and loading/ unloading.Silvercar
10,0
Excellent
5 reviewsCleanliness
10.0
Comfort
10.0
Pick-up/Drop-off
10.0
Value for money
8.0
One location in San Diego
Locations in San Diego
2548 Kettner Blvd
+1 855 359 2227
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Reviews
10,0 Excellent
Feb 2021
Pros:
Great being able to select the exact car you want for a rental.Cons:
Feel financially taken advantage for wanting a luxury specific car rather than a general “luxury category” rental.10,0 Excellent
Dec 2020
Pros:
Staff very friendly, pick up drop off was very smooth and easy10,0 Excellent
Feb 2021
Pros:
Great being able to select the exact car you want for a rental.Cons:
Feel financially taken advantage for wanting a luxury specific car rather than a general “luxury category” rental.10,0 Excellent
Dec 2020
Pros:
Staff very friendly, pick up drop off was very smooth and easyNational
8,1
Excellent
26 reviewsCleanliness
9.0
Comfort
9.0
Pick-up/Drop-off
9.0
Value for money
8.3
One location in San Diego
Locations in San Diego
3355 Admiral Boland Way
+1 833 763 1740
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Reviews
8,8 Excellent
Aug 2020
Pros:
staff was very friendlyCons:
everything was great but did not receive a truck with a full tank. the dial gauge on the dashboard showed the nail as full but the digital fuel gauge showed fewer miles than how I returned it. I explained this to the rental agent but he just blew me off.8,0 Excellent
Mar 2018
Pros:
Nice car. Worked well. Pick up and drop off were mostly smoothCons:
I payed for a Sante Fe but got a Tuscon because I didn't immediately notice the difference. It worked out fine, but the Sante Fe is superior from what I learned.4,0 Okay
Mar 2018
Cons:
We picked out our car, installed a car seat and packed it up. We were then told that National was going to sell the car so we needed to pick out a different one. Not what we wanted to hear after a long day of travel.10,0 Excellent
Dec 2017
Pros:
The counter personnel were well-dressed, competent, and treated me like I was their only customer.Cons:
Nothing to dislike...6,0 Good
Jun 2017
Pros:
Direct car pickup at the carCons:
The quality of the car was below national standard9,6 Excellent
Aug 2016
Pros:
Agent was very efficientCons:
Only one agent at counterEuropcar
6,0
Good
3 reviewsCleanliness
10.0
Comfort
8.0
Pick-up/Drop-off
2.0
Value for money
10.0
One location in San Diego
Locations in San Diego
Please Go To Fox Counter
+1 619 432 0620
Filters
Reviews
6,0 Good
Jun 2022
NU Car
4,2
Okay
17 reviewsCleanliness
4.9
Comfort
4.5
Pick-up/Drop-off
3.7
Value for money
4.7
One location in San Diego
Locations in San Diego
2263 Pacific Hwy
+1 844 270 2377
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Reviews
6,0 Good
Mar 2021
Pros:
Time between shuttles from the airport was very long. Add an hour, or more, to your plans to get to the rental agency and drive out.10,0 Excellent
Dec 2020
Pros:
I had a great experience and low deposit and great prices! I will be a repeat customer for sure.Cons:
be open on Sunday2,4 Mediocre
Oct 2020
Cons:
Everything could have been better. This rental place is a joke and I will NEVER use them again.6,8 Good
Sep 2020
Pros:
Staff were talking about internal issues (employee not returning and renting a car correctly) for about 3 minutes before acknowledging and helping me. Then had to wait while they figured out which car was available and was told they couldn’t rent it because they car had technically not been returned in the system. They eventually spoke with employee that did not return car and returned it in system with an override. The company then started cleaning the car and I had to wait about 5 minutes for it to be “wiped down.” The license plates were expired and there were spill stains on 3 out of 4 mats. There was also sand in back seat and passenger seats and floors; it was not vacuumed. The tires were very worn.Cons:
Returning the car was quick and simple. The car had no problems mechanically and smelled clean.2,0 Mediocre
Jul 2022
2,0 Mediocre
Jul 2022
2,0 Mediocre
May 2022
2,0 Mediocre
Mar 2022
2,0 Mediocre
Feb 2022
2,0 Mediocre
Dec 2021
GREEN MOTION
No score is available
Cleanliness
-
Comfort
-
Pick-up/Drop-off
-
Value for money
-
2 locations in San Diego
Locations in San Diego
3355 Admiral Boland Way
1 877-247-3362
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Reviews
4,0 Okay
Nov 2017
Cons:
The first car we were given had some type of mechanical problems. I wouldn't go more that 20 mph up a hill. This car was replaced with another car of the same type but older, with less features. We made due.4,4 Okay
Oct 2017
Cons:
Car was not what the Kayak10,0 Excellent
Sep 2017
Pros:
easy access to the car! LOVE my SMART CAR!!!!9,6 Excellent
Sep 2017
Pros:
fast pick up/drop off. 24 hour shuttle service to and from airport because all rental company is housed at same location (San Diego Airport)Cons:
Service agent at pickup counter was too aggressive in pushing additional insurance. Know what your personal policy covers and be firm that you do NOT want any extras (if that is the case)7,2 Good
Sep 2017
Pros:
Relatively quick pickup and processing, car was in good condition and performed well. Associate at the desk was professional and friendly. Car was newer model Hyundai.Cons:
First, got charged an extra fee for extending the rental that was not mentioned even though I had explicitly asked in advance. Required proof of insurance at check-in, which I've never had requested before.10,0 Excellent
Sep 2017
Pros:
Inexpensive.Cons:
The "rental car insurance" ads lead me to buy insurance while I was online reserving a car. What I didin't know -- Even with the reading of the clauses which are difficult to understand -- was that my own car insurance company would be the one I'd contact first before this one kicked in. (According to the clerk at Green Motion.) So I ended up buying the one offered by Green Motion, and wasted money on Allianz.E-Z Rent-A-Car
No score is available
Cleanliness
-
Comfort
-
Pick-up/Drop-off
-
Value for money
-
One location in San Diego
Locations in San Diego
3355 Admiral Borland Way
+1 619 326 4285
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Reviews
4,0 Okay
Mar 2016
Pros:
They finally gave us a free double upgradeCons:
The first three cars we ere offered were either dirty or had a cosmetic problem (a license plate that was falling off). Dropping the car off was very confusing with little assistance because a lack of personnel. Would not rent from them again.2,0 Mediocre
Feb 2016
Pros:
None. I did not go!Cons:
Service! Been calling the past three weeks to cancel the rental car and no one picks up the phone! Left messages and no one returns my calls! Still waiting! Wish someone from Kayak or E-Z Rent-A-Car could help me!!!5,6 Okay
Jan 2016
Pros:
The value. The gentleman who checked us in was friendly and helpful.Cons:
It took them 45 mins to pick us up from the airport!!!!2,0 Mediocre
Jan 2016
Cons:
we waited 20 minutes and i had to go yo Hertz4,0 Okay
Jan 2016
Pros:
We booked the reservation online that stated in bold, Unlimited Miles. We were traveling from San Diego to Phoenix. Unfortunately, unlimited does not mean unlimited. Our rental price would have doubled due to a fee per mile after 150 miles. We chose not to go through with the rental as a result, which was extremely disappointing. This survey is also frustrating because I can't adjust the rating for each category. Overall, it was a poor experience.10,0 Excellent
Jan 2016
Pros:
They accept debit cards! This is an issue sometimes in this industry. They also didn't require me to purchase any extra insurance because I was using a debit card (it was still ootional). Friendly staff, super quick, not a lot of paperwork. More than reasonable prices. I'm a happy customer.EZ Van
No score is available
Cleanliness
-
Comfort
-
Pick-up/Drop-off
-
Value for money
-
5 locations in San Diego
Locations in San Diego
3225 North Harbor Dr
+1 760 846 6223
3355 Admiral Borland Way
+1 760 846 6223
3705 Pacific Hwy
+1 760 846 6223
6904 MIramar Rd#108
+1 866 735 8267
8291 Aero Place
+1 760 846 6223
Filters
No reviews available
1st Van Rental
No score is available
Cleanliness
-
Comfort
-
Pick-up/Drop-off
-
Value for money
-
3 locations in San Diego
Locations in San Diego
2745 Otay Pacific Drive
+1 858 333 7775
3225 North Harbor Dr.
+1 858 333 7775
8291 Aero Pl
+1 858 333 7775
Filters
No reviews available
ADDCAR RENTAL
No score is available
Cleanliness
-
Comfort
-
Pick-up/Drop-off
-
Value for money
-
2 locations in San Diego
Locations in San Diego
3355 Admiral Boland Way
+1 855 313 9431
Filters
No reviews available
Eagle Rent A Car
No score is available
Cleanliness
-
Comfort
-
Pick-up/Drop-off
-
Value for money
-
2 locations in San Diego
Locations in San Diego
Filters
No reviews available
Easirent
No score is available
Cleanliness
-
Comfort
-
Pick-up/Drop-off
-
Value for money
-
2 locations in San Diego
Locations in San Diego
Filters
No reviews available
Midway
No score is available
Cleanliness
-
Comfort
-
Pick-up/Drop-off
-
Value for money
-
2 locations in San Diego
Locations in San Diego
2263 Pacific Highway
+1 619 238 9600
Filters
No reviews available
Rent Car For Less
No score is available
Cleanliness
-
Comfort
-
Pick-up/Drop-off
-
Value for money
-
2 locations in San Diego
Locations in San Diego
1025 W. Laurel Street
+1 619 232 8282
3355 Admiral Boland Way
+1 877 247 3362
Filters
No reviews available
United Auto Rental
No score is available
Cleanliness
-
Comfort
-
Pick-up/Drop-off
-
Value for money
-
2 locations in San Diego
Locations in San Diego
1516 W Redwood #100
+1 619 688 1800
3355 Admiral Boland Way
+1 855 313 9431
Filters
No reviews available
A Plus Car & Truck
No score is available
Cleanliness
-
Comfort
-
Pick-up/Drop-off
-
Value for money
-
One location in San Diego
Locations in San Diego
2008 India Street
+1 619 233 8300
Filters
No reviews available
Advance Car And Truck Rental
No score is available
Cleanliness
-
Comfort
-
Pick-up/Drop-off
-
Value for money
-
One location in San Diego
Locations in San Diego
3355 Admiral Boland Way, San Diego, San Diego County, California
+1 619 326 4285
Filters
No reviews available
All Star Rent a Van
No score is available
Cleanliness
-
Comfort
-
Pick-up/Drop-off
-
Value for money
-
One location in San Diego
Locations in San Diego
3338 kettner blvd
+1 866 925 8695
Filters
No reviews available
Atwest
No score is available
Cleanliness
-
Comfort
-
Pick-up/Drop-off
-
Value for money
-
One location in San Diego
Locations in San Diego
3260 1/2 Rosecrans St
+1 619 223 2343
Filters
No reviews available
Avr
No score is available
Cleanliness
-
Comfort
-
Pick-up/Drop-off
-
Value for money
-
One location in San Diego
Locations in San Diego
Filters
No reviews available
Flight Car
No score is available
Cleanliness
-
Comfort
-
Pick-up/Drop-off
-
Value for money
-
One location in San Diego
Locations in San Diego
San Diego airport
+1 844 742 5870
Filters
No reviews available
Goldcar Rental SP
No score is available
Cleanliness
-
Comfort
-
Pick-up/Drop-off
-
Value for money
-
One location in San Diego
Locations in San Diego
3355 Admiral Boland Way San Diego Ca
+1 619 432 0620
Filters
No reviews available
keddy by Europcar
No score is available
Cleanliness
-
Comfort
-
Pick-up/Drop-off
-
Value for money
-
One location in San Diego
Locations in San Diego
Filters
No reviews available
MAGGIORE
No score is available
Cleanliness
-
Comfort
-
Pick-up/Drop-off
-
Value for money
-
One location in San Diego
Locations in San Diego
San Diego airport
+1 619 296 4966
Filters
No reviews available
Orange County Van Rental
No score is available
Cleanliness
-
Comfort
-
Pick-up/Drop-off
-
Value for money
-
One location in San Diego
Locations in San Diego
225 North Harbor Drive
+1 888 452 8267
Filters
No reviews available
Pacific Rent A Car
No score is available
Cleanliness
-
Comfort
-
Pick-up/Drop-off
-
Value for money
-
One location in San Diego
Locations in San Diego
2100 Kettner Blvd
+1 619 233 3366
Filters
No reviews available
Priceless
No score is available
Cleanliness
-
Comfort
-
Pick-up/Drop-off
-
Value for money
-
One location in San Diego
Locations in San Diego
1858 San Diego Ave
619-752-1967
Filters
No reviews available
Rent-4-Less
No score is available
Cleanliness
-
Comfort
-
Pick-up/Drop-off
-
Value for money
-
One location in San Diego
Locations in San Diego
2305 Pacific Hwy
(619) 260 0340
Filters
No reviews available
Rhodium
No score is available
Cleanliness
-
Comfort
-
Pick-up/Drop-off
-
Value for money
-
One location in San Diego
Locations in San Diego
San Diego Airport. On-airport. 3355 Admiral Boland Way
+1 619 432 0620
Filters
No reviews available
San Diego Rental Auto
No score is available
Cleanliness
-
Comfort
-
Pick-up/Drop-off
-
Value for money
-
One location in San Diego
Locations in San Diego
2067 Fifth Ave
+1 619 655 9327
Filters
No reviews available
Sunnycars
No score is available
Cleanliness
-
Comfort
-
Pick-up/Drop-off
-
Value for money
-
One location in San Diego
Locations in San Diego
Filters
No reviews available
Super Easy Car Rental
No score is available
Cleanliness
-
Comfort
-
Pick-up/Drop-off
-
Value for money
-
One location in San Diego
Locations in San Diego
1021 West Maple Street
+1 619 243 0249
Filters
No reviews available
U-Save
No score is available
Cleanliness
-
Comfort
-
Pick-up/Drop-off
-
Value for money
-
One location in San Diego
Locations in San Diego
1025 W Laurel St
+1 424 295 0587
Filters
No reviews available
Zeeba Rent-A-Van
No score is available
Cleanliness
-
Comfort
-
Pick-up/Drop-off
-
Value for money
-
One location in San Diego
Locations in San Diego
4085 Pacific Hwy
+1 800 940 9332
Filters
No reviews available
Car hire locations in or near San Diego
Good to know
Most popular car type | Intermediate |
|---|
When to book a car hire in San Diego
Top tips for hiring a car in San Diego
- Driving around San Diego is the most convenient and comfortable way of getting to know all corners of the region, as the freeway system is fairly easy to navigate and traffic is manageable (aside from during rush hour). Because public transportation services are unreliable in the city, staying mobile by renting a car is the best option. It is also ideal for travelers looking to explore other destinations outside the city, such as the wine country of nearby Temecula, or those who want to embark on a road trip along the California coast.
- All the big car hire agencies can be found in the San Diego International Airport (SAN), at the Consolidated hire Car Center just outside the airport. The hire Car Center is accessible via free shuttle bus services that stop at all terminals.
- Although the freeway system isn't generally complicated, always have a map or a GPS on hand to help you. When driving downtown, beware of tourists or other reckless drivers who may be too used to driving in the city. If you’re interested in hopping across the border to Mexico, make sure you talk to your hire agency, as they may need to provide specific documentation, such as car insurance that is also valid in the neighboring country. But if your plan includes a day trip to Tijuana, it's easier to just park your car on the U.S. side of the border and walk across.
- Although traffic is manageable, roads are usually fairly busy throughout San Diego, so avoid rush hours both in the morning (between 6:30 and 10 a.m.) and afternoon (between 3:30 and 6:30 pm) if you don't want to be stuck in traffic for longer than needed. Freeways along the coast also get pretty packed on weekends, especially the I-5.
- Book your car hire in San Diego at least 1 day before your trip in order to get a below-average price