Convenience cost? Rental car company charges man more for early return
'It was beautiful. It was great,' Barton said, describing the trip.
He rented a car for two weeks.
[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]
'We decided, for convenience purposes, to return the car a day early,' he said.
Barton thought that would save him some money but instead, he said the opposite happened.
TRENDING STORIES:
Atlanta traffic stop for phone leads to discovery of bricks of cocaine, 100 lbs. of meth, police say
Will Georgians get another special tax refund in 2025?
Georgia lawmakers file red meat bill, would ban advertising plant-based or lab-grown items as meat
Thinking he'd saved a little, Barton was told to pay even more. The AVIS Car Rental company charged him about $1,000 to $1,500 more than he'd expected.
'I thought it was a mistake, so I contacted the office there,' Barton said.
He says it took a lot of back-and-forth and then eventually, he says, '[AVIS] sent me a copy of the contract stating that if you return it early, you are subject to a different rate.'
Barton said it was information he didn't see in the contract.
'I don't think everybody reads those things in detail,' he said.
The terms and conditions say, 'If you return it earlier or later, a different or higher rental rate may apply.'
Channel 2 Action News sister station WSOC reached out to the company for more information.
It responded, saying that 'AVIS has contacted the customer and explained that the rate for the rental defaulted due to the early return. We have resolved the issue and refunded the difference. We appreciate the opportunity to address this customer's concerns.'
'I feel great,' Barton said. 'I appreciate your help with doing that. It was a long process, but we feel good about it.'
The takeaway? Make sure to read the fine print, even if you're doing something 'better' for the company.
[SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Yahoo
Buc-ee's to build 4th Georgia location after state approves permit
Buc-ee's is moving forward on building their fourth location in Georgia after getting approval from the Georgia Environmental Protection Division. The Texas-based gas station giant had to get state approval to move forward, requiring what's known as a stream buffer variance so they could build near a state body of water. According to state records, the waters in this case are two unnamed dendritic tributaries to Deer Creek in the Upper Ocmulgee Watershed. The approval letter was sent to Buc-ee's on July 30. A Buc-ee's spokeswoman told Channel 2 Action News the new location in Monroe County is expected to open in March 2027. Buc-ee's opened its third location in Georgia in July. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] RELATED STORIES: New Buc-ee's open for business in Georgia Wildlife experts concerned bright interstate lights near GA Buc-ee's confuse baby sea turtles New Buc-ee's open for business in Georgia Buc-ee's releases first children's book 18 things you didn't know about Buc-ee's Georgia lawmakers recognize March 20 as 'Buc-ee's Day' at state Capitol [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] Solve the daily Crossword
6 days ago
Democrat Michael Thurmond is running for Georgia governor, pledging to improve lives
ATLANTA -- Democrat Michael Thurmond has a long resume of public service, and now he wants to add governor of Georgia to the list. Thurmond announced his 2026 bid for the state's highest office Wednesday, saying he's 'going to fight for the people of Georgia every day," but also pitching himself as someone who can bridge racial and political divides to become the first Democrat to win the state's top office in 28 years. Thurmond promised in an interview Tuesday to be a leader who 'will focus on the everyday issues that most Georgians are concerned about — i.e. the cost of groceries or rent or paying the mortgage, access to health care and quite frankly ending divisiveness that has prevented us from progressing more in this state.' The 72-year-old Thurmond joins a Democratic field that already includes state Sen. Jason Esteves, former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms and others who are seeking their party's nomination in an attempt to succeed Republican Gov. Brian Kemp, who can't run again after two terms. Thurmond is one of only three Black people to win election to statewide office in Georgia, serving three terms as labor commissioner after first winning election in 2010. He was also the first Black state legislator from his hometown of Athens since Reconstruction when elected in 1986. Like all the other currently declared Democratic candidates, Thurmond is now seeking to become Georgia's first Black governor. When Thurmond tried to run for Senate in 2010, he lost badly to incumbent Republican Johnny Isakson, running significantly behind Democratic gubernatorial candidate Roy Barnes that year. Thurmond most recently served two terms as the elected CEO of DeKalb County, an Atlanta suburb that had $150 million in the bank when he left office. Before that, he was credited with stabilizing the DeKalb County school system as interim superintendent, after its accreditation agency threatened to strip its seal of approval, citing financial mismanagement, school board dysfunction and nepotism. Thurmond also oversaw welfare reform as director of Georgia's Division of Family and Children Services in the mid-1990s, after he gave up his state House seat to make an unsuccessful run for Congress in 1992. Thurmond is a lawyer and he has written multiple books on Georgia history. 'I bring a record of service and accomplishment,' he said. 'I, throughout my career, never shied away from taking on tough jobs.' Both Bottoms and Esteves have showcased plans to oppose what they see as wrongheaded policies put forth by President Donald Trump, appealing to Democratic partisans who are fearful and angry. Thurmond says he too is a fighter, but frames it differently. 'It's not fighting Trump,' he said. 'I'm going to fight for Georgia residents.' Some Democrats are also calling for a generational turnover in leadership, a trend that's clearly apparent among the primary opponents of longtime U.S. Rep. David Scott. After more than four decades in politics, Thurmond said he believes a track record of success will be more important. 'The number one concern of the Democrats I talked to is that they want a candidate who can win,' he said. Thurmond is the youngest of nine children born to a sharecropper. He was class president of Athens' all-Black high school when it was consolidated with the historically all-white high school in 1970. Thurmond has said that until then he knew few white people, but as co-student body president, had to learn how to deal with others. He said part of his path to victory is to pursue the 'better angels" of voters in the same way that got him elected labor commissioner. 'It's not a hypothetical for me. I've seen it with my own eyes. I've experienced it,' Thurmond said. 'And consequently I come into this race with great faith in this state and the people of Georgia.'
San Francisco Chronicle
6 days ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
Democrat Michael Thurmond is running for Georgia governor, pledging to improve everyday lives
ATLANTA (AP) — Democrat Michael Thurmond has a long resume of public service, and now he wants to add governor of Georgia to the list. Thurmond announced his 2026 bid for the state's highest office Wednesday, saying he's 'going to fight for the people of Georgia every day," but also pitching himself as someone who can bridge racial and political divides to become the first Democrat to win the state's top office in 28 years. Thurmond promised in an interview Tuesday to be a leader who 'will focus on the everyday issues that most Georgians are concerned about — i.e. the cost of groceries or rent or paying the mortgage, access to health care and quite frankly ending divisiveness that has prevented us from progressing more in this state.' The 72-year-old Thurmond joins a Democratic field that already includes state Sen. Jason Esteves, former Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms and others who are seeking their party's nomination in an attempt to succeed Republican Gov. Brian Kemp, who can't run again after two terms. Thurmond is one of only three Black people to win election to statewide office in Georgia, serving three terms as labor commissioner after first winning election in 2010. He was also the first Black state legislator from his hometown of Athens since Reconstruction when elected in 1986. Like all the other currently declared Democratic candidates, Thurmond is now seeking to become Georgia's first Black governor. When Thurmond tried to run for Senate in 2010, he lost badly to incumbent Republican Johnny Isakson, running significantly behind Democratic gubernatorial candidate Roy Barnes that year. Thurmond most recently served two terms as the elected CEO of DeKalb County, an Atlanta suburb that had $150 million in the bank when he left office. Before that, he was credited with stabilizing the DeKalb County school system as interim superintendent, after its accreditation agency threatened to strip its seal of approval, citing financial mismanagement, school board dysfunction and nepotism. Thurmond also oversaw welfare reform as director of Georgia's Division of Family and Children Services in the mid-1990s, after he gave up his state House seat to make an unsuccessful run for Congress in 1992. Thurmond is a lawyer and he has written multiple books on Georgia history. 'I bring a record of service and accomplishment,' he said. 'I, throughout my career, never shied away from taking on tough jobs.' Both Bottoms and Esteves have showcased plans to oppose what they see as wrongheaded policies put forth by President Donald Trump, appealing to Democratic partisans who are fearful and angry. Thurmond says he too is a fighter, but frames it differently. 'It's not fighting Trump,' he said. 'I'm going to fight for Georgia residents.' Some Democrats are also calling for a generational turnover in leadership, a trend that's clearly apparent among the primary opponents of longtime U.S. Rep. David Scott. After more than four decades in politics, Thurmond said he believes a track record of success will be more important. 'The number one concern of the Democrats I talked to is that they want a candidate who can win,' he said. Thurmond is the youngest of nine children born to a sharecropper. He was class president of Athens' all-Black high school when it was consolidated with the historically all-white high school in 1970. Thurmond has said that until then he knew few white people, but as co-student body president, had to learn how to deal with others. He said part of his path to victory is to pursue the 'better angels" of voters in the same way that got him elected labor commissioner. 'It's not a hypothetical for me. I've seen it with my own eyes. I've experienced it,' Thurmond said. 'And consequently I come into this race with great faith in this state and the people of Georgia.'
