I rented a car late on November 22 at Rochester, NY airport. The car had a strange odor, like cigarette smoke covered up by deodorizer. The next morning, in the daylight, I noticed that the car had a big dent in the driver's door. When I got in the car, it was obvious that the previous renter had smoked heavily in the car, and all Avis had done was emptied the ashtray. There were still ashes smeared all over the ashtray and ashes on the dashboard and floor. I called Avis and told them about the door and the ashes so they would not think I did either (I don't smoke, and neither does my wife or daughter, who were with me). If we would not have been so busy at the hospital with my 87-year old father-in-law who was on his deathbed (which is why we flew from Dallas to Rochester and rented the car in the first place), I would have gone back to the airport and demanded a different car. When I returned the car, I told the agent that since Avis advertises a $250 cleaning fee if a renter smokes in the car, and this car had not been cleaned to remove the smell or the ashes, that I should receive a $250 credit on my rental. He just looked at me and ignored my statement. But I am serious - I think that I should get a $250 credit for putting up with the smell for 6 days. I don't think Avis should be allowed to get away with giving their customers disgusting, smelly cars with impunity, when they advertise smoke-free cars and claim to prosecute those who smoke in their cars. It's not true. They just empty the ashtray and rent those cars out to the next person.
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