Thrifty Car Rental EWR: Your Gateway to New Jersey Travel

Thrifty Car Rental Introduce

For New Jersey residents and visitors flying into the Tri-State Area, securing reliable transportation right at the airport is often the first priority. Thrifty Car Rental at the Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) location offers a convenient and accessible option for travelers needing to rent a vehicle immediately upon arrival. As a well-known brand in the car rental industry, this location at 132 Carson Road in Newark serves as a critical gateway for accessing the entire Garden State, from the bustling Northern suburbs to the serene beaches of the Jersey Shore and the historical sites of Central New Jersey.

This Thrifty location distinguishes itself with key business characteristics that cater to a diverse clientele. It is notably identified as a women-owned business, demonstrating a commitment to supporting diverse local ownership. Furthermore, the agency actively supports the community by offering discounts specifically for active military personnel, which is a valuable feature for service members and their families traveling through EWR. They operate with extended daily hours to accommodate the wide range of flight schedules typical of a major international airport.

While the convenience of an airport location is undeniable, recent customer feedback regarding their operational processes, particularly the automated damage protection system, highlights the necessity for renters to exercise extreme diligence. Customers have noted issues with the sensitivity of the AI-driven damage detection technology upon return, which has led to disputes over minor or imperceptible vehicle imperfections. This experience underscores the importance of thoroughly documenting the vehicle's condition, both visually and verbally, before leaving the lot and before returning it, even if a damage waiver has been purchased. This critical information ensures that local users can prepare for a smoother rental experience by understanding the nuances of the check-in and return procedures at this specific location.

Location and Accessibility

The Thrifty Car Rental branch is strategically located near one of the East Coast's busiest transportation hubs, Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR). This placement ensures maximum convenience for airport passengers and those requiring easy access to the region's main arteries. The precise location is:

132 Carson Rd, Newark, NJ 07114, USA

As a major airport rental facility, the branch is integrated into the airport's infrastructure. Customers are typically directed to take the AirTrain to the P2 station, where the car rental facilities are housed, and then proceed to the Thrifty counter and lot. The 132 Carson Road location is part of this expansive complex. The access to this location is a key highlight, as it provides immediate entry onto major highways such as US-1-9, which are essential for quickly reaching destinations in Newark, Jersey City, Manhattan, and points south toward Central New Jersey. The facility also focuses on physical accessibility:

Wheelchair accessible entrance is provided.
Wheelchair accessible parking lot is available.

This dedication to physical accessibility ensures that all customers, regardless of mobility requirements, can manage the process of picking up and returning their rental vehicle with greater ease. Operating hours are extensive, typically running from early morning until nearly midnight every day of the week, accommodating most flight arrivals and departures at EWR.

Services Offered

Thrifty Car Rental at EWR provides a comprehensive range of car rental services designed to meet the diverse needs of travelers, from economy to larger group vehicles.

Vehicle Fleet Selection: A wide variety of vehicle classes are available, including:
- Small and Compact Sedans (e.g., Ford Focus, Chevrolet Spark) for budget-conscious and efficient travel.
- Mid-size and Full-size Sedans (e.g., Mazda 3, Chevrolet Malibu, Chrysler 300) for comfort on longer New Jersey drives.
- SUVs (e.g., Nissan Pathfinder, Chevrolet Equinox) ideal for families, groups, and exploring various regional terrains.
- Vans (e.g., Chrysler Pacifica) for maximum passenger and luggage capacity.
- Premium and Luxury options (e.g., Chrysler 300) for an upgraded driving experience.
Standard Rental Services: Offering daily, weekly, and longer-term rental agreements.
Blue Chip Rewards Program: Providing a membership program designed to expedite the rental process for repeat customers, potentially including expedited counter service.
Optional Protection and Add-ons: Availability of supplemental products such as Loss Damage Waiver (LDW), Personal Accident Insurance (PAI), Personal Effects Coverage (PEC), Liability Insurance Supplement (LIS), child car seats, and PlatePass® for toll management, though the purchase is optional.
Payment Flexibility: Accepting various forms of payment for deposits and final payment:
- Credit Cards
- Debit Cards (subject to specific location policies regarding credit checks and holds)
- NFC Mobile Payments

Features and Highlights

This particular Thrifty location highlights several features intended to enhance the customer experience and reflect community values.

Identified as Women-Owned: The business is identified as being women-owned, offering New Jersey customers the opportunity to support a diverse local enterprise.
Active Military Discounts: The provision of special discounts for active military personnel is a noteworthy commitment to supporting service members.
High Accessibility Standards: The facility meets important accessibility criteria with a wheelchair accessible entrance and parking lot, ensuring a more inclusive service for all travelers.
Airport Convenience: Located directly at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR), providing the fastest possible transition from air travel to driving, minimizing delay for travelers arriving in New Jersey.
Digital Pre-Check-in Option: The company offers online pre-check-in processes intended to save time at the counter, although customers should be aware that counter interaction may still be required upon arrival.

Contact Information

To arrange a car rental or inquire about services at this key Newark location, customers can use the following information:

Address: 132 Carson Rd, Newark, NJ 07114, USA
Phone: (973) 824-2003
Mobile Phone: +1 973-824-2003
Type of Business: Car rental agency

What is Worth Choosing Thrifty Car Rental at EWR

Choosing Thrifty Car Rental at EWR is often worthwhile for New Jersey users seeking immediate, on-site transportation from the airport, a wide range of vehicle options, and beneficial discounts. The location's primary strength is its sheer convenience; being directly at the airport's car rental facility means no lengthy off-site transfers are needed. The availability of vehicles ranging from fuel-efficient compact cars for quick trips to spacious SUVs for family excursions across the Garden State ensures they can meet nearly every travel need.

Furthermore, the explicit acknowledgment of being a women-owned business and the provision of active military discounts are valuable social features that can align with the preferences of many local consumers. The wheelchair accessibility features are also a clear benefit for travelers requiring those accommodations.

However, when selecting this location, customers must be prepared for the specifics of their damage assessment process. The reported use of an AI-driven, highly sensitive automated system for damage checks necessitates a cautious, proactive approach from the renter. **It is strongly recommended that all New Jersey renters take clear, high-resolution photographs and videos of the entire vehicle, noting any existing marks, shadows, or extremely slight indentations, both at pickup and before return.** This personal documentation is crucial for effectively disputing any potential, overly sensitive damage claims made by the automated system, especially since customers have experienced difficulty in resolving these issues directly with on-site staff. While Thrifty provides the necessary vehicles, a thorough, detail-oriented mindset during the check-in and return process will ensure a smoother, less frustrating experience overall. For those who prioritize immediate airport access, diversity support, and specific discounts, and who are willing to diligently document the vehicle condition, Thrifty Car Rental at EWR remains a viable and high-volume option.

Thrifty Car Rental Details

From the business
Identifies as women-owned

Highlights
Active military discounts

Accessibility
Wheelchair accessible entrance
Wheelchair accessible parking lot

Payments
Credit cards
Debit cards
NFC mobile payments

Thrifty Car Rental Photos

Thrifty Car Rental Location

Thrifty Car Rental

New Jersey Union County Newark Carson Road

132 Carson Rd, Newark, NJ 07114, USA

Thrifty Car Rental Reviews

An average rating of ★2.5 from 658 user reviews.

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★ 5★ 4★ 3★ 2★ 1

The automated damage protection system they use at EWR is a scam. I received notice that there was damage detected on the car I returned. The pics they used to prove that are ridiculous. I returned to the thrifty desk and after waiting an extremely long time was helped by a manager who looked at the photos and agreed that was not any reasonable damage. I even went out to the car and took my own pics and video and could not find the spot they were showing.The manager acknowledged there was no damage. And tried to walk me through the AI driven website to report the situation. The only options are to agree to the damage and pay up. If you don’t there is an ever increasing fine for not doing it.I was trying to get a person who worked there to physically look at the spot and they kept telling me this is a 3rd party system and that they can’t do anything about it.I even bought the damage waiver through Priceline when I rented the car. And now have to just pay it and then deal with a third party to get reimbursed.It is such a frustrating process with no options to speak to a real person and the only option is to pay. You can’t dispute it.The supposed damage is a slight indention that you can only see in the reflection of the paint. It’s almost impossible to see and was in a place no reasonable person would have said was damage. There were no scrapes or evidence of a door ding.I truly believe the first pics they took when the car was wet missed the ever so slight indentation in the reflection of the paint, damage that it supposedly found when I returned it.It would not have mattered if I carefully inspected every inch of that car beforehand, I would never have noticed it. I just wonder how many other people have been extorted by this system which is set too sensitive to pick up changes in a reflective surface of the paint.
June 29 · Terry O'Donnell
Last time I will go here. I spent over an hour getting their pre-check-in to work so I could skip the counter at the airport. You had to upload drivers license, take a photo to show you matched the dl, and a lot of other info. I was willing to do that to skip the line at the airport counter (Newark), because I have experienced long lines there before. When I get there, they tell me I have to stand in line anyway. When I get to the counter I ask why and she tells me that's the way it is. I press her again, and tell here the online check in info said I could skip the counter, so I dont understand why I have to check in at the counter when the online pre-check-in seemed to work. She shrugs and offers no additional information, but proceeds to give me a crappy, dirty, scratched up car that wasn't what I reserved. I was going to go back in and ask to swap it for one of the 3 cars sitting there that were what I reserved, but I didn’t want to wait in line again or deal with the not at all helpful agent who probably gave me the crappy car on purpose because I asked her to explain why I had to talk to her to begin with. Never again.
September 08 · Holly
I booked my car through Expedia. I had originally booked the car for 5 or more people. A family member of mine decided to come on the trip lastminute so I tried to contact thrifty multiple times the week before my trip to upgrade the vehicle and received no response. My flight was for October 10th at 8:05 pm but it was delayed. Thrifty sent a text message saying that they were going to hold my rental for 8 hours. We arrived at Newark after 12:00 AM. When we arrived at the Thrifty rental booth, I told the lady at the counter that I was there for a reservation I made and the first thing she did look at her watch. Then she proceeded to look into our reservation and said that the reservation was for the next day the 11th. On my phone the reservation clearly showed pickup October 10th at 11:30 pm. She said no it shows tomorrow the 11th. I showed her my phone and she said well it shows tomorrow there’s nothing I can do about it you need to come tomorrow. I said well technically it is tomorrow and she said well it needs to be during operating hours were currently closed. If you guys are closed why are you sitting at the booth and asking me how you can help me? Especially since your yelp says you are open 24/7. The woman proceeded to be very rude to my mother and use inappropriate language and say that she wasn’t talking to my mother but that she was talking to someone on her AirPod. After a couple of hours of frantically trying to find a rental car with other businesses, someone fromHertz finally alerted us that Thrifty is partnered with Hertz and that they could help us with the rental. If that was the case, the woman at the Thrifty counter could have directed us to Hertz to handle our reservation because Thrifty was “closed.” Instead she decided to be extremely rude and unhelpful. We then had to come up with $260 extra on top of what I already had paid for the vehicle to find another car to fit 6 people when I originally booked for 5 or more people. I wish Thrifty would have picked up the phone when I tried to call during the week so I could have prepared for such an extra expense. I will never use Thrifty again and I will make others aware of how horrible this experience was.
October 14 · Rebekah Maldonado
After our flight, we were in line to pickup our rental for an hour and a half before we were seen. The line was not long. There were maybe 10 people ahead of us when we got there. There were 2 employees working. After that hour and a half, another employee (apparently this was the manager of the location) opened up another queue for those that already completed the check in process online beforehand. There were a lot of us.We happened to be first in line. We tried to get all questions answered and agreements signed as quickly as we could as we were in a bit of a time crunch and my pregnant wife was completely exhausted. Unfortunately, the vehicle that we were given (by the manager) was already checked out to another family by another employee. We compared tickets to be sure and we were in fact given the exact same vehicle out of the exact same spot number.So we went back to the line, and told the manager that he had given us an occupied vehicle (meanwhile, ALL of the other customers were screaming at this point (rightfully so) because it had taken so long thus far just to be seen knowing that they may be in for some further issues down the line). The manager quickly gave us a new spot number and car, but did not print a ticket for us as he was already out of our account and onto the next. He said that he would “notify them” that this was going on.We were in no ways comfortable with that so we spoke to another employee that happened to be walking through the garage and she agreed that that should not be happening, and we would need a ticket for the gate agent. We showed her who gave us the vehicle and she says “well that’s the manager so I guess if he says it okay then it’s okay”. Okay..We leave the garage. When we get to the gate, the attendant was very confused and had to create a ticket for us with the vehicle as a “transfer exchange” because the manager did not change the information in the system by this point. Okay..The rental car itself was fine. We needed it for less than 48 hours.The drop off itself seemed easy as it is just a drive up and you leave the keys in the car, BUT we had not received any confirmation or notification that the car had been dropped off. We did not receive this for over 24 hours, so we deciding to call customer support.Customer support notified us that the vehicle had not been “closed out” so they would need to contact the local branch to get this done. We asked if they could see what type of car they have on file for us given the issues when we picked up. Customer support emphasized that they don’t need it and would not even allow it to be added to the email with the branch for the purposes of confirmation.No response for 2 days. We tried calling the local branch. They let the phone ring for hours before we gave up. We contacted customer support again. They attempted to email again. We said absolutely not, and that we need to speak with a manager immediately. They said they would call the branch themselves. We said good luck. They put us on hold for about 5-6 mins while they tried, then confirmed that the branch was not picking up.We demanded our account be closed our we need to speak with a manager IMMEDIATELY. They refused to let us speak with a manager and closed out the vehicle themselves (something that clearly could have been done in the first place).The level of incompetency in every single employee that we worked with was insurmountable. This was absolutely the worst experience that we had with any travel/transportations company period. We, throughout this entire process until the very end when we were fed up, were giving everyone the benefit of the doubt. We assumed that they may be stressed, overworked, etc., but to not answer the phones, to not seriously consider the circumstances and to treat customers like their time is not of the essence, is all around neglectful and unprofessional. We will not be going back and we advise that no one else does.
September 10 · L Wasson
We waited 1 and 1/2 hours for our car! There was a huge line, so I guess it wasn’t their fault that half the population of New Jersey seemed to need a car at the same time. We did get a car- it smelled like smoke, but we were grateful for the car and we were luckier than some very dissatisfied Dollar rental people. Anyway, we got the car and we’re able to leave it and the key at 3:00 AM even tho it was closed. So it was slow, but thankfully reliable. It is cheaper than Avis and Hertz.
October 09 · Naomi Sprung