Woman paid $25 for a ‘mystery’ car rental from Budget, and what they gave her proves it’s worth the gamble

A woman has gone viral after booking a $25 Budget “mystery rental” and receiving a high-end Genesis electric vehicle. Kayley Slicer, known as @kayslice1 on TikTok, shared her experience as she picked up whatever car the rental company gave her. She only needed the car for one day, but Budget gave her something amazing.

According to Motor1, the “Mystery Car” rental is exactly what it sounds like. You book at a heavily discounted rate, often lower than a compact economy car, but you don’t know what you’re driving until you arrive at the counter. The low price attracts budget-minded renters who don’t care about the specific model.

When you choose the “Mystery Car” option during booking, the vehicle is revealed only at pickup. While the price isn’t always $25, the rate is almost always heavily discounted. For those renting in the Atlanta area, you’re guaranteed a car that seats at least four people and can fit a couple of bags. Beyond that, options range from hybrids to midsize EVs and even sports cars.

Mystery car rentals offer incredible deals but come with major risks

Kayley admitted in her TikTok video that she hoped for something wild, saying, “I was hoping it was the weinermobile.” She knew an electric vehicle was possible. When she checked in, an employee confirmed she’d be driving an EV. She soon realized she was getting a Genesis. “I literally did the mystery car rental. It was $25, and I’m going to get a Genesis,” she said. The clip has received nearly one and a half million views at the time of writing.

Other travelers have shared their incredible scores. One commenter wrote, “I work for a Genesis dealer you literally got an $80,000 car 😭😭😭😭” Another viewer said, “avis did this to me too with a genesis. i booked a basic economy car and got a $90K SUV 😂” While some people make unusual requests at dealerships, mystery rentals offer a different kind of automotive surprise.

One user joked, “Was terrified for you that it would be a cybertruck.” These stories prove that lucky renters can score amazing deals.

However, not everyone has good stories. Several commenters shared experiences of getting massive, impractical vehicles. One person wrote, “Before I see what you got…I did it, one time… cargo van…IN BOSTON” Another said, “My mystery car was a mini van so I upgraded to a Charger! Never will I ever choose the budget mystery car again.”

One commenter shared, “We did that at Houston Hobby and ended up qith a Jeep Gladiator. I was so unimpressed,the thing felt like we were riding in a tank.😂😂😂😂 But it was cheap!” Some locations seem to use the program to get rid of hard-to-rent vehicles. If you’re flexible and only need a car for a short trip, the chance to get a luxury vehicle for the price of a compact car might be worth the risk. Similar to getting brand new cars under budget, these deals require accepting certain tradeoffs.