National - National Executive take any car from the lot??????

I was at the LAX national, Executive membership here, and didn't see anything I liked in the executive aisle. I went to the desk to see if they could find me a car to my liking and a gentleman in line said "you're an executive you can take any car off the lot" The desk clerk agreed with him. I went, grabbed the biggest SUV, drove off no questions asked, no problem. Was charged the same rate as a full size.

Anyone else know if this is true at all locations or is this a unwritten perk?

Thank you for your help.

I was at the LAX national, Executive membership here, and didn't see anything I liked in the executive aisle. I went to the desk to see if they could find me a car to my liking and a gentleman in line said "you're an executive you can take any car off the lot" The desk clerk agreed with him. I went, grabbed the biggest SUV, drove off no questions asked, no problem. Was charged the same rate as a full size.

Anyone else know if this is true at all locations or is this a unwritten perk?

Thank you for your help.

Sounds like you got lucky. Some locations are like that, others are much tighter about what they'll give you, even as an executive. In my experience, usually if you ask nicely you can get anything you want without too much headache, if it's within reason. It's also completely dependent on time of day. My best upgrades have been at off-peak (usually night) hours when I'm the only one there.

i would have to agree with both statements..@ IAD i'm normally took to take whatever i want...same @ RIC which lacks Ec/ES lanes

Especially when they have a lot of cars (weekends) - i've been told that before.

In addition, they generally stock nicer cars in the aisle as they have no where to put them.

Got a grand cherokee last weekend.. a Flex a while back.. while there was a sea of impalas and malibus available.

I was at the LAX national, Executive membership here, and didn't see anything I liked in the executive aisle. I went to the desk to see if they could find me a car to my liking and a gentleman in line said "you're an executive you can take any car off the lot" The desk clerk agreed with him. I went, grabbed the biggest SUV, drove off no questions asked, no problem. Was charged the same rate as a full size.

Anyone else know if this is true at all locations or is this a unwritten perk?

Thank you for your help.

This is definitely not true for all locations or an unwritten perk.

Some time ago, I was harassed at this same location for taking a Lincoln MKS from the Executive Selection (ES) on a Premium reservation.

This is definitely not true for all locations or an unwritten perk.

Some time ago, I was harassed at this same location for taking a Lincoln MKS from the Executive Selection (ES) on a Premium reservation.

Are you an Exec or Exec Elite member? If so, I don't understand that one at all. I would have said "fine, downgrade my rate to midsize...and this is my regular ES selection."

I assume that on a regular midsize rate, you're supposed to take from the ES aisle. One night, I showed up at DAL and the ES had only one car - an Altima (I think). I found a guy out on the lot and asked if I could snag a Premium...he flatly said no. I got a manager, same thing. This was a Friday-Sunday rental, arriving at 9PM Friday.

I was about to head inside to find a third opinion when one car was pulled up to the previously-empty regular EA. I forget what it was but it was "good enough" and had working XM so I took it.

On award rentals, I assume you have a bit more leeway since you can always book those as Luxury. Then, if you arrive and want something a little smaller or sportier, you can probably switch. I've done it...although I've always asked first if the car wasn't sitting on the ES/EA. I assume some things are still off-limits...I've never asked them for a Camaro, for example.

Are you an Exec or Exec Elite member? If so, I don't understand that one at all. I would have said "fine, downgrade my rate to midsize...and this is my regular ES selection."

I'm Executive level - told the agent to call manager to OK it and was OKed by the manager. The MKS may have been mistakenly parked in ES but that's not my problem.

I just wanted to post so that forum readers do not assume that it's always ok to grab "any" car on the lot as Exec or Exec Elite - that's not the way it works - it could sometimes if OKed by an employee.

Asking for a Premium is fairly reasonable since they regularly show up in ES, but don't be upset if you are denied. Asking for anything higher is not really reasonable (of course Luxury / large SUVs occasionally show up in ES but not with any regularity).

Agree with that... I've never assumed that selecting from aisle higher than ES was a universal perk when there is a stocked ES available.

I have had good success at this location and others asking for something that I specifically see and want. An example was asking for a convertible at LAX, which I have seen in the ES aisle many times but not on this particular occassion. They pointed to the Convertible section and told me to take my pick. It is always nice to have a convertible for a drive up the PCH when the weather is good.