Hertz - 5 Star Status

Just received letter saying I lost my 5 Star Status....What the heck did I lose?

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Texas AA Flyer
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From what I can tell after being 5* for a couple-three years now, not much. I now get an upgrade about 10% of the time and before I was 5*, I got an upgrade abput 10% of the time. I still have never just had one waiting for me and if I really would like a bigger car for any rental than my company will stand for, I need to ask and mostly get rebuffed.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by monitor:
From what I can tell after being 5* for a couple-three years now, not much.</font>

Any more current thoughts and experiences with 5*? I'm close to it, but nothing I've read on my search of the Hertz board has sounded overwhelmingly wonderful. What I really like are low-cost Volvo upgrades.

Thanks in advance!

I'm a new Five-Star, but I always book Premium or Prestige so I "get what I paid for". I imagine there is no upgrade from Prestige, and my two Premium rentals have been at smaller airports that did not appear to have a Town Car (Luxury) in the lot, so I do not know if I would normally be "kicked-up" to one if available.

Some Presidents Club members have noted they usually receive a Prestige Collection vehicle (where available) as a matter of course, regardless of class booked, and I have seen Cadillac DeVilles and upgraded Full-Size (Tauruses with leather) and Premium (Toyota Avalon XLS) in the PC slots at SEA.

Since I always "rent high", I view Five Star (and should I ever get it, PC) as just a reflection of how much I rent from Hertz, and not as some level of status I would actively shoot for.

[This message has been edited by SEA_Tigger (edited 10-15-2003).]

I am PC and rent a compact car everytime and usually get the pick of the lot when I arrive.

When I was 5*, I was upgraded everytime to a mid-size or full-size (never premium) and would get 1 free rental coupon for every 5 rentals or so. In YYZ - downtown it makes a difference, in other locations I have rented from, they don't care if I own Hertz or not, I get what I booked and nothing more.

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Friends don't let friends fly Air Canada.

I also rent a lot out of YYZ and will rent B class most of the time (Cavalier/Focus). As a 5*, I never get the class of car I rented. Last weekend, they gave me a Prestige (Volvo S40). Last year at Christmas, for a 10 day rental in YYC, they gave me an Explorer (we were going skiing so it was perfect) on a 199/weekly rate for C class. I guess it depends on time of day/inventory/who else is renting. And you'll usually get the newer cars available (I believe this is usually denoted with a Y in front of the class of car i.e. YC). Also make use of the free day coupons every 7 rentals.

Cheers.

I'm a 5*, and I seem to get an upgrade most of the time. Must say though that most of my rentals happen at larger airports.
Very happy about the upgrade%.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by CanuckBubba:
And you'll usually get the newer cars available (I believe this is usually denoted with a Y in front of the class of car i.e. YC).</font>

The Y is for "specialty." Typically comparable in size, but higher end on the features, and/or an unconventional model. It could be good or bad depending on the circumstances. A lot of Kias are classified as YC.

Thank you all! It'll only take one or two "unnecessary" rentals to get me 5*, so I think I'll try it out.




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Life's a banquet, and most poor suckers are starving to death! - Auntie Mame

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Usually get one class upgrade from Airport retal, but nothing from local office.

I have rented 18x this year and have never been upgraded (unless I booked with a coupon).

For me, the only benefit from 5* is the coupons.

I've been a 5* for two years now, and it seems to me that the only time I get upgraded is when I rent from a big airport location in a big city. At the Chicago airports, I always get upgraded. In St. Louis, it's about 50/50. In places like Dayton and Albany, never. That's just my small sample experience, though.

Upgrades vary greatly by renting location. I'm PC. In Seattle, I'll get a one class upgrade. Upgrades to Prestige Collection at SEA are nearly impossible. (I've rented a car there almost every week this year, yet still get mediocre upgrades).

I've had good luck with upgrades at DCA; lousy luck at IAD.

I haven't noticed anything useful about 5*. Didn't know about automatic upgrades, but like an earlier poster, I usually rent a prestige car or else an SUV/Minivan.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by MapleLeaf:
...and would get 1 free rental coupon for every 5 rentals or so.</font>

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by CanuckBubba:
Also make use of the free day coupons every 7 rentals.</font>

I thought the paperwork (or e-mail) they sent me said one free rental for every ten. So I made 5*, got the materials in the mail, and no free day cert. I waited a few weeks then called them, and they said it would take me fifteen rentals in a year to get a free day certificate. Very disappointed so far...

The free day certificate is worthless. You can always get an Internet offer at least as good.

QL

I was told I made 5* but have never received anything from Hertz about it. Last time I made a reservation over the phone I asked and was told there is no paper work or membership card, it's simply shown in your profile. Is this correct?

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by QuietLion:
The free day certificate is worthless. You can always get an Internet offer at least as good.

QL</font>

I find the free day certificates to be very valuable. They have very few blackouts and I've never encountered a capacity control (yet).

I used one last year for a 1-day downtown SFO rental and 2 for 1-day rentals from the HHV in Hawaii. Used two the year before for day trips to the mountains from a downtown Denver location.

All of those FREE rentals would have been $50 each because Priceline doesn't do off-airport and the Hertz.com codes we all know and love don't work on 1-day rentals.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by slowingdog:
... was told there is no paper work or membership card, it's simply shown in your profile. Is this correct?</font>

While it is added to your profile, there is a different "Gold Card" and some info that gets sent out.

I still don't understand the rather large discrepancy between the 15 rentals they told me I must make to earn a free day certificate vs. other people's 5 or 7...?

I am PC and it usually means a guaranteed Full Size vehicle for me most of the time. I normally rent mid-size class and usually end up with a full size regular or sometimes a full size with satellite radio.
The only downside is the freak times when Hertz decides to be extra nice and give me that boat of grand marquis or crown victoria.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by pinniped: I find the free day certificates to be very valuable. They have very few blackouts and I've never encountered a capacity control (yet).
[/B]</font>

Then I'm not getting the same free-day certificates as you. Mine require a three-day rental. I did get the free weekend certificates as part of the program last year. Those I like. I wonder why I never got any of the good free-day certs with 37 rentals?

QL

[This message has been edited by QuietLion (edited Mar 06, 2004).]

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by ejmelton:
While it is added to your profile, there is a different "Gold Card" and some info that gets sent out.</font>

Is this right? I'm 5* and have never gotten a new card reflecting that status.

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CO plat, UA prem; Marriott plat, Hilton gold, Starwood gold, Fairmont gold; Avis select, Hertz 5-star

The card is gold (very valuable http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif )and says "Hertz #1 Club Five Star)"

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by QuietLion:
Then I'm not getting the same free-day certificates as you. Mine require a three-day rental. I did get the free weekend certificates as part of the program last year. Those I like. I wonder why I never got any of the good free-day certs with 37 rentals?

QL

[This message has been edited by QuietLion (edited Mar 06, 2004).]</font>

The ones I'm talking about are truly Free Day certificates. (No minimum keep and very few restrictions.) I get them about every 15 or 20 rentals, although I don't track closely. I also order one every time I cross 600 ZE1 points.

About four times a year, I also get a mailing with the certs you are talking about - third day free, double upgrades, $ off a weekly rental, sometimes a couple hundred dollars off if I *buy* a car, and other common stuff like that that I can get with a 9xxxxx PC code at almost any time from Hertz.com. Those I trash: why would I use a paper coupon when a 9xxxxx code is available?

OK, we're on the same page. I've never received one of the "good" free-day coupons, probably because my Centurion status trumps my Five-Star status.

QL