Hertz - One way state-to-state, Ford vehicles only?

I was recently in a HLE and overheard the staff talking about a renter wanting to return car in a bordering state. They said amongst themselves that this should only be done with a Ford vehicle. Anyone know this to be true? Is one much less likely to get upgraded to a Volvo or Subaru in a trans-state rental?

Might this mean just Ford badged vehicles (as opposed to other brands owned by Ford - like Volvo, Jag or Lincoln)?

Do you think this would apply for neighboring states?

I have to do something like this in the Northeast and would prefer to not be relegated to a Taurus.

I was recently in a HLE and overheard the staff talking about a renter wanting to return car in a bordering state. They said amongst themselves that this should only be done with a Ford vehicle. Anyone know this to be true? Is one much less likely to get upgraded to a Volvo or Subaru in a trans-state rental?

Might this mean just Ford badged vehicles (as opposed to other brands owned by Ford - like Volvo, Jag or Lincoln)?

Do you think this would apply for neighboring states?

I have to do something like this in the Northeast and would prefer to not be relegated to a Taurus.

Ford owns Hertz.

Every location has the basics, Focus, Taurus, Grand Marquis, so it would be easier for them to move those around from location to location than something more exotic.

This is not Hertz policy. I've taken plenty of cars for one-way rentals that were not Fords, and often get cars with out of state tags (indicating that once upon a time it was a one-way rental).

For example, this is what I got in the month of February:

Pick-up MHT, Return BOS: Impala with Ohio plates
CVG Rental: Camry with Alabama Plates
MHT Rental: Mazda 6 with VA Plates
MCO Rental: Camry with IL plates

It's not so much a Ford, but on one way rentals they have to rent first what vehicles they have a large quantity of, in this case, generally the Taurus for full size. Volvos and the alike are such a small percentage of the fleet. However, every once in awhile you can luck out if there is a car that needs to be returned somewhere else for whatever reasons. You have to ask them specifically though.

On one-way rentals (typically HLE --> Airport), I sometimes get triple or quadruple upgrades. I asked out of curiousity why that is, and they said they told me they want to dump the largest cars they have extra of to the other locations, as they're charged for every day each car isn't rented, and that charge goes up as the car size does.

This is not Hertz policy. I've taken plenty of cars for one-way rentals that were not Fords, and often get cars with out of state tags (indicating that once upon a time it was a one-way rental).

For example, this is what I got in the month of February:

Pick-up MHT, Return BOS: Impala with Ohio plates
CVG Rental: Camry with Alabama Plates
MHT Rental: Mazda 6 with VA Plates
MCO Rental: Camry with IL plates


If you rent from an airport, you will get a broader variety of vehicles because they have a greater selection and they don't care what they send one way. From an HLE they care because the non-Ford vehicles are cheaper to keep on lot and I know from experience that non-Ford vehicles are gold to hold on to. Most of the time they send mantainence cars one way. Be wary if the write you on a manual contract and there is nothing special about your rental. It probably means that you are going one way and they have a car they need to dump off (mantainence or reg problems)