Avis - Presidents Club downgrade?

I just received my new Presidents Club card, which I get through AmEx Centurion. The welcome letter states that one of the benefits is a double upgrade if I rent an Intermediate or higher. I have always received a nice upgrade from an economy car in the past. Is this a change?

QL

I just received my new Presidents Club card, which I get through AmEx Centurion. The welcome letter states that one of the benefits is a double upgrade if I rent an Intermediate or higher. I have always received a nice upgrade from an economy car in the past. Is this a change?

QL

I got my PC card yesterday and noticed that also. I am pretty sure it is a change but I really can't confirm as I have never not booked an Intermediate or higher.

I think it was always this way officially. However in practice I am always taken care of no matter what I reserve. Sometimes it's a triple or quadruple upgrade. Often it's whatever I ask for at the preferred desk.

Same here. It seems to me that it is more of a suggested requirement. It probably also depends on location. I regularly rent from Airports, and in my experience, I have never had a problem. I typically rent an economy car and have been upgraded to a vehicle of my choice.

QL, for what it's worth, my last President Club's letter from Avis (dated 2002 -- I just happened to be reminiscing!) shows a intermediate reservation gets a premium group car. That's also my memory going back about 10 years or so -- always paid the intermedate group price. The car I actually got varied widely. Lots of time they would pre-assign a land yacht (the old Cadillacs) but would let me switch to pretty much whatever.

I have not been so lucky with my President's Club status (also via AmEx Centurion). I typically reserve a full-size four-door in the hopes that the double upgrade will be to a Luxury, or that I might be able to request a convertible upon arrival. I even had it noted in the record last time that I wanted a convertible. The last few rentals I've been given a premium. Last time I asked for other options at the kiosk and was told it was impossible to change to another car as they were officially 'closed' (this was at MCO just after midnight despite that their website says they are open 24/7).

I've tried having notes put on my record with my requests, and I've tried phoning and emailing the President's Club service in advance asking them to alert the local Avis manager of our wishes. Nothing seems to help.

Does anyone have any suggestions? We will be renting again at MCO in late June for two weeks and would really like one of the new convertible T-birds we saw on the lot last time we returned our boring LeSabre.

Susan

First of all, does your profile have the full size 4-door on it? Check on the website to be sure. I'm pretty much always given a DeVille with that on my profile, as long as I reserve a day in advance.

Also, if I walk into the Preferred office and ask for a SUV or one of those new T-Bird convertibles, they will give it to me if they have one available.

I think my profile actually has Luxury on it because that's what I reserve more often than not. I decided to try my luck at reserving and paying for the 4-door full size last time since I'm supposed to be able to get a double upgrade. So the reservation clearly stated full-size 4 dr as a President's club member with requested upgrade.

I'm going to try again to ask for the T-bird when we arrive at MCO. I don't know if phoning the manager a day or two in advance might help, but I really wish that I'd get the benefit of President's Club one of these days.

We usually rent for 2+ weeks so I don't know if they are less likely to honor the upgrade just because of the duration of the rental. But that wouldn't seem fair as a longer rental is also a greater revenue generator for them.

Susan

Susan,

I think your problem is that you are doing it at MCO. I have noticed that if it is Alamo or Avis they seem to always be booked tight.

That's a shame. It's where we have our second home, so is our most common destination in the U.S.

Does anyone have any suggestions for mini-lease companies, ie. 2-3 month rentals? Avis seemed expensive when I queried them.

Susan

Avis doesnt really give a rip what upgrade you get on rentals of less than 2 weeks. At least at my operation. You can get pretty much anything you want from any avis employee, except the H class luxury. Presidents club, chairmen, CEO's, can get a luxury with a managers nod. But employees, esp the preferred agent, usually will give you whatever you want, except for the H class. A good time to call is just before you get on the plane. Call ahead to the avis location (directly, not the 800 number). Explain who you are, and that you will be there in X number of hours off flight XXX, your reservation number is XXXXXXXXXusX, and you would love it if you had a XXXXX (fill in the blanks.) I will venture 9x out of 10 they will give it to you.

When it comes to mini leases, Avis will try to give you the car you book, always. Upgrades on these are a bit more difficult Ive seen subcompacts upgraded to intermediates on 90 day ML's. It just takes a bit of legwork and understanding. You will never get a luxury on a ML unless you pay for a luxury on a ML. Though it is possible to get a premier car on an intermediate. On Mini Leases, I would book premier, and you will likely get luxury. If you want the convertible on the mini lease, rate shop. Check the daily specials, and screw the mini lease sometimes. Just make a new reservation for every 2 weeks and get your upgrade. That has its limits, but it works.

Susan, stimpy is right. Put in your profile your preferred vehicle as the Caddy, then book a d or e (two or four door full size). before you arrive (my before mentioned phone call) ask to speak to the preferred agent. Explain that you would like to get the two class upgrade and get a premier, or a convertible if possible (ask for SPECIFIC CAR MODELS, NOT JUST CLASS TYPE) and ask about the likelyhood of getting it. If you get to the agent early enough, they will bend over backwards to help you.
If your flight has 16 people coming off it that all are preferred, the ready line will be slim pickings and you are likely to not get the car on the lame "as available" clause. Thats code for "im too lazy to find you a car."

Plus dont underestimate the "tip." Most Preferred agents dont get many tips. So a 5 or a 10 will suffice to get you what you want.

Ive seen operations of 150 rents a day be able to find ANY car in 25 minutes worth of work (rushing a car through the cleaning process), so if you are willing to wait, you can get the car you want usually. If you call ahead, work your charm, explain that you are tired of not getting your upgrade benefit, they will get it for you. If you get there and its not the car you want, ask for a shift manager. Be calm, every employee has the ability to correct any customer service complaint. within reason. Its easy to give you a free tank of gass or the GSO free if you make a valid, clearly stated complaint.

Sit the manager aside and explain that you called ahead, your benefit allows for upgrades, and you STILL didnt get the upgrade. Explain how often you rent, and the number of days per month, and ask for an explanation as to why you didnt get your upgrade, especially if you can see the car you want anywhere on the lot.

any answer besides "maam, were totally out and not expecting any more back today" is unnaceptable. Pick up the phone right in front of the manager and call the 800 avis number and file a customer complaint. Do that EVERY time you dont get your upgrade and the facilities numbers will showit. On Customer service QA scores, a "bad service" call to the 800 number is hard to recover from. If they get several in a day, the APO manager will get a stinky email and they will have a meeting which the subject will be "loosen your grip on the upgrades."

I hope this helps.

This is great advice. I'm going to print this out and follow it step-by-step next time.

Susan

This is great advice. I'm going to print this out and follow it step-by-step next time.

Susan

glad to be of service.

This is great advice. I'm going to print this out and follow it step-by-step next time.

Susan


They know who you are. All president's club members get flagged every morning. they should know exactly when you are coming in and have a printout handy with your name on it stating "presidents club" with a + right beside your reserved car class (denoting upgrade eligible).

They MUST speak with class and respect when talking to you, and call you by name. If none of that happens, you can complain right off the bat.

This is great advice. I'm going to print this out and follow it step-by-step next time.

Susan


At my location, if you rent a full size 4 door, or even a two door, you will get the caddy as a two class upgrade, no questions asked. If your locations dont give you that...I would surely be a bit ticked.

I've rented twice at MCO since I had my President's Club status. Neither time was I addressed by name. (Not that I would complain about this as they were polite.)

The first time (December 2004), I reserved and paid for a Luxury because we wanted to be sure to get one and didn't want to take our chance on a possible upgrade. My only request that I asked be noted prior to arrival was that we wanted the newest/best available Luxury on the lot, since we were PC members paying for that class, and that the car be fully serviced because the last time we rented, the "change engine oil" light started shining halfway through our trip.

Well, you would have thought that I requested a car with the "change engine oil" light shining.

We were given a Caddy with 12,000 miles on it and the "change oil" light shining. When I approached the kiosk to report this, the clerk told me it didn't matter, that the car could easily be driven another 400-500 miles with the light shining with no problem! This was a 2 1/2 week rental; we were certainly going to drive more that 400-500 miles.

He agreed to change the car, and proceeded to give us another Caddy with about 11,000 miles on it, but it was dirty. We saw a brand new Town Car on the lot and asked if we could have it, and it was given to us. Only had 1,200 miles on it.

So much for having requested the newest/best available Luxury car that didn't need maintenance. They had several cars that were newer and in better condition than the one we were first assigned. Although we were finally able to get a decent car after three attempts, I don't really like having to stand and negotiate with them when I've just come off a 16-hour flight and all we want to do is get out of the airport and to the hotel to crash.

The last time (March), we rented the full size 4-door and requested an upgrade to either a convertible or a luxury. On arrival, they had given us a Premium. I asked if anything else was available and was told that we could not change cars at all because the station was officially closed and no change could be processed. It was just after midnight -- but the website states that Avis MCO is open 24/7. In any case, it was take it or leave it. This is your car that's been assigned and there is nothing else to do.

I hope we'll have better luck in June. I'm going to reserve the full-size 4-door and ask for an upgrade to either a Ford T-bird convertible (first choice) or a Cadillac Seville (second choice). We arrive around 8 pm, so hope they are willing to let us have what we want if we don't like what's pre-assigned. I'll also try phoning the day prior to flying.

Susan

ezmonee,

I forgot to ask you, what category car does one need to reserve for the T-bird convertible?

When we dropped off our car at MCO last time, we saw the T-bird convertible sitting in the Avis lot and asked the clerk what we needed to reserve in order to get it. He said that they only had a few of them, and they weren't listed under a specific category -- it was rather a situation of "luck" if you got one. This was in December.

I'm just wondering if it is designated into a specific class now? It surely wouldn't be in the same class as the Mustang and Sebring convertibles, would it?

My husband would get such a kick out of having one of these for our next trip, I would love to find a way to get one.

Thanks,
Susan

As far as I know, the fleet does not carry T bird convertibles. If you see them, its a local purchase, and indeed they would NOT be on any upgrade schedule, so you couldnt upgrade to them. They would be classified as a specialty.

A good example would be the Hummers that Some hertz locations offer. Those hummers (H2's) are pretty much specialties, and "no upgrade or free upgrade coupon" will get you into it without paying for it.

I think to get that car, you would specifically have to ask for it and pay its market rate..

Sorry, If I were a manager *wink wink*, I wouldnt let it out without getting some serious revenue for it. I would give a CEO or a moviestar or an athlete (fameous one) a good rate on it, but never give it to them on an upgrade.



ezmonee,

I forgot to ask you, what category car does one need to reserve for the T-bird convertible?

When we dropped off our car at MCO last time, we saw the T-bird convertible sitting in the Avis lot and asked the clerk what we needed to reserve in order to get it. He said that they only had a few of them, and they weren't listed under a specific category -- it was rather a situation of "luck" if you got one. This was in December.

I'm just wondering if it is designated into a specific class now? It surely wouldn't be in the same class as the Mustang and Sebring convertibles, would it?

My husband would get such a kick out of having one of these for our next trip, I would love to find a way to get one.

Thanks,
Susan

pretend your a secret customer next time. Give me a full trip report and names. Take notes. when they get on the radio and call out that they picked someone up on the bus....kind of blurt out. "yeah...you have a 10-12 on board."

watch his/her head whip around. (10-12=mgr or employee).

ask questions lke "how was your timing today? are you guys making your 4 mintues?"


i doubt anyone will let you have the "t bird without serious fenagling."

Okay, if I was giving MCO a QA score based on your visit, I would have SCREAMED in frustration.

1> No car goes out with an engine light on. They should have apologized and gotten you a new one without any kind of hassles.

2> Dirty caddy is a VERY VERY bad thing. I would have brought it to the attention of the manager, not a lead, not an agent. My exact words would have been...

"I paid for a luxury car, and I paid the luxury car rates at AVIS because I wanted the service and peace of mind that comes with it. First your agent tries to give me a car that is "defective", second he gives me a dirty car. What kind of business are you running here? I didnt "UPGRADE into the luxuruy, I paid for it."

3> okay...Their computers Never close. They should have been able to process that transaction for you. I have stayed open 20 min after for a waiting military guy who wasted his precious communications time to buzz us to make sure we were going to stay open because he needed the car that night (wife was giving birth, and that wasnt a story, she came by to thank us and show us their new daugther a week later when he returned the car).

however the website is indeed wrong when it comes to times at some locations.



I've rented twice at MCO since I had my President's Club status. Neither time was I addressed by name. (Not that I would complain about this as they were polite.)

The first time (December 2004), I reserved and paid for a Luxury because we wanted to be sure to get one and didn't want to take our chance on a possible upgrade. My only request that I asked be noted prior to arrival was that we wanted the newest/best available Luxury on the lot, since we were PC members paying for that class, and that the car be fully serviced because the last time we rented, the "change engine oil" light started shining halfway through our trip.

Well, you would have thought that I requested a car with the "change engine oil" light shining.

We were given a Caddy with 12,000 miles on it and the "change oil" light shining. When I approached the kiosk to report this, the clerk told me it didn't matter, that the car could easily be driven another 400-500 miles with the light shining with no problem! This was a 2 1/2 week rental; we were certainly going to drive more that 400-500 miles.

He agreed to change the car, and proceeded to give us another Caddy with about 11,000 miles on it, but it was dirty. We saw a brand new Town Car on the lot and asked if we could have it, and it was given to us. Only had 1,200 miles on it.

So much for having requested the newest/best available Luxury car that didn't need maintenance. They had several cars that were newer and in better condition than the one we were first assigned. Although we were finally able to get a decent car after three attempts, I don't really like having to stand and negotiate with them when I've just come off a 16-hour flight and all we want to do is get out of the airport and to the hotel to crash.

The last time (March), we rented the full size 4-door and requested an upgrade to either a convertible or a luxury. On arrival, they had given us a Premium. I asked if anything else was available and was told that we could not change cars at all because the station was officially closed and no change could be processed. It was just after midnight -- but the website states that Avis MCO is open 24/7. In any case, it was take it or leave it. This is your car that's been assigned and there is nothing else to do.

I hope we'll have better luck in June. I'm going to reserve the full-size 4-door and ask for an upgrade to either a Ford T-bird convertible (first choice) or a Cadillac Seville (second choice). We arrive around 8 pm, so hope they are willing to let us have what we want if we don't like what's pre-assigned. I'll also try phoning the day prior to flying.

Susan