Hertz - 5 Star question

Guys,
I have been trying to find some info on the qualification requirements for 5* and Presidents Club on hertz's website, but have been unable to do so.
While I know that it is 10 and 40 rentals respectively (from other websites), I was hoping to read it from the official source and also other details as to when the status is reflected on my account.
The website has something on this:
https://www.hertz.com/rentacar/customersupport/index.jsp?targetPage=faqsView.jsp&leftNavUserSelection=globNav_10_3&CategoryID=8

BUT it does not answer my above 2 questions.

The main reason i ask this is because I have 16 rentals to-date (jan 1 to date) and my account still does not show as a 5*.
So my guess is I have earned 5 * for next year?
That is not how the airlines frequent flier programs work....

Can someone give me some info on this?

Thanks
KG

You have to call or email the gold desk for them to update it mid-year.

You have to call or email the gold desk for them to update it mid-year.

it seems odd that they wouldnt put the qualification criteria on their website.
Perhaps so they can change it without too much ado....?

I did call the gold desk and upgrade my status so thanks for that tip!

-KG

The requirements were on the old site. My guess is that they haven't gotten around to updating that page yet.

Follow up question for those of you "in the know".

Are these individual rentals or number of rental days?

BTW, I got my 5* sent automatically during the first few weeks of the year.
Card is dated "expiring 04/06".

Hertz only counts rentals, not days.

They will also extend President's Circle membership to those who do not meet the 40-rental requirement, but do spend in excess of $7000 annually (so if you rent Town Cars weekly, for example).

Status is formally earned the following calendar year after qualification, and is good through April of the year after that (so earning PC/5* in 2005 will become effective in 2006 and will be good through April 2007).

You may contact Hertz Customer Service in the qualifying year (2005) and ask to have your status reflected immediately. They will then send you a card good through April 2006, followed by a new one good through April 2007 come 2006.

Note that some UK Hertz members have been informed that they must wait until the following year (2006) for their new status to kick in.

Hertz only counts rentals, not days.


When I called them to ask about my status and was told they go by # of rentals not days I argued with them with regards to the silly policy in that someone who rents for a week at a time would need to rent for 3/4s of the year to get the same status as someone who can rent cars and return it the next day and achieve PC in less than 5 weeks. The CSR said that they actually do have an undisclosed # of days and $ amounts that will let you qualify for 5* or PC...Not sure how accurate she was but i'll buy it...I just wish they disclosed the # of days...My guess is that it's somewhere around 75-100 days?

Using number of days to qualify for status makes sense.

Other then actual rentals, the only confirmation we have seen in this forum is folks spending $7K+ being granted PC status, even if they did not meet the numerical rental requirements.

I imagine there is a cash level for 5-Star, as well. It would be $1750 at 25% of what PC wants (with 5-Star being 25% of the number of rentals as PC in the US).

Regarding the unofficial $7000+ threshold for making PC status, would that amount be including taxes or just the base amount?

My guess would be just for base, but I wanted to see what you guys thought. In 2005 so far, I've spent about $5,500, but with taxes and fees, it's over $7,500, and I was wondering if I should ask for the mid-year PC level now, or wait until my before taxes level goes above $7k. I get back-to-back extended rentals, and it would be almost impossible for me to get 40 separate rentals unless I was diligent about switching out the car every so often.

I do not remember if the FTers who reported being extended PC status for spending $7000+ did it in base dollars or with taxes and fees. You might want to do a search and see if you come across it.

I just received my PC card in the mail two weeks ago. It expires in 4/06. I have been renting monthly since Sept 04 so my rental days and annual total would qualify but I still have no idea which it was. I was really surprised when I received it because Hertz policy seems to be vague and inconsistent.

And as I've stated previously, I switched to Hertz in September, and in the first week or so of February received my 5* card good through 4/06.

From September through Feb I had a total of 9 rentals. I did have reservations booked for 3 more.

So:
No 10 rentals
no 7K
sent 5* card without asking
membership was for 14 months, effective immediately, not next calendar
year.

(don't tell anyone) ;)

I have to admit, the whole Hertz "elite level" program has been a fairly half-baked idea since its inception in 2000 or so. For about a year after I had my President's Circle card, I still found myself educating Hertz employees about the neat-o new program. I was delivering some friendly corporate training, one station at a time. :)

But...for what it's worth...for the past three years or so, it's been pretty darn good service and nice upgrades, even though I've dropped down to 5* and (thankfully!) won't be hitting President's Circle again anytime soon.

So no complaints from me...you just gotta call 'em up when you get your next status level. No real robust systems supporting this whole thing, but if it keeps generating upgrades and the occasional free rental, I'm OK with that. :)