Hertz - 5 * Upgrade Question

I allways rent from Hertz so I made 5* and have almost allways had an upgraded car waiting for me. I usually rent a mid size tarus and get an up grade.

I get to Denver the other day and I find a Taurus waiting for me. I ask if there is anything upgradeable and the agent tells me no, " Not in your rental class" - Then she tried to up sell me an upgrade.

I never read the find print but assumed if an upgrade was availble I would get it. What is the offical fine print on 5*. :confused:

You're not alone, I assumed it was 'if the car is available' as well.

Unless she was trying to upsell you a couple of fare classes. I don't believe they are required to upgrade if they have better cars available that are more than one class up from what you rented.

Steve

I rarely, and I mean rarely, ever get a 5-star upgrade.

Hertz used to have a summary of 5 star benefits on their web site, but I can't find it any more. I did find this (http://64.233.179.104/search?q=cache:14QZ2zSh0OEJ:www.hertz.com/clubs_06/no1gold/Gold_ForOurLoyalMembers.jsp+site:hertz.com+%22five +star%22&hl=en&gl=us&ct=clnk&cd=1) cached Hertz page on Google that contains this:

Hertz #1 Club Gold® Five Star®

This higher level of service and rewards is reserved for loyal #1Club Gold members in the U.S. who rent ten (10) or more times in a year. Five Star members receive:

# Complimentary one-car-class upgrades*
# Earned Free Rental Day certificates
# Special offers with preferred terms
# All Hertz #1 Club Gold member benefits
*Subject to availability

"Subject to availability" seems to be completely up to the discretion of the location, and apparently does not mean they have to upgrade you just because they have cars in the next class up to rent. I have not seen anything that implies that a location has to give you a double upgrade if they don't have a single upgrade available.

My experience in several years as a 5 star has been that less than 1/2 the time I get an upgrade, usually from reserved mid-size (C) to a Taurus. Occasionally more of an upgrade, including a couple of Town Cars, SUVs, and a Solara convertable. I have never been upgrade to a Prestige vehicle, but some say it does happen.

Even though everything Hertz has ever sent me on 5 star mentions a "one car class upgrade", the locations seem pretty universally to feel that giving you a "Y" car in your reserved and paid for class meets the rules. The lamest case I have ever had of this is getting a YC Corolla on a mid-size reservation and the agent telling me it was an upgrade, when it is really a stretch calling it a mid-size. It seems to me that the "Y" cars are really slipping too, a few years ago they were usually higher trim levels, with leather, sunroofs. Lately it seems that some pretty basic cars are being passed off as "Y".

I do book a rental every month(corporate account) with Hertz and for the first 10-12 rentals, I received a complimentary upgrade when requested. I always mentioned that I needed the leg room and the Mustang "worked" for me. Out of the last five rentals, twice my name was above a Cadillac and three times above a Mustang. Someone must be tracking my preferences and since my profile requests a "smoking car", it limits the pool that they can pick from when assigning my car.

I do book a rental every month(corporate account) with Hertz and for the first 10-12 rentals, I received a complimentary upgrade when requested. I always mentioned that I needed the leg room and the Mustang "worked" for me. Out of the last five rentals, twice my name was above a Cadillac and three times above a Mustang. Someone must be tracking my preferences and since my profile requests a "smoking car", it limits the pool that they can pick from when assigning my car.
Wellcome to FT epsanderson,
probably you get your upgrades because of your corporate account. Actually I am not such a lucky guy as you are, as I don't get that much upgrades. Last year I had around 20% upgraded reantals (all u/g rentals in the US, while the other in Europe). That's why I switched most of my european business to SIXT where I almost ever get an upgrade.
Cheers
totti

I go through 2-3 hertz cars per week... all booked under a corporate account in C class.

I think I was having a good run there for a bit... Ford Escape, Mazda 6, Toyota Solara, Ford Explorer, Pontiac Grand Prix... but it could last forever... what do I find waiting for me today? A Kia Optima, what a horrible car, other than the windows, I don't think there's a single element of the car that is power :( Oh well, it's only a couple of days.

I always book a C class car and get upgraded most of the time. On my last few rentals, I have got a Chevy HHR, Sebring convertible, Solara (twice), Celica and a XC70. All were almost new cars with less than 2-3k miles on the odometer.

Mine seems to be in bursts...a lot of upgrades for a while, and then nothing for a while. Most recently it's been a "not", though I don't know if that's dumb luck or the ownership change.

I have been a 5-star member for almost 3 yrs, yet I never got an AUTOMATIC upgrade without asking...well, more like begging to be exact. I always have to beg the Gold agents for an upgrade. And of course, I was always told "upgrade was not available" or some lame excuse like "we are running out of cars". I'm still wondering about the true value of being a 5-star member. Unlike hotel or airline loyalty program, 5-star benefits are never guaranteed...always "subject to availability". And I guess I'm the lucky one who often rents a car when upgrade is not available. :mad:

The 5-star program is a total joke, IMHO.

Taurus is a full size not a mid size. If you reserved a mid size car and got a Taurus you got your upgrade. Five Star upgrades are subject to availability...they are not guaranteed.

I am 5* and have used this "trick" about 20 times-it has only failed me twice.

I rent a Taurus-with Neverlost. Its only a little bit more per day and I have a horrible sense of direction so its also a great asset.

Most Hertz locations seem to have few Tauruses with Neverlost. As a result, I am ususally updgraded.

I have gotten a: Landrover, Jaquar, Inifinti(SUV), Expedition, Lincoln LS etc. all without paying more.

Try it-it works.

I am 5* and have used this "trick" about 20 times-it has only failed me twice.

I rent a Taurus-with Neverlost. Its only a little bit more per day and I have a horrible sense of direction so its also a great asset.

Most Hertz locations seem to have few Tauruses with Neverlost. As a result, I am ususally updgraded.I also reserve a Neverlost Taurus and spent most of last summer driving Explorers (ORD and PHX) Impala (IND) and Ford 500 (TUL and LAS)

I also reserve a Neverlost Taurus and spent most of last summer driving Explorers (ORD and PHX) Impala (IND) and Ford 500 (TUL and LAS)
Are you 5 star?

Are you 5 star?Yes. I was NOT looking for a free upgrade, have been reserving NeverLost Taurus since they became available. Was not thrilled driving through downtown Chicago in a SUV.

Yes. I was NOT looking for a free upgrade, have been reserving NeverLost Taurus since they became available. Was not thrilled driving through downtown Chicago in a SUV.
Yea, I know how that could be especially parking, gas millage, etc.

I am 5* and have used this "trick" about 20 times-it has only failed me twice.

I rent a Taurus-with Neverlost. Its only a little bit more per day and I have a horrible sense of direction so its also a great asset.

Most Hertz locations seem to have few Tauruses with Neverlost. As a result, I am ususally updgraded.

I have gotten a: Landrover, Jaquar, Inifinti(SUV), Expedition, Lincoln LS etc. all without paying more.

Try it-it works.

Too funny, I have the same experiences. Especially in Boston. Doing the same thing, I've been upgraded to an Escalade (with sat radio), an STS, the Infiniti SUV and others. I called my wife on the Escalade trip and told her I'd be driving cross-country and would see her in about a month!

I am 5 star with Hertz and probably get upgraded about half the time. This week I rented a full size (tarus) and got a subaru legacy. They told me that was an upgrade. That thing is half the size of a tarus... Does anyone know if this is considered a full size or larger? No way it can be...

Thanks

I am 5 star with Hertz and probably get upgraded about half the time. This week I rented a full size (tarus) and got a subaru legacy. They told me that was an upgrade. That thing is half the size of a tarus... Does anyone know if this is considered a full size or larger? No way it can be...

Thanks

Look on the keytag - it will say what class the car is in. Also, look at the rental paperwork, it states the class next to the vehicle info.

Szymon

I am 5 star with Hertz and probably get upgraded about half the time. This week I rented a full size (tarus) and got a subaru legacy. They told me that was an upgrade. That thing is half the size of a tarus... Does anyone know if this is considered a full size or larger? No way it can be...

Thanks

The Subaru is an upgrade -- it probably has AWD which in some markets is a big upsell. If you don't like the upgrade they provided, you can always switch (or downgrade as I did in a recent rental).