Hertz - Hertz in Germany -- questions on models with navigation...

Going to be renting out of FRA and DUS, and it is the same price for me to rent a fullsize (C-Class or similar) with Neverlost, or a premium (E-Class or similar w/ navigation).

I assume the premium car will have built-in navigation since it's included. Are the manufacturers' navigation systems:

a. Available in English?
b. Have maps for the Netherlands?

If not, I will probably go with the fullsize with Neverlost instead, but wanted to make sure. I'm PC, so would it be reasonable to expect I would get the upgrade to a premium anyway?

Also, any ideas on what else I may get in the fullsize and premium classes, besides Mercedes?

Thanks!

Just keep pushing the buttons until you see the word "Sprache" then select "English." As for the Netherlands, yes, it should be in the car. However, some "Premium" models have built in TEXT navigation - it'll have arrows and stuff, but no fancy colour maps on a large screen.

My understanding is that PCs in Europe "officially" only gets you an upgrade from a economy size to compact.

We're picking up a "E-Class or similar w/ navigation" tomorrow morning in CGN. 16% tax & 19% facilities fee!

Thanks Wiggums and Tummy! ^

Tummy, if possible, could you post more about the navi system for the car you end up getting, and perhaps what other choices you are offered besides the E-Class? I'd imagine the car/navigation choices at CGN will be similar to DUS, at least. Thanks!

And I agree on the taxes/charges -- one day at DUS = four days at LAX for me... :eek:

Jet lag killed our plans for the day. :( We're going to try and wake up early tomorrow morning instead to pick up the car.

I have seen text-only navigation in the "E" and "C" series, but members have reported getting full colour screens on Passats. It was not a long ago.

Thanks! It won't matter to me whether it's text-based or map-based, as long as I understand what it's saying... :p

Do the German locations mainly carry German cars only, or do they have others too? I'd love to get a Fiat/Alfa/Peugeot/etc. (i.e. cars we don't get here), but it looks like they only have the same BMW/MB/Audi/VW models we have here in the midsize and fullsize classes (albeit with smaller or diesel engines).

Rented in Germany over the summer. Since it was my first time in Germany, wasn't very familiar with cars but had reserved a full-size. When checking in had the option of a BMW 3 series or for 10 additional dollars per day getting a BMW 525. We opted for the 5 series which initially had a fullcolor map screen with voice. But it had a same day mechanical issue and exchanged for a BMW 520. Both were great cars to drive. But the 520 Neverlost screen was black and white with voice and arrows with streetnames. It still served the purpose. Not sure if I preferred one Neverlost system with another.

By the way, am I the only person to actually get lost with Neverlost? :D
(edited to say I just found the lost with Neverlost thread after I wrote this.)

P.S. Enjoy the speedcameras!

P.S. Enjoy the speedcameras!

I'll be sure to bring along a baseball bat... :D

I'll be sure to bring along a baseball bat... :D

Make sure its an aluminum one otherwise you'll have splinters to pluck out.. :P

Sanosuke!

We got a new (only ~1,000 km on the odo) MB E220d and couldn't figure out the text only nav. We couldn't find any of the sights we wanted to see, so we went back to the Hertz counter and asked for a Nav that showed a map display.

They ended up giving us a BMW 730d instead. I thought it was just wonderful.

The car was fairly loaded, but it may come that way standard. iDrive, Nav, BT, Comfort Access, front/rear parking radar, power trunk, heated and cooled front seats.

After we figured out how to switch everything to MPH/MPG etc, we got up to 47mpg and up to 130+ MPH. Yet people were still zipping past us in the left lane.

Here are some photos. (http://www.thaitum.com/photos_public/hertz/)

Thanks for the info! ^

Most likely I think I'll keep my premium reservation and add Neverlost just in case (I assume Neverlost is map-based and not text-based?).

And hopefully there'll be something nice sitting lonely in the lot for me to do a counter upgrade to... :D

The no-risk thing to do would be to rent a Mercedes "C" Class or equivalent (BMW 3 Series or Audi A4) and select the "Navigation System" option. The navigation systems you'll get have nothing to do with the Hertz Neverlost system in the U.S. (I think the Hertz web-site is misleading here - very U.S. centric), but are different by car model. They are text based (and you can select English as language). You select your destination (country, city, street) and then the directions will be voice/text based. The nav systems I have had in a 3 Series and C Class include all of Europe, so Netherlands will be included. You can go higher to the 5 Series / E Class which will have Nav Systems included. I have only gotten MB/Audi/BMW, nothing else in the premium class; the only upgrade I have gotten from them was from a MB C Class stick to a MB C Class auto with navigation (buth them i'm only a lowly 5*). Be careful with insurance - your US credit card company will cover C Class/3 Series, but they won't cover 5 Series, and only the E200/220 E Models. And yes, you will most likely get a diesel, which will still go 100+ mph with ease and with a mpg we can and only dream of in the US

Cheers
raoulsch

We could not figure out the text based nav in the E Class. We could not find any tourist POIs such as Burg Eltz or other castles in the Mosel valley. There didn't appear to be any way to search for POIs by name or sort by distance.

No, that's why I like BMW's text navigation systems on the 3 series. I was able to do POI's. I couldn't figure it out on the E220CDI. I'm computer savvy so I'm sure there weren't any.

I'd make a reservation for Premium Automatic with factory navigation and all miles free. I think it's class J. I did it 4 times over the last few months. Once I got a Mercedes E-class with a high mileage, twice BMW 525i with less than 10k km and the last one was absolutely new E-class Mercedes with 12 (twelve) miles on it.

All 4 times I got color navigation that shows maps. BMW is faster, consumes shitload of fuel when driving fast or in a congestion and iDrive joystick is a pain for me. I did like MB better although pure driving is probably more enjoyable on BMW. MB diesel is excelent and one may enjoy very very low fuel consumption down to 7-8 l / 100 km (30+ mpg).

I would highly advise to double check car before taking it. That's unfortunatelly quite common in Europe, that they try to rent you (slightly) scratched car and, if you don't notice, your insurance pays for it. With a standart liability 200-500 EUR it may become an expensive oversight :td: For 1-3 day rentals I always pay extra for the Super CDW which means full coverage. It may become expensive for longer rentals. If you notice something bad on the car, point it to the Hertz guy and they will mark it on your rental agreement supplement, no questions asked.

Do not be surpirsed that upon returning the car, they will even check if the fire extinguisher hasn't been stolen :o

This is all fine if you play the game you know the rules. I'd certainly rent a car with factory navigation from Hertz in Germany again. Cars are very good, German motorways are excellent and driving at more than 200 km/h legally is fun. ^ ^

Hi,

I rented from Munich airport in January and got an A4 estate, and it came with no form of navigation at all.

My friends rented from somewhere else, and had a C class, which came with text navigation as standard.

I found the Hertz office there to be hopeless, the Gold counter was staffed by a trainee and they were rude and charged me for my pc code upgrade!

Thanks for all of the information! Typing this from the LH Senator Lounge in FRA, and just turned in my rental -- in the end, I got a new Audi A6 Avant with the 3.0 TDI and map-based navigation (on a Premium w/ Navigation reservation).

I didn't particularly want a wagon, but nevertheless it was a great car. The 3.0L is a great diesel engine (8.5 L/100 km!) and having used the MMI interface before, it's intuitive for the most part. ^

One warning, if you are going to go out of country, make SURE you specify that you need Never Lost to work in that country. I recently had a rental that only had the CD for Germany meaning that when I drove into France I was SOL.....and not a happy customer.
Also, in addition to getting lost, I have also gotten a speeding ticket on the Autobahn..... as a result of my getting lost. :mad:

I am confused, how did you get "lost" on the autobahn with the German Neverlost? Don't you mean the autoroute (French highway)?