Hertz - SEA - paid weekend Prestige upgrades?

I'm heading to SEA next weekend and want to do a paid upgrade to a Volvo or Audi. Any pointers on what the "going rate" for an upgrade is on a Full Size reservation?

My recent experience upgrading is limited to a $12/day upgrade to a Volvo S40 in SJC. I recall paying $20-$25 for Volvo S80 or Jag upgrades in the past.

Any other cool cars in SEA I can upgrade to? I know it's what I paid for, but I'm not really excited about driving a Taurus or Impala!

Das, don't get your hopes up. SEA is one of the "notorious" Hertz locations where no matter what your expectations are, no matter how low, they will probably be unmet.

See the "Worst Hertz station" thread for some additional scary news.

SEA is a nice place, but the Hertz aspect is likely to be unsettling.

I am a Gold and I was scammed a couple of weeks ago in SEA. I had rented a full size for $35 total for 2 days in SEA ($28 per day before discounts/coupons).
Inquired about an upgrade and he said a Premium (Mercury Grand Marquis) would be additional $12 per day. He told me that "Premiums," unlike Avis, do not have premium radios. So I asked about their Toyota Avalon and he said $20 per day additional because it is a Premier Premium but still no Sirrius or XM. Then when I asked again about the Grand Marquis he now said it was also going to be $20. The more I talked to him the higher it went. I eventually went with the Avalon and noticed the bill was substantially higher but he explained there was a bunch of discounts on the bill to make up for what he quoted me. Later I realized that all the discounts were the ones I had put on the reservation myself. The upgrade became an additional $27 per day and my $35 rental became $85!!!
I complained to Hertz phone CS but they could care less they said the upgrade was optional so buyer beware. Complained to AAA but they do not know how to deal with complaints under their own Hertz customer satifaction statement.
I almost always used Avis and they give me an upgrade all the time and never ask for additional money.
Don't use Hertz in SEA. Use Avis even as a simple "Preferred" member you will get better service.

I am a Gold and I was scammed a couple of weeks ago in SEA. I had rented a full size for $35 total for 2 days in SEA ($28 per day before discounts/coupons).

Lesson learned: do not agree to buy any upgrade. Say same rate, (and check on the card) or walk.

My wife and I each had a rental in LAS last month, both full size, hoping that one would be a 6 seater so we could skip on the second rental. Asked at the gold counter, they said they were Taurus and Grand Prix. I asked if they had any 6 seat taurus's, they said nope never heard of them. I then asked if they could give us a 6 seat vehicle for the combined $$ total of our two full size rentals. They said sure, but then the total was $50 more for a 1 day rental. They were comparing MY after-tax printout to THEIR pre-tax printout.

After this went on for half an hour, them trying to get the rate the same, me agreeing, and them printing a totally differnt slip, I told them to change them back to what it was and we'd just take the 2 full size cars.

The kicker was after I left the rental gate, my wife called and said the taurus she got was a 6 seater... The look on the rental facility manager's face was priceless when I returned my grand prix 1 minute after renting it.

I still got my rapid reward credit for the $0.00 rental, so I guess I won in the end.

...I asked if they had any 6 seat taurus's, they said nope never heard of them. I then asked if they could give us a 6 seat vehicle for the combined $$ total of our two full size rentals.
...
The kicker was after I left the rental gate, my wife called and said the taurus she got was a 6 seater...

I think the confusion is that most people call cars with the 6 seats you're describing as "bench seats" vs "bucket seats", which would only hold 5 people. You might also have asked them if it had a column shift or floor shift.

I'm heading to SEA next weekend and want to do a paid upgrade to a Volvo or Audi. Any pointers on what the "going rate" for an upgrade is on a Full Size reservation?

My recent experience upgrading is limited to a $12/day upgrade to a Volvo S40 in SJC. I recall paying $20-$25 for Volvo S80 or Jag upgrades in the past.

Any other cool cars in SEA I can upgrade to? I know it's what I paid for, but I'm not really excited about driving a Taurus or Impala!

They will try to get you for whatever they think you would pay. The best advice I've found on here is to start off by asking if you could upgrade to a certain car for a certain dollar amount. That way you get the range of pricing that you would be willing to pay in their head.

I've been getting a little better at negociation lately. I will always counter their offer with something lower, and they usually take it, depending upon how busy it is. Sometime I phrase it "can you see if the computer will let me upgrade for $10 instead of $15..." to take the pressure off of them that they are setting the prices.

The upgrade became an additional $27 per day and my $35 rental became $85!!!While I don't doubt that maybe you were charged a little more than the $20/day you were quoted, my simple math tells me that $85-$35 = $50 / 2 = $25/day including taxes which doesn't seem out of line for a $20/day quoted rate of an upgrade (which would not include the usual ridiculous rental car taxes).

My recent experience upgrading is limited to a $12/day upgrade to a Volvo S40 in SJC. Not that it's Hertz, but the St. Louis location of National had a bunch of S40's last time I was there ... they're midsize cars there (they were in the midsize and Emerald Aisle choices!),

Lesson learned. Sad part is I recently made the switch to Hertz after 10 years with Avis simply because Avis never recognized me with elite status even though I averaged at least a rental a month during that 10 years. However, Avis never ever asked me to pay extra for an upgrade even as just a lowly "Preferred." Many times they simply gave it to me or they would say nothing is available. I certainly do not want to go back on my switch but it will take some getting use to the dirty tatics of th Hertz agents. Those here probably don't see them as dirty but for someone who is use to honest Avis they seem dirty to me.

I think it also has to do with the size you reserve and how busy the location is. If someone is willing to pay for that premium car, why should they give it to you for free unless they're required to?

The best way to get good upgrades is to reserve an A or B class car. Even if you plan on going the upsell route, you're better off with a less expensive car to start with, the car class you have reserved does not have much affect on how much they're going to charge you for an upsell.

The best way to get good upgrades is to reserve an A or B class car. Even if you plan on going the upsell route, you're better off with a less expensive car to start with, the car class you have reserved does not have much affect on how much they're going to charge you for an upsell.This is really interesting. Would have assumed that if you booked a full-size they would more likely upgrade you to a speciality car but what you say makes sense. I have booked a regular Mustang for an upcoming trip but I really don't want a car that small for 4 people. Planned to see if they would upgrade me but I suppose they may ask for additional fees anyhow. Is there a better strategy?

After reading all the bad comments re: Hertz in SEA on FT, I was expecting the worst. However, the counter agent was very friendly, and offered me a number of upgrade options. I ended up going with an upgrade to the Volvo XC90 for $20 a day (less the 30% discount on my reservation, for a net of $14).

This is the "SUV-like" Volvo, and it had only 150 miles on the odometer - I was told the XC90 entered the Seattle fleet just two weeks ago. It drove well and the gas mileage wasn't as bad as I had expected.

I guess if you rent on weekends or holidays, you'll get some good service and upgrade choices in SEA.