Hertz - Does the Escalade come w/ Satellite Radio?

I'm renting an Escalade for 11 days at the end of the month in PHX, and wondering if they are typically equipped with satellite radio. Any feedback would be appreciated!

Yes, like all prestige and fun collection vehicles, the escalade should be equipped with sirius.

Yes, like all prestige and fun collection vehicles, the escalade should be equipped with sirius.

Agreed it should have satellite radio, but more likely XM instead of Sirius as XM is offered by GM. I've never seen a Escalade at Hertz with an aftermarket system.

I rented an escalade for the month of June in SAN and I currently have one from ORD and they both have XM. Now, the XM doesn't work because Hertz subscribes to Sirus (I called the help desk on this) so I can pick up 4 promo channels on XM and that's a bust in my opinion. All that money and no satellite radio that's operable.

I had an H3 in SFO a few months back that had an aftermarket Sirius system installed but had no service? You would think if Hertz was going to spring for the system they would at least keep up on the monthly fee...

I rented an escalade for the month of June in SAN and I currently have one from ORD and they both have XM. Now, the XM doesn't work because Hertz subscribes to Sirus (I called the help desk on this) so I can pick up 4 promo channels on XM and that's a bust in my opinion. All that money and no satellite radio that's operable.

I wonder if it's possible for me to call XM and add the Escalate to my existing XM account for a couple of weeks (assuming it doesn't already have sat radio), and then drop it when I return the car. Has anyone tried this?

If you get a prestige or fun collection car without functioning Sirius (not XM), call Hertz and get some money back. Sirius is part of the price of Prestige/Fun. All of the prestige/fun GM vehicles I've rented (Hummers, Caddys) have had built-in Sirius, not a separate aftermarket piece.

If you get a prestige or fun collection car without functioning Sirius (not XM), call Hertz and get some money back. Sirius is part of the price of Prestige/Fun. All of the prestige/fun GM vehicles I've rented (Hummers, Caddys) have had built-in Sirius, not a separate aftermarket piece.

That there lies the problem, it's not possible to get OEM Sirius in a GM product, they only offer XM. So in order for you to get Satellite Radio in a GM vehicle it either has to aftermarket or Hertz has to foot a bill for the XM service.

ah, but I didn't say OEM... I said built-in (i.e. no separate device; controlled using the OEM radio's controls)

see --> http://www.sirius.com/pdf/manuals/SIR-GM1-Install-Manual05162006.pdf

The only thing visible on the Hertz GM vehicles with Sirius is the aftermarket antenna clipped to the hood/trunk.

I had an H3 in SFO a few months back that had an aftermarket Sirius system installed but had no service? You would think if Hertz was going to spring for the system they would at least keep up on the monthly fee...

They didn't have the Escalade I had reserved when I arrived in PHX and put me in an H2 instead (but only after I had negotiated 3 free days to compensate for not having the vehicle I had reserved.) The H2 had an aftermarket Sirius antenna mounted on the roof near the windshield, but no service. Why would they have installed an aftermarket antenna if they don't bother to activate service?

Interestingly, my current 07 H3 from Hertz has an aftermarket antenna but Sirius integrated into the audio system..

Yes, like all prestige and fun collection vehicles, the escalade should be equipped with sirius.I have never seen any indication from Hertz that all Prestige Collection vehicles are supposed to have Sirius or satellite radio.

That there lies the problem, it's not possible to get OEM Sirius in a GM product, they only offer XM. So in order for you to get Satellite Radio in a GM vehicle it either has to aftermarket or Hertz has to foot a bill for the XM service.I'm not privy to the contracts between the rental car companies and the satellite radio companies, but I am of the strong belief that the satellite radio companies do not charge rental car companies monthly subscriptions, rather they are more than happy to supply free service as a marketing tool.

Last year when I rented a car in DCA, I was upgraded to a PT Cruiser. The car had a built in Sirius system that was not operational. I called the 800 number for car trouble listed on the jacket of my rental agreement. They took down my vehicle information, told me to keep the radio on and within 30 minutes the radio was fully activated. Just wish Hertz activated all the Sirius units before the cars are rented out, but then I was happy they solved the problem.

Now I simply take my portable Sirius radio, mount the antenna on the roof and use it in my Hertz rentals.