Thrifty - The Consolidated Wild Car Thread

Thrifty is offering an interesting new option at most or all of their corporate-owned locations. Called the Wild Car (http://www.thrifty.com/Specials/wild.aspx) promotion, for less than the price of a midsize, Thrifty will guarantee you to get at least a midsize car (room for five people and two large pieces of luggage)...but a specific size, make, or model is not guaranteed, and Thrifty may give you a fullsize car, a luxury car, an SUV, a pickup truck, or even (gasp!) a minivan.

To reserve a Wild Car, attempt a booking at your preferred location and be sure to choose "Show All Types" from the Car Type pop-up menu; if available, it will be listed under the "Specialty" type with a picture of flashing playing cards. (Alternatively, you should be able to select "Specialty" from the Car Type pop-up menu, but this will not always work.) The Wild Car promotion is a useful way to try to get a larger vehicle on the cheap, although you could (of course) end up with a midsize car or a two-door (but five-seat) convertible. I have not heard any experiences of trying to upgrade from a Wild Car reservation (if they put you in something you don't want) to another size (the waters get murky when you're trying to "upgrade" from a normally-$100/day SUV into a normally-$60/day minivan, although it's usually the opposite case).

Reports indicate that the Wild Car is usually simply the vehicle that the location has the most of and/or needs the least, so it tends to be cars like convertibles (especially in the cooler months) and minivans.

I thought it might be useful to start a compendium of vehicles FTers have received under the Wild Car promotion, and so I've started this thread here and will attempt to keep this first post up-to-date as an easy reference. Perhaps we can see some trends after some data have been gathered.

For other promotions and discounts, please see The Consolidated Thrifty Tips and Promotions Thread (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=775689).

Here is the list. I will keep it updated as people post their experiences.

ANC
Most of the time midsize, occasionally minivan, sometimes fullsize, never SUVs
Remains available at $199/day when all rental companies city-wide--including Thrifty--are sold out ;)

BDL
Date unknown--Choice of Jeep Grand Cherokee, Jeep Liberty or Subaru Forester michelle227

BOS
Jan-08--Dodge Caliber wecsg
Apr-09--Dodge Journey martyYYZ

BWI
Feb-08--Ford Mustang wecsg
Mar-08--Originally minivan, offered Sebring convertible at no extra charge wecsg

CLT
Aug-07--First a minivan, but then she offered me a Ford Mustang convertible at no charge jackal
Dec-07--Jeep Wrangler (only about 3 vans, 3 SUVS, and 5 convertibles on the lot) jackal
Jan-08--Dodge Nitro jackal

DCA
Apr-08--Chrysler Town and Country lawgirl28

DEN
Feb-08--Dodge Durango michelle227
May-08--Dodge Durango Trojans11
Jul-08--Dodge Durango (fully loaded) jans45

DFW
Apr-08--Jeep Liberty LucWise

HNL
Dec-08--Dodge Charger prspad

HOU
Sep-07--Ford GT vasechka

IAD
Date unknown--Chrysler Sebring gpayer
Nov-08--Kia Sportage ncfinfan
Nov-08--Chrysler 300 ncfinfan

IND
Multiple dates--Toyota Camry, Pontiac G6 docr775

ICT
Date unknown--Dodge [Grand?] Caravan sam-i-am

LAS
Date unknown--Chrysler Pacifica kss5555
Date unknown--Chrysler Town and Country (told to pick from minivan or midsize rows) DWilliamson5002
Date unknown--Ford Fusion (told to pick from convertible or midsize rows) jsammerman
Jul-08--Chrysler Pacifica Trojans11

MCI
Nov-08--Chrysler PT Cruiser (offered that or Dodge Grand Caravan) freeloader

MCO
Date unknown--Jeep Liberty kss5555

OGG
Mar-08--Jeep Liberty (offered midsize, minivan, or SUV) sonoranjerseygirl
Aug-08--Chrysler Sebring convertible jackal
Sept-09--Dodge Magnum jackal

ONT
Multiple dates--Ford Mustang, Chrysler PT Cruiser (often a choice from the lot) docr775

PBI
Jul-08--Mercury Grand Marquis JohnWM
Oct-09--Mercury Grand Marquis JohnWM

RNO
Date unknown--Ford Fusion docr775
Oct-09--Ford Mustang V8 (given choice between that or Sebring) docr775

RDU
Oct-07--Chrysler Sebring convertible WIRunner

SAN
Date unknown--Chrysler Sebring kss5555
Date unknown--Hyundai Sonata redreeper

SEA
Nov-07--Chrysler 300 jackal
Date unknown--Dodge Nitro Wings900-Michael
Jan-08--Subaru Outback LessO2
Apr-09--Chrysler Town & Country kchoya

SFO
Date unknown--Town Car, exchanged for Magnum oewdanny

SNA
Dec-07--Convertible pinniped
Dec-08--Chrysler Town and Country majorwibi
Oct-09--Ford Escape or Kia Sedona bmr12

SRQ
Mar-08--Jeep Compass oewdanny

TPA
Feb-08--Chrysler Sebring ConciergeMike
Sep-08--Mercury Grand Marquis WillieBluffU

I am going to give the wild car a try at Phoenix- have not been able to find a decent rate for a full size car so ..may as well hope for the best . Thanks for the thread as I would not have known! I will follow up when I get back! ( in January)

After going back to the website it seems the wild card is not available there. So I took Dollar up on their lock low and go.

I saw this thread and had to chime in.

3 experiences with Wild Car so far and a few more to come next month.

LAS (Las Vegas) - Pacifica
MCO (Orlando) - Jeep Liberty
SAN (San Diego) - Seabring

Got really good deals on all. I actually got one coming up in Las Vegas next month for $12.35 a day, cannot beat that.

How does Wild Car coordinate with Blue Chip? Do they have a Wild Car aisle? I like the idea of getting more for less and normally I don't care what I drive, but I don't want to stand in line to get a Wild Car.

Very few, if any, Thrifty locations have an aisle where you pick up your car from, so you'll be assigned a car by the rental agent. Therefore, Wild Car and Blue Chip aren't mutually exclusive.

Most Thrifty locations have (and are required to have) a separate Blue Chip line that should theoretically have no line (or at least a shorter and faster one). But because unlike National and maybe Hertz (no experience with them), you don't sign a master rental agreement when signing up for the program, for legal reasons, you still have to sign a rental contract when renting under the Blue Chip program, and so therefore you must visit the rental counter before picking up a car.

I've never found it a hassle and it can be a quick process when it's done right.

I usually only rent from Thrifty in Las Vegas. There you used to go directly to the parking lot and if memory serves you chose from a row of cars in the class you reserved. I haven't rented from Thrifty since the new parking facility was built so I was curious how that may work now that they've moved and if Wild Car changes anything.

Hmm, I don't know, then. Anyone else have experience with Vegas?

Maybe Vegas doesn't offer the Wild Car option...did you check that?

I'm going to roll the dice on this one and I'll report back on how combining Wild Car with Blue Chip works in Vegas. I'm picking up the car tomorrow.

I usually only rent from Thrifty in Las Vegas. There you used to go directly to the parking lot and if memory serves you chose from a row of cars in the class you reserved. I haven't rented from Thrifty since the new parking facility was built so I was curious how that may work now that they've moved and if Wild Car changes anything.

Hmm, I don't know, then. Anyone else have experience with Vegas?

Maybe Vegas doesn't offer the Wild Car option...did you check that?

Blue Chip and Wild Car in Vegas work. All you do when you go to the lot is get a contract and the person will tell you what class (row) you can pick from.

When I was out there got pointed to the minivan row or midsize row. Went up and looked at the row of Kia's and went over and took a loaded Town and Country.

Just got back from Las Vegas. Blue Chip and Wild Car do work fine. You go directly to the parking garage. The contract is ready to go, all you need to do is sign. I was offered a Convertible but since I had a bunch of luggage and it was cold with a forecast for rain, I asked if I could have something else. Agent told me to pick one from the midsized row. I ended up with a Ford Fusion, although I could have had my choice of many other vehicles. I still recommend Thrifty in Las Vegas. Can't speak for other locations.

I've been Blue Chip forever yet I got the dirty Sonata :p And there were Mustangs all over the place! I even tried to dicker, but was told in no uncertain terms that today my wild car would be the Hyundai Sonata.

Can't say I wouldn't try it again. I would have spent the same money on...lets say a Hyundai Sonata... so no loss.

when I flew into Denver a few weeks back, I got a Durango as the WildCar vehicle.

Wild Car BOS, Jan.: Dodge Caliber
Wild Car BWI Feb.: Mustang
Wild Car BWI Mar.: minivan (nice lady let me take a Sebring conv. instead)

It is indeed the vehicle type with highest volume sitting on the lot, according to the nice lady at BWI: manager's call.

Thanks, folks, for sharing! I've added your updates to the first post in this thread. I'm definitely noticing a pattern...:D

Except I'm curious about wecsg's experience in BOS in January. A Wild Car is guaranteed to be a midsize or larger. The Caliber is classified as a compact. It's not a huge deal, as the Caliber is large for a compact (compared to some other companies, which rent things like Cobalts for compacts), but still...the first time I've heard about that happening!

I did Wild Car in TPA for President's Week and got a Sebring. First time with Thrifyt, great car. Will probably be Wilding in MCO later this year.

I have done the wild car thing in Downtown San Francisco and I was given a Grand Marquis (NO, I wasn't thrilled:td:) but it was full of scratches so we were given a Dodge Magnum instead. I will be going to SRQ later this month and I was just wondering what to expect, I will arrive 9 P.M.ishhttp://flyertalk.com/forum/images/icons/icon8.gif

I have rented a wild car before in downtown San Francisco and all there was left was a Town Car that was full of scratches. They let us exchange it for a Dodge Magnum. Later this month I am going to SRQ and going the wild car. What is usually available at that location? A convertible would be nice, or maybe an Outback.

Welcome (back) to FT, oewdanny!

No one's posted results for SRQ, but maybe someone's had experience. Hope we hear from them. Thanks for the update at SFO!

Anyone know what I can expect in Hartford (BDL)? I'm flying in through there for the NCAA WBB regionals this weekend...

Bottom Line Results:

Chrysler Sebring (Mid-Size) at IAD (Washington DC - Dulles).


Details:

I spoke with Thrifty and they indicated that there was no penalty for making a reservation and cancelling it or not following through. So, what I did was booked a full-size vehicle and the Wild Card deal on two separate reservations for the same time.

When I showed up, they told me the Wild Card vehicle was the basic Chrysler Sebring. I played dumb and told them that I wasn't sure what she was referring to - that I reserved a full-size vehicle with an AMEX one-class upgrade to premium. She found that reservation and told me I double booked. I played dumb like it was a mistake.

She then told me they didn't have any premium vehicles (the lot looked like they were going out of business (but apparently they clean the lot on Tuesday nights and move their vehicles over to the Dollar lot down the road). After I told her that I should get an upgrade - she told me they would just put me in a Dodge Grand Caravan for the same price (of the full-size). Not bad $160.08 out the door for a week in a 2008 Dodge Grand Caravan (311 miles on it when we got in it).

fyi..wildcar is completely random..

i was told a jeep, seabring, etc.

its usually a midsize....

3/24/08
SRQ
Car Given: Jeep Compass

Smaller than midsize if you ask me and it doesn't even have power windows or power locks. Last time I do the wild car.:mad:

Anyone know what I can expect in Hartford (BDL)? I'm flying in through there for the NCAA WBB regionals this weekend...


As an update...I flew in on Saturday afternoon and when I got to the Thrifty location, I was told that it was the SUV class that they had most of. I had a choice between a Jeep Cherokee, a Jeep Liberty and a Subaru Forester. I opted to take the Liberty primarily since I had contemplating purchasing one some time back...

As an update...I flew in on Saturday afternoon and when I got to the Thrifty location, I was told that it was the SUV class that they had most of. I had a choice between a Jeep Cherokee, a Jeep Liberty and a Subaru Forester. I opted to take the Liberty primarily since I had contemplating purchasing one some time back...
Thanks for the update. Did you enjoy the Liberty? They're fun and sporty, but they're a hair on the small side (not enough to bother me, but still...). I prefer the Grand Cherokee for road handling, but I think the Liberty would do better in off-road conditions.

Thanks for the update. Did you enjoy the Liberty? They're fun and sporty, but they're a hair on the small side (not enough to bother me, but still...). I prefer the Grand Cherokee for road handling, but I think the Liberty would do better in off-road conditions.

I felt that the 3.7L was underpowered for the vehicle. It held speed OK but it took far longer getting UP TO speed than I would have liked. The lack of power seats was also surprising since I have grown accustomed to having them in almost everything I drive.

For a few days, it wasn't a bad vehicle, but as equipped and lacking the power seats, I would not want to own one. Cannot speak to backseat comfort since it was only me in the vehicle at all times...oh and MPG was about what I expected- I only pulled 18-19 but I also spent A LOT of time running 75 or so (occasionally more depending on flow of traffic- I saw very little of the expected traffic enforcement), which I know probably cost me 2-3 miles per gallon.

I felt that the 3.7L was underpowered for the vehicle. It held speed OK but it took far longer getting UP TO speed than I would have liked. The lack of power seats was also surprising since I have grown accustomed to having them in almost everything I drive.
Really? I think the 3.7 is extremely underpowered in the Grand Cherokee (the one I want to buy is the 4.7L V8...though of course I'd like to go for the 6.1L, 425hp SRT8 model), but in the much lighter Liberty, I thought it was actually quite sporty. If you do end up getting one, I believe they offer a 4.0L that is a substantial improvement over the 3.7L. (Doesn't look like much of a difference in the displacement, but I hear it is quite nice.)

For a few days, it wasn't a bad vehicle, but as equipped and lacking the power seats, I would not want to own one.
I have driven the Limited trim of the Liberty, and it has all of the things you missed, plus a 368-watt (or something like that) Infinity sound system with a 6.5" subwoofer. So, a better-equipped vehicle is out there!

I've long maintained that manufacturers' fleet departments should actually provide top-of-the-line trims for their rental fleets. (Based on the way rental companies' fleet programs work, since they basically get overflow from the manufacturers, they don't control which trim lines they get.) I'd never want to buy the base 2.4L Avenger or Sebring, as they feel cheaply made and are completely gutless. But when I drove the 3.5L Sebring Limited and the 3.5L Dodge Avenger R/T (with heated leather seats, a sunroof, those cool LED dome lights, and the Boston Acoustics sound system), I fell in love with the car and almost bought one. I think having rental cars be decked out would actually increase manufacturers' sales, since people would actually like the cars and might go down to a dealership to look at cars they otherwise wouldn't have considered.

However, things are changing. In the past, the American manufacturers (the Big Three) looked at rental cars both as a way to dump excess inventory and also to expose their product to the general public (again, I maintain putting the best-trimmed cars in rental fleets would have helped this!). But as the American manufacturers try to contain their costs by scaling back production and closing down factories and laying off workers, rental car companies are now having to buy cars outright and sell them. This means two things for the rental car customer: you're going to start to see more Japanese cars in rental fleets, since they tend to hold their value better, and you're going to start seeing a higher percentage of older cars (two to three years old) to brand-new to six-month-old cars. (I rarely used to get cars with over 15,000 miles, and now I often see 25,000 miles.) So, my point is becoming more and more moot...

At the risk of further derailing the thread...

Really? I think the 3.7 is extremely underpowered in the Grand Cherokee (the one I want to buy is the 4.7L V8...though of course I'd like to go for the 6.1L, 425hp SRT8 model), but in the much lighter Liberty, I thought it was actually quite sporty. If you do end up getting one, I believe they offer a 4.0L that is a substantial improvement over the 3.7L. (Doesn't look like much of a difference in the displacement, but I hear it is quite nice.)

I have driven the Limited trim of the Liberty, and it has all of the things you missed, plus a 368-watt (or something like that) Infinity sound system with a 6.5" subwoofer. So, a better-equipped vehicle is out there!

Looking at the options on the Jeep site, I see where the Liberty Limited has many of the appointments I would have preferred to see. That being said, the Limited would also keep me from getting what I really look for in many purchases- a manual transmission. The manual would probably help with the underpowered feel but I know that rental fleets don't want the masses renting stuff and burning up the clutch by not knowing what they are doing ;) The Sport also has a different rear axle ratio that could be affecting takeoff...something like 3:21 compared to 3:73 in the Limited.

I think having rental cars be decked out would actually increase manufacturers' sales, since people would actually like the cars and might go down to a dealership to look at cars they otherwise wouldn't have considered.

Absolutely no question there, especially since there are also those who look to rent the very vehicles they are considering a purchase of in the foreseeable future. Cheap feel driven for a week does not instill confidence in the future purchase...although admittedly, many of the rentals I have had through Thrifty had options that made the drive bearable (ie. the heated seats in Denver) and I did like that the rental this week had the sunroof.

This means two things for the rental car customer: you're going to start to see more Japanese cars in rental fleets, since they tend to hold their value better, and you're going to start seeing a higher percentage of older cars (two to three years old) to brand-new to six-month-old cars. (I rarely used to get cars with over 15,000 miles, and now I often see 25,000 miles.) So, my point is becoming more and more moot...

I've been fortunate. Rare is the instance where I have gotten a car with more than 7-8K miles, and in fact, this week's rental had not even hit 2K until after I had it a few days.

And, for the SUV class that I have been seeing on the Wild Car option, I can't complain about the cost. They typically are more car than I need, but they are easier for me to adapt to since they are similar in size to my daily drivers...and in strange places, comfort behind the wheel is a good thing.

At the risk of further derailing the thread...
That's OK--I started it, so I can give you permission to derail it! :D

I've been fortunate. Rare is the instance where I have gotten a car with more than 7-8K miles, and in fact, this week's rental had not even hit 2K until after I had it a few days.
The manufacturers have only recently started to shrink their rental fleet program cars and/or make the programs less lucrative for the rental companies (Chrysler was the last to do it--which is why you saw more Dodges and Chryslers last year at the traditionally Ford and GM rental agencies--and it's only been within the last few months), so it'll be another year before we really start to see the effects.

Guys ,Wild car sounds interesting for me. I will surely give it a little thought later. It seems that we can pick some attractive cars at comparatively cheaper rates. In the process we can also get a middle sized or even a big sized vehicle. Don't you think so?

Wow, this is a pretty cool thread! I'll add in my experience.

3/12/08 OGG Jeep Liberty
They gave me the choice of a midsized, an SUV or a Minivan. I took the SUV. :D

I just signed up for Blue Chip today, and I have a 5-day retro credit coming to me and another 5-day rentla in September...10 down, 6 to go. Does anyone have an idea what the "or similar" choice usually is in the convertible category in a nice-weather market (MCO)? My mother had a Sebring convertible, and I didn't feel comfortable driving it. I have a Wild res on hold, but I'm considering changing it to a convertible if I have reasonable odds of getting something i like.

I just signed up for Blue Chip today, and I have a 5-day retro credit coming to me and another 5-day rentla in September...10 down, 6 to go. Does anyone have an idea what the "or similar" choice usually is in the convertible category in a nice-weather market (MCO)? My mother had a Sebring convertible, and I didn't feel comfortable driving it. I have a Wild res on hold, but I'm considering changing it to a convertible if I have reasonable odds of getting something i like.
The only three convertibles I've encountered at Thrifty are Sebring convertibles, Mustang convertibles, and PT Cruiser convertibles (don't know specifically about MCO, but they're corporate, and corporate locations have similar fleets, since cars move between locations all the time). All are pretty decent choices, though I'm not much of a convertible guy.

The only three convertibles I've encountered at Thrifty are Sebring convertibles, Mustang convertibles, and PT Cruiser convertibles (don't know specifically about MCO, but they're corporate, and corporate locations have similar fleets, since cars move between locations all the time). All are pretty decent choices, though I'm not much of a convertible guy.

you are correct my friend..i think i saw a minicooper convertable but that would be in a class of its own..

;)

4/3/08 got a Jeep Liberty at DFW

We were given a late model, 5,600-mile Dodge Charger at BDL on 4/26/08. Not too bad, except they were out of GPS navigation systems, and we had to pick one up at PVD (en route to Newport, RI). Oh, and BDL closes at 1 AM.

BWI
5/2/08
had wild card and got a PT Cruiser.

gee, whoopie.

plenty of chargers and 300's on the lot and was given zero choice. handed the keys and told to leave.

I'll be wilding for Mrs BamaVol at BDL in August. It's an opportunity to save a few bucks on a weeks rental. My only worry is that she's offered a pickup truck. There are 3 adults on the trip and that's not gonna cut it. Anything else will be great, I'm sure. Any experience at BDL?

In Denver last week was given a Dodge Durango with less than 1000 miles on it. Nice, smooth ride, but would hate to pay that on that all the time. I think it cost me more to fill up the gas tank when returning it (I used only about 1/4 tank) then the rental cost itself!

In Denver last week was given a Dodge Durango with less than 1000 miles on it. Nice, smooth ride, but would hate to pay that on that all the time. I think it cost me more to fill up the gas tank when returning it (I used only about 1/4 tank) then the rental cost itself!

you shouldve had them pay you to rent that

you shouldve had them pay you to rent that

No kidding. If it was my dollar I would not have liked it but since it was on the company dime it was not a big deal. Funny thing was they had very few mid-size or full size cars even on the lot. Lots of Durangos and Cherokees that no one wants. How times have changed.

Yeah, I remember in the "olden" days (even three or four years ago) when a free upgrade to a nice SUV was a desirable thing.

Now, people scream and yell when the economy car they reserved isn't available and they're given a free upgrade to the compact car.

I think the rental industry is going to have to change their business model, but I'm not entirely sure how. (Maybe reverse the scale so that SUVs are the cheapest and economies are the most expensive? :D) Most likely it will involve adopting the model most hotels use and start charging for cancellations (at least a one-day penalty, if not the entire rental), so that they can afford to overbook less heavily.

DCA 4/16/08 - Chrysler Town and Country

In West Palm Beach, FL (airport), for the two-week period beginning July 15, I received a Grand Marquis as my wild-card. Good thing for Thrifty that the Grand Marquis is actually the car that I own at home. The car had 11,000 miles on it.

Two weeks ago in LAS received Chrysler Pacifica. Nice car, but was only in town for 8 hours. Did not need the car much except to go from airport to a customer in Henderson, to lunch, and later back to the airport.

Anyone have any experience in HNL with a Wild Car? Going to be there end of Aug. for five days. Thanks!

Anyone have any experience in HNL with a Wild Car? Going to be there end of Aug. for five days. Thanks!

I'll be doing a Wild Car in OGG in a couple of weeks. Not sure if all the HI locations share a fleet and/or how intermingled their cars are (wonder if you can do one-ways and if people do so via the SuperFerry), but maybe it'll give you a little idea...

Booked at DTW. Got midsize. The counter help and manager were real jerks. I would NEVER rent from this location again.

I'm also curious about Wild Car info for HNL. Will be there the week of Nov 10 and hope to hear what folks are getting at that location.

Thanks!

September 2008

Tampa

Mercury Grand Marquis

Nov 08
Dulles (IAD)
Kia Sportage

IAD
Nov 17th
Chrysler 300

HNL on 12/01/08 - Was given a hot, gas guzzling Dodge Charger 4 door!

MCI on 11/19.... was given a choice btw a PT cruiser and a Caravan (tons of convertibles, SUVs, and normal cars available)... what a joke, but i knew it would be a gamble

took the PT cruiser.

I'm looking into doing Wild Car at SNA this weekend. I'm good with almost anything but since I'm driving around LA I would prefer not to have a massive SUV (Expedition size) and thats only because of my comfort level in driving big SUVs around heavy traffic areas.

If I get offered a BIG SUV do I have any option to "downgrade" to something a little more size managable or is that the game with Wild Car?

SNA 12/12/08 - Chrysler Town and Country

SNA 12/12/08 - Chrysler Town and Country

Looks like you didn't have to drive an Expedition--minivans are large, but at least they tend to handle more like a car and don't suck down nearly as much gas as a large SUV.

As far as your question about downgrading: you might be able to if you get a really nice agent or they have nearly as many of a smaller class available, but if not, well, like you said, that's just part of the game of doing the Wild Car. You might be able to talk them down to something smaller, but you don't really have anything concrete to stand on to back your argument: by taking the Wild Car, you're agreeing to take whatever they want to give you without complaint. This can result in great deals on otherwise expensive cars but also has a potential downside if you don't like larger vehicles.

I'm wondering if the wild card reservation is the same as just renting a "mid-size" car?

It seems that they will give you the mid-size if available otherwise upgrade you to the next highest.

I'm wondering if the wild card reservation is the same as just renting a "mid-size" car?

It seems that they will give you the mid-size if available otherwise upgrade you to the next highest.

Welcome to FlyerTalk! The Wild Car reservation guarantees you at least a midsize so there's nothing stating they HAVE to upgrade you when you book WC. Generally people have come to expect it but it varies by location.

I'm wondering if the wild card reservation is the same as just renting a "mid-size" car?

It seems that they will give you the mid-size if available otherwise upgrade you to the next highest.
Actually, if you look at the first post in this thread, you'll see that people are very rarely given midsize cars.

As Tuneman1984 said, there's nothing stating that Thrifty HAS to give you an "upgrade," but that's not the point of the Wild Car. The purpose of the Wild Car is to move inventory that might otherwise sit stagnant without pricing that inventory at a point which would cause a price war or otherwise mess up the market.

In other words, Thrifty can't price, say, a large SUV cheaper than a midsize car, because not only would it turn the pricing model upside down (picture an airline selling F for less than Y), but it would also certainly cause an extreme overbooking of SUVs, since rental car booking engines do not operate on a real-time availability basis. (When availability gets tight, someone has to manually go in and put a "block" on receiving new reservations for a given car class.) Overbooking their largest class puts the rental car company in a bind, since people expect "free upgrades" when their car class is overbooked, and there's nothing to upgrade to from a large SUV. And those booking large SUVs (or minivans or whatever other specialty car they reserve) will rarely be happy with a "free downgrade" to an economy car!

So it's a way to move cars that might otherwise just sit in a fashion that prevents messing up the model. It also ferrets out those customers who are not sensitive to things like fuel consumption or problems driving/parking larger vehicles (many people who book smaller vehicles actually don't appreciate "free upgrades" to larger vehicles when their car class is oversold because of these reasons) and gives Thrifty a way to move those people into a larger car class without them complaining about the size of the vehicle.

At most locations, what you get when you book a Wild Car is actually whatever car class has the most surplus available units. It's up to the manager's discretion, but it usually works like this: if today's reservation manifest has 60 midsize cars going out and 20 minivans going out and there are 80 midsizes on the lot (or scheduled to return) and 60 vans on the lot, you'll actually probably get a minivan, even though there are more midsizes on the lot, since there's a surplus of 40 vans versus 20 midsizes. So it's actually pretty easy to not get a midsize because midsizes are the most popular booking class, leaving actually fewer spare midsize cars than larger classes (though it obviously varies by the day).

And at the very least, even if you do end up with "just" a midsize, you're still getting it for less than what you can book a midsize for, so no harm done!

We were in Denver July/August 08 and got a fully loaded Dodge Durango. We loved it since we are used to a Suburban. Check in was very quick and return was too. We are going back to Denver same time and hope we have the same experience. You can't beat it!

We were in Denver July/August 08 and got a fully loaded Dodge Durango. We loved it since we are used to a Suburban. Check in was very quick and return was too. We are going back to Denver same time and hope we have the same experience. You can't beat it!
Thanks for the report, jans45, and welcome to FlyerTalk! I've updated the first post with your results.

I'm guessing that next time you pass through Denver, your odds of getting a Durango are pretty high...given that 100% of the [three] reports from Denver are for Dodge Durangos! :)

That is, unless Thrifty has learned something and is shipping their Durangos to another location where they may actually be used! :D

My guess is that location stocks Durangos for the winter months when demand for a 4-wheel-drive vehicle are high. Two of the three reports so far are for the spring or summer months (the third is February), but I would guess that if we had a larger data set for the winter months, we'd see that there are not as many Durangos sitting unused out on the lot.

In the summer, they may try to one-way the Durangos to other locations (like Northeast locations do with their convertibles--they offer free or low-cost drops in Florida during the Fall so they're in Florida for the winter), but unless there have been some deals that I haven't noticed (which is entirely possible), they haven't been trying very hard. Besides, where else are they going to go in the summer months where they'll be used any more than they are in DEN? I would then forecast that you're likely to continue to get Durangos (or other SUVs) in the summer in DEN unless Dollar Thrifty changes their fleet mix (entirely possible with some of the recent adjustments they've made with Chrysler) and opts to reduce the number of Durangos fleet-wide (which will make them a rarer commodity in the winter).

BOS - was given a Dodge Journey SUV.

I'll be using WildCar for a stay in SAV in late June, I'll make sure to post my experience when I get back, since that's not someplace there's a post about thus far. Anything but a midsize would do the trick for the family.

It's a little scary, because the location lists no premium or luxury cars. Can you say "SUV", boys and girls???

At SeaTac on April 17, we got a brand new Town & Country minivan for the weekend.

Dodge Caravan at ICT. It was fine. (Didn't need to impress anyone, though)

Hi. I'm wondering if anyone has had any experience with Wild Car rates at PDX (Portland, OR)? I'm planning a trip for my family and my inlaws (there will be 4 adults and 1 teen in the car). At minimum, we would need a full sized car, but something bigger would probably be better. I'm from CA so paying for gas for a minivan or SUV won't be too big of a shock to my system. Am I taking too big of a risk booking this rate seeing that we need something larger?

Any input would be appreciated. Thanks!

Hi. I'm wondering if anyone has had any experience with Wild Car rates at PDX (Portland, OR)? I'm planning a trip for my family and my inlaws (there will be 4 adults and 1 teen in the car). At minimum, we would need a full sized car, but something bigger would probably be better. I'm from CA so paying for gas for a minivan or SUV won't be too big of a shock to my system. Am I taking too big of a risk booking this rate seeing that we need something larger?

Any input would be appreciated. Thanks!
I would have been able to tell you my experience, since I had a Wild Car reservation for PDX tomorrow, but we decided to save money and do Portland car-free the first day and pick up from a suburban rental company the following day.

You can never absolutely count on anything larger than a midsize, so if you absolutely need the space, I'd probably bite the bullet and reserve something bigger.

You could also make a backup reservation for a larger vehicle with another company (I'd be leery of booking two reservations with Dollar) and fall back to that if the Wild Car is not to your liking.

I was thinking the same thing - that I should just bite the bullet and book the larger car. Thanks for your help - I appreciate it! DU

Just reporting that a family member picked up a Magnum as a Wild Car in OGG this afternoon.

This info's been really useful. I plan on traveling to SEA over Thanksgiving 09 (from South Africa!) and was wondering if anyone had any recent experiences with the local Thrifty and their Wild Car deal?

Welcome to FlyerTalk, Boertjie!

Hopefully someone who has been in SEA recently reads this and can report. Otherwise, I believe I've collected all of the posted information back in post #1 on page 1, which, although the information isn't super up-to-date, might help you determine what's likely at SEA. Based on that, I'd expect you to get a car reasonably comfortable for four adults. If you need more space than that, I wouldn't rely on a Wild Car.

Safe travels from South Africa! :)

IND - with one exception when I received a Pontiac G6, all my rentals have been a Camry and usually they are about half the price of Hertz or Avis.

ONT - Mustangs or PT cruisers - they actually let you choose your car from what is available on the lot;

RNO - Ford Fusions

Thanks a lot! You've been most helpful! :D:-:^

Tonight at RNO was given the option between a Sebring and a Mustang. For $25.97 a day, I took the Mustang. It is a V8. Not too gas friendly for the 300 or so odd miles that I have to drive between California and Reno for the next two days, but I will have fun. :D

I just hope my fuzz buster catches the CHP!!!!

Tonight at RNO was given the option between a Sebring and a Mustang. For $25.97 a day, I took the Mustang. It is a V8. Not too gas friendly for the 300 or so odd miles that I have to drive between California and Reno for the next two days, but I will have fun. :D

I just hope my fuzz buster catches the CHP!!!!

Very nice! I got a Mustang V6 convertible at CLT few years ago and wasn't all that impressed. I didn't know Thrifty had any V8s kicking around! That'd make a world of difference.

Be sure to post your speeding ticket count! :D

(The first thread has been updated.)

Very nice! I got a Mustang V6 convertible at CLT few years ago and wasn't all that impressed. I didn't know Thrifty had any V8s kicking around! That'd make a world of difference.

Be sure to post your speeding ticket count! :D

(The first thread has been updated.)

The difference between the two is night and day...

The V6 sounds like a tractor, not surprising considering it's the same engine that made it's debut in the Ford Aerostar. The Modular V8 has a much more throaty sound, and is way better suited to the Mustang. I understand the need for Mustang to have an economy model, but a nicer, more powerful V6 (like the 3.5 litre from the current Taurus/Lincolns) would be nice.

I got a GT coupe for the week from National in Toronto this past summer. It's a wonder I didn't get nailed for speeding, especially with Ontario's FEROCIOUS excess speed laws. If you're caught at more than 50 km/h over the posted limit, you get a fine of $2,000-$10,000 and can face having your license and/or car confiscated for up to 7 days. Officers have discretion to impose that at roadside too.

I'm a new blue chip member and did the Wild Car thing at SNA last week.

On arrival, I was given the choice of a Ford Escape (small SUV) or Kia minivan. Took the Escape and it was great--2,000 miles and very new. Excellent price!

Anyone had any Wild Car experiences at MCO lately? I booked for 1/29 - 2/6/10, and really rolling the dice here with a family of 5.

The other week, late October, at PBI West Palm Beach FL airport, my Wild Car reservation got me a Mercury Grand Marquis.

A few days earlier, I had called in my Blue Chip card number to the location. Perhaps that helped.

The other week, late October, at PBI West Palm Beach FL airport, my Wild Car reservation got me a Mercury Grand Marquis.

A few days earlier, I had called in my Blue Chip card number to the location. Perhaps that helped.
Same as you got last time! :D

Updated the first post in the thread.

Don't know that your Blue Chip number had anything to do with it, though it's possible there was a mild influence.

In 2001, I checked in at the LAS airport car rental (don't remember which company). I politely asked the desk clerk if a free upgrade from my compact was available. She said there is never a free upgrade in Vegas and tried the darnest to sell me an upgrade which I declined a couple of times.

The shuttle picked me up and dropped me right at the car lot and told me where I could find my car. I looked up and down the aisle and didn't see a compact and asked the driver where was my compact. He replied that they haven't had a compact available for a few months and I was being upgraded to a full size car ( Chyrsler Intrepid).

Last year, I had a booking at Thrifty's for a wild card car but I really needed to a minivan. Since I am a blue chip member, I walked straight to the back where the cars are. I asked the guy whether a free upgrade was possible and again he said there is no free upgrade in Vegas. I was just about to offer him a $20 bill when I noticed a sign that said today's wild card car was a minivan. Just my luck. I think in general, there are lots of minivans in Vegas. Not sure if the wild card car really changes daily and I was just lucky.

Anyways, I am going back next week and I have both a wild card car and a minivan booked. If the wild card car is not a minivan, I hope I can simply use my minivan reservation. Hopefully Thrifty's doesn't notice I have 2 reservations (maybe I should have done one in my wife's name) and doesn't mind what I did.

In 2001, I checked in at the LAS airport car rental (don't remember which company). I politely asked the desk clerk if a free upgrade from my compact was available. She said there is never a free upgrade in Vegas and tried the darnest to sell me an upgrade which I declined a couple of times.

The shuttle picked me up and dropped me right at the car lot and told me where I could find my car. I looked up and down the aisle and didn't see a compact and asked the driver where was my compact. He replied that they haven't had a compact available for a few months and I was being upgraded to a full size car ( Chyrsler Intrepid).

Last year, I had a booking at Thrifty's for a wild card car but I really needed to a minivan. Since I am a blue chip member, I walked straight to the back where the cars are. I asked the guy whether a free upgrade was possible and again he said there is no free upgrade in Vegas. I was just about to offer him a $20 bill when I noticed a sign that said today's wild card car was a minivan. Just my luck. I think in general, there are lots of minivans in Vegas. Not sure if the wild card car really changes daily and I was just lucky.

Anyways, I am going back next week and I have both a wild card car and a minivan booked. If the wild card car is not a minivan, I hope I can simply use my minivan reservation. Hopefully Thrifty's doesn't notice I have 2 reservations (maybe I should have done one in my wife's name) and doesn't mind what I did.

Never ask for a free upgrade without some sort of legitimate reason (a coupon or something) or packaging it with something else. Asking for a free upgrade "just because" will just make the sales agent--who is not only commissioned on upgrades but also usually works on a yield system where a non-sale will actually penalize them--think you're either a) a cheap ...tard or freeloader, b) arrogant, or c) a moron. Either way, they'll think of you as a pest and probably go out of their way, then, to deliberately not put you into what you want without charging you for it, even if you otherwise would have gotten a free upgrade because they were out (or nearly out) of your reserved size. You wouldn't go to a mechanic and say, "Do you have any free oil changes?" You'd be laughed out of the office.

If you want to get a deal, you have to think like a salesperson and anticipate what he/she wants. They want a sale and the highest price for it. You want something and to get it for the lowest price possible. So, throw them a bone--tell them you'll buy a tank of prepaid gas if they can throw in a free upgrade to a minivan. That particular one is my favorite: it gets me something I can actually get use and value out of (a tank of gas). Or even better: wait until they offer everything, sound interested in their offers (politely declining as you want), and then, when they ask about gas, say, "You know, maybe I'll take a tank of prepaid gas if you can throw in a free upgrade to a minivan." It's the same thing at the auto mechanic: they try to sell you on a bunch of stuff that needs fixing--so you play along, and at the end, say, "Well, maybe I'll get my cooling system flushed if you can throw in a free oil change."

There are certain things you should NEVER do to someone in a service industry sales position who has power over the kind of service you receive (hotel clerks, rental car sales agents, airline gate agents, car salespeople, dealership service writers, etc.--I'm not talking about McDonald's order takers)--things like walking up like you own the place and demanding something, cutting off the agent's sales offers or insulting them by saying "I don't want any of your expensive/rip-off/worthless [whatever they're selling]," and, yes, asking for things for free.

Now, if you've built a great rapport with the agent and the agent is thinking, "This guy is cool," sometimes you can get away with asking at the end (after you've built all that rapport) for something a little nicer. Heck, sometimes they'll even just offer you something because they like you (that happened with me in CLT--I ended up getting a Ford Mustang convertible for free because the agent and I had such a good time chatting--well, I also took full coverage and prepaid gas, but still...). But just walking up and asking if you can get something for free out of the blue is definitely a turn-off to those in service/sales positions.