Hertz - Hertz Platinum Invitation?

So I just got an invitation in the mail to join Hertz Platinum .... For $1200.

I thought this was a comp status that was granted not something they 'sold'. Can anyone shed some light?

High Fuel Prices = everything is for sale.

See Jet Blue now selling pillows.

:(

Yup, apparently that was the case. Called them up and they said that they're now "extending the offer" etc. Of course, with a price tag.

Sorry, not for $1200. I can take a bus.

Got my invite today. Too steep for me.

I can see the appeal for those traveling by private jet, though. Then again, they are more likely to have a car service meet them airside rather than a rental car.

Hertz should negotiate with Netjets, Marquisjets, et al to bundle this with jet time packages.

Is it $1200 a year or $1200 for a lifetime membership?

My guess is $1200/year.

Well, nice snob appeal... but, aside from the "pickup" and "dropoff", I don't see much there that I don't already get from someone else...

Plus, I wonder how much time the pickup/dropoff is likely to save... My bet is not much, if any...

Either way, for $1200/year, I'm definitely passing. Now, promise me an upgrade to "prestige collection" every time and it might be worth paying for... but still not $1200/year.

-- J

Well, nice snob appeal... but, aside from the "pickup" and "dropoff", I don't see much there that I don't already get from someone else...

Plus, I wonder how much time the pickup/dropoff is likely to save... My bet is not much, if any...

Either way, for $1200/year, I'm definitely passing. Now, promise me an upgrade to "prestige collection" every time and it might be worth paying for... but still not $1200/year.

-- J I agree they offer very little for the money. I filled out a survey for this a couple of months ago and they asked price points I always choose the lowest and thought it was only worth a hundred bucks or so. IF I owned my own company then maybe the 20- 30 bucks you could save per rental might matter, but that goes to the client versus me.

I was under the impression as a Hertz Plat you basically get to pick any car that is not reserved on the lot. Which at a big location (LAS, LAX, etc) would end up in a Prestige all the time.

$1200?!?! They offered it to me for $1500!

You should jump right on that $1200! :D

Platinum members USED to mean something but now that Platinum status is for sale it means far less.
The same thing goes for Presidents club....used to be that a gold member had to earn their way to PC but now that too is for sale making it less valuable.
I say this from the point of view of a Hertz employee.

I agree with your viewpoint that Hertz has devalued its higher levels. William Buckley's book, Cancel Your Own Goddam Subscription: Notes and Asides from National Review Magazine, has a few letters where he is going back and forth with Art Buchwald on the value of Hertz Platinum. It is obvious from their letters that Hertz Platinum was quite rare and appreciated by both men.

I got an email a few days ago offering a buy up to President's Circle for $450 (the standard rate). The offer is not worth it since I rent less than 10 times a year.

Did you get this via email or via snail mail? I only get snail mail once a quarter or so and am wondering if I got one and what my buy in is. I am currently PC, rent ~60 times a year and have about ~350 rental days (a lot of overlapping cars to get weekly rates).

You must not need to own a personal vehicle. :D I will guess that they would offer you platinum for $1200/year since you are PC.

You must not need to own a personal vehicle. :D I will guess that they would offer you platinum for $1200/year since you are PC.

I do, but I only buy very very fun cars that couldn't [economically] be a daily driver. I just sold a 2007 M6 I purchased last year from a leasing company that got it back after a default and, given that I only drove about 3,000 miles and bought it for less than wholesale, was only out a grand total of $210 (less than $20/month cost of ownership since the BMW warranty covers oil changes, etc.). That would not be possible without Hertz :)

The offer letter is actually a very fancy marketing package. Comes in a large envelope, there's a black folder inside on some special plastic coated paper. Several pages in full color showing the benefits. I would guess each mailing cost at least $12 in materials and postage. So they are spending a good chunk of money on this mailing.

It's definitely targeted towards someone who would fly a private jet somewhere and expected Hertz to have a rep on hand waiting with your car at the terminal (lot's of pictures of people in private jets). I've never rented from Hertz before in my life so I really don't know how I ended up.

Still the price point didn't make any sense. If I were to compare it to other buy in programs, like a Delta Reserve, the value just wasn't there. I don't think it will degrade the plat pool though because I just don't think enough people would drop the money for it.

I was under the impression as a Hertz Plat you basically get to pick any car that is not reserved on the lot. Which at a big location (LAS, LAX, etc) would end up in a Prestige all the time.

For my mom (Platinum), the station managers at at least two airports know that her reservation for a full-size car is to be fulfilled with a Cadillac CTS.

So we have $1200 for some, $1500 for others and my offer was for $1350 per year. I wonder how they determine the price?

I would go for it without hesitation IF I can rent any car on the lot - and sell my car.

Still the price point didn't make any sense. If I were to compare it to other buy in programs, like a Delta Reserve, the value just wasn't there. I don't think it will degrade the plat pool though because I just don't think enough people would drop the money for it.I'm not aware of any "buy in program" that has the level of personal service that Hertz Platinum offers. My understanding is that when you are renting at an airport there will be a Hertz employee waiting for you with your car in the terminal when you arrive. When you return the car a Hertz employee gets in the car and drives you to your terminal in that car (i.e., no bus and transfer of bags). The car they give you will most likely be a significant upgrade. If you rent from airport locations 40 times a year, that comes out to $30/rental ... well worth it for many folks I'm sure. Quite frankly, I was tempted by the offer (I would probably switch all of my rentals to Hertz instead of spreading them around as I currently do, plus it would negate the disadvantages of some airports that cause me to not use Hertz in those locations, MCO in particular comes to mind).

For my mom (Platinum), the station managers at at least two airports know that her reservation for a full-size car is to be fulfilled with a Cadillac CTS.

Sounds exactly what SBP is for me with Avis PC. I rent a full size, call them the day before and remind them I am coming in and I get a DTS.

I'm not aware of any "buy in program" that has the level of personal service that Hertz Platinum offers. My understanding is that when you are renting at an airport there will be a Hertz employee waiting for you with your car in the terminal when you arrive. When you return the car a Hertz employee gets in the car and drives you to your terminal in that car (i.e., no bus and transfer of bags). The car they give you will most likely be a significant upgrade.

That pretty much sums up my Platinum experience; you see some variations at certain stations. For example, at SFO, they use a Lincoln Town Car to pick you up at the terminal and they drive you over to the facility where your rental is processed. When you return the car, they use the Town Car to take you back.

Sounds exactly what SBP is for me with Avis PC. I rent a full size, call them the day before and remind them I am coming in and I get a DTS.

Back in the day, the folks liked getting Town Cars as their complimentary upgrades (big trunk for all of the shopping bags). Then, they started getting DTS and S-Type Jaguars in the mix and started liking those. Now, mom likes either the DTS or the CTS with the smaller CTS being a little easier for her to drive and park. I used to see NeverLost and/or Sirius thrown in as well, but it's more hit and miss these days.

Will I get an upgrade to an SL in CDG if I buy into this? If so, VERY worthwhile.

Will I get an upgrade to an SL in CDG if I buy into this? If so, VERY worthwhile.

In a word: NO!
If you rent a standard car as Plat, you may expect to get a nice upgrade ... but you're dreaming (or smoking crack) if you think you can rent the smallest, cheapest car in Paris and walk into a Mercedes SL.

In a word: NO!
If you rent a standard car as Plat, you may expect to get a nice upgrade ... but you're dreaming (or smoking crack) if you think you can rent the smallest, cheapest car in Paris and walk into a Mercedes SL.

You really know how to destroy a beautiful dream. :eek: