Hertz - I think this is the first time I have ever rented a car

...And it was thru Hotwire.

Turns out I got a Hertz compact from SEA [seattle], 3 days over labor day weekend. $30/day all in.

I was just sitting here thinking about it and I have never needed to rent a car. We have almost always driven, or flown to where we would be picked up by friends or family.

For the record, I am 46 yo. Is there anyone here who is [or was] much older and has never rented a car?

My other question is there anything special I should know about picking up in Seattle from Hertz? I have read several of the threads in this forum, & the main thing seems to be watching out for the fuel charge gotcha.

Will also remember to fill up as soon as I get out of the airport to see if it was full when I left.

Thanks,

Rick

[QUOTE=Insulator-King;10207088]

Will also remember to fill up as soon as I get out of the airport to see if it was full when I left.

QUOTE]

I'm not so sure that is necessary -- if it is on full, just return it as such (knowing that you can drive 30+ miles before the needle moves on many cars).

Not too much to know -- you might be able to do online check-in on Hertz.com to speed you through the process. Since most people here are Gold members, I haven't seen anybody comment on their experience with this service.

Well...

Sadly your first rental is from one of the worst run Hertz locaitons in the system. (Not as bad as ATL IMHO, but not good!)

Please don't think the lack of service and rude employees you find at SEA are the norm for Hertz, it isnt, but SEA is badly run IMHO.

Just have that fuel receipt in hand when u return the car if less than 75 miles and tell them that right away.

Congratulations Insulator-King for losing your rental virginity! This would make a perfect OMNI posting...

They may start a sales pitch on insurance. Do your homework and see if you need insurance or not, and if you do what types you need. If they see you hesitate when they do the sales push, they may become more intent.

Loss damage is like $26 a day there, so don't initial anything without realizing the cost.

The one complaint I've had with priceline rentals, not just with Hertz, was I've been billed for it a few times when returning the car, even though it was a prepaid. Getting credit was always a simple telephone call (it hapended four or five times) but still a pain. Keep an eye on that.

Walk around the car and check for dings and scratches etc. They usually have a form stuffed in the glove box from supposedly the person who "checked it" for damager before you got the car. I ran into this issue at BDL 2 months ago. Never bothered checking the car, and they don't bother telling you to check it or about the paper in the glove box.

On a side note, in my past rentals I never checked the car for damage, now I do religiously.

I've had a co-worker also note a great deal on a Hotwire/Hertz rental. Did you get to pick Hertz, or is it a bidding site (you get who they give you)?

Steve B.