Avis - Received a Porsche 911-upgrade as a Presidents Club member

Just received my first-ever upgrade to a Porsche 911 at a AVIS airport station in Germany. I rent there frequently and the agent mentioned that it should be about time for a real treatment - then handled me the keys to a brand-new 911 :p

What a weekend it was......

Wow.. awesome. Makes my free Camry upgrade look pathetic. :)

Incredible. What class car did you have reserved?

Wow, something to actually make the Chairman’s members jealous! :eek:

Wow, something to actually make the Chairman’s members jealous! :eek:Ach du lieber! I'm so-o-o-o-o jealous. :)

I reserved a mid-size car (Grp "C" in Germany) :D

...and no, I did not get a ticket for speeding! But I have to say that I didn't go faster than 260 kph (160 mph) on the Autobahn, as I didn't want to get carried away :)

As fun as it would be, I would seriously consider refusing the upgrade. I only have experience with Avis in Frankfurt (at least 30 rentals over the years), but they are the most anal about checking a car in and looking for damage. A small rock chip on a side mirror of a Volvo wagon was $300. A rock chip in an Audi A4 windshield was $800. Things that in the US the agents don't even think twice about. Couldn't image what the repair costs for a 911 would be.

As fun as it would be, I would seriously consider refusing the upgrade. I only have experience with Avis in Frankfurt (at least 30 rentals over the years), but they are the most anal about checking a car in and looking for damage. A small rock chip on a side mirror of a Volvo wagon was $300. A rock chip in an Audi A4 windshield was $800. Things that in the US the agents don't even think twice about. Couldn't image what the repair costs for a 911 would be.

I think I had the same guy check my car on return to FRA. My car probably had 20000 KM but appeared spotless when I checked out. At check-in the car was still mint (with lots of new 200KPH bug splatters), and this guy checked every piece of dirt with his finger to be certain it was not a chip. I thought he was kidding and then he wrote up every wheel as being scratched (by me). He produced a damage report (all in german) for me to sign and I refused him with what I believed to be my passable german. He did not relent, so I called over another agent checking in cars and she agreed the scratches were nothings (nichts). She left and he continued to badger me to sign. He appeared to me to not be german and said his german manager would fire him if I didn't sign (like that would worry me), so I had him point out the manager and I dragged him over to the car. The manager told him to close out the car and wished me a pleasant flight.

So yes, I would love to get this car, but I would make sure my insurance would cover every penny of replacing a 911 wheel because of a hairline scratch. But on second thought, this will never happen, I have never and will never use Avis in germany again.

BTW, great score on the 911 berlinflyer!

A rock chip in an Audi A4 windshield was $800.

Wow, I just replaced my Chrysler windshield (the car was gifted from a relative that passed... I'd NEVER buy a Chrysler) and that was $175. $800 is absurd!

I think I had the same guy check my car on return to FRA...

Thank god he didn't see a car that I returned a bit back :D