Panamajon513

I pretty much always get upgraded from Intermediate or Full Size to the small SUV or Mustang/Camaro.

steve64

I always book Economy. My personal car is a Corolla and I hate driving big cars.
I've always been upgraded. Sometimes only into my comfort zone of Compact. But more than half the time into some boring boats that my Grandpa would love. The last car was a Mustang. When I saw it sitting in my numbered spot, I was thinking "how cool". It was kinda cool to have it for a few days, but my Corolla handles much better than this "sports" car.

brkandjfk

Yeah, at 6'4" I have difficulty even with Intermediate, which is a policy requirement at work. The "free" upgrades actually mean something in terms of value to me...

So my lack of upgrades is clearly atypical...

dmgt

Have been renting Avis for well over 7 years. About 20 times a year. Most times get upgrades. At some locations they tell me what they have and ask what I want. I don't like the very big cars but have selected speciality cars and convertibles and only been charged my rate for an intermediate. While I get
Lots of upgrades I do find service levels vary. Yvr get AWSOME service. Yyz the service is very poor.

sdsearch

I always book Economy (class code A) when it's signfiacntly lower than Compact (class code B), but often they're either the same or extremely close, in which case I rent Compact.

On my last two Compact rentals (one at BUF, one at HSV) I got upgraded to a Corolla, which is Intermediate at Avis (class code C). (And, btw, that has been as just Preferred, not First! Though a third station, LBB, stopped upgrading me once I was dropped from First to Preferred earlier this year.)

Critic

Rented at GSO last week - requested a standard, was given a premium, specifically a 2012 Ford Taurus Limited w/ about 6k on the clock and just about every optional extra known to man (other than satnav). Sirius was active for the whole rental. Given the 100+ degree days, the air conditioned seats were a welcome perk.

NDDomer86

2012 or 2013? The Taurus underwent a minor refresh in 2013 and by the mileage/Satellite, sounds like you might have had a 2013...

Steph3n

I get an upgrade every single time, normally to the best car on the lot or one right under it if a large location

Critic

You may be right, although I could have sworn the agent at GSO said it was a '12. I know there's a subtle difference in the Limited's grille, but visually the '12 and the '13 sheet metal are very similar.

All that said, I'm a fan of the new Taurus - nice ride, excellent handling for a car its size, and well appointed (at least, the ones I've rented), including backup cam and blind spot monitoring system. It always requires a bit of adjustment for me, since I'm used to my Fiesta, but it's a welcome change.

drzoidberg

The '13 receives the digital MyFordTouch gauges, whereas the '12 retains the analog ones. That's the surest sign of different model years.

Critic

Well, it definitely had MyFordTouch, so I guess it was a '13. Huh.

drzoidberg

I meant the driver's gauges/instrument cluster, not the MFT on the center stack.

Winecaptain

I am Avis First and have been for the past 3 years (70 rentals per year, but only 3-4 "qualifying rentals" - almost all are one day rentals). I regularly get upgrades at my regular locations where I rent every week (Houston Hobby Airport & Tampa Airport). Typically I get at least two car classes upgrade in both locations. Last time in Tampa, booked an intermediate car and received a Chevrolet Camaro (brand new with 37 miles on it), unfortunately only got to drive it 19 miles and had it less than 7 hours. In Houston booked an intermediate car and received a Toyota Venza. However in my most recent rental experienced my first Downgrade, in Shreveport where I rented and paid for an Intermediate Car and received a Subcompact (Hyundai Accent)... I guess sometimes you win and other times you lose...

tstad

I'm Avis First and 90% of the time I get an upgrade. I think it makes a bigger difference if you rent from the same location. For example, I rent at ORD almost every week and always choose intermediate. I've been given a wide range; Ford Escape, Chevy Traverse, Chevy Suburban, Impala, Ford Mustang, Mazda 6, etc. A few of my co-workers have even received Infinitis and BMWs and we have the same status and rent the same car class

At other locations when I rent intermediate I usally receive cars like a Ford Fusion, Chevy Malibu, etc. I think Avis looks at loyalty to specific locations more than anything.